Christy + Matthew | Destination engagement session in Kansas City

Do you ever have those moments of deja vu where you suddenly find yourself in a place and you KNOW you have been there before and are instantly transported back in time to that moment? Well that happened during Christy + Matthew’s engagement session, and I have them to thank for this super fun memory I had totally forgotten about!

But, let me back up. To summer of 2002.

I had my first and only internship with the Hereford World and American Hereford Association based in Kansas City. So I had this really fun summer where I got to do all sorts of things that I loved — traveling to cattle shows (in Illinois and South Dakota), helping run an event (in Oklahoma), taking photos, writing, and laying out the magazine. Seriously, it was the internship I’d always wanted and luckily was the one I got. Several of my photos were used in the magazine, and they even gave me the cover photo at the end of the summer!

That summer I got explore a city that I very loosely knew from visiting for cattle shows as a kid (the American Royal at Kemper Arena!), and had an amazing apartment sublet just a few short blocks from the KC Plaza (shopping, big chain restaurants, etc). It was also only a few short miles from downtown KC and my building downtown.

In late 2001, John Mayer’s Room for Squares album was released and I WORE THAT CD OUT driving to and from KC several times through the summer. AND somehow we found out that John Mayer was going to be playing at City Market, north of downtown KC one weekend. IIRC, it was standing room only and an outdoor parking lot, but it was amazing!! And until Christy + Matthew’s engagement session, I had forgotten all about it!

We drove under the City Market sign, and I had this instant flashback of standing in that parking lot listening to music. Isn’t it crazy how our brains conjure up memories like that? I am so happy that we happened upon that place so that memory is no longer lost in the recesses of my mind. <3

Ok so I realized I haven’t talked much about Christy + Matthew on this post. I’m sure they’ll forgive me though. Anyway! These two met in Kansas City after college, though Christy moved back to Illinois a while ago. So they’ve been doing long distance right up until this session. I’m happy to say that Matthew is now also an Illinois resident so no more long distance!

They are getting married in Christy’s hometown area near Arthur, IL in March, and I can’t wait! It’s going to be such a neat wedding, and it definitely helps when I get to spend an engagement session with the couple beforehand so we get to know each other better. I loved hearing their story, and am so excited for their future. Oh, one last sidenote: Christy is also one of my sorority sisters, though many years after me. LOL #etas #HHHH