Weddings
Wedding Tips from Southwest Missouri Newlyweds
Local couples share their favorite moments and best tips from their wedding days.
by Kali Salazar
Dec 2023
Photo by Caitlin Wilson PhotographyDustin Duckworth & Alexa Snodgrass
Double the Love
“The truly special thing about our wedding was that we actually got married twice. Our wedding was planned and ready to go for the summer of 2020, but our plans got derailed due to the pandemic. After a lot of thought and consideration, we decided to postpone the large gathering that we had dreamed of. On our one-year anniversary in 2021, we were able to safely have our ceremony and reception with all of our friends, family and out-of-town loved ones. We always say COVID-19 didn’t get us down. We got the best of both worlds: a small, intimate backyard wedding and a big party!”—Dustin Duckworth & Alexa Snodgrass.
Photo by Canaan Gammon PhotographySara Kahrs & Musa Moss
Make It Count
“Make personal decisions on your wedding day and surround yourself only with those that support that. Choose to include things that are your style and your spouse’s style whether they are cliche or original. You won't regret catering your day to your personal style. If you have vendors you are familiar with, support them where you can and your day will feel more personal. My top things I’m glad we didn't skip: stellar photographer choices, a second shooter to capture all the moments and the photo booth.”—Sara Kahrs & Musa Moss.
Photo by Sheri Holloway PhotographyJacob Ruder & Brooke Madison
Dance the Night Away
“My favorite thing about our big day was our first dance. Our first dance song was ‘Lucky’ by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. We picked this song because it was one of our favorite songs to listen to at the beginning of our relationship because we were lucky to have each other as our best friend. I really wanted our first dance to be outside, and we planned on doing it after dinner. We added string lights on the patio, we had the view of the lake, and we were under the stars. At the beginning of the song, it goes ‘across the water, across the deep blue ocean, under the open sky.’ It was a dream! After we had our first dances, we had a beautiful display of fireworks.”—Jacob Ruder & Brooke Madison.
