Mr. and Mrs. McGuinn | Kimball Ballroom | Columbia, Missouri Winter Wedding

The wedding of Riki and Marcus was an unforgettable day! Springlike temperatures were present on this first weekend of December and we were loving everything about the unusual warm weather! The elegant winter wedding was one we had been counting down the days to photograph. Ever since we met with Riki and Marcus this year, we knew their day would be nothing short of incredible. The way they each lit up when talking about the special day had us so excited to celebrate their love story. They would look at each other and smile as they mentioned the plans for their wedding and we could tell immediately that these two share something truly unique. Their expressive “Tuesday kind love” is wonderful to see. We absolutely adore capturing two souls in love. It’s these kind of love stories, the real and unguarded ones, that keep us coming back for more each year! The opportunity to freeze time as their love story takes on forever is truly a remarkable gift and we love that our job allows us to create timeless keepsakes for generations to come.

A chance encounter at a Jiffy Lube would bring Riki and Marcus together. And here we are a few years later celebrating their love story. Marcus and several of his buddies jokingly poke fun, saying how Riki is clearly out of his league, but we have to disagree. These two are in a league of their own. Two of the kindest, most sincere individuals would find one another in a world full of so many and would discover an unbreakable bond. Their love and inviting personalities draw everyone in. They’re both so charismatic and their love encompasses true passion to deeply care for each other and those around them. They are in a league so special with one another because together, they fit perfectly.

Our day started out great with all of Riki’s hand selected bridal details. This portion of the day is always one of our favorites! It gives our creative side a chance to relax and warm up before the chaos of the day settles in. The perfect winter color pallet paired with the fur textures and elegant jewelry had our photography heart oh so happy! Everything went together so well and perfectly complemented her elegant winter style. We are not fans of the colder weather during this time of the year, but we are all about the winter vibes with fresh greenery and shades of red. Our day was running so smoothly and we were loving every second of it!

Soon, it was the big moment. Riki slipped into her beautiful wedding gown with the help of her sweet mom and sister. The room filled with emotion as she completed her look with all of the jewelry pieces. Riki exemplifies beauty! She looked flawless and joy radiated from every ounce of her being. Her sweet momma couldn’t help but tear up when she saw her daughter as a bride. Nerves settled in as Riki began to anticipate her first look with Marcus.

Marcus anxiously stood outside of Senior Hall at Stephen’s College waiting for his beautiful bride to grace his presence. All of his buddies stood off to the side excited to see the pair share their first look. As Riki rounded the corner, the biggest grin came across her face. She quickly walked in the direction of Marcus and called his name. He spun around awestruck at the sight of his bride. They hugged each other for the longest time, just taking in the emotions of the day. It was a sweet and intimate moment witnessed by their closest friends. Everyone was all smiles as they watched the darling pair.

We spent the afternoon with the sweetest bridal party! If we could have them in every bridal party it would make our jobs so easy. Such a fun and genuine group of friends they havae. We loved how caring everyone was. It should have come as no surprise to us that their friends would be such awesome people. They laughed, they joked, and did whatever we asked of them without questioning a thing. As it began to mist, one of Marcus’s best men even held an umbrella over Riki’s head between poses. We don’t know too many guys that would be so willing to help.

The day couldn’t have gone more smoothly and everything stayed on schedule. It was almost time for the ceremony so we headed to Firestone Baars Chapel to prepare for the celebration. On of Marcus’s coworkers and close friends officiated the ceremony and it was one of the best we have seen. It was evident that so much time and thought went into the message he delivered. Riki and Marcus read the sweetest most heartfelt vows to one another. Riki almost made it through her vows without crying. But near one of the last lines, she broke down and cried and embraced him through the tears, stating “how she adored him.” Marcus followed up with sweet promises and a bit of humor as he read his adorable vows to Riki. The two exchanged rings and looked so giddy as Jonathan pronounced them husband and wife. Everyone cheered as the happy couple floated back down the aisle. Riki and Marcus immediately embraced one another and said “We did it! That was so perfect!” as they smiled at each other.

The rest of the evening was spent celebrating the newlyweds at a reception in the Kimball Ballroom. What a fun night it was! Four toasts were given and their friends spoke in the highest regard when talking about Riki and Marcus. So much love from family and friends filled the room for the new Mr. and Mrs. They twirled around the dance floor looking at each other as if they were the only two people in the room. These two are something special. We know together, they will conquer anything that life throws their way. We wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else of the first of December. Congratulations Riki and Marcus! We have loved getting to know you both as a couple and have adored working with you during this sweet season to capture your love story. Day one of your marriage was just perfect! May you have many, many more amazing days ahead of you! We wish you both a lifetime of happiness full of love; the Tuesday kind of love.

Enjoy some of our favorites from their gorgeous winter wedding! There were so many great portraits to choose from, we had a pretty difficult time narrowing it down. Their gallery is a bit large!