During the fall of their freshman year at Kansas State Katie & Kendall were both living in the same dorm, Haymaker Hall. Even though they were living on a floor apart they only interacted a few times. Kendall joined Delta Upsilon fraternity and moved into the house in the spring, leaving Katie at Haymaker and limiting their opportunities to bump into one another even more. That summer they began talking more frequently which lead them to a Sonic parking lot one night in September and Katie agreeing to be his girlfriend. We love how it’s all about the journey that brings you together, if little things had changed they might not have grown and connected in the same way – it all came together perfectly!

3 years quickly went by of them dating, naturally there was talk of the future & even a few trips to the jewelry stores. But they found themselves living 2 hours apart as Katie had graduated a semester earlier. Kendall began speaking with a jeweler in his hometown to have the perfect ring created for her. With that important decision made, he focused on the next important element. The proposal itself. He discovered How He Asked (which we totally recommend to anyone searching for proposal ideas!)  and looked at some of the most romantic locations in Kansas City. Christmas came and then New Years and the ring was almost complete which meant it was time to put his plan into action. He began recruiting his team and with the help of his parents & a few of Katie’s best friends (one of whom helped plan all the way from France where she was studying abroad) the perfect proposal was underway. With her parents blessing, he moved forward with his plan. Katie’s friend, Chandler, was coming home from her semester abroad so naturally, Katie had to throw her a surprise party to celebrate. Kendall recalls “Little did she know, she was practically planning her own engagement party!!”. With the party planning and friends coming into town to visit, he knew she would be wrapped up and distracted.

When he first ordered her ring he knew that it would take time for the store to gather the materials and design the custom piece, but with only a few days before the party he was beginning to become anxious. Thankfully, 72 hours before he was going to propose he got the call that the ring was finally ready! Kendall was “glad that I got it so close to that weekend though, because as soon as I saw how beautiful it was, I couldn’t wait to give it to her!” Katie and her girlfriends were so excited to be reunited, they went & got their nails done before hitting up Happy Hour at a cute little Spanish restaurant. As sunset began to approach he headed to downtown Kansas City and the Crown Center, which is an adorable spot with fountains. Katie’s friends secretly texted him with an update “we’re going outside”. Seconds after receiving the message the lights in the trees, still left from the Christmas season, flickered on above him creating a moment directly out of a movie. Kendall stealthily made his way in Katie’s direction without her seeing him, when he was about twenty feet away her friends turned her towards him, her jaw dropping and everything seeming to freeze. Kneeling down he asked if she would like to spend the rest of her life with him and she said yes! In his excitement he forgot to place the ring on her finger, instead flinging his arms around her in a joyful embrace. One of Kendalls’ friends had been hiding to the side photographing the moment and the two took additional pictures together to commemorate the moment.

Katie called her family to share the news, little did she know that while they were  downtown, Katie & Kendall’s family & friends began to fill her apartment and prepare for the big surprise party. They had decorated the hallway and one of their favorite songs could be heard playing softly.When they reached her doorway all of their family jumped out to further surprise her. A champagne toast followed with many hours or celebration with her friends & family… and the guests Katie had invited for Chandler’s Welcome Home Party began to arrive!

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Alyssa of Alyssa Barletter Photography resides in in the Kansas City area. She attended Kansas State University where she met her husband & received a degree in Fine Art Photography. She has been photographing weddings since 2012 and can’t imagine doing anything else as her full time job. When she isn’t being a part of a couples best day ever she can be found at a workout class or watching one of her favorite TV shows like Parks & Rec and Game of Thrones.

Alyssa met Kendall & Katie at the Liberty Memorial in Downtown Kansas City for their engagement session. All 3 of them have a mutual love for their time at Kansas State. The couple wanted to highlight their time at the campus & Gamma Phi Beta and Delta Upsilon. For their final outfit they chose to highlight that time with some KS clothing. The couple married in September and were surrounded by 3 of her Gamma Phi sisters (one of whom is even her biological sister!) and two of his Delta Upsilon brothers.