Danielle + Ashley | Modern Spring Soirée

Sparks were flying after Ashley made a flirty comment on Danielle’s Facebook page a few years back. At the time, they were living in different states so they spent their first date at a quaint restaurant in a small town between their homes. On July 20th, exactly two years after connecting on social media, Danielle popped the question and they began planning a gorgeous and modern formal wedding for 200 guests. 

THE PROPOSAL

Danielle, a Mental Health Therapist, spent months planning the perfect proposal to Ashley, a Licensed Cosmetologist. “Danielle had rented out a beautiful arbor at the Powell Gardens in Kingsville,” the couple says. “Danielle left the house first thing in the morning and left a note for Ashley to get ready. Two of Ashley’s best friends then showed up to the house to help Ashley get ready and stay on task.” Once Ashley arrived at the gardens, Danielle asked her to marry her and she said “yes!” Danielle surprised her with a butterfly release, champagne, fruit, and chocolate. She also gifted her a lock, a tradition of theirs, to place on a love lock bridge in Kansas City. Then, they headed to Danielle’s family lake house for an engagement party with their family and friends. 

Photos by Travis Patton 

5 months later, Ashley returned the proposal. “Ashley took Danielle, along with some of her friends, to Crystal Bridges in Bentonville, Arkansas. The museum had an outdoor installation that combined art, lights, and music for the holidays. Toward the end of the installation, Ashley stopped Danielle and asked to take some pictures where Ashley pulled out the ring and asked Danielle to marry her.” recalls the couple.

PLANNING A MODERN FORMAL WEDDING

Their original wedding list was cut from 350 to 200 people due to COVID restrictions, but their modern formal wedding in Kansas City didn’t lack in details. They chose a perfect spring color palette of gold, blush, and light peach. Flowers were a significant part of the ambiance with “a 36-foot backdrop behind the head table that had hanging floral, along with a floral runner along the front of the head table,” says the couple. To add to the opulence, they had 3′ tall marquee letters spelling out their last name with a large balloon garland installation. 

When searching for their looks, Ashley confided in a friend from Minneapolis who suggested Flutter Bridal Co. “Colby John was so amazing, knowledgeable, and patient, and helped Ashley to find the dress for her. He even allowed Ashley to customize the dress to make her sparkly wedding dress dreams reality,” the newlyweds said. She paired the dress with Jimmy Choos and gold and diamond bangles from Danielle’s mother. Danielle donned a custom classic black tuxedo with a rhinestone bowtie and Greggo flat Christian Louboutin Oxfords. She also carried her grandfather’s blue rosary and grandmother’s cross necklace as her “something old”, and her mother’s diamond tennis bracelet as her “something borrowed”. 

Instead of a formal “first look”, the couple chose to read personal vows back to back prior to the ceremony. They describe it as a “super romantic moment filled with a number of happy tears” and was Ashley’s favorite moment of the day. During this time, they also exchanged sweet and personalized gifts that reflected important moments from their relationship. 

 The ceremony took place at an open-air black and white chapel at the same site as the reception. Danielle’s father walked both brides down the aisle separately as a live string quartet played. “My favorite part was watching  Ashley walk down the aisle with my father,” Danielle says. Their wedding party looked so stylish and fit the modern formal wedding vibe. Danielle’s mixed-gender wedding party all wore custom black suits, while Ashley’s side had petal pink floor-length gowns. 

BOUNTIFUL ITALIAN FARE

Guests then made their way to the reception that was adorned with floral from top to bottom. They sipped on signature cocktails and enjoyed a heavenly Italian dinner of pasta with sugo, alfredo pasta, chicken spiedini garozzo, meatballs, and more. Then, it was time for dessert, “Our dessert menu was the best part of the whole night! We had Italian cookies made by a number of Danielle’s family members. We also had cake pops designed and made by Tasty Pop Cake Pops, floral-inspired cupcakes made by Dianna’s Bloom Cakes in Webb City, MO, and cake from Blue Thistle in Blue Springs, MO,” the brides explain. They had a late-night spread of 45 — yes 45! — Pizza Hut pies!

Looking back on the day, they have some advice for future couples planning weddings, “Pick a great wedding planner, even if it is just for the day of coordination. It will save you so much stress! Also, pick 1-2 things that you really care about for your wedding and put the most money into those things. For us, that was floral and dessert!”

Vendors Cont.  — Desserts: Tasty Pops Cake Pops, Dianna’s Bloom Cake | Stationery: Minted, Vistaprint, Script Your Event | Entertainment: Fernando Productions KC | Suits: Tom James Clothing | Bridal Accessories: Twigs and Honey, Jimmy Choo, Louboutin, Kendra J Bridal, Meierotto | Beauty: The Posh KC, Hannah Baker, Styled by Sadie | Eyelash Extensions: Tay Beauty | Transporation: Vegas Limo KC | Rentals: AlphaLit KC, Ultra Pom, Marquee Rents | Rings: Meierotto | Video: Gold Hair Pin | Ceremony Music: Violetta Strings Music | Balloons: Jubilee Balloon Co. | Alterations: Kendra J Bridal, Fatmas Alterations

Be sure to check out more modern formal wedding inspo on the Real Weddings page!