There are so many enchanting wedding venues in Kansas City, including The Uptown Theater. The Uptown Theater boasts a romantic, grand ambiance, making every wedding feel like a showstopper.
When M + A reached out to me about photographing their wedding at The Uptown Theater and shared their vision, I knew we were going to be a great fit.
Keep reading to discover more about The Uptown Theater in Kansas City and take a look at M + A’s wedding here.
M + A’s Vibrant, Romantic Wedding at Uptown Theater in Kansas City
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at M + A’s colorful wedding:
About the Uptown Theater
For most people, a theater probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when they are thinking about a wedding venue. But the Uptown Theater has the perfect setup for a wedding and creates such a unique backdrop.
The theater itself has so much character and charm, which makes it such a great option for a more non-traditional wedding. From the architecture to the colors, you won’t find another venue like it!
Plus, it gives the option to go super simple with your decor, since the venue itself has its own natural aesthetic, or play around with decorations and florals that enhance the character that is already there!
As a theater, there is plenty of room, and it can accommodate over 400 people, so whether you are keeping your wedding a bit more intimate or making it an all-out party, there is room for everyone!
Wedding planning
What was most important to Mindy and Amber was planning a grand, theatrical celebration that they truly felt reflected them and their love story, versus being focused on tradition or doing something because they felt like they had to.
Mindy and Amber chose to reserve the concert hall in the Uptown Theater, which they told me they loved for its eccentricity and vibrancy. For their wedding, they included a tarot reader and an illustrator who created illustrations for their guests to take home – both of which were a hit!
I am a huge fan of couples who aren’t afraid to add their own unique, thoughtful touches and flair to their day and incorporate things that they love into their celebration, as Mindy and Amber did.
Another thing that was unique about their day and so much fun to photograph was that Amber and Mindy had their own theater posters made for their celebration that they hung up behind poster frames at the entrance!
Also, all of their florals were faux – but you’d never be able to tell the difference. Their floral arrangements fit perfectly with their venue.
Getting ready
Mindy and Amber’s day started with them both getting ready separately at a charming Airbnb. Once they were both ready, they shared a joyful, heartfelt first look with each other, a moment so special to be a part of! You can tell just how much these two love each other.
After taking some couple portraits in the Airbnb, we headed to the iconic Nelson-Atkins Museum. M + A’s photos at the beginning of the day had a very modern, traditional KC vibe before they were infused with pops of color at their wedding venue.
I really like that their wedding gallery had a mix of both modern and colorful photos – it made their final wedding gallery more dynamic!
On the day of their wedding, there was a bit of rain, but their pictures in front of the Nelson-Atkins Museum still turned out beautifully, and I loved adding clear umbrellas to some of their couple portraits, which complemented the setting nicely.
After photographing several images throughout the lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum, we headed to the Uptown Theater, where I photographed more couple portraits with the two of them before their guests arrived and their ceremony in the concert hall began.
Not only is the Uptown Theater historic, but it’s also so colorful and fun! There are truly so many great spots for photos throughout the building, but one of my favorite spots has to be the staircase – it’s a can’t-miss spot for iconic photos!
The ceremony
Mindy and Amber had their ceremony on the stage inside the theater, and they chose not to have a bridal party. They had a beautiful ceremony that was centerstage, and with the lighting and their wedding on stage, it made their ceremony feel like an actual theater production, which was a blast!
After their ceremony, they had a cocktail hour before they both entered hand in hand for their reception, and M + A shared an emotional first dance together.
M + A and their guests all had a great time spending the rest of the evening on the dance floor in front of the stage, dancing the night away under the glittering disco ball!
M + A’s Wedding Vendors
I wanted to give a special shout-out to the incredible vendors who made this day possible:
Venue: Uptown Theater uptowntheater.com
DJ: Levity Events levityevents.com
Hair & Makeup: Lovely Beauty KC lovelybeautykc.com
Dress: Savvy Bridal STL savvybridal.com
Catering: Brancato’s Catering brancatoscatering.com
Video: Cassandra Joy Photo & Film
Floral: Lavender Lotus Floral Rentals lavendarlotusrentals.com
Tarot Card Reader: @astaaura
Painter: Kul & Krafty kulandkrafty.com
Cake: Kate Smith Soiree katesmithsoiree.com
Kind words from Mindy and Amber
“Working with Kelsey to document our wedding was truly one of the best decisions we made. We knew we wanted a photographer who could capture all aspects of the day in a way that not only portrayed “us” but also provided an artistic flair. We wanted richness of color, posed and candid moments, and framing that highlighted the character of each location, particularly our venue. Kelsey hit every mark and exceeded all expectations! The afternoon/evening was so fun, and she captured a lot of great shots. We loved seeing all the moments we missed and how our guests were enjoying themselves. Kelsey is an amazing person and an incredible photographer. We highly recommend!”
Ready to Plan an Unforgettable Wedding at the Uptown Theater?
Hopefully, M + A’s wedding at Uptown Theater gave you some inspo and ideas on what your own wedding here could look like. Uptown Theater is such a chic and unique wedding venue that can fit with any wedding vision – whether you want something glamorous and grand or colorful and fun!
And, if you are still looking for your dream Kansas City wedding photographer, I’d love to connect! I specialize in wedding photography that celebrates love in all its forms. Every relationship is different and deserves to be captured uniquely, which is exactly what I do!
You can click here to learn more about my wedding photography or head over here to get in touch with me.
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