New Year, New Name!

Dum dum dum dum!


If this new year includes getting a new last name, you’ll love the tips we complied below! After the excitement sets in and the planning begins, the first step is finding the perfect place to say, “I do.” There are hundreds of venue options in the Kansas City area- whether you want rustic, modern, grand or outdoors; there is a venue for you!

Photo credit: Kelcy Leigh Photography

Photo credit: Kelcy Leigh Photography

Check out these helpful tips to narrow down the search to find where you and your partner will start forever!

  • Together, make a list of “must haves” and “wants” for a venue. A must-have could include a ceremony and reception space at the same location, parking or a bridal suite. Examples of wants might include separate bridal and groom suites, tables/chairs/linens provided or an onsite coordinator.

  • Determine your capacity. The general rule is 75% of invited guests will attend your wedding, although if most of your guests are in-town, you will see a higher rate of attendance. Even though this is a great rule to keep in mind, always plan for the highest possible guest count in order to secure a space that will be comfortable for you and your guests.

  • Is an outdoor space a must-have? October has become the most popular wedding month of the year, largely due to the b-e-a-utiful weather in Kansas City during that time of year. If you are passionate about hosting an outdoor wedding, be sure to find a space that accommodates your wishes. Not set on having an outdoor affair, but interested in having the ceremony and reception at the same location? Be sure to ask where guests will mingle while the room is being flipped, and if there is an outdoor cocktail hour area, double-check what Plan B will be should inclement weather occur.

  • What furnishings are included? Every venue will provide something a little different. All options are wonderful, we simply encourage you to read through the fine print to be sure you understand exactly what service(s) you are receiving. Some venues include tables, chairs and linens in the rental price, while others do not. Check out if the staff will set up and tear down all furnishings as well.

  • Preferred vs. exclusive vendor lists can be confusing. The venue coordinator or wedding coordinator is a wonderful resource- no question is a silly question when planning a wedding! A preferred vendor list is, generally, a list of suggested vendors that the venue works with often. These vendors are familiar with the space and the rules associated with this venue. A preferred vendor list is a wonderful place to start when researching vendors. In contrast, an exclusive vendor list typically consists of required vendors you must use when booking the space. In this situation, there will usually be a fee associated with not using the specified vendors. If a venue provides an exclusive vendor list it is typically referring to the caterer or DJ.

  • Specific timing dictated by the venue. There are a handful of venues that will allow all day access, but most venues are booked through hourly packages. A typical venue package will allow for a 5 hour reception and include 4-5 hours of access time prior to the event start time. This access time is used to decorate and take photos in the space. If the venue you are touring provides in-house bar services there will be a separate bar open and end time. Double check that you understand all specified timing requirements through the venue to be sure your expectations are being met.

Hosting for the Holidays

If you’re anything like me, the Christmas tree is up the minute after Thanksgiving Day and Michael Buble’s holiday album is playing on repeat. I adore this time of the year- it doesn’t get much better than the cozy feeling of having the fireplace burning and the delicious smell of holiday baking. Each year I can’t wait to head back home to spend time with the family and lounge on the couch, but last year it was my turn to host.

I am a planner- both professionally and personally- so I thought, “How hard could this really be?” HA! Boy oh boy do I wish I would have leaned on some of my favorite local businesses to make the weekend go stress-free. Instead of doing it all yourself, check out the list below of crazy awesome local businesses that can help you put on a beautiful and delicious holiday affair!

Get your tablescape from Ultrapom!

Ultrapom has anything and everything! Their green velvet linens with gold beaded chargers would be a showstopper for your family gathering. Throw in a few estate goblets and modern gold flatware and it will be a party to remember! Don’t forget to add on a few chairs if you’re like me and don’t have seating for 12!

End your meal with a sweet treat from Dolce Bakery!

From custom cookies and cakes to their fun seasonal flavors, Dolce Bakery in Prairie Village, KS never disappoints. If you’re looking for some extra holiday fun, pick up a few of their cookie decorating kits!

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Put the finishing touch on your table with place cards from East + West Design!

This small detail can go a long way and provide a memento for your guests to take with them! A few creative ways to add a place card to your tablescape is on a piece of fruit, wrapped around the flatware, or used as the place mat with a touch of calligraphy.

Top the night off with bubbly from One Hope!

Not only does One Hope have the most sparkly wine, but each purchase gives back! Currently, One Hope has donated over $3 million to nonprofits that support global heath care, providing furever homes for shelter animals, meals for children, life-saving vaccines and more! You can purchase directly from their warehouse, or from a local sales rep.

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STAY WILD.

Jill Caren Photo's Take on Marriage

Hey all you love birds!

Congratulations on getting engaged or in your first years of marriage! It’s not always an easy road, but boy is it worth it.

There are articles upon articles on weddings, marriages and relationships; but this sucker stole the show. After reading it, I immediately thought of a ground-breaking blog written by Jill Caren Photo about having a marriage-focused wedding. If you haven’t checked this girl out, you are going to have all the feels over the behind the scene photos she captures.


Photo of Jill.jpg

Check out Jill’s take on Bloomberg’s “U.S. Divorce Rate: Millennial Are Causing the Divorce Rate to Plummet”:

'“There’s SO much to unpack from this article! I think I’d like to highlight what I found to be most interesting, which is there is proof showing divorce rates are dropping! As a wife, advocate for marriage, and wedding industry professional I am absolutely overjoyed and humbled by these statistics.

 

Regardless of how one may interpret why the rates are dropping, I think we can all agree - it’s a good thing. But as a society we are obsessed with knowing the why behind everything. And I think we could all speculate the reasons why younger generations are choosing to stay married. The article points out just a few including: “people are waiting longer to marry… people are more educated… marriage is more of an achievement of status… the boomer generations have continued to divorce at unusually high rates”…etc. On my first, second, third, and fourth passes through this article, I struggled to gather my thoughts on all the “whys.” I wondered, how am I supposed to expound on what has already been said? What should I add? That our generation is a product of the divorce pain caused by generations before us? That getting married is no longer a form of escape that grants independence? That it’s harder to even find someone to date right now, without even thinking of getting married? Those could all also be valid reasons for the statistical decline. Then it hit me, NONE OF THIS MATTERS! The “why” people are not getting divorced is not my heart for being in the wedding industry. I chose to get into the industry to fight against divorce rates. To encourage my couples as they take the biggest step in their relationship. To instill confidence in their decision to value their marriage more than their wedding day. To be at least 1 positive voice in their planning process. So the “why” doesn’t matter, but the hope found in these statistics does. The U.S. divorce rate dropped 18% from 2008 to 2016. The real question we should be asking is why are we not talking about this decline? This trend should be trending! Who cares about the theories, can we just highlight the good? We should be celebrating as humanity that we are finally getting back to the heart of marriage as it was originally intended to be, for life.

If you’re reading this and you’re newly engaged, I’m cheering for you. Marriage is AWESOME. It’s challenging, full of growth and change, it’s beautiful and the deepest form of love you get to choose to pour out. I dare you to remember that your wedding day is just one day. While extremely important (and I genuinely hope all your dreams come true), I ask that you leave room for the unexpected. Don’t get caught up in the stress of planning and making everything Pinterest perfect. Leave the worrying to the professionals; that’s what you pay us for! All that really matters is that you and your spouse-to-be are rooted in the life choice of commitment you’re about to make to one another. Your marriage is so much bigger than just one special day. It’s honestly more about the boring and un-special days in between and I’m so excited that our generation is realizing this. For the first time in a long time, the future is bright for you two as a couple.

Enjoy The Ride,

Jill Stuefer”

STAY WILD.

 

Lizzy & Dane: Timber Barn at Weston Red Barn Farm

The first leaf falls and the world turns to apple cider donuts and pumpkin spice lattes. This year, my husband and I headed to Weston Red Barn Farm for our annual pumpkin patch outing and boy did they go above my expectations. Their apple slush is perfection on a warm fall day and they have the cutest tiny gourds my house is now covered in. Not only is Weston Red Barn Farm the perfect date night opportunity (sign up for our newsletter here to read more), but it’s also the perfect place to start your forever!

Over Memorial Day weekend, Lizzy and Dane said their “I Dos” in an outdoor ceremony at Timber Barn.

Surrounded by family and friends, Lizzy and Dane had a picturesque day. Lizzy started her morning with her ladies at Timber Barn and watched as their vision turned into a reality. Lizzy herself made amazing calligraphy acrylic accents that truly brought the barn to life! Lizzy and Dane chose a watermelon-themed signature cocktail through Cordial Craft to celebrate their summer shindig and Marissa Cribbs ended the night with the most romantic sunset session. Lizzy and Dane’s day was truly one to remember!

Anna and Chris: Weston Red Barn Farm

Anna and Chris had a unique vision for their big day - a vision that included sweet moments with their loved ones, their romantic style, and contagious joy. Their love for each other was so evident and we loved working alongside them to bring their dreams to fruition. By incorporating creative details and mixing natural and romantic styles, they had a day unlike any other.

Meet Anna and Chris

 

Anna’s already effortless beauty was so enhanced by her gown from Bride.KC. This dress was perfect for her and impeccably fit the style of their wedding.

First looks aren’t just for the groom anymore. We love that Anna chose to have a special moment with her dad before she walked down the aisle. And based on the proud look on his face, we think he loved it, too.

STAY WILD.

VENDOR TEAM

Floral: Wild Hill Flowers & Events

Photographer: Stephanie Nachtrab

Gown: Bride.

Venue: Weston Red Barn Farm

Coordination: Madison Sanders Events

Adding Floral to Wedding Details

At Wild Hill Flowers and Events, we want to help you create the wedding day of your dreams down to the last detail. We like to think we have the most creative brides (we're definitely not biased) and we are so inspired every day by the creativity of our brides.  Check out the unique ways we have helped brides incorporate flowers into their wedding days and get some #weddinginspo for your special day.

Photo credit: Joe Bulger

Photo credit: Joe Bulger

How cute are these flower girls? This is such a creative alternative to the traditional flower girl petals. Our brides have purchased wagons from Etsy, antique stores or from family members.

Photo credit: (LEFT) Jessica Lauren Photography (RIGHT) Cork Creative

The only thing better than holding beautiful flowers, has to be wearing them. We love the unique ways brides incorporate florals into their wedding day looks! Whether it’s full of lush blooms or thin using primarily greenery, flower crowns can complement many wedding styles! Our brides will also occasionally choose to only wear their crown for the reception!

Photo Credit: (Boxwood Wall) Marissa Cribbs Photography (Ladder) Alyssa Barletter

We love versatility and we love a good photo booth. We worked with this bride to add flowers to her dual purpose photo backdrop and seating chart. And check out how she included her wedding hashtag! Such a statement piece that guests will love!

Another super creative bride of ours, used a ladder to display their seating chart. Even the most unusual items are wedding decorations, when you think like a #WildHillBride.

Photo credit: epagoFOTO

Photo credit: epagoFOTO

An opportunity to create for a four-legged friend? Sign us up! We love the way this bride incorporated her sweet dog in her big day. A simple, adjustable flower neck wreath is the perfect styling for any pup!

STAY WILD.

Vendors we Love: The Everly Grand Unveiling

A few short weeks ago we were honored to help The Everly, a new venue in the Kansas City Crossroads District, celebrate their Grand Unveiling. To help celebrate, a killer team of vendors got together and helped throw a party! These vendors knocked it out of the park and we want to share why they'd be perfect for your big day!

Special thanks to Lacey Rene Studios for capturing these incredible images!

 

PS- If you want to learn more about the vendor, click the image!

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The Everly

Man did they think of details when finishing their space! Equipped with a boxwood feature wall, curtains to host a seamless room flip and a custom built bar this space is a beaut!

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Crossroad Calligraphy

You guys. As if her work wasn't awesome enough, you should meet the owner, Annie. She is the sweetest local small business owner with a heart of gold and a creative vision. You tell this girl a dream and she'll turn it into a reality!

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Blue Thistle Cakes

This jaw-dropping cake is just the tip of the iceberg on what owner, Heather, can create. Let me tell ya, I've had my fair share of wedding cake but nothing compares to the deliciousness of Blue Thistle.

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Ultrapom Event Rental

If you want to add personality to your big day, look no further. With an endless collection of one-of-a-kind treasures, Ultrapom is a one stop shop. To top it off- they offer white glove delivery service to keep your day stress free!

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Icon Event Group

Not only can they spin rad beats, but Icon can bring one heck of a party. Want a show-stopping grand entrance? Sparktacular it is. A way to flaunt your new last name? Gobo fo sho! Get the party started and keep the party going? Uplighting galore. You name it, they can do it.

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Hail Coffee Co.

Three words. COFFEE. ON. TAP. If you haven't tried Nitro Coffee yet (or, hellooo, their new Nitro Latte) then get your booty over to your email and contact them now. They have the cutest cart on a BIKE and are sure to lift the spirits of any wedding/bridal shower/baby shower/bachelorette party/random party guest.

STAY WILD.

Alex & James: Mildale Farms

Everyone tells you your wedding day will be a blur. It's hard to imagine that you'll blink and -poof!- the day you've spent the last 18 months planning will be over.

And that is why videographers are a bride's best friend.

On May 12th, 2018 Wild Hill Flowers and Events was #blessed to work with the most amazing couple, Alex and James. Surrounded by their family and friends, The Roans said "I do" on the beautiful acreage of Mildale Farms.

The goosebumps come no matter how many times I watch their video. From the sweet moments between the couple shortly after they started their forever to the glow stick covered guests sending the couple off, Kashmir Films you nailed it.

STAY WILD.

Finding Your Perfect Bridal Bouquet!

Finding your perfect bridal bouquet!

You brides out there have the most perfect vision in your head, but sometimes it's hard to find the right words to describe what you're picturing! We decided to share some of our fav bouquets, along with keywords used to describe them, to help you figure out what you do/don't love and bring your wedding dreams to life!

Medium Round Garden BouquetStyle: textured Details: roses, raunuculus, greenery{Photo courtesy of Christy Johnson}

Medium Round Garden Bouquet

Style: textured
Details: roses, raunuculus, greenery

{Photo courtesy of Christy Johnson}

Large Garden BouquetStyle: rustic, garden, fall Details: mixed greenery, dahlias, astilbe, spray roses, hydrangea, scabiosa{Photo courtesy of Claire Ryser}

Large Garden Bouquet

Style: rustic, garden, fall
Details: mixed greenery, dahlias, astilbe, spray roses, hydrangea, scabiosa

{Photo courtesy of Claire Ryser}

Large Textured Garden BouquetStyle: textured greenery, romantic Details: peonies, garden roses, scabiosa, brunia berries, gunni eucalyptus, bay leaf, seeded euc, ranunculus, winter greenery{Photo courtesy of Sara Rieth Photography}

Large Textured Garden Bouquet

Style: textured greenery, romantic
Details: peonies, garden roses, scabiosa, brunia berries, gunni eucalyptus,
bay leaf, seeded euc, ranunculus, winter greenery

{Photo courtesy of Sara Rieth Photography}

Wispy Garden BouquetStyle: wispy, organic Details: anemones, olive, fern, garden roses, straw flower{Photo courtesy of Lacey Rene Studios}

Wispy Garden Bouquet

Style: wispy, organic
Details: anemones, olive, fern, garden roses, straw flower

{Photo courtesy of Lacey Rene Studios}

Large Oblong Organic BouquetStyle: boho Details: ranunculus, straw flower, scabiosa, jasmine, blushing bride, protea, agonis, LOTS of texture{Photo courtesy of Hana Alsoudi Photography}

Large Oblong Organic Bouquet

Style: boho
Details: ranunculus, straw flower, scabiosa, jasmine, blushing bride,
protea, agonis, LOTS of texture

{Photo courtesy of Hana Alsoudi Photography}

Cascade BouquetStyle: romantic, garden Details: garden roses, art deco roses, draping ribbon, snapdragon, green greenery{Photo courtesy of Melissa and Beth}

Cascade Bouquet

Style: romantic, garden
Details: garden roses, art deco roses, draping ribbon, snapdragon, green
greenery

{Photo courtesy of Melissa and Beth}

Wispy Garden BouquetStyle: rustic, wispy, organic Details: ranunculus, lisianthus, stock, clematis, peonies, Juliet garden roses, full greenery{Photo courtesy of Melissa and Beth}

Wispy Garden Bouquet

Style: rustic, wispy, organic
Details: ranunculus, lisianthus, stock, clematis, peonies, Juliet garden
roses, full greenery

{Photo courtesy of Melissa and Beth}

Round Bouquet with Slight CascadeStyle: elegant, minimal greeneryDetails: peonies, orchids, lisianthus, quicksand roses, veronica, garden roses, minimal eucalyptus greenery{Photo courtesy of Atley + Liz Collective}

Round Bouquet with Slight Cascade

Style: elegant, minimal greenery

Details: peonies, orchids, lisianthus, quicksand roses, veronica, garden
roses, minimal eucalyptus greenery

{Photo courtesy of Atley + Liz Collective}

Organic garden bouquetStyle: romantic, wispy Details: Clooney ranunculus, hellebore, scabiosa, burgundy peonies, heather, ruscus, salal{Photo courtesy of Morgan Barrett}

Organic garden bouquet

Style: romantic, wispy
Details: Clooney ranunculus, hellebore, scabiosa, burgundy peonies,
heather, ruscus, salal

{Photo courtesy of Morgan Barrett}

Large Wild Greenery-Focused BouquetStyle: boho, woodland, organic Details: large king protea, full greenery, textures{Photo courtesy of Lacey Rene Studios}

Large Wild Greenery-Focused Bouquet

Style: boho, woodland, organic
Details: large king protea, full greenery, textures

{Photo courtesy of Lacey Rene Studios}

Loose Round Garden BouquetStyle: romantic Details: white o’hara garden roses, ranunculus, stock, spray roses, mixed greenery{Photo courtesy of Atley + Liz Collective}

Loose Round Garden Bouquet

Style: romantic
Details: white o’hara garden roses, ranunculus, stock, spray roses, mixed greenery

{Photo courtesy of Atley + Liz Collective}

Textured Garden Bouquet with Slight CascadeStyle: garden, textured, woodland Details: sweet pea, veronica, ranunculus, larkspur, tulips, roses, mixed eucalyptus, silver dollar, ruscus greenery{Photo courtesy of Nick Allen Photo}

Textured Garden Bouquet with Slight Cascade

Style: garden, textured, woodland
Details: sweet pea, veronica, ranunculus, larkspur, tulips, roses, mixed
eucalyptus, silver dollar, ruscus greenery

{Photo courtesy of Nick Allen Photo}

Cascading Garden BouquetStyle: textured, boho Details: draping amaranthus, anemones, queen Anne’s lace, astrantia, textures, greenery{Photo courtesy of Nick Allen Photo}

Cascading Garden Bouquet

Style: textured, boho
Details: draping amaranthus, anemones, queen Anne’s lace, astrantia,
textures, greenery

{Photo courtesy of Nick Allen Photo}

STAY WILD.