The Venue in Leawood Kansas Wedding | Ashley & Jake

Ashley and Jake’s summer wedding at The Venue in Leawood Kansas Wedding was one of those days that felt completely full circle! Ashley was my youth leader when I was in high school and we started connected through the years. When he was at K-State she was an Alpha Chi Omega and when I went to college I found myself also becoming an Alpha Chi Omega…another fun full circle moments!

Their wedding happened the same month I welcomed out little Rosie into the world, which meant I wasn’t able to photograph it myself. And honestly… of all the weddings to miss, this one was the hardest. Thankfully, I had an associate photographer stepped in and in true small-world fashion, her and Ashley had a mutual friend. I love a nice small world moment. I did get to pop into the reception to hug Ashley and soak it all in, and I’m so grateful I did.

Ashley and Jake’s story actually goes back 25 years to their time at K-State. They knew each other back then, but it wasn’t until a few years ago, thanks to Jake’s mom reconnecting them, that their relationship really began. There’s something so sweet about a love story that circles back around at exactly the right time.

They were married on a very hot Kansas summer day at Church of the Resurrection in Brookside. After the ceremony, everyone hopped on a party bus and before heading to the reception at The Venue in Leawood Kansas, they made the sweetest stop at Summit Grill, which is where Ashley and Jake had their very first date. I just love when couples build little pieces of their story into the wedding day like that. It wasn’t just a fun stop…it was a full-circle moment tucked right into the celebration!

One of the most special parts of the day, though, was Ashley’s “Blue Crew.” She had friends from so many different seasons of her life surrounding her. Getting ready together, standing by her side, celebrating with her all day long — it meant the world to her to have all of those women in one place!

And the details? So completely them.

Ashley wore the most incredible purple Betsey Johnson heels as a nod to her K-State roots…bold, fun, and the perfect pop of personality. Jake’s love of baseball showed up throughout the reception in subtle, thoughtful ways, all the way down to guests taking home boxes of Cracker Jacks. It was nostalgic and playful and felt right!

A special moment of the night was when Ashley’s Alpha Chi Omega sisters gathered around her and sang one of their sorority songs. If you’ve ever experienced that kind of sisterhood, you know how special that is. It was one of those pause-the-night moments where everyone just soaked it in.

College memories. Kansas roots. Baseball touches. Purple details everywhere. A room full of people who have known them for decades!

Even though I wasn’t the one physically behind the camera that day, this wedding will always mean so much to me. Ashley poured into me when I was younger, and getting to see her step into this new season, surrounded by so much love, was incredibly special!