Jackie Cooper Photo Blog » Wichita, Kansas

Here are some high school sweethearts whose love continues to grow with time.  It’s neat to see young loves choose to grow old together.  Kayla and Dakota were so relaxed on their wedding day, and were very open to me parading them around for photos – despite the probably-100+ degree heat…  I so appreciated that!  I was happy, too, to work with Sarah Shah on this wedding!

I wanted to start with some beautifully incorporated color:

I adore this ring shot that Sarah took!

I had to put this next one in.  This is the bridesmaids shuffling through Kayla’s layers to pull out the little black bugs that were trying to hide in her dress.  I don’t know what it is about layered dress, but I’ve seen bugs crawl up many a bride’s dress!

Okay, so they were laid-back…and SO ADVENTUROUS!  Their reception was at the Mid-America All-Indian Center, and we had planned to go through the “backyard” to get to the Keeper for photos.  Well, the gate was locked.  What’s a bride, groom and photographer to do when their photo plans have been impeded?  Where there’s a will, there’s a way…

Thanks for being so brave, K&D!  The shots we got during that time are some of my very favorites!

The classic, well-made cake from Cheri’s Bakery:

A sweet moment Sarah caught:

Kayla’s sister gave a toast, and it was seriously one of the best ones I’ve ever heard.  Well done, Hannah!

Sarah took these next two shots of the first dance:

The whole wedding party was fantastic.  I loved working with them!

Congratulations, Kayla & Dakota!

Lisa & Brian had originally planned to get married in April, but they so wanted a particular venue that was undergoing a remodel that they pushed it back to June.  It was the Boathouse, a Wichita icon.  Since the first level of the Boathouse is being repurposed as a museum for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, it made perfect sense to have their wedding there, too, given their affinity for all things sports.  And just as you might expect from a couple with such a fun and colorful outlook on their wedding day, they were SO laid back and wonderful to work with.  I mean, when she had some extra time between her hair appointment and arriving at the Boathouse, she chose to stop in to Knolla’s for lunch.  It was a great way to kick off the day’s festivities, if you ask me.

This photo is complimentary of the kind server at Knolla’s who bothered to dig up these numbers for the shot:

Somehow the guys were able to negotiate the suite at the Hyatt for their spot to get ready leaving the ladies with the back rooms of the Boathouse.  Sarah Shah started her day hanging with the fellas.  I also thought it was well-suited that L&B’s wedding coincided with the opening weekend of a major international sporting event, the World Cup.

This next grouping is a showcase of the sports theme.  One of the bridesmaids, Brooke Jantz, stated it well – they kept the theme simple and classy without overdoing it in a way that suited them perfectly as a couple.

Lisa, you are beautiful!

Brian thought of this idea to showcase the rings, and I LOVE how it turned out!  Great idea…  I should mention, too, that Lisa’s dad MADE Brian’s ring.  How cool is that?

This next one is a brilliant shot Sarah captured of the rings:

The lovely, bright flowers were done by Moore Flowers, and the delicious dinner at the reception was by Catering by Kaye.

Congratulations, Lisa & Brian!

His cousins in Omaha told him that if he moved back to Meade, he would certainly never find a girl.  Ryan really felt, though, that that’s what needed to happen.  So he moved to Meade.  And he met Heather.  As you might remember from their engagement post, their ensuing relationship was a distance one.  But, they’re now married and the distance part of the relationship is history!

Jackie Cage and I had an early morning start to make the drive to Meade and be there for the girls getting ready at 9:30 am.  It actually is refreshing to be up at the very beginning of a day, and the morning sun hitting the wheat fields that lined our drive was impeccable.

Cage grabbed this shot of Heather’s beautiful Maggie Sottero dress as well as the following shot of her makeup.

We synced our cameras’ times to start the day, and I thought it was very interesting that these next shots were taken just seconds apart.  I was with Heather, and Cage was with the fellas.

Theirs was such a beautiful and emotional first look.  I feel so privileged to be able to capture these tender moments on camera.  This, my future couples, is part of why it is so very worth it to have a first look.

This is Ryan’s cougar that he’s worked on over the past several years…

I LOVE these next two shots that Cage captured:

Another of Cage’s:

First wedding I’ve seen officiated with the help of an iPad.  :)

I think this comment left on a matted photo sums up what many think of Heather and Ryan.  Guests’ comments and the attendants’ toasts were evidence to me that people hold H&R in very high regards and look to them as role models for relationships.

H&R have many talented vocalists that are close to them.  There was live music for the ceremony and then a few performances at the reception.  Heather’s dad and sister almost pulled off a surprise performance, but Heather decided to ask them to sing a few weeks before the wedding.  One surprise, though, was Ryan and several men performing “I Never Knew” for Heather.  Cage caught a neat from-above shot of that that you’ll see below.

Cage’s awesome view from behind:

And I’ll end with this one because it cracks me up every time I see it.  I went out to take some shots of the guys simply decorating the getaway car with toilet paper and wheat from the field across the street.  I was a bit surprised by the lackluster decor because the talk all day was that there are some pretty ornery people in the family.  A group of girls stood by watching and, with a grin, one told me to keep my eye on the car.  ”This is Meade, Kansas.  There’s always more than meets the eye when it comes to getaways.”  Well, they made their grand exit (as seen above) and then bolted off around the building instead of getting in the car.  So, naturally, I chased them.  And this is the Knight and Day-esque shot I got.  After their loop around the building, they jumped in the car and peeled out, but not without half a dozen cars chasing them.  I’m still a bit confused about what all transpired in those brief moments, who Ryan is calling in this shot and whether or not they intended to leave in the car that they did.  It was a priceless end to the day.  Congratulations, you two!