There are so many amazing wedding venues near Kansas City, MO, you could choose from, including the Elms Hotel. The Elms Hotel is a luxury hotel that blends historic charm with modern elegance and is also a stunning wedding venue.
As a Kansas City wedding photographer, I was thrilled when Maya and Jonah asked me to be a part of their day, and The Elms Hotel comes with a glowing recommendation from me as a gorgeous backdrop for your celebration.
Keep reading to discover more at The Elms Hotel and take a look at Maya and Jonah’s wedding here.
Wedding Venues Near Kansas City, MO: Your Guide to the Elms Hotel
The Elms Hotel is not only a dreamy hotel and spa – it’s also a beautiful wedding venue in Excelsior Springs, MO! You’ll find it about 45 minutes northeast of Kansas City. One of the best things about planning a wedding here?
You and your wedding party can enjoy the spa on-site before your wedding and other hotel amenities, including hot tubs, the lap pool, the sauna, the steam room, and so much more. It’s the perfect venue if you want to have time and space to relax and unwind before your ceremony – without having to go off-site.
Another reason this hotel is an excellent option for your wedding is that you and your guests can stay together and spend more time together. Your wedding day will go by so fast, but staying at a hotel with your loved ones will allow you to spend more meaningful quality time together.
Also, being at a place that has everything you need is not only more convenient, but it will be so much easier to get around for both you and your guests because you won’t have to worry about adhering to a strict or rushed timeline so that you can get from one place to the next.
The hotel also has indoor and outdoor ceremony spots, including two beautiful ballrooms (the Grand Ballroom and Regent Ballroom) and an outdoor ceremony site next to a charming gazebo.
I personally adore The Elms Gazebo as a ceremony spot. The gazebo is a gorgeous outdoor space to exchange vows that is surrounded by trees and lush gardens. It’s also an ideal spot if you’re planning a larger celebration and want an outdoor wedding, as the ceremony site seats up to 300 guests!
On-site catering and bar services
You can also choose the hotel’s on-site catering and bar services for your day, which come with pre-built packages and curated menus, which makes everything so easy! You’ll work with the hotel’s executive chef, and your guests will be able to enjoy tasty dishes with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
The hotel also offers you the option to include before-and-after experiences as part of your wedding package. For example, you could choose to have a farewell brunch, rehearsal dinner, and more experiences at the hotel!
Maya and Jonah’s Fall Wedding at the Elms Hotel
Background on the couple
Maya and Jonah met doing theater in college at Tufts University in Boston 6 1/2 years ago and have been together ever since. Jonah moved to Kansas City in 2020 to start his PhD in Theater Studies at KU, and Maya followed a year later and is currently at KU Med getting her doctorate in occupational therapy.
Jonah planned a beautiful proposal at sunrise during a road trip together in South Dakota. Maya said she knew that it was going to happen because they actually designed her ring together – it has a diamond from each of their grandmas – how special is that? Maya, of course, said yes, and the rest is history!
Maya and Jonah’s Wedding
This was my first time shooting at the Elms Hotel, and it was honestly such a dream. I would love to photograph more weddings here! The hotel has the perfect blend of gorgeous outdoor spots and lovely indoor spaces that are both modern and elegant.
It was also so lovely to have an entire wedding all in one place – the hotel truly has everything you could possibly need. You can get ready in one of their gorgeous rooms, then hold your ceremony near the gigantic gazebo, just far enough from the hotel to be private for your guests.
Maya and Jonah’s wedding was a Jewish wedding, and they had all the classics. They signed a ketubah before their ceremony, were married under the huppah, smashed the glass bottle, and danced the Hora.
Their ceremony was absolutely stunning and meaningful. They danced around each other at the beginning to some gorgeous live music played by Trio Fontana. They also had guests come up to give special blessings to the couple. Then they ended their ceremony with the classic Mazel Tov.
One of my favorite details from their celebration was that Maya’s mother actually hand-stitched each rose onto her veil – it was, honestly, one of the most gorgeous pieces I’ve ever seen. Later, when Maya and her mother shared an emotional dance, it was really something incredible to witness and document.
This day had so many heartfelt and meaningful moments throughout, and I’m so grateful I got to be a part of it!
Maya and Jonah’s Wedding Vendors
I wanted to give a special shout-out to the incredible vendors who made this day possible:
Venue: @theelms elmshotelandspa.com
Ceremony Music: Trio Fontana triofontana.com/
DJ: @levityevents levityevents.com/
Hair & Makeup: @hellolovelykc hellolovelykc.com/
Floral: @goodearthfloral goodearthflowers.com
Dessert: @thebabybirdbakery thebabybirdbakery.com
Video: @jonathanhanesfilms jonathanhanes.com (by the way, Jonathan and I work a lot together, and we actually have a dual wedding package together. If you’re interested in working with both of us, be sure to mention it in your inquiry form, and I can send over more info)!
Ready to Plan an Unforgettable Wedding Near Kansas City, MO?
I hope you found all this info on the Elms Hotel helpful! This venue is so much more than a hotel and spa – it’s an entire experience!
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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