A Manhattan Wedding: Kevin + Savannah

It's hard to narrow down all of the incredible details that played a part in this wedding: Savannah's dress, encrusted in tiny sequin flowers the color of Spring, which paid an homage to 1930s style. Personalized compasses which acted as party favors and gave seat placements. And of course, the two fuzzy little rats on the couple's reception table, nestled behind greenery and almost invisible.

"Everyone keeps asking me what the theme of our wedding is. I don't know... It's wedding themed!" I ask Savannah what's the story on the rats, and she starts laughing; they were a crafting project, taken on post-grad school , and had become the unofficial (or maybe official?) mascot of their cheese-themed wedding shower. "Rat wedding. That's the theme."

The wedding and reception are at Union Hall, a gorgeous building in Manhattan, KS, built in the 1890s and recently renovated to become a stunning event space. The upstairs is laid out for the reception, with spring colors and floral arrangements abounding. As the finishing touches are being put in both the upstairs space and main floor (where the ceremony will be held), we decide on a little intermediary space for their first look. I get Kevin into position and bring Savannah down the stairs, and as soon as he hears her, he fidgets with his tie and grins.

There is some time between the ceremony walkthrough and family arriving for photos, so we head back to the bridal suite. It's full of window light and tastefully appointed, vintage-y furniture, and I snap a couple portraits of the two of them before things start picking up. Their rings are stacked on top of a wooden box that Kevin made.

The ceremony begins. Savannah breaks out into a laugh as she walks down the aisle with her parents, Roger and Dee, and Kevin looks on in total adoration. Savannah and Kevin read the vows they wrote to each other, shared on the same piece of paper that he hands to her after he reads. The ceremony is the perfect blend of heartfelt readings and funny moments, and they pause halfway down the aisle to share another kiss.

Guests mingle in the back of the ceremony space which had been set up for the cocktail hour, or go through a door to the art gallery next door to admire the curated works. The three of us take a back staircase after grabbing Savannah's heart-shaped sunglasses, to take some portraits of the couple. As it happens, the site of their first date is just down the block (Bourbon & Baker), so we head that way. They sit on the patio and tell me how their first date went into the small hours of the morning, because they were having such a great time talking and walking together (which, in my opinion, is one of the best kinds of first dates to have).

We eventually walk back to Union Hall and around the back, where a grey stone wall is gently illuminated by window light. They share some quiet moments before indulging in the third (fourth?) "business handshake" of the day, and I ask if they would be willing to recreate the "awkward prom photo pose" from their engagement session, which had us roaring then, and again (see the blog post here).

With all the official portraits done, it was time for the reception. Guests talked and laughed over an extended dinner hour of incredibly delicious food, and in lieu of cake, Kevin and Savannah cut the pie (with a spread of tiny pies for those in attendance!). As the sun continued to go down, they shared their first dance before opening the floor to everyone, to celebrate the union of two incredible individuals.

Congratulations, Savannah and Kevin!