Why we chose space over a downtown wedding

Dec 21

You GUYS. You are in for a TREAT with this guest blogger. Stephanie got married at Hawthorne House in the fall of 2020 and her wedding is one I’ll never forget. Her and Matt had such a positive attitude throughout the entirety of their planning (and look what year they got married in!!), always kept their eye on the price- marriage- and had a party none of their guests will forget. Be sure to check out their wedding day details at the bottom including timeline and vendor information!

Without further ado…..let’s hear from Stephanie!

Matt and I’s wedding venue search was EXTENSIVE. We looked at venues all over downtown Kansas City, in the suburbs of the metro-area, and even out of the state (all the way in Arizona!) Now, I love my husband, but let’s be honest: traditionally, the groom-to-be doesn’t usually have the strongest of opinions when it comes to many aspects of wedding planning. For any Friends fans, cue Chandler Bing calling him and Monica’s wedding a “party.” So, when Matt voiced an opinion while we were deliberating over the pros and cons of each venue, I listened.

When it came to Hawthorne House, Matt stated that they were his top choice because we would be able to be in a space that felt like it was just us and our “people.” We knew we wanted our ceremony outdoors and we realized that many of the venues downtown would have street noise and other city elements happening that no one has control over, while we were walking down the aisle. Hawthorne House is tucked off in beautiful Parkville, on its own sprawling property which translates to: quiet, secluded, and perfect!! Having an entire property to yourself also makes it so easy for your photographer/videographer to have multiple shot locations and a timeless backdrop no matter where you’re at on the grounds.

Hawthorne House anticipated all of my concerns and questions about the space as a type-A personality. With our ceremony being out at the gazebo, they had staff down by the chapel/parking lot to ensure that no cars were driving by once guests were seated for the ceremony. This was a HUGE selling point for us- who wants horns honking, sirens blaring, and other classic “city noise” while they’re ugly crying over their husband’s handwritten vows??

Having an October wedding in the midwest can bring some unpredictability when it comes to the weather. Hawthorne House having the chapel right onsite as a backup plan for gazebo weddings is everything you could ever ask for! We didn’t have to worry about “what-ifs” when it came to rain because we knew our backup plan was ready to go, should we need it. Many of the downtown venues have one space and one space only for your ceremony and if that space is outdoors, you’re left with moving forward, rain or shine.

With Hawthorne House having SO much space to work with, it also leaves you with a blank slate to create the wedding of your dreams- whatever that means to you! For our budget and tastes, we kept things pretty minimal and played into what is already timeless about the Emerson room and gazebo. With the gazebo in particular, we had a gorgeous fall backdrop of green trees and fall leaves, so we just added a flower garland to frame the gazebo and pull in our colors (and then we repurposed that piece on the head table for the reception!). If you can’t tell already, I’ll never be able to stop talking about how stunning of a property Hawthorne House is- we even had a watercolor/sketch picture drawn up of the property that we used on our invitations!