written by Rachael Baker


I can not think of a better way to kick off the wedding season. Madison and Christian's wedding at the Stanley was absolutely perfect. I had the privilege of connecting with Madison about a year ago through community group at our local church. I have enjoyed getting to know both her and Christian throughout their engagement season. They are both kindhearted and so easy to connect with. During our time together, I noticed both of them bring a fun energy and it is so easy to have a good time with them.


As we were discussing what the wedding day would look like and the key moments that they wanted captured, it became apparent to me that they hold three things very close to their heart: spending time together, all of their family, and creating a relaxing, and entertaining environment for their people to celebrate.


Genuine moments is what they were looking to find within their wedding gallery and if I do say so myself. I think we nailed it.


The wedding day was gorgeous, Madison did a fantastic job coordinating colors and picking florals. The ladies started the day off at Salon de Crist while the boys had a relaxing morning at the hotel. We all met at the Stanley in the afternoon and kicked off the day with getting ready portraits. The Stanley has 2 main indoor ceremony spaces, as well as, The Aspen rooftop, where Madison and Christian held their ceremony. We used the Kingston to capture Madison and her mother getting her in her wedding dress and grandma snuck in a bit early for a surprise first look.


Madison and Christian decided to keep a traditional first look, so we took the girls for their portraits, had both Madison and Christian do individual first looks with their parents, and competed the groomsmen portraits before the ceremony. As we were walking back to the venue, the boys decided to sneak into The Arcade for a quick pre-ceremony shot, don't worry we didn't get too wild lol.


I aim to give my couples around 45 minutes of "Quite Time" before the ceremony, to ensure that they are able to sit down and take a break, grab some water and get refreshed and get any last minute gitters calmed. This also allows me plenty of time to grab any last minute details of the space and make a quick sweep through the reception space, as it is usually ready to go before the ceremony begins.


If you are looking for a gorgeous venue to hold your wedding in the Lee's Summit area, I highly recommend scouting out The Stanley. The venue is gorgeously lined with dark wood and brick, and the Aspen rooftop is gorgeous, especially in the evening for those dreamy "golden/blue hour portraits."


Needless to say, the day was amazing. I loved being apart of the Cuozzo's wedding day and celebrating the two of you with your community!


Enjoy these images from their big day.


Cheers x