Getting married at Osage House
2024 Wedding Season - where do we go from here?
The first wedding of the year and we were walking head first into it with this big question looming. I’d asked Melissa (my wife) that question before I headed out the door and she had a really cool take on things. Essentially what I got out of here was, don’t reinvent the wheel, just make it spin smoother. Keep in mind, that’s not how she said it, I’m sure it was more direct like “stop thinking so much and do cool crap” but I tried to make it sound way cooler. I digress. We elevated a lot about the work we create last year. Our couple’s were the perfect reflection of that elevation too. The weddings we were at were more beautiful, the stories we told had more depth, the images were more creative and the way we felt like were set up to serve these people better seemed suddenly kind of limitless. After 15 years in a job to say those things is a wild experience. The truth is that most people settle into their jobs but not us, at least not last year. So this year is going to be all about refining the process. Elevating the experience and the service. Assuming that our couples are the most discerning, intentional, purpose filled humans with amazing stories to be told and a total willingness to let us into their families on one of their biggest days and then taking that challenge on with curiosity and humility. YIKES you guys. We needed a guinee pig and some confidence.
ENTER MIA AND ALEC AND OSAGE HOUSE AND STEPH BENTON.
It was the perfect way to start this year with these big goals. Two genuinely joy filled humans who weren’t only more focused on the memories and celebration of this amazing day than any other single element but were also going to be surrounded by the most happy and loving people all day long. We do love a good Osage House Wedding. In fact we’ve seen a few pretty amazing ones from the super colorful flower packed day with Hannah + Mason, to the most elegant and wildly designed day with Alie + Hunter. Merritt + Brady’s day was filled with modern hits of gorgeousness and Jordan + Jordan’s wedding was this minimalist architectural dream. We’ve been around the block at Osage and I’d actually say it takes a little bit of effort to wow me at this point in there (not that that is ever really the goal or the point) but this one. This one did it. Stephanie Benton just understood the assignment. Florals that were stunning but not over the top. A room build out that was full but not packed. A dance floor that was cute and from the moment DJ Jared played the first open dance floor song was packed from corner to corner and then right in the middle of all of the movement all day, like the entire property was in orbit was these two smiling faces. Mia + Alec.
Mia is what happens when beauty and joy collide head first.
She’s a big hugger, a bigger laugher, and a total over the top hype person. To put it in perspective before I could even get to her when we arrived for her hair and makeup she was already complimenting MY outfit. MINE? What on earth bride - read the room here, you’re supposed to be getting the compliments in here. But that’s who she is. I just watched as everybody that came into her space throughout the day was met with that same kind of joy. A mom that couldn’t wait to hug me. Friends who were so willing to let us into the conversations and just have some fun with them even though it was brutally cold outside. (It’s not ideal to spray champagne inside a wedding venue after all). All. Of these people became the perfect evidence to me of what I already knew about Mia, that amazing, beautiful, motivated people attract friends who want the best for them. And she is all of those things, and her friends came out on this big day ready to be a part of it all up close.
Alec is the epitome of quiet confidence.
I freaking love a guy who doesn’t fill silence with small talk. A guy that says what he feels, is aware of what that is, and doesn’t mince words is a rare thing these days. We hear so many guys juggle their emotions trying to find a way to downplay them or choke them back but not Alec. This day was a day filled with purpose for him too and from the moment we walked him down to see Mia for the first time it was incredibly clear that the last thing this guy needed was a pep talk. He was more than ready for this day, and all the ones to come. Instant respect from me but also I got to see just what kind of role that kind of dude plays in his friend group. They’re all jokesters. All of them. They’re all wild, funny, sarcastic, hilarious dudes who all had one thing in common - they were happy to see Alec happy. That’s a special quality in a group of friends but I think says more about Alec and he’s kind of the guy who glues it all together.
I guess what I’m saying here is that the foundation was absolutely laid. I felt like we had a beautiful relationship with these two walking into this day, had a great schedule we knew inside and out on how and where the photos were going to come to life, and an absolutely perfect vendor list filled with friends to see it all come together along side us. (See the list below because all of these people are top notch). Now it was time to put it all into practice. The chance to shoot intentional, authentic photos at an even more elevated level. To not invent, not perfect, not interrupt but to still creatively capture, compose, and capture art in the tiniest of moments. I’m beyond proud of what we came home with, this story you saw above as well as about 1,000 other photos that we’ve already delivered to Mia + Alec 8 weeks ahead of our contract deadline.
I get asked by photographers a lot these days. “How do you get dream weddings to contact you?”
The answer I suppose is pretty simple and yet after 15 years it’s something I feel like we’re just now really coming to grips with. There’s no such thing as a dream wedding, only dream couples. The kind of couple’s that can give us access to the most beautiful moments, the most beautiful concepts, and the connect together the most creative wedding vendor teams to pull together their vision. So if you’re on the hunt for those couples I’d give this advice, don’t worry about charging more, worry about serving more with the money you charge. Don’t worry about getting more, worry about giving more with the time you have. Don’t worry about getting the approval of fans and friends and people online more than you worry about filling each client’s experience, memories, and galleries up with work that will not only be a testament to their greatest day but to the work ethic you put into it for them.
Mia + Alec’s Wedding Vendors
● PLANNING & DESIGN : STEPHANIE BENTON EVENTS
● VENUE: OSAGE HOUSE
● CEREMONY: OSAGE HOUSE
● MAKE-UP ARTIST: JESSICA HUMERICK
● HAIR STYLIST: LAUREN LIBERTON
● HMU ARTISTS: (BRIDESMAIDS ONLY): NWA OCCASIONS
● PHOTO: MILES WITT BOYER
● VIDEO: NOUVEL
● RENTALS: EVENTOLOGY
● LINENS: NUAGE DESIGNS
● LIGHTING: LIGHTWORKS
● FLORIST: SILKS A BLOOM
● CATERING: THE EVENT GROUP
● BARTENDING: MINT TO MIX
● CAKE: SHELBY LYNN’S CAKE
● RECEPTION ENTERTAINMENT: MEGA DJ
● INVITATIONS: BY INVITATION ONLY
● DAY OF SIGNAGE: DAYFLOWER DESIGN
● TRANSPORTATION: NWA HIGH SOCIETY
