Kansas City wedding photographer | boudoir photographer | family & newborn photographer » Darbi G. Hebrank is Kansas City portrait, boudoir and wedding photographer located in the Kansas City area ( including Lee

After Kim & Mike’s hot and humid engagement session last August, they sure deserved to have beautiful wedding weather. Admittedly, I didn’t think they’d get mild temps because it was in June after all. But anyone here in the Midwest will confirm that 2013 has been the ODDEST seasoned year thus far. A long winter…a delayed spring. This meant that on June 1, Emporia, KS, was treated to a cloudy sky, and temps that didn’t soar.

Mike and Kim are truly so genuinely sweet (they even texted me on Christmas to wish my family happy holidays!! And not in a mass-texting way. Haha) They are so personable. Kim puts you at ease with her big smile and good humor. Mike’s big brother demeanor and desire to crack up as much as possible are ever-so endearing.

Ali and I were met with one sassy bridal party. They were there to celebrate, and we were all for that approach. We had so much fun….let’s see if I can remember the reasons why this wedding was so special:

  •  Mike is a football coach for Emporia State University, so the pigskin theme showed up a few times.
  • I must note that we were very impressed with the town of Emporia. It had so many cool locations, that I would love to shoot there again. And definitely is day-trip worthy.
  • I think the white breezeway of the church was quite possible one of my favorite nooks in which I’ve ever shot details (at Sacred Heart Church).
  • Kim had SUCH a great idea…she had all the bridesmaids hold up signs saying “Wait till you see her”…had one of them take a photo of the girls holding the signs, and then that photo was shown to Mike….a moment that was captured by Ali. How cute!?
  •  Mike’s (and now Kim’s too) last name is LoPorto. Throughout the day, their friends and family would chant LOPO. I love cheers. I might have joined in a time or two. 😉
  •  We of course had to stop at the ESU football field for some pics. Those that were accompanying the wedding party did a great job on the sidelines cheering on all the shenanigans.
  •  Kim really wanted to swing by a historical site in town that had a barn. Ali and I went crazy and could have stayed there forever shooting. Nice pick!
  • While at the farm, I did something I’m a tad ashamed of, but this illustrates how AMAZING this couple’s sense of humor is. I was handing Kim her bouquet when something (we later learned it was a wire) stabbed my finger. My split-second reaction was to….(hanging my head in shame)…drop the bouquet on the ground. I didn’t even have time to process that I did that as blood was surfacing on my poor little finger. Haha It really was no big deal, but it made us all laugh. And no flowers were majorly harmed in the fiasco.
  •  The group of friends shares inside joke after inside joke together. We had a few of them feeding Ali and me things to yell so we’d get legit smiles and laughs. I didn’t even mind feeling out of the loop with the REASONS they were laughing.
  •  Both the bride and groom’s moms were sooooo. Sweet. Seriously. And the dads? They were always ready with a video camera or still camera in their hands, documenting the special day from their perspective. I will keep them in mind should Darbi G. Photography ever expand.
  •  I think they had the cutest ringbearer I’ve ever seen. You’ll agree. Don’t worry. There are plenty of pics of him. Actually, there were so many cute kids there. Both families must just have darling genes.
  •  Speaking of kids, in the middle of the ceremony, when I was in the back with my big long zoom lens, I put the camera to my face and heard, “Cheeeeeese” from a little guy in a pew. Everyone around tried to control their giggles since it was during service. You’ll see a pic of him peeking out at me below.
  •  Perhaps the event of the day that resulted in the biggest laughter was the Best Man speech. Mike’s brothers put on a show….one of them talked  while the other one translated what the first one said into football lingo. It was quite the entertainment. The crowd was overcome with dropped jaws, open mouth bursts of laughter and looks of disbelief (Did they just say that??)…haha Good times.
  • I really liked the reception venue (Bowyer Community Center). It was modern and open…with pretty good natural light. Plus the good set up outdoors for extra tables and a bonfire were a plus.
  • The whole vibe of the day was killer…just so laid back, and FUN. From the provided plastic cups to the super-naughty darn-delicious potatoes (I think it was potato-flavored butter we were eating) to the assortment of cookies that Ali and I excitedly put in take-home bags when we were finished…we loved it. (Btw, sidenote: those cookies…my husband laid in bed one night and blamed his insomnia on the fact that he couldn’t get the cookies out of his mind, so he “had” to go down at 1 a.m. and eat some!!! Haha How hilarious is that. Compliments to Kara Hall!!)

So with that…please take some time to see the images that I think best tell the story of their Emporia wedding. And Mike & Kim–welcome home from your honeymoon!!! May these pics help break you into the “real world.” 😉

 

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  • Becky Douglas - Darbi,

    You and Ali did an amazing job. Your photos are spectacular. You have been a blessing to us and have made this memory something special to remember.
    Thank you for this blog and we are so happy you had a great time. That was Mike and Kim’s goal is for everyone to enjoy themselves and remember this day as they celebrate with them.

    Thanks again
    BeckyReplyCancel

  • Debby Aguilar - Awesome pics! Such a fun wedding/reception, we had a great time and was glad to celebrate with them!ReplyCancel

I never thought I would witness birth from any other viewpoint than the laboring mother. But my friend Jamie came to me when she found out she was pregnant and asked if I would shoot the birth of her daughter. I had my own labor documented by a trusted photographer, so was very flattered that Jaime even asked. The photographer in me was intrigued by the challenge, the promise of something new in more ways than one. And the mom in me was overwhelmed with honor and emotion at the thought of not only being present for such an intimate event, but capturing it for years to come for such a dear friend.

And I knew this would be a rare gig for me since photographing births is extremely hard to do when you shoot weddings and/or have a family. It requires you to be on call…for a month or more! But I loved it so much and would love to shoot one a year during down season!

When I tell people I’ve shot a birth, or that Weston’s was photographed, I get mixed responses. Some raise their brows in disbelief. Some blanche with the horror of mental images. Some purse their lips in thought and then nod as they think about how much it makes sense to capture the most pivotal day in ANY parent’s life. And others light up, fully understanding the weight and specialness of such a “job.”

Some comments have been on the order of, “Yeah right, like I need photos to remind me of how horrid I looked that day.”

I too was nervous when I thought about being on the other side of the lens when Weston was born. But the day of, that’s the farthest thing from your mind. And birth isn’t beautiful…on the surface. It’s not a surface event. It’s a raw, emotional, absolutely painful journey. And as ugly as it is if we self-loathers judge ourselves with our unfair standards, it is even more beautiful. So beautiful it hurts.

I enjoy shooting boudoir photos because of the resulting feelings with which the client is overcome once she sees her photos. That satisfaction is tripled, as a photographer, when shooting a birth and hearing how the images send the mom and dad back to a day that is forever imprinted on their hearts.

Having your baby’s birth documented is not about showing the mom as a sexy woman or empowering her with her femininity. This is about becoming a mom. And that truly is the most beautiful, empowering thing we, as women who wish to take that step, can go through.

Jaime’s birth story is a good one. Other than the fact that they had to induce early due to concerns about a low weight (which ended up not being an issue at all, woohoo!), the day went off without a hitch. Other than some nausea after receiving the epidural (the reason she is on oxygen in some of the images), Jaime’s labor went well. And I got to be there when “well” turned into WONDERFUL.

Here is the birth of Reese Juliana. The day that Jaime & Mark found themselves wrapped around the littlest of little fingers ever. 🙂

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW AS IT'S NOT LOADING INTO MY BLOG RIGHT!!!

and now…for their newborn photos of the sweet lil’ Reese 3 weeks after she was born. 🙂 Jaime & Mark are such natural parents. They are calm, good-humored and adoring of the precious tiny one who has so smoothly taken the throne of their kingdom (much to their pooches’ chagrin!) Reese is fiercely loved by her aunts and uncles, her grandparents, and all of their friends. I am so excited for when Weston and Reese can have their first playdate. 😉

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  • Darbi's Mom - what a beautiful story and beautiful birth! Darbi you told the story so well, wonderful! Jamie and Mark, your baby Reece is so gorgeous.ReplyCancel

  • Rebecca Matousek - These are amazing! Didn’t realize who the couple was til I saw Mark. Grew up in the same church! Absolutely wonderful the way you captured the love between Mark and Jamie and then both of them with Reece! Melts the heart!ReplyCancel

  • Erin Sack - These pictures are just beautiful. I don’t know how it could have been done any more tastefully and wonderfully.ReplyCancel

Charlee celebrated her first birthday back in November. Now, over 6 months later…I will show you the photos we took commemorating that milestone. I am so so so so sorry to be this behind.

This session was bittersweet for me as it closed out the first-year package that Heather and Al had booked with me. I’ve come to grow very fond of this family of three. Heather is an amazing and strong mother; and Al is hilarious and dry, and proves us that he’s a good sport time and again. He also is one of the brave, who serves this country, even though it means he has to be away from his two darlings. At the time we took these photos, Heather and Al were building their home so they borrowed a friend’s place as it was a wee-bit chilly outdoors.

Charlee was as ornery as ever. Take a peek at some of my faves…I hope to see these fave clients of mine again soon!!!

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Alissa & Greg are getting married this fall… but it isn’t a commitment between just the two of them. Greg has two kiddos that also are part of the deal. So they asked that their engagement session include Jenna, 8, and Cole, 10. What a fabulous idea.

Cerner is one of Kansas City’s leading employers so it’s no surprise that Alissa & Greg, like the bride and groom from my last post, are Cerner employees. Alissa’s role with the company forced her to travel a lot, but on an off-week that she was going to be in town, she was asked to assist with an event of a client of Greg’s. They ran into one another at the inhouse coffee bar and soon took their conversation to IM. (See a common theme with Cerner lovebirds?? 😉 ha)   They had their first date at Harry’s and have seen or talked to one another every day since. Most of their relationship developed via Facetime due to Alissa’s traveling schedule.

They are an outdoorsy couple, and on a hike around Lake Tahoe, Greg went down on bended knee, his hands holding a gorgeous diamond ring that Alissa willfully slid onto her finger after he asked, “Sweetie, will you marry me?”

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago for our session. The foursome got down to the River Market area before I did, so they scouted out somewhere that appealed to them. They found a spot I had never shot in before…and it had great light. Alissa & Greg clearly have amazing taste. I mean, check out their wardrobes!

They share a fondness for biking and fitness (please take note of Alissa’s arms…they are THE arms that most every bride covets… no fair!!!). So they brought along a tandem bike to incorporate at the end of the session and Jenna and Cole were all too ready to use it as a prop. They were two of the most cooperative, cheerful children I have every had the pleasure to work with. Props to mad parenting skills!

The sun was setting quickly on us as we set up along the river and I just kept shooting. I could have shot for another hour but rumbling tummies and loss of light were in our way. Darn it! Just kidding, we got TONS of great stuff.  It’s definitely a session of too many favorites. Such a great problem to have, no?

Their wedding is set to be a romantic, rustic affair. Alissa has a gorgeous vision and I can’t wait to see it come into play. And I love that their engagement/family session took place somewhere with such a different vibe than what their wedding images will portray. I can’t wait to play with them all again!!! I came away from the session knowing full well that this soon-to-be family of four was meant to be. They are picture perfect…and the kids AND their dad so obviously adore Alissa. She fits in so well that I’m pretty sure the official event in October will be a seamless segue to a long-lasting journey of memories.

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  • Lora - OK these are way too cute! And I LOVE that shade of lipstick Alissa has on. Great pictures, Darbi!ReplyCancel

  • Angela Logan - Love, love, love the photos. The kids are precious. Hoping to be at the big event! Love you!ReplyCancel

  • Darbi's Mom - Oh my gosh, these pictures are beyond beautiful. Love everyone of them. What an adorable family-to-be! Darbi, you captured the best of the best!ReplyCancel

  • Becky Duvall - I love love love the pictures!!! Welcome to the family Alissa!ReplyCancel

  • Kate Burris - I LOVE these! You had such creative poses for this foursome.ReplyCancel

This wedding is the closest I will probably ever come to shooting a wedding Down Under. Jamie & Alex are Kansas/Missouri transplants, but both temporarily live in Australia. Rather than treating their friends and family (and photographer) to a wedding on such a glorious continent over 10,000 miles away, they opted for a shindig near their hometown. (Just kidding! I think everyone was happier with a location that was so accessible. Haha)

These two met while working for Cerner (based here in Kansas City). And by “met” I mean via the in-house instant messaging client for Cerner. Jamie, who was still living in Kansas City at this point, and her friend Liz were making plans through IM for the upcoming St. Patty’s holiday, by which time, Jamie would be in London. Liz had to leave the convo for a meeting and that is when Liz’s colleague Alex stepped in to wrap things up.

Jamie recalls, “We typed and typed for what may have been hours, and I distinctly remember thinking ‘who is this guy and why do I feel like I know him?’”

She moved to London the following month for the job and ended up across from Alex at the table one night, both of them stealing sly glances at the other. They weren’t so sly though…and ended up going on a date. After feeling 100% comfortable with one another, their relationship continued to grow. When Jamie found herself daydreaming about the future with a family—visions that had never been part of her reality—she knew that Alex was a keeper…long term…as in…forever. For Alex, the discovery that Jamie was something different came after his Kansas City friends asked him about her and he found himself admitting to them that she was “the one.”

Their proposal is worth hearing straight from Jamie’s memory. So here goes:

I had a happy hour scheduled with three of my good friends (who all happened to know about Alex’s plan) at Kennedy’s in Waldo (Kansas City). Everything seemed normal enough to me; we had some drinks and snacks as we usually do. Then suddenly the three girls seemed ready to go and rushed out of the place. They said that they may see me out again later since Alex and I were planning on going out with another group of friends. I thought their rush seemed rather strange, but did not protest and drove home.

When I got home I noticed that Alex’s car was taking up much of the driveway, so I was heading inside about to say something snide when I noticed that something looked different. There were flower petals all over the floor, candles were lit and Alex came around the corner looking very dapper and handsome. Well, this was not our typical Friday night, so I knew I was in for a treat. This realization finally dawned on me, and I started saying ‘OH MY GOD’ repeatedly. Alex gave me a lovely speech (of which neither of us can really recall much of) and got down on one knee to ask me to marry him. Of course I said yes!

Alex and I then got ready and drove to an alleged dinner reservation, but come to find out he had invited family and friends to attend a surprise engagement party at the Intercontinental Hotel at the Plaza in KC. We had an amazing time…it was truly one of the best nights of my whole life!

The pair currently lives in Brisbane, but they share a love for traveling, as evidenced by the centerpiece theme at their wedding. Alex is slowly conforming Jamie to his Jayhawk-loving ways, and at heart, they are still Midwesterns from US of A. And they’ll be back eventually. But for now, they are loving their life Down Under.

For their wedding, they chose two beautiful venues. The ceremony location was Colonial Church of Prairie Village, and I think it is my favorite church I’ve shot in solely for the photogenic aspect. It is bright, simple and the powder blue walls are very flattering on skin tones of all kinds. And the Sawyer Room, where they had their reception, reminds me of the venue where Neil and I got married in Omaha. The Sawyer Room is breathtaking in its luster, yet cozy despite the grandeur. It proved to be a perfectly romantic setting to kick off a party celebrating the love that Alex & Jamie share!!!

And this wedding was put together thanks to the wedding coordinator Events! Lyn Scardina out of Topeka. (I have heard so many great things about Lyn, and was soooo excited to work with her! She did not disappoint.)

Their day threatened rain, but we lucked out. Although the temps were unseasonably cooler, we stayed dry…and sweat wasn’t a huge prob either . HOoray!

A few of the other elements that I loved about the day:

  • Laughter. Everywhere. The family. The wedding party. The couple. It was infectious.
  • The ringbearer had such a sweet demeanor and he proved bribe-able. They convinced him to do his thing for the price of a large cookie. Which he devoured while in the church pew (a pic is below! I loved it!)
  • Jamie & Alex had their engagement pics taken in Brisbane, and her mom had a painting made from one of them. I took a photo of the ring with it…see if you can spot it. Such a cool idea to translate one art into another!
  • I am always a fan when the couple writes their own vows or some sort of fodder for the ceremony. The letters they wrote to one another were magnets for tears…including my own. Alex had Jamie read his ahead of time when he gave her his gift…a birthstone ring.
  • One thing I learned was that Alex has a nickname. One of those nicknames that when you learn of it, you go… “huh?” and then when you hear the reason, you go “ahhh!” It is “Unit.” Because his initials are AC. And AC UNIT. Get it? Ha Anyway, so at the end of the ceremony, the minister announced them as Mr. & Mrs. Unit. Laughter erupted…it was perfect! And jokes were made about having wee Units later in life. (as in…kiddos!)
  • After the ceremony, the wedding party headed to the Kaufmann Center for some photos. Across the street was the most glorious tree aflame with PINK!!! flowers. They are some of my fave pics I’ve ever taken just because a) the couple is flipping gorgeous and b) that tree gives them a run for their money. [Random sidenote: I learned that Jamie thinks her strongest talent is her ability to paint a mean tree. Haha I challenge you, Jamie, to paint a PINK tree before I give you that title…k?)
  • The bus driver with AGENDA USA was so awesome…he got permission for me to walk on the grass at the Kauffman center despite the signs that forbade such an activity. ?
  • Jamie asked to have an elevator shot… it is a sequence I have done before, but it’s been a couple of years, so I was excited to do it again for them. I close this post with it….kinda.
  • During the reception, everyone was asking me if I’d be there when Alex and his brother did “the dance.” Sure enough, I was…and I am so glad I was. The song they danced to is evading me, but it was a hilarious performance. And then seeing Jamie try to do it too was a treat. 😉
  • THE BISCUITS. For favors, they gave out these delicious sandwich cookies from Australia. I LOVE them. I am going to be seeking them out online to order more because I know I won’t make it to Australia before my next craving. OR my next 100 cravings. 😉

So was that enough yammering?

Jamie & Alex…enjoy this synopsis of your wedding day. Ali and I had such a great time with you crazy kids….you really are a fun and GOOD-LOOKING couple, who has such fun, helpful friends. If the KC is ever your home again…we shall be considered lucky. Xo to you both!

I was getting shadows on Jamie’s face in places I didn’t want, but I didn’t have my reflector on me. So… we had Alex step in and bare his…white-shirted chest! And it worked!!!


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  • kim - DARBI —— these are amazing!!!ReplyCancel

  • Robin Beacham - AMAZING puctures!! I love them. GREAT job DarbiReplyCancel

  • cait - gorgeous!ReplyCancel

  • Nicole (beacham) Benson - Jamie- what a beautiful story, wedding, and a GORGEOUS bride! So happy for you! Congratulations!!ReplyCancel

  • Laura Carr - Darbi, Not only did you do a wonderful job of photographing the handsome groom and beautiful bride, you captured all the wonderful emotions of the day. Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Jamie Weatherly - I keep looking at them…I can’t stop! I LOVE THEM!ReplyCancel