I’m just going to say it up front: Scout and Alex’s colors are what my dreams are made of. Coral peonies, blue delphinium, pink bridesmaids and an olive green suit, all on a bright Saturday in May. This Firehouse KC wedding in Kansas City had a full service planner, a handfasting in the courtyard, a party bus, and so many happy tears that I lost count somewhere around the aisle.
Firehouse KC in Midtown
Firehouse KC is an old firehouse on Troost Avenue, and it still wears its F.D. 31 crest over a bright orange red front door. Inside you get arched black windows, two-tone brick, crystal chandeliers, a row of deep teal doors that might be the best portrait backdrop in Midtown, and a staircase with an iron railing you can frame through the transom windows. Outside, there’s a gravel courtyard with a slatted wood fence for the ceremony. I notice architecture first, and Firehouse KC gave me something good in every direction. Getting ready, the ceremony and the reception all happened on the same property, which keeps the day easy for everyone.
Scout got ready upstairs in a white button up pajama set with “Bride” stitched on the pocket, then traded it for a lace gown with a beaded bodice and a cathedral train. Her shoes were pale blue Kailee P. heels with pearl ankle straps, worn with pearls and her nose ring. Hair and makeup were by White Carpet Bride. Scout also has an opossum tattoo wearing a flower crown, and yes, I made sure it got a frame.
Saving It for the Aisle
Scout and Alex met in college, and like so many of my couples, they complement each other perfectly. Scout is quiet and refined. Alex is extroverted and an open book. They skipped their own first look and saved it for the aisle, so Scout did first looks with her parents and her bridesmaids instead. Her mom didn’t even try to hold it together, and her four bridesmaids reacted like people who had been waiting months for this exact moment. Which, to be fair, they had.
Now, the florals. Sweet Chamomile Floral did every arrangement, and the palette was coral charm peonies, peach and blush ranunculus, white tulips, lilac stock, blue delphinium and little chamomile daisies tucked in everywhere. Garden themed, on paper. In person it was bold, saturated color that held its own against brick, blue sky and pink chiffon. True-to-life color is the part of this job I care about most, and these two handed me a palette worth getting exactly right.
A Handfasting at Firehouse KC
The ceremony was outside in the courtyard, under a wood arch with two floral columns and a sky so blue I backed way up to keep all of it. Alex’s dad pulled Alex into a long hug at the altar, and then Scout came down the aisle on her dad’s arm. That moment was the one Scout told me she was most excited for, and Alex delivered. Every bit of it showed, tears and all, with a groomsman grinning right behind.
They did a handfasting with a twisted pink, mint and white cord, and somewhere in the middle the officiant said something that cracked all three of them up. Then they kissed, the whole courtyard applauded, and everyone got a handful of dried petals for the walk back up the aisle. Nobody held back.
A Party Bus to the Nelson-Atkins
After the ceremony we piled onto a party bus with a mirrored ceiling and a round of shots, and that ride might have been the loudest part of the day. We headed to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for portraits: the wedding party cheering under the limestone columns, pink dresses moving across the lawn, and Scout’s train sweeping past the glass of the Bloch Building. Two people and a whole lot of limestone is one of my favorite combinations in Kansas City.
Toasts, Tears and Alabama
Back at the Firehouse, the reception hall had a crystal chandelier over long farm tables, a Sweet Chamomile garland running the full length of the head table, and a two tier naked cake from McClain’s Cakery dressed in the same flowers. We grabbed a few more portraits on the staircase first, Alex’s olive Slabotsky’s suit looking great against the warm brick. Check the socks. Respect. Storia Catering handled dinner.
Alex’s family is from Alabama, and half the guest list made the trip up to Kansas City to be there. You could feel it in that room. The maids of honor had the whole head table in pieces, and then Alex’s dad stood up and gave a toast so heartfelt that the tears started all over again. Then came the first dance under the chandelier with everyone they love in a circle around them, Scout’s dad crying through their dance without even pretending to be fine, and Crystal Pro KC keeping the floor full under green uplights for the rest of the night.
The Case for a Full Service Planner
Here’s what I keep coming back to with this one. Scout and Alex brought impeccable attention to design, color and detail, and then they hired Jaclyn at Veil Events to run the whole day. Nothing was late. They got to be calm and relaxed, and I got to spend the entire day doing my actual job, which is watching and freezing. If you’re planning right now and wondering whether a full service planner is worth it, this wedding is my answer. My wedding planning guide is a good place to start.
Scout and Alex, thank you for the colors, the tears and the party bus.
Planning a wedding at Firehouse KC, or anywhere around Midtown Kansas City? Take a look at pricing, build your own quote in a couple of minutes, or get in touch.
The Team
- Venue: Firehouse KC
- Portraits: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Planner: Veil Events
- Florals: Sweet Chamomile Floral
- Catering: Storia Catering
- Cake: McClain’s Cakery
- Hair + Makeup: White Carpet Bride
- Suits: Slabotsky’s
- Shoes: Kailee P.
- DJ: Crystal Pro KC
