The History

Since 1921, Country Club Christian Church has had open doors to the people of Kansas City. The church was was founded by Dr. George Hamilton Combs. Combs arrived a 28 year old to Kansas City in December of 1892 from Shelbyville, Kentucky. He spent a good 26 years pastoring a church at 6th and Prospect, but when the first World War broke out, he felt compelled to go Europe and do his part as a YMCA chaplain. In 1919, he came back to Kansas City physically, mentally, and emotionally drained and turned in his resignation. Though after spending a few peaceful near Lake Jacomo in Lee’s Summit, he decided to rejoin the ministry as the founding minister of Country Club Christian Church. In just 20 years, the church had 3,000 members!

Weddings at CCCC

Country Club Christian Church is one of the most popular and desirable wedding venues in Kansas City. With over 100 weddings being performed annualy, for both members and non-members alike, the fight to reserve the church reminds me of shopping on the day after Thanksgiving – or Black Friday as it’s known in the retail world. There’s nothing quite like rushing through the doors at 6 am trying to beat out the 20 other customers to grab the last iPod at Best Buy. Though at least with Country Club Christian Church you have two targets to aim for, the main sanctuary and the Combs Memorial chapel.

All the weddings are scheduled on Saturdays. You can get married in the sanctuary, which seats over 800 guests including the balcony; or you can get married in the George Hamilton Combs Memorial Chapel, which is located just north of the main building and seats 130 guests including the balcony. Both the sanctuary and the chapel have center aisles leading to the front and both share certain stylistic and architectural features Other than that, they are quite unique, and the choice between the two can be difficult.

Cathedral vs. Chapel: a Sidenote

It’s very important, when considering a ceremony space, that you take in to account the size of your wedding party, the likely number of guests and the overall atmosphere you wish for the ceremony. You might find a beautiful sanctuary that you simply adore, but if it’s a bad fit for your wedding size and goals, you really should move on. For example, let’s say you are getting married in the UK and you fall in love with Canterbury Cathedral. You love the history, the architecture and everything else.

Let’s also assume that you like lush floral arrangements. You aren’t looking for anything crazy in flowers – just something appropriate for the cathedral. Unfortunately, your chic British florist tells you it will be at least 20,000 US dollars to do anything remotely appropriate for the cathedral, so you decide that the cathedral looks fine in its plain state. You go ahead with your plans, hire the photographer and invite your guests… all 50 of them. They come dutifully, and appropriately attired. They stand in a line at the first row and admire you as you parade past the miles of empty pews. They turn to face the vicar as he gives his message and they are struck by the beauty of the architecture and the history and mostly by how insignificant the wedding seems in comparison to the cathedral itself.

Of course, there are couples who want their wedding to feel very small and humble. After all, weren’t these cathedrals built to inspire us at the majesty of God and remind us our own frailty? Most of the time, though, when a couple chooses a large sanctuary or cathedral, they are envisioning something much more grand. They see overflowing flowers and rows of gushing guests. Frankly they would have done better to choose a smaller venue.

Back to Kansas City: Small vs. Large

Now, I know that Canterbury Cathedral is an extreme example, but it’s the principle that matters. Let’s get back to earth and talk about Kansas City. Every month we do weddings at great local cathedrals and sanctuaries like the Redemptorist, Our Lady of Sorrows, or Country Club Christian Church. Some of them work brilliantly and others seem quite empty. Many of them would have been better suited to a more intimate setting like the Combs Memorial Chapel.

“Don’t we look so beautiful in our wedding photos. Wait, where’s the flower arrangements. I don’t see them. Oh…. There they are…. The little colorful bits beside the altar.”

I can’t tell you how many brides want traditional altar arrangements to sit on either side of the stage of the main sanctuary – the type of arrangements that cost a couple hundred and look quite grand when placed in the Combs Memorial Chapel. You can imagine how disappointed they are when they look back at their wedding pictures and say, “Didn’t we look so beautiful. Wait, where’s the flower arrangements. I don’t see them. Oh…. There they are…. The little colorful bits beside the altar.”

How sad, that the bride could have taken the same arrangements, along with some simple pew greens and had enough to make the little chapel look simply stunning. Big space means either no décor or big décor. Undersized arrangements are easily overlooked or worse, look out of place. Many brides who have a guest count of less than 150 and a ceremony décor budget of less than $1,000 find it worthwhile to consider the chapel over the sanctuary.

Country Club Christian Church Facts:

Here’s a few key bits of information that may be of use if you are considering Country Club Christian Church for your wedding. To really get the picture, though, you’ll have to call them and schedule a time to go in and look at the space.

• The main sanctuary seats 800. The chapel seats 130.
• Fees are $1,400 for the Sanctuary and $1,300 for the Chapel.
• CCCC’s wedding package is “all-inclusive,” including 3 hours at the church on the wedding day, a wedding facilitator during rehearsal and wedding day, minister fees, organist, custodian, 45-minute rehearsal, couple communication classes, wedding workshop, candelabras, hurricanes, and kneeling bench.
• On the wedding day, each wedding party has use of the church facilities which include either the chapel or sanctuary, dressing rooms and outside gardens for a total of 3 hours. Two hours prior to the start of the ceremony and one hour from the start of the ceremony. Additional time may be purchased at $50 per hour if scheduling allows.
• To secure the facilities, you must return a request form with a $100 non-refundable deposit.
• CCCC only performs weddings on Saturdays with rehearsals on Friday evenings. December weddings are for members only.
• Any music used at the wedding must be appropriate for a worship service. Also, CCCC does not allow any recorded music for the wedding.
• No flash pictures are permissible in the Sanctuary or the Chapel after the Processional and before the Recessional.
• No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the church or chapel premises at anytime.
• Unity candles and holders, the guest book, aisle runners, and bread or juice for communion must be provided by the bride & groom.
• Call 816-333-4917 or go to www.cccckc.org for more information

Country Club Christian Church is one of Kansas City’s most popular churches to get married in. It is in a great part of the city, it has a deep spiritual history, and it offers not one, but two areas to hold your wedding ceremony. If you think it may be the place for you, call 816.333.4917 or go to www.cccckc.org for more information.

Additional Images of Country Club Christian Church:

If you haven’t been to a bridal show you are missing out. It’s no normal trade show. A bridal show is a room packed with thousands of brides and moms looking for just the perfect photographer, florist, dj, etc… In short, it’s a zoo. I think that Mary over at Blue Window Creative described it best. She said it’s “kind of like walking through the perfume and make-up section at a busy department store. By the end you smell like three different things, one of them being men’s cologne, and you’re sporting a set of fake eyelashes.”

Anyway, we always have a great time at our shows but by the end of the day we are exhausted. I got to say it was great to just walk around and not to have to worry about the booth. We ran into a few interesting folks while we were there, and I’d love to tell you about them.

Els VanderMei of Dutch Flowers

Els runs a great flower shop in the City Market called Dutch Flowers. This was her first show, and it was my first time to meet her. She was instantly likable and very gracious. She stood their posing with flowers for a good long time while I fumbled with the camera and I didn’t hear one complaint.

I’m hoping to have the chance to sit down with Els in the near future and write a more detailed blog post on who she is and how she came to be a Kansas City florist. For now though, you’ll just have to check out her site or visit her shop at 400 Grand.

Brad and Leslie Selfridge of Cedar Creek Photography

We met Brad and Leslie about a year and a half ago at a vendor party thrown by the Knot. Since then we’ve gotten to know Brad and Leslie a bit. We’ve seen them at bridal shows and even worked with them at a wedding or two. Like Els, Brad and Leslie are both highly likable people. I didn’t bother to warn Brad that I was going to put his picture on the site, but he gave me a grin just the same.

If you are looking for a good photographer with a good personality, years of experience and very reasonable rates, Cedar Creek might be for you. If you haven’t already met them, check out their website or call them up to visit their studio in Olathe.

Jeremy Lawson of JLawson Photography

Jeremy runs a very successful photography studio in Springfield called JLawson Photography and a sister studio called Big Smile Photography. His business model is most interesting to me: He shoots weddings personally for a relatively high, but still reasonable, fee; while the photographers he trained to staff Big Smile shoot at an even more manageable rate. His work is impressive and certainly worth a look or two. As of late, he’s been picking up a lot of weddings in the Kansas City area, so he decided to expand this direction and participate in the PWG show. Check out his website at jlawsonphotography and his blog at jeremylawsonphoto.blogspot.com

Evergreen Events and Emily Hart

A couple weeks ago I met with Emily Miller to talk about floral design for her wedding in August. What I didn’t realize at the time is that Emily owns Emily Hart’s (formerly Sandy’s Bridal) in Paola Kansas and her mother Julie owns Evergreen Events just next door. It’s always flattering to have the opportunity to do a wedding for a fellow wedding vendor. Emily and Julie put in a great showing at the bridal fair, in fact Emily provided many of the gowns for the run way show. Make sure you check them out at Sandysbridal.com and anevergreenevent.com

Alexander & Company

The first time we walked by this booth, we thought, “What is it?” Two guys with a bunch of posters: What were they doing at a bridal show. Eventually I was snagged by the quality of design. The posters were very well-executed early 20th century-inspired wedding promos. There’s nothing quite like seeing your own name and wedding date on a poster that you could swear was designed by Toulouse-Lautrec. Alexander and Company also does invitations and save the date cards. Check them out at www.customalexander.com.

Blue Window Creative

Sometimes another wedding vendor catches you off guard. Such was the case with Blue Window Creative. To be honest, I had not even heard of them before I walked by their booth at the show. It’s always strange when you go from never having heard of someone to being a big fan all in a few minutes. Blue Window Creative is Joel and Mary Schroeder, and they do some great photography and custom design. They are exceptionally talented, extremely personable and sure to make a big splash on the Kansas City Wedding scene. So… catch them while you can. Their rates are fairly low at the moment, but if I’m any guess that won’t last long. I bet they will be overwhelmed with weddings before too long and they’ll have to take up their rates just to control the workload. So, check them out via their website and their blog Remember, I told you first.

Ornamental Petal

We met Bridget Kelly of Ornamental Petal in the Blue Window Creative booth (I guess creative people like to congregate in creative places). Though we had heard of Ornamental Petal before, we’d never met the girl behind the flowers. Bridget, like Joel and Mary, is extremely talented and a joy to be around. You should check out her site too, and her blog. Also, there’s a new Ornamental Petal website in the works, I’ve seen the preview. Mary Schroeder of Blue Window Creative is designing it, and it’s going to be a humdinger.

So, there’s the highlights from the Perfect Wedding Guide Bridal show. See you later!

No other hotel, new or old, is quite like Kansas City’s historic Hilton President. When I was little, my siblings and I played an old board game called Hotels. The game was very similar to Monopoly. The goal was to own as many hotels as possible, and the absolute “King of the Mountain” hotel was called the President. It had its own golf course, 3 swimming polls, and the rates started at $750 per night.

Well, the Hilton President in downtown KC is also a “King of the Mountain” hotel, and even more, it has significantly better rates than the President hotel in that old board game.

There are three things about the President that I think make it great for weddings and events.

• It is located in the heart of downtown Kansas City’s new Power & Light District.
• It is nicely stylized – a historic hotel with a hip vintage, art-deco feel.
• The President’s staff are amongst the best we here at Blue Bouquet have worked with.

Location, Location, Location

This last wedding season, we did several weddings in the famous 12th story Congress ballroom. The 4,500 square foot is adorned with mirrored walls and gorgeous chandeliers. It also has windows from ceiling to floor and offers a great view of many of Kansas City’s downtown buildings, including the new Sprint Center. The P & L district with its “Get Turned On” anthem is one of Kansas City’s newest developments. The “talk of the town” region will eventually host many restaurants, shops, concert venues, bars, boutique shops, movie theatres, and even condos. The district is set to fully open in the Spring of ’08. The Power & Light District creates a happening background for your wedding or event at the President.

The History

The hotel was originally built in 1926 and hosted the National Republican Convention a couple years later. Its nationally known Drum Room nightclub has had a plethora of famous entertainers through the years, from Frank Sinatra to the Marx Brothers to The Great Houdini. Simply walking through the lobby makes you feel like you’re about to go to a Duke Ellington concert after a long day’s work at the WWII machinery factory in KC’s old warehouse district. The President was the first hotel in the city with the ability to make ice on premise, making 8,000 pounds per day. The Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The President recently went through a complete $45.5 million renovation, cutting the room number from 453 to 213. However, the Lobby, Congress Ballroom, as well as the Drum and Aztec Rooms have all been restored close to their originals. You will be overtaken by the stunning décor. From the leaded glass windows to the lobby’s two story columns to the original terrazzo floors, history is bursting forth from the President.

The People

Whether you can believe it or not, the best part of the Hilton President Hotel is its staff. Jill and her team of chefs, caterers, planners, and servers go above and beyond to take great care of their customers and brides.

During one particular wedding at the President this last fall, in lieu of the bride’s wedding planner being busy, Jill directed the timing and march out of the ceremony herself. Of course, Drue was busying herself too, giving the bride a bottle of water and making sure the bride’s dress was perfectly straight before the ceremony.

Downtown–The lights are much brighter there. You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares. So go downtown, things’ll be great when you’re Downtown - no finer place, for sure… – Frank Sinatra (T. Hatch)

In another recent wedding that we did at the President, the bride and groom held both their ceremony and reception in the Congress Ballroom, and Jill’s staff (with us in tow) flipped the room faster than any other room we have yet to see flipped. And where did the guests go while we flipped the Congress Ballroom, you ask? Well, the famous Aztec ballroom, of course—a perfect room for enjoying cocktails, hor d’oeuvres, music, and friends while waiting for the reception to begin.

Here at Blue Bouquet, we love Kansas City’s President Hotel. And we know you will too. Just take a walk through Power & Light District. When you see the famous President sign and twelve stories of beautiful brick and concrete design, we know that a smile will come to your face and the lyrics of the old Sinatra song, Downtown, will come to your mind!

Quick Facts:

Keep in mind that this info is accurate as of April, 2008; but it will likely change from time to time.

• Address: 1329 Baltimore, Kansas City. Phone: 816-303-1636
• The Congress Ballroom is on the twelfth floor and features 4,500 sq. ft. of space, mirrored walls, and a stunning terrazzo floor.
• For receptions and events, all food must be catered by the President’s Kitchen staff.
• If a minimum order is reached, the room rental is included in the per guest fee.
• There are two main packages: a full meal wedding package, starting at $90 per guest, and a Dinner Buffet package (with a minimum of 20 people), starting at $45 per person.
• The Reception Package includes a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, bar service, and a full meal for each guest with a salad, a duet dinner entrée, rolls and butter, Champagne, and Truffles. On top of that, they President staff will also serve your cake! The Package offers many varieties of salads, from Wild Mushroom and Brioche Salad to Artisan Pasta and Frisee Salad, as well as many varieties of entrees, from Artichoke and Gruyere Crusted Chicken Breast to Kansas City Strip Steak.
• The Buffet package includes the same possibility of salads, and you can choose from various Poultry, Seafood, or Beef Entrees.
• A taxable service charge of 20% and sales tax of 9.35% will be added to all food and beverage charges
• You can choose multiple entrees but you must order a minimum of 25 of each.
• Parties with 10 or more rooms can get discounted rates at the hotel
• The Aztec Room is on the second floor and has 1,440 of sq. ft. space

More Photos

Just two months ago, in February of 2008, Martha Stewart bought a stake in Wedding Wire.com and is now partnering with them in the wedding market online. WeddingWire has many great features. (You should check the site out!) One of these features is a system that allows brides to rate their wedding vendors by the following categories: Quality of Service, Responsiveness, Professionalism, Value for Budget, and Flexibility.

No More Horror Stories

This rating system is great for brides across the nation. If lots of brides and vendors get involved, this system will go a long ways towards reducing the number of “horror story” weddings that we all hear about.

Think about it! As a bride, before you decide to book or even meet with a vendor, you can get online and read about what many, many other brides have experienced with that vendor. You won’t have to worry about sifting through the words, words, and more words of subjective prose that the vendors spill out on their sites and when you meet them about their quality of service. You can read about them from a completely objective source and find out what other brides have experienced!

Martha Stewart Has Got It Going On

Hooray for Martha Stewart and Wedding Wire. Along with this rating system, there are many, many other great things that the partnership of these sites brings forth. Martha Stewart yields not only a whole lot of information, pictures, and videos related to weddings but everything she touches is high quality. And Wedding Wire gives both brides and vendors many of the tools they need to make their weddings go smoothly.

Check out the many reviews of Blue Bouquet on Martha Stewart’s website.

Martha Stewart’s website rated Blue Bouquet as the top florist in Kansas City for Weddings. It’s an honor to be labeled Kansas City’s Best Wedding Florist by such a reputable source

You may never have met Ron Berg, but I’m sure you’ve seen his photography. He does fabulous commercial work for top-tier companies: AMC, American Century, Amoco, Backwoods, Bayer, Beechcraft, Blockbuster, Blue Bunny Ice Cream…. I haven’t even gotten to the C’s yet. Anyway, years ago Ron got the wild idea to buy the old Studebaker showroom at 1525 Grand and convert it into a studio. He was way ahead of his time: these days it seems like everyone in Kansas City is moving to the crossroads or the Power & Light District (We’ve even considered it ourselves).

From Studebaker to Studio

Ron did a great job restoring the studio and adding a few architectural touches to give it a contemporary feel. The hardwood floors, the freight elevator, the brick walls and overhead wooden beams are all original and dripping in character. The galvanized staircase and cast concrete bar are newer additions, but they feel right at home in the urban experience that is the Berg Event Space (again, that’s Berg with an e; not Burg Event Space).

Of course, it wasn’t always an event space. Ron used the space exclusively as a studio until his work began to take him on location much of the time. I guess he decided it would be selfish to keep such a great space empty while he was away, so he opened the Berg Event Space.

80% of the Berg is below the surface

Weddings are very important to us at the Berg Event Space. So many couples choose us for one of the most memorable days of their lives. That’s an honor for us and a very big decision for them. We don’t take that lightly. – Sandy Riley

You can get a decent feel for the space by looking at the pictures and reading the facts below, but to really understand, you have to visit. The Berg Event Space has a certain electricity and life about it. It just feels like a good place for a party. It could be the location, or it could be the combination of vintage guts and modern refinement, I don’t know. Either way, we hear comments on the energy of the space far too often for it to be a coincidence. More importantly, the Berg has some great people behind the scenes, namely Sandy Riley.

Ron brought Sandy on board a couple of years ago to manage the space and to see that events run smoothly and easily. He made a good decision when he did. “Weddings are very important to us”, Sandy told me. “So many couples choose us for one of the most memorable days of their lives. That’s an honor for us and a very big decision for them. We don’t take that lightly.”

When you book an event at the Berg Space in Kansas City, you can be sure that Sandy will be keeping tabs on things, making sure that the space looks great and the vendors are tactful, tasteful, and on time.

The Fun Stuff

The Berg has a range of unique features that make it a perfect fit for weddings. Here’s just a few:

• The Berg courtyard: The courtyard has become something of an icon in the Kansas City Wedding Scene. If you’ve spent much time looking through photographer’s websites, you’ve probably seen the shots of the courtyard lit up at night in all it’s romantic appeal
• The freight elevator: I know this sounds like a strange perk, but we love it. This isn’t a modern elevator. It’s an old wooden dinosaur with huge wooden doors that look as if they’ve survived a few wars and but still open gracefully to the event space. Many bride’s and grooms use it to enter the ceremony or reception. It’s a great urban twist on the traditional church door entrance.
• Beams and rafters: These are great for hanging lights, lanterns, garlands, fabric, etc… In fact, some couples even get married in the center of the room with the chandelier overhead and ceiling treatments such as paper lanterns radiating from the center.
• Steel Wall: At the front of the room, beside the freight elevator is a wonderful curved steel wall. It makes a great place to display pictures and memorabilia.
• Aesthetic flexibility: If you can dream it, you can do it. Don’t get me wrong, Ron and Sandy won’t let you hurt yourself, abuse the space, abuse them, break the furniture, etc… Still, if your florist or designer has a great new idea for the space, Ron and Sandy will stand back and applaud.

The Facts

So you’re sold, right? You just need a little information to be sure that the Berg is right for your wedding or event. Well I have what you need. Keep in mind that this info is accurate at the moment (March 08), but it’s certainly going to change over time.

• Rates: At the time of this writing, the Berg rates are $3000 on Saturdays and a bit less for other days (That’s a steal of a deal for such a great space).
• Max standing/seating room: The Berg Event Space can accommodate 250 people in a mixed standing/seating party.
• Max seating room: If all guests are to be seated at tables, the Berg Event Space can seat about 185.
• Ceremony & Reception in one location: Many couples like to have their wedding and reception in a single location. Sandy can accommodate with ease. The space can be configured in several different ways for a ceremony; then after the ceremony, the guests can mingle at the landing or in the courtyard while the Berg’s staff flips the room for the reception.
• Time Available: Rental rates include six hours for the event and four hours prior for set up. Last call is at Midnight. Additional hours needed are billed at $250 an hour.
• Security: The Berg Event Space requires a security guard to be on site for all events, and can provide one at a reasonable rate of $50 an hour.
• Extras: The rental fee includes a range of seating, amenities and decorative items. For full description, download the Berg Event Space Information Sheet.

To get the full picture, you should really visit the space. It’s located at 1525 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108. Make sure you call 816.842.8480 to schedule an appointment. Ask to speak to Sandy and tell her we sent you.
Berg Event Space Information Sheet
Berg Event Space Website

A few more images of the Berg Event Space

Environmentally friendly flowers

When you throw out the idea of green flowers, most people look at you like you’re crazy. Flowers grow from the ground, right? How could they not be green? The truth is that floral crops are not that much different than other crops. There’s nothing wrong with the plants themselves, but the fertilizers, pesticides and carbon emissions generated by shipping don’t exactly minimize the ecological foot-print.

So, the question that Spaces had for us, and the question that many of our bride’s have, is “How can we have beautiful flowers for our event or wedding without damaging the environment.” The answer is simple enough, but not always convenient.

Supporting local growers

One great way to stay green is to stay local. By utilizing local growers, you not only support the local economy, but you also avoid the negative environmental impact of shipping the flowers.

Many folks choose to stop by the ol’ farmers market the day before the party. These markets generally have an assortment of locally grown fresh cut flowers and wild flowers. Kansas City has several farmer’s markets. Here’s just a few of them:

• City Market – 5th and Walnut. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays, almost year around.

• Brookside Farmers Community Market – 63rd and Wornall. It is open on Saturdays between April and October and is a great place to pick up sunflowers.

• KC Organics at Minor Park – 1201 Red Bridge Road. It is open on Saturdays between May and October.

• North Kansas City Farmers Market – 715 Armour Road. It is open on Friday Mornings

• For a more complete list, visit agebb.missouri.edu

Staying green while working with a designer

Sadly, it can be a bit more difficult to stay green when working with a floral designer unless you remain very flexible. It would be great if you could get any flower at any time of the year and be sure that it was grown on an organic farm. Unfortunately, a high percentage of cut flowers are actually grown overseas, where environmental regulations can sometimes be lax. In fact, in some international situations, environmental concerns play just a small role in the equation. One must also consider international trade issues and human rights issues in regard to the treatment and wages of the laborers.

So, can’t you simply just ask your florist to get your event or wedding flowers from local farms? Well, this is potentially a good option as many florists do in fact have relationships with local farmers. There are a couple of things to keep in mind with this approach, though. First, you must be okay with the fact that staying local often means spending a few extra dollars. Local farms can’t be expected to compete with larger international farms and the florist may have to put additional efforts into sourcing, gathering, and processing local flowers. This often translates to a higher price-tag on the end product.

Flexibility is key!

The second thing to consider when choosing to have your florist source local flowers is that climate changes can drastically impact local crops. For example, last year we were working with a very bohemian bride who just loved the idea of using horse apples (hedge balls) as an accent element for her table settings. Unfortunately a late freeze killed the entire crop and we had to go with another plan.

For the best results in organic floral design, give your florist room to work with the available materials and trust them to do their job well. This can be nerve-racking for many brides and party planners, but the outcome is certainly superior. A good designer will have the ability to understand you and your unique style and will use the available materials to create something brilliant. If you meet with a designer and you don’t feel that you can trust their creativity, find another designer who you can trust. After all, in the designer/client relationship, trust is paramount.

Going green can seem inconvenient to many. It limits options and drives up the price. Still, if minimizing the environmental impact of your event is a priority, then going green may be for you. It is certainly doable and can yield excellent creative decor and flowers for most any event or wedding.

I was nervous as heck – eight feet in the air with 80lbs of iron pipe hanging from my shoulders when I heard a voice behind me say, “Whatcha buildin?”. I turned my head slowly, teetering on my aluminum perch, and saw a big teddy bear of a guy smiling up at me. “At least,” I thought, “If I fall there’ll be a friendly body to catch me.”

I had no idea I was talking to one of the best photographers in the Kansas City region. How could I know? Photographers, especially good photographers, are supposed to be aloof and intimidating, right? They are supposed to parade about in pointy leather boots imposing on everyone with their mammoth egos. Tyler just didn’t look the part. He was happy, friendly and easy to talk to. He seemed more like the type of guy you’d like to catch a weekend movie with than the type who should be behind a camera.

That was a year and a half ago now. I was building our booth for the KCWeddings Bridal Spectacular show, and Wirken Photography was just across the aisle. He and his lovely wife Pam Wirken kept us highly entertained during the show with their quirky comments and warm personalities. They were so likable I’m sure we would have loved them as people even if their photography was awful (though the fact that their portfolio was amazing sure didn’t hurt).

A couple of weeks ago I had coffee with Tyler and he was kind enough to bring along Becca Spears (That’s Becca with two c’s; not Bekah Spears Photography or Rebekah Spears Photography. I used to always get it wrong, which complicates google searches, so I thought I’d pass on the advice.). Becca’s studio, Becca Spears Photography, merged with Wirken Photography last year, further expanding the Wirken’s personality, capabilities and offerings.

Defining Good Photography

“When you look through a good portfolio, each image shows three qualities consistently: A decisive moment, sophisticated composition, and good use of light.”– Becca Spears

My question for Tyler and Becca was, “What is it that makes great photography great?” A hard question, I thought. I mean, anyone can see that Tyler and Becca’s shots are good, but why are they good? Becca had a very quick answer for me, “When you look through a good portfolio, each image shows three qualities consistently: A decisive moment, sophisticated composition, and good use of light.”

Now, I went through design school and took all the standard courses, so composition makes sense to me. Color theory, visual literacy, movement, balance and energy in two dimensions – all that stuff is an old hat to me. I even know a bit about light and how it effects composition and plays with emotion. The thing that was new to me was this whole idea of a decisive moment.

The challenge of capturing a decisive moment, I think, is unique to photography. A wedding, for example, is just a series of moments. They happen and then they are gone. It could be the moment the ringbearer nervously straightened his tie before walking the aisle, or maybe it’s the expression on grandma’s face during the first dance. If you wait too long the expression is gone and a world of emotion is gone with it. Thus the importance of a great photographer.

About Tyler Wirken

Tyler got his start in photojournalism. He went through KU’s program, graduated and paid his dues at the Columbia Dispatch in Ohio. He loved newspaper work, but the pace was wearing, so he came back to KC and set up shop as a photojournalistic wedding photographer.

It seems to me that photojournalism is a very misunderstood term in a contemporary wedding world. To many, it means simply black and white photography. To Tyler, though, photojournalism transcends style – it’s a philosophy. “The same wedding can be styled a million ways”, he told me, “but I’m really not much of a stylist. I’m more of a documentarian. My goal is to find the personality and emotions of the people in the wedding and capture them. The personality and the emotion becomes the style.”

So, what does that mean? It means that if Uncle Lester is gettin’ his dance on with his pudgy belly peeking out beneath his wrinkled shirt tails, that’s what you’ll see in the pictures. Now, I know that sounds disgusting, and it probably would be disgusting if you took the shot yourself, but Tyler’s got a little magic up his sleeve. Remember the lighting, the composition, and the “decisive moment” we talked about? Well Tyler mixes them all together, and somehow when you look at the picture you find yourself saying, “Ahhh, I’ve always loved uncle Lester.”

For those of you who don’t want shots of Uncle Lester, don’t worry. If Tyler can pull emotion out of a balding fat guy, imagine what he can do with a beautiful girl in a white dress. Tyler loves people–all sorts of people. Young ones, old ones; even fat balding ones. His photographs are always beautiful, but not necessarily because the people were beautiful. Tyler captures the beauty of their personalities, with all of their quirks and Idiosyncrasies. His wedding day photographs are a celebration of the bride, the groom, and all of their friends and families.

Some of Tyler’s work

About Becca Spears

Becca’s start was a bit different than Tyler’s, though her philosophy is quite similar. She began as a fine art (painting) major at K State. Photography was just a hobby at that point. Somewhere along the way she fell in love with culture and people and changed her major to Sociology. She even tossed around the idea of becoming an anthropologist until it hit her that her old hobby was the perfect mix of all the things she loved.

Becca soon set up shop as Becca Spears Photography and had several successful seasons under her belt before Tyler convinced her to merge with Wirken Photography. The merger wasn’t born out of necessity as much as it was out of the desire for synergy and growth. Becca’s style is highly refined and in is in many ways similar to Tyler’s. Like Tyler, she shoots in a photojournalistic style and is a master of capturing beautiful emotion on film. Still, it would be a mistake to view Becca as the “other Tyler”. Her images are her own; rich in life and color. Like Tyler, Becca is primarily interested in the lives and experiences of people, but she also shows a fondness for all the little elements that make up the texture of a wedding or any other interaction. She’s the rare artist who see’s the big picture and the details all at once.

Some of Becca’s work

Choosing a Wedding Photographer

“The same wedding can be styled a million ways, but I’m really not much of a stylist. I’m more of a documentarian. My goal is to find the personality and emotions of the people in the wedding and capture them. The personality and the emotion becomes the style.” – Tyler Wirken

Becca or Tyler? Tyler or Becca? Ideally it would be nice to have two first-rate photographers documenting our weddings, but because of budget constraints and scheduling, most of us have to choose just one. But which one?

First, let’s get something straight: Kansas City does not have one best wedding photographer. If anyone tells you otherwise, run away. The truth is that there are several excellent photographers in the area, and it can be very difficult to select just one. Tyler has an interesting and obvious solution to the problem: “Just choose a photographer who sees the world like you do.”

Good lighting, great composition, pivotal moments, vibrant color, emotion… any good photographer can capture these things on film, but will they capture it in a way that will be meaningful to you? If you’re a bit quirky and have a bit of a goofy sense of humor, you should probably find yourself a quirky photographer. Don’t make my mistake and decide up front that the good photographers are all a bunch of snobs. The truth is that good photographers come in all shapes and sizes. Just find one who reminds you of yourself.

Of course, none of us have time to meet with every photographer before we make our decision. That’s hardly necessary, though. A few minutes browsing through an online portfolio is all it takes to know if you have a basic connection with a photographer. If you find yourself chuckling a bit or saying, “Ahhhhh” or simply staring in silence, you probably have something.

To get the ball rolling, you should head straight to www.wirkenphoto.com and spend some time with their portfolios. I bet you’ll find a connection with at least one of them.

P.S.

Of course, photography is much more than just a business for the folks at Wirken Photography. They do it because they love it. Both Tyler and Becca are heavily involved in the photography community in Kansas City and beyond. In fact, they just recently got back from the Foundation Workshop in Texas wear they devoted a week of their lives to leading/mentoring a talented group of photographers as they experimented and explored the possibilities of photojournalistic photography. You can read all about it on the Wirken Blog.

Tyler and Becca were kind enough to share a few of their own shots from the Workshops and other non-nuptial venues. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

St. John’s United Methodist Church

This posts is about one of those churches. In the last month, we have met with a whole string of brides that have chosen the exact same church for their wedding: St. John’s United Methodist Church in the Brookside area. It is located at 6900 Ward Parkway.

Part of the church’s charm has to do with the fact that its very appearance presents a contrast of two seemingly contradictory styles. The church has both a classic appearance, with its red brick, pristine romanesque columns, and towering steeple, as well as a homey or comfortable appearance, with its large trees and spacious lot off Ward Parkway.

The exterior of the church is certainly attractive, but it is the inside lobby area, courtyard, and sanctuary that make St. John’s United Methodist Church a great wedding location. The sanctuary is large enough to seat 350 people, but at the same time, it feels intimate, as if it was built for wedding ceremonies, with its two rows of pews and one simple aisle down the middle. The dark wood pews, light marble tile floor, and large clear glass windows give the sanctuary a very classic feel for a wedding.

The Facts

At first, we thought it nothing but coincidence that so many of our brides were having their weddings at St. John’s United Methodist Church. But after we did our first wedding there, we realized it was no coincidence at all. – Owen Carr

The church can be reserved for weddings by both members & non-members. For a non-member, the cost is extremely affordable at $1,650. This fee includes the use of the Church’s Coordinator Paula Rector, organist Gary Adams, a custodian, three candelabras, a unity candle table, and six sessions of premarital counseling with the pastor. It is expected that one of the pastors appointed to serve St. John’s will officiate the wedding. However, approval can be obtained to invite another pastor, priest, or rabbi to officiate the ceremony. The fee also includes access to the church up to three hours prior to the start of the wedding. If more time is needed, a $100/ hour fee is charged.

The church does have a space that can be used for a rehearsal dinner or even a reception. It’s called Brookside Hall and may be rented at very reasonable $70 per hour. This amount includes the church coordinator and custodian. A $250.00 deposit is required and is deducted from the total fee.

Tours of the church are available by appointment or you can stop by between the hours of 9:00am and 3:00pm, Monday through Thursday, and between 9:00am and noon, on Friday. You can pick up an informational packet at the tour or the church will mail you one. Visit the church’s website, www.stjohnsumc.org.

St. John’s United Methodist Church is a great option for a classic wedding, and it is in a beautiful part of Kansas City too. After visiting the church and its lovely chapel, you’ll realize why it’s no coincidence that so many KC brides are getting married at St. John’s UMC.

Some images of the church

You may have been to one or two of the First Friday events, when most all of the Crossroads’ galleries keep their doors open past 9pm – complete with food and live music. If so, you are familiar with the district. The Blue Gallery is on Southwest Boulevard near Main Street, placing it pretty near the center of the activity.

The gallery is a very clean contemporary space with a vintage brick façade. It’s owned by Kelly Kuhn and David Kuhn – a couple Kansas City art lovers with a mission to promote the beauty and positive cultural impact of art KC area residents. Thankfully Kelly and David Kuhn also recognize the appeal of their space and they are happy to open it up for small events as well, giving further exposure to the artists who exhibit at the Blue Gallery.

When Nate and Jen told us their reception would be at the Blue Gallery, we had the fun challenge of figuring out how to compliment an art gallery with floral design. The simple walls are covered with vibrant pieces of art, and even the well worn hardwood floors hold the occasional free-standing piece. We decided that rather than trying to theme the room or to fight with it, we would simply create several contemporary pieces of floral design to compliment the room. Each was unique; unified only in their vibrant color schemes and contemporary approach.

The reception was a big success. Nate and Jen felt loved, the guests had a fabulous time, and to David and Kelly’s delight, no art was damaged.

Some photos from the reception:

This was our first wedding at the Reform Temple, but not our first with Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn. Rabbi Cukierkorn was entertaining as always and he seemed to really like our work, which was quite a relief. We know a lot about design and we always pay attention to the details, but we try to leave the finer points of Jewish tradition to the experts, so it was good to have the Rabbi’s approval.

A little chuppah history

No doubt you are familiar with the nature of a chuppah (sometimes called huppah or khuppah) and it’s importance in a Jewish wedding. A Chuppah is a canopy held aloft by four posts. It represents God’s covering of the marriage, the new home the couple are entering into and the openness of that home to friends and family. Traditionally the portion of the ceremony involving the chuppah is hed outside, with the chuppah poles being transported and held in place by four close friends and siblings. Often a talit (a prayershawl) was used as a canopy, adding further significance. These days though, chuppah design is usually a more flexible. The important thing is to have four secure poles and a canopy overhead. In our case, we wanted something clean, attractive, versatile and easy to set up. It was a fun project, so we thought we would pass along some instructions for making your own chuppah.

Step 1: Gathering the materials.

The raw materials for our chuppah were simple enough (Figure #1). For the poles we used 1” conduit, which is very strong and can be found at any home improvement store. To connect the pipe, we used structural pipe fittings, which must be ordered online. Ours came from EasyFit (Figure #3). The canopy was made of white silk and drapery lining. The lining prevents light from shining through and the silk gives a clean finished look. For the bases we used 15” cake pans and concrete. Large cake pans can be difficult to find locally, but can easily be found online.

Step 2: Preparing the structure

Before filling our cake pans with concrete, we glued short pieces of pvc pipe to the bottom of the pans. We used 1.25” PVC, making a nice snug fit for our conduit. We then filled each of the pans with 30lbs of concrete, being careful to leave a lip inside the pan so that it could double as a floral container in future events (See Figure #1 for details). For this event, though, we covered the bases in silk to conceal them.

We then cut each of the lengths of pipe to about 7.5 feet. This is smaller than many pre-fabricated chuppahs, though it’s actually larger than most traditional chuppahs. We wanted something small enough to look at home in the Reform Temple, and 7.5 feet square was a good size for that. After cutting the pipe we painted it with flat white rustoleum, being careful to get a nice even finish.

Step 3: Sewing the canopy.

This was certainly the most demanding part of the Chuppah construction. The canopy is actually two layers. The inner layer provides a nice clean surface for the bride and groom to see during the ceremony. We even included inner flaps to conceal the horizontal poles and the wires we would add for the lighting (See Figure #5). The outer layer provides a finished look for the folks in the audience. We attached adhesive backed Velcro to our horizontal poles and sewed a corresponding strip of Velcro to the underside of the bottom layer for easy assembly. True, it would have been even easier to sew pockets for the poles into the canopy, but this would never give us the tight finished look we wanted.

Step 4: Putting Up the structure

The poles stood in their stands and connected very quickly and simply, just as planned (Figures #2 and #3). After we put the skeleton together we attached the lighting, being certain to keep the wires out of sight (Figures #4 and #5) . We always keep a few high-quality halogen display lights around the shop for projects like this. They put off a lot of light with a pleasant warm glow. As a warning though, they tend to burn very hot, so never place them too close to flowers. Next we put up the canopy. The Velcro strips made for an easy installation (Figure #6). As a final touch, we hung dendrobium blooms from the four corners (Figure #7).

All finished!

We were quite pleased with the final structure, and hope to get good use out of it in the future. Its bases that can double as floral containers and the inner structure and it’s structure is strong enough to hold any number of fabric or floral treatments, giving us great versatility. In fact, our only regret is that we didn’t get better pictures of it for you. No worries, though. Paul Versluis was the photographer for the wedding, and we’re sure he got some great photos for us to show you later on.