A Luxury Kansas Wedding at the Marrietta Ranch
There are weddings that impress you and then there are weddings that stop you in your tracks. The kind that make you put your camera down for a second and just take it all in. John Miller and Madison Marrietta’s wedding at the Marrietta Ranch in Pittsburg, Kansas, was one of those. The kind of day that doesn’t just look beautiful but feels electric.
Pittsburg isn’t exactly known for hosting massive luxury weddings. It’s a small town surrounded by big skies and quiet land, but that weekend it turned into something out of a dream. From miles away you could see the shimmer of glass catching sunlight. The Marrietta family had built an enormous glass structure on their property just for this wedding, and it was impossible not to be in awe of it. It didn’t feel temporary. It felt permanent, like it had always been meant to live there.
Every detail of that tent was intentional. From the vinyl flooring to the wooden decks and chandeliers, it all came together like a film set built for one perfect scene. Inside, crews worked nonstop while Amanda Reed Weddings somehow stayed perfectly calm in the middle of it all. Her team is a masterclass in precision every flower, every table, every lighting cue in sync. Jared and I have seen them pull off some wild logistical concepts, but this was on a whole other level.
Meanwhile, Madison was getting ready, and the energy in that room was contagious. She’s not the quiet, serene kind of bride. She’s full of motion and laughter, quick to joke, quick to cry, and somehow manages to look like a fashion editorial while doing both. Watching her get into her Pnina Tornai gown was this perfect mix of chaos and beauty. She’s stunning, but more than that, she’s magnetic. Everyone in that room was drawn to her.
John was the calm in the storm. He’s got that quiet confidence that balances Madison’s fire. When you know him, it makes sense — he works side by side with his dad, Richard Miller, CEO and President of Miller’s Professional Imaging, a name that means a lot in the photography world. I’ve trusted Miller’s for years to print my work, but sitting across from Richard the night before the wedding, realizing I’d be photographing his son’s day, was a moment that hit me differently. It felt like everything had come full circle.
Their ceremony at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church was intimate and elegant. The pews were packed with family and friends, about 350 of them, and a single violinist played softly as Madison made her way down the aisle. It was one of those simple, cinematic moments you don’t forget. John stayed stoic, but you could see it in his eyes — the excitement, the weight, the realization that she was really walking toward him.
When we got back to the ranch, the transformation was unreal. The glass tent glowed in the Kansas sunset, filled with light and color and sound. Silks a Bloom (in from Little Rock) had turned it into a living garden with greenery climbing the beams and four full-sized trees rising from the floor. Candles flickered on every table, glassware caught the light, and the smell of florals and champagne filled the air. Alchemy Event Rentals pulled together every piece of design, and the linens from Stradley Davidson, Nuage Designs, and Reverie Social tied it all together in a way that was impossibly elegant.
Dinner from Justin Thompson Restaurants & Catering was as refined as anything you’d get in a five-star restaurant. The bar poured Macallan 12 and Clase Azul Tequila without hesitation. Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe created a cake that looked like art and tasted even better. Every detail even the signage and gorgeous vinyl monograms from Ovation Sign Studio and the stationery from Bella Figura via Shindig Paperie felt intentional.
And then there was Jared. There’s no one I’d rather have beside me on a day like this. He was everywhere, capturing the moments I couldn’t see while also filming cinematic video footage all day that somehow manages to feel both polished and completely real. I watched him sneak out during the reception just long enough to send the drone up as the fireworks started later that night, and the shots he got still blow my mind.
When Lost Wax (in from Kansas City) hit the stage, everything shifted gears. The band turned the reception into a full-on concert. The dance floor never emptied. Madison changed into her second look, a sparkly Berta gown that caught every light in the room, and the energy hit another level. When the confetti dropped from the ceiling, it was pure chaos — the fun kind where you look around and every single person is laughing and shouting and no one wants it to end.
Mick and Jenelle Marrietta were everywhere, greeting guests, making sure everyone felt welcome, smiling like proud parents who’d just pulled off the impossible. You could see how much they love their daughter and how much this night meant to them. And then there was Pierce, Madison and John’s little boy, who wandered in and out of the night stealing every heart in the room. Every time I saw him in my lens, I couldn’t help but grin. He reminded everyone that even on a night this big, the heartbeat was still family.
And then the fireworks started.
Jake’s Fireworks put on a show that didn’t just light up the sky — it lit up the entire night. Twenty-five minutes of color, sound, and sheer spectacle that made everyone forget where they were. It was bigger than anything I’ve seen in Manhattan or Disney. The Kansas sky looked like it was celebrating with them.
When the last spark finally faded, the band kicked back in and the party kept going. Jared and I packed up long after midnight, exhausted and grinning, while the dance floor behind us showed no sign of slowing down. The music rolled through the fields and you could still hear laughter from the tent as we walked away.
I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings all over the world, but this one felt like something completely its own. It wasn’t just about extravagance. It was about intention. About family and love and legacy and somehow pulling off the impossible.
Let’s Tell Your Story
If you’ve made it this far, you already know that what I love most about photographing weddings isn’t just the beauty or the scale — it’s the story. The laughter that breaks the silence. The way light hits at just the right moment. The people who make the day feel bigger than the photos themselves.
Whether you’re planning an intimate gathering in the Ozarks or a destination wedding that stretches halfway across the world, I want to help you tell your story in a way that feels honest and cinematic.
→ Inquire about your wedding here
Let’s start a conversation about your vision, your people, and the moments that deserve to be remembered exactly as they felt.
You can also find more of my work, behind-the-scenes moments, and real wedding stories over on Instagram:
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And for couples who want to see more full wedding stories like Madison and John’s, explore the blog archives here:
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