July 17, 2025
Emily Arwine
If you’re searching for a Kansas wedding venue that blends rustic charm with timeless elegance, look no further than Cedar Lawn Farms. Just outside Topeka, this newer venue was the perfect backdrop for Riley and Grady’s heartfelt and sun-drenched June wedding.
Their wedding day, June 7th, 2025, was nothing short of stunning. The couple got the perfect day, with high-70s and sunshine! This really allowed us to have a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a stunning sunset.
Cedar Lawn Farms Wedding Ceremony
Nestled in the rolling Kansas countryside, Cedar Lawn Farms set the tone for a classic and natural wedding day. Riley and Grady chose a simple, fresh palette of whites and greens that paired beautifully with the stunning limestone exterior of the venue!
The couple was very intentional with their day and time spent together! The couple chose to do a first look early in the day! This allowed for ample time together as they took photos with friends and family and prepared for their ceremony!
Outdoor First Dances at Sunset
As the day went on one of my favorite moments of the day came during their dances! The couple chose to do them just outside the barn as the sun was setting. With golden light spilling across the field, Riley and Grady danced as guests looked on, many of them with tears in their eyes. As they danced, I really loved capturing the reactions of their parents and close friends, it was incredibly special.
There was something really special about the couple choosing to share those first moments outside! It’s pretty rare that I get to capture first dances outdoors in natural lighting!
A Modern-Rustic Reception
After the sun dipped below the horizon, the celebration moved into Cedar Lawn Farms’ reception barn, where twinkle lights and natural wood tones gave the space an inviting, homey feel.
The night was filled with great music by Musical Knights DJ, delicious drinks poured by Shot4Shot Bartending, and a cake display from McLain’s Bakery that was almost too pretty to cut into (thought we definitely did)! Riley’s hair was done by Shai McCartney, who brought Riley’s vision to life with a timeless bridal look.
A Late Night Suprise
As the evening wound down, Riley had one last surprise for Grady: a base from a recent Royals baseball game, gifted to Grady, a lifelong baseball fan! It was such a unique and thoughtful touch, one that ended the night on a high note and reminded everyone there just how well these two know and love each other.
Kansas Wedding Venue Spotlight: Cedar Lawn Farms
Whether you’re dreaming of a laid-back outdoor ceremony, a sunset dance under the sky, or a modern-rustic reception, Cedar Lawn Farms is a Kansas wedding venue that delivers beauty, versatility, and warmth. Riley and Grady’s day was a perfect example of how a newer venue can still feel full of heart and timeless character.
Featured Kansas Wedding Vendors
- Venue: Cedar Lawn Farms
- DJ: Musical Knights
- Cake: McLain’s Bakery
- Bartending: Shot4Shot Bartending
- Hair: Shai McCartney
Looking for More Kansas Wedding Inspiration?
If you’re planning a Kansas wedding and searching for the perfect venue, inspiration, or vendor team, you’re in the right place. I’m Emily, a Kansas City Wedding photographer specializing in capturing weddings that feel effortlessly beautiful, emotional, and true to you.
I would love to hear all about your wedding day! You can reach out here!
June 18, 2025
Emily Arwine
Jayda and Riley’s wedding at the St. Paul College Club in Minneapolis was the definition of a European garden party dream. With ivy-covered walls, charming historic details, and lush gardens, this venue brought a romantic, lived-in elegance that felt like it was plucked straight from a countryside estate.
What made this day so memorable wasn’t just the stunning setting, it was the energy. Jayda and Riley prioritized a documentary-style approach to their photography, focusing more on the real interactions between them and their loved ones than anything overly posed. From sweet moments and hugs with parents to spontaneous laughter with friends, every moment felt intentional and true to them.
That said, we couldn’t resist taking a few more classic portraits throughout the property, because when your venue is this full of character, we have to take advantage of it! The historic interiors and vibrant gardens provided the perfect backdrop for some timeless, editorial-style shots that still felt completely “them.”
What stood out most, though, was how obsessed Jayda and Riley are with each other. Their love was effortless to photograph. Between the planned moments were dozens of in-betweens, soft smiles, hand squeezes, that told their story better than anything posed ever could.
If you’re planning a European garden party wedding in the Midwest, let this be your inspiration. From intentional, relaxed energy to a venue rich with character, Jayda and Riley’s wedding was the perfect blend of elegance and ease.
January 15, 2025
Emily Arwine
Updated: June 1st, 2025
As a Kansas City Wedding photographer and a recently engaged girly myself, I’ve spent the past few years thinking about Kansas City Wedding Venues! We have so many gorgeous venues in and around the Kansas City Metro, I know that because I’ve had the pleasure of shooting weddings at many of them! That being said, if I’m being honest, I’ve had a hard time finding one for myself…
What You Will Find Here
Weeding through all of the information needed to make the best choice when it comes to wedding venues: Location, Price, Capacity, and just overall Vibe has been a lot, which is why I’ve gone ahead and done it all for you! I will note that the pricing I have pulled is going to be either the starting prices listed and or peak season pricing! Many of these venues will have multiple different options when it comes to packages but assume “starting” rates are the lowest to book the date.
Here below, I’ve added some of my current favorite Kansas City Wedding Venues and necessary information and bullet points to help you make an informed choice! To sweeten the deal, I will also give you my thoughts as a Wedding Photographer in the space and add some photos! As I continue to work with these incredible Kansas City Wedding Venues and teams, I will also keep the pricing and photos as up to date as possible!
I hope this helps you find your dream Kansas City Wedding venue, and if you’re still looking for a photographer…
Who am I?
Hi, I’m Emily! 😉 I’ve been shooting weddings in Kansas City since 2018! I work really well with down-to-earth, fun-loving couples looking for romantic, earthy, and candid wedding photos! My biggest goal is not only to help you have your dream day and capture all of your special moments but also to make this all easy for you! I do this all the time, and I want to share all of my knowledge and resources with you to help make your day everything you dreamed of!
If you think we could be a good fit for your Kansas City Wedding day, you can click to contact me here, and I will send over all my pricing info for you! You can also explore more about what I offer on my wedding page here! I can not wait to meet you!
Near Downtown
Click the name of each venue to be directed to their website!
- Location – The Crossroads
- Price – Starting $7,000 for a Reception
- Guest Count – 500 seated
- Location – The Crossroads
- Price – Starting $6,200 for a Reception
- Guest Count – 200 seated
- Location – The Crossroads
- Price – Starting $3,500 for a Reception
- Guest Count – 200 seated
Abbott Events owns three venues in the Downtown Kansas City Area! The other two are The Harlow and The Bardot! They are some of my favorite Kansas City Wedding Venues! I’ve gotten to shoot at the Harlow once years back and would recommend it as well! It has more of a true industrial loft feel! The Bardot is great if you’re looking for a clean, modern feel!
The Abbott is stunning! This venue has room for the largest weddings and has a very luxurious industrial feel! The venue is very neutral and pretty simple with lots of white-washed brick and gorgeous chandeliers! One of my favorite parts of the venue is the upstairs outdoor patio that overlooks the city and gets a perfect sunset!
All the photos below are from a recent day at the Abbott!
*Shot for Lyndi Mishe*
28 Event Space
The Station
- Location – Southwest Boulevard
- Price – $3500 + Ceremony Fee
- Guest Count – 180 seated
The Kansas City Room
- Location – Southwest Boulevard
- Price – $3500 + Ceremony Fee
- Guest Count – 300 seated
This location has two potential spaces for your to host your day! The Kansas City Room and The Station are both within the same building but offer different vibes! ! I’ve not had the opportunity to visit the Kansas City Room yet, but all the weddings I’ve gotten to be a part of at The Station have been incredible! The Station has gorgeous natural light throughout the room and very classy modern features! The space has an overnight suite as well as rooms for your wedding party to get ready in! There is also a wonderful outdoor patio and the space offers a party bus for transportation!
The Kansas City Room would be a great choice if you have a larger guest list! This space has huge garage doors that let in natural light and offers more of a modern warehouse feel! The string lights bring a very cozy and special mood to the space as well!
Love the vibes of this day? A & G has some awesome vendors!
Band: Twice on Sunday
Planning: Thirty-One Thirty
The Everly
- Location – The Crossroads
- Price – $6000 for Friday | $7000 for Saturday Receptions
- Guest Count – 250 seated
Something I loved about the Everly was the huge, gorgeous windows! They made a beautiful backdrop for ceremonies! The natural wood floors and exposed brick make this space perfect for anyone looking for a more modern industrial vibe!
Additionally, something I really love about Downtown Kansas City Weddings is that there are always great photo locations nearby! There is a nice ally just steps away with gorgeous climbing greenery that is great for couples portraits or group photos! Though, with all the amazing lighting the windows provide the main room is also perfect for all your photos!
Union
- Location – The Crossroads
- Price – Starting $3750
- Guest Count – 200 seated
The union is a perfect central spot for couples wanting to get married downtown! With a modern Industrial loft feel and three floors, they have tons of space to host your day! They have a gorgeous bridal suite with plenty of natural light and the speakeasy downstairs for extra getting ready room! I can also confirm that they do allow you to bing your dogs! 😉
The Union also has a really cool rooftop area for photos where you can have a perfect skyline backdrop!
Hotel Kansas City
- Location – Downtown Kansas City
- Price – Starting $2000 Ceremony + $2000 Reception + Fee Per Guest
- Guest Count – 180 seated
I’ve not yet had the opportunity to shoot a wedding at Hotel Kansas City, but I would love for your day to be the first! Hotel Kansas City has beautiful character from the minute you enter the lobby! The hotel offers multiple different options when it comes to wedding days! They have 5 event spaces all equally stunning! If youre looking for city views and a modern feel you will want to look in to the Starlight Ballroom! If you love old money vibes and looks of character the Tudor Ballroom or The President’s Ballroom would be for you!
One of the best parts of hosting your day with Hotel Kansas City is you and your guests will be just a short walk to your gorgeous room at the end of the night! Or if you want to keep the party going head to Nighthawk the speakeasy located inside the Hotel!
In the City
Loose Mansion
- Location: South East KC (10 Minutes form downtown)
- Price: Starting $5000
- Guest Count: 300
A fall wedding day at Loose Mansion is such a mood! Loose Mansion offers so much stunning character and is perfect for fall and winter wedding days! They have two large getting-ready spaces, and the grand staircase’s photo opportunities are endless! When the weather is nice they also have great outdoor spaces as well! There’s a perfect patio spot on the back side of the mansion, a large covered driveway, and a side yard that gets the perfect sunset!
The Delaware
- Location: Independence, Missouri (20 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Friday & Sundays $6150 | Saturdays $7250
- Guest Count: 150-200
The Delaware is a stunning all-white warehouse with huge windows! It has insane natural lighting and two getting-ready rooms! This venue has great natural lighting for all portraits and to make it even better there are a few spots within walking distance perfect for some outdoor and sunset photos!
*Associate Shot for Jessica Cordle*
The Simpson House
- Location: South KCMO near the Plaza (10 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Weekdays $2800 | Friday & Sundays $3500 | Saturdays $4200
- Guest Count: 150
The Simpson house is another large home in KC with tons of character, perfect for a whimsical garden party wedding or moody fall wedding day!
Avent Orangery
- Location: Kansas City Speedway (20 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Friday & Sundays $8500 | Saturdays $9500
- Guest Count: 225
Avent Orangery is such a unique find! Think very European style! The venue is a large greenhouse and sits right next to Chateau Avalon in KCK! What’s really nice about booking this venue is that your guest can also stay on the property the evening of your wedding!
I love the ceremony location! It nestles right in front of a wooded area with amphitheater-style seating so that all your guests will have a great view! The fountain out front makes for some beautiful photos as well!
La Villa
- Location: KCMO Near the Plaza (10 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: $4700 receptions | $2700 Ceremony
- Guest Count: 100-150
Another location I haven’t gotten to visit yet but am obsessed with! La Villa is stunning! It has Spanish-style architecture and is very clean and modern! They have a getting-ready space and a nice outdoor patio as well!
In the Metro Area
White Iron Ridge
- Location: Smithville, Missouri (50 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Peak Season M-T $5500 | Friday $10,000 | Saturday $13,000 | Sunday $7,500
- Guest Count: 300+
White Iron Ridge is beautiful and a popular choice for Kansas CIty wedding Venues! It’s a large modern barn, but very elegant and clean! Their space is huge and is located on a large property with so many outdoor & sunset photo spots! They have plenty of space to get ready and also offer suites for you and your guests to stay overnight!
*Associate Shot for Jessica Cordle*
The Elms
- Location: Excelsior Springs, Missouri (40 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: $5000 Starting
- Guest Count: 300
The Elms is a stunning historic hotel perfect for a classy wedding day! They offer a beautiful outdoor pergola for your ceremony and two indoor ballroom options for your reception! They have large suites for you and your party to get ready in as well! I personally love all the outdoor space in the back of the property! There are so many amazing locations for couples’ portraits!
The Farm at Wooded Springs
- Location: Bonner Springs, Kansas (22 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: M-W $5500 | Thursday, Friday, Sunday $7000 | Saturday $7,500
- Guest Count: 300+
The Farms at Wooded Springs is perfect if you love a modern rustic vibe! They have Tons of space perfect for larger weddings! With two large getting-ready suites and a huge outdoor covered patio, they have everything you need! The colors here in the fall are to die for as well!
The Vineyard at J Creek
- Location: Platte City, Missouri (40 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Starting $5200
- Guest Count: 250-300
The Vineyard at J Creek is a stunning modern space just north of the city! I love their ceremony spot overlooking the vineyard and huge indoor reception space! The windows and glass sliding doors on the sides make the space feel nice and open! They also have a huge outdoor covered patio!
*Shot for Kenzie Cox*
The Haven
- Location: Louisburg, Kansas (50 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: M-T $6500 | Friday and Sunday $8500 | Saturday $10,500
- Guest Count: 300+
The Haven is another space perfect for large wedding days! I personally LOVE their getting-ready suites here! They are both large and the room intended for the ladies has great lighting, a huge room for getting changed, and a cute little outdoor patio!
The Rivers
- Location: La Cyne, Kansas (65 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Starting Fridays $7500 | Saturdays $8000
- Guest Count: 250-300
The Rivers is a stunning modern rustic farm-style venue! They have a main barn for your receptions, tons of outdoor locations for your ceremony, two separate houses to get ready in, and a clubhouse on the pod where you can host your rehearsal dinner! They also have endless lodging options for your guests! I really love all the location options they have for your portraits and their moody rustic vibe!
The Brim
- Location: Platte City, MO (40 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Ceremonies – FREE | Cake + Toast Receptions – $700 | Full Receptions – $2,800
- Guest Count: 50-100
What’s not to love about the Brim? I haven’t had the opportunity to shoot here yet, but I have gotten to visit and meet the owners, who are the sweetest! We can’t talk about the best Kansas City Wedding Venues without taking about them! I would encourage you to read their story when checking out what they offer! It is true; they host free ceremonies during the week! However, if you are looking for weekend options, they still have incredibly affordable packages for you! At the Brim, you have the Chapple and the Reception Space! Both of which are very clean and modern! There is tons of gorgeous space on the property for sunset portraits, too!
Whiskey Ridge
- Location: Tonganoxie, Kansas (35 Minutes from downtown)
- Price: Starting Fridays/Sundays $6000 | Saturdays $8000 | Weekdays $4000
- Guest Count: 250-300
Whiskey Ridge is a new venue in the area, and I am dying to shoot here! Their estate has over 60 acres of land with a stunning farmhouse for you to get ready in or stay in, an outdoor ceremony spot, as well as their barn for your reception! I love the modern rustic feel of their barn and how light and bright it is inside!
Okay, That’s a wrap! Did you find your Dream Kansas City Wedding Venue? I promise to add updates for you as I find new favorites in the area!
Hey! Its Emily!
Interested in working with me for your Kansas City Wedding? I would LOVE to hear about your day! You can click below to reach out!
