Nancy Barcus and her father, Steve Yates, danced during her wedding reception at the Berg Event Space.
{ courtesy of one tree photography }
When Brooke and William Hardy mailed out wedding invitations last year, their guests were a bit puzzled.
“I heard, ‘You’re getting married where?’ from more than a few people,” Brooke Hardy said.
The couple, who said “I do” on top of The Kansas City Public Library, is a testament to a growing wedding trend. More brides are thinking outside the church — and lifting the veil on nontraditional venues.
“It seems that brides and grooms are being more creative with their wedding dollars,” said Jenny Steffens, who runs The Bliss List, a database of forward-thinking wedding vendors in Kansas City. “DIY brides appreciate the freedom of nontraditional venues. There are not as many rules and restrictions in a wide-open field.”
We asked four area couples (see links at right) about their surprising tie-the-knot spots. Said Brooke Hardy of her library nuptials: “A few people even told me that it was the best wedding to which they’d ever been.”
The experts' picks
Jenny Steffens runs The Bliss List, a database of wedding vendors in Kansas City. Some of her favorite nuptial nooks:
• Mildale Farm, 35250 W. 199th St. in Edgerton, Kan.: “An East Coast equestrian barn, estate home and cottage in Kansas ... the ideal picturesque ‘local destination’ wedding venue.”
• Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, 200 W. 12th St.: “Historical charm with the perfect downtown location.”
• Carriage Club, 5301 State Line Road: “Country-club style and service near the Country Club Plaza.”
• Berg Event Space, 1525 Grand Blvd.: “A great space in the Crossroads with exposed brick, hardwood floors and modern accents.”
• The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St.: “A classic KC institution with a regal air.”
• Simpson House, 4509 Walnut St.: “Estate home in the heart of Kansas City with beautiful gardens ... perfect for an intimate affair.”
