While tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Kansas City, Buffalo Lodge served as the most picturesque venue for Michelle and Jimmy. It's where they chose to host their friends and family all weekend long as they became Mr. and Mrs. I mean, how can you go wrong with the roaming buffalo, beautiful greenery, and outdoor elements (like an outdoor fireplace to cozy up to!) this rustic log cabin estate has to offer?

My most favorite thing about weddings, however, is seeing how couples add their unique touches to make the space their own and their day an unforgettable one. And, Michelle and Jimmy did just that. From potted succulent escort cards that doubled as favors to the band that kept the celebration going all night long, and even the mouth-watering treats table dripping in frosting with donuts, cupcakes, and oatmeal cream pies, everything blended perfectly to make this a special day for these lovebirds.

So, without further delay, I’m excited to share a recap from the bride, along with a taste of some of the spectacular photos captured by Rita of Heirloom Photo Company, a ridiculously talented and artistic photographer.

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How did he pop the question? Tell us your engagement story: We took a trip to Vero Beach, Florida for some relaxation before nursing school resumed and to enjoy some fun in the sun. On the second day of the trip, we had planned to go to dinner at a restaurant in town on the beach. It had been pouring all afternoon, but we decided to go still. We were going to walk the beach after dinner earlier in the day, and, as luck would have it, the rain stopped as we pulled up to the restaurant. After dinner, we headed to the beach to take a walk and enjoy the sunset, and it was there on the beach that Jimmy got down on one knee, asked me to marry him, and made me the happiest girl in the world!

Describe your wedding vibe in one sentence: Relaxed, with some boho/romantic/natural elements.

How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding?: 175

Where did you allocate the most funds?: A significant portion of our budget went towards the venue itself. We wanted a place where friends and family could enjoy the weekend with us, so we rented the house on the property in addition to the ceremony space for the weekend. We also allocated a large portion of our funds to photography. Rita Clark form Heirloom Photo Co. was AMAZING. She took the most beautiful shots and made me feel so comfortable all day.

Share a few things that helped you along the way with planning a wedding: A few things that helped me were Pinterest, wedding magazines—especially ones that were local, such as EA Bride and The Knot KC because they helped me in the beginning to find vendors. The main thing that helped me, however, was following different Instagram accounts that had photos of the style of wedding I wanted ours to be like. Some of my favorite IG accounts were Junebug Weddings, Ruffled Blog, Style Me Pretty, and Borrowed & Blue.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding and why you chose them: We danced to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran for our first dance. We let our parents pick the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dance. My dad picked “I Loved Her First” by Heartland and Jimmy's mom picked “The Wonder of You” by Elvis. Our band played songs like “Sign, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder, “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield, and “Valerie.” We wanted to create a fun atmosphere with music that all ages liked and could dance to.

Did you have something borrowed, something blue, something old, and something new? If so, do tell!: My something borrowed was a necklace that has been in Jimmy’s family—passed down from his great-grandmother. His great-great-grandmother, grandma, mom, and sister all wore this necklace at their weddings, so it was really special that they wanted to include me in their tradition.

My something old was a handkerchief Jimmy's grandmother passed, made of hand-tatted lace by his great-grandmother. His grandmother Penny passed away a few months before the wedding, and she left an envelope for Jimmy's bride that she put together back in the 80's to give away one day. And, this handkerchief was in it. It was so special because it was like a piece of her was there with us.

My something new was earrings that I bought and plan to pass down to my future children. And, my something blue was my toes painted blue.

Your best practical advice to a soon-to-be bride: My best advice is to enjoy the process. I planned our wedding while finishing nursing school and it was a lot all at once. If you have time, take it. I think booking what is most important to you early on is important and the rest can happen over time. To me, the venue and photography were the most important. So, I booked those first. And, once done, I felt a little less stressed about everything else. I felt like I needed to book everything as soon as possible and, in hindsight, some things I could have waited a little longer on because I know, as time went on, some of my ideas changed.

The other advice I would give is to try to enjoy your wedding day as much as you can because it goes by so fast! So much time goes into planning only for the actual wedding day to fly by. And, you'll be pulled in so many directions that day. So, at some point, try to have a minute alone with your new husband to soak it all in.

Finally, my last piece of advice is to hire a wedding planner! I did not have room in my budget to hire a planner for everything, so I hired McKenzie for our day-of planning, and it was the best money I have ever spent! Having a planner makes the day go so much smoother, and they help facilitate to ensure everything goes as planned while handling the things that do not.

What’s next for you as a couple? What memories are you looking forward to making together?: Our honeymoon over Thanksgiving Break! We had to push it back due to my schooling. I graduate in December from nursing school, so that is exciting for both of us because I have been in school for a lot of our relationship. And, we are looking forward to having a more "normal" schedule! We also plan to try to have children soon. We both want children and are ready for that next big adventure to begin sooner than later.

Let us know one thing that WOWed you while working with McKenzie Phillips: I knew the moment I met Mckenzie that she was the planner for me. I felt like I had known her for years and she was so easy to talk to. She was amazing to work with, and I looked forward to all of our meetings together. She had great suggestions and really listened to me and what I wanted. She was easy to get along with, but still able to delegate without being bossy on our wedding day. I knew with her in charge, I did not have to worry about anything on our wedding day. I cannot say enough great things about McKenzie and her team. I am going to miss seeing her for our weekly meetings because she is that awesome!

Michelle & Jimmy’s Relaxed Boho Chic Celebration