Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church

Rehearsal

Rehearsal Dinner

Hotel Kansas City

Welcome Drinks

Wedding Day

Our Lady of Sorrows Parish

Ceremony

Union Station Kansas City

Reception

Our Wedding

The Beginning

Ian and Megan first met junior year of high school in Kansas City. Megan was instantly drawn to Ian’s charm, charisma, and creativity, and Ian was a sucker for Megan’s blue eyes and quiet confidence. The two got to know each other over the next several years, and despite going to different colleges (Megan at Mizzou and Ian at the University of Arkansas), exploring different hobbies, and dating other people, there was always a spark that kept them connected.&nbsp;&nbsp; Four years later, the two found themselves back in Kansas City over college winter break and both single for the first time in years. Ian (finally) asked Megan on their first date (they went to see Frozen), and both of them knew they had something special.&nbsp; Despite this, when Ian asked Megan to go to his fraternity’s formal in Memphis that spring, she was a little hesitant (i.e., she might have said no…). Thankfully, she came to her senses, the two had a magical weekend on a Memphis riverboat, fell in love, and the rest is history.&nbsp;

The Proposal

The next years were a roller coaster of travel and adventure. After living in Tennessee and taking Nashville’s Broadway district by storm, Ian and Megan moved to St. Louis (Ian for work and Megan for law school), finally living in the same city after years of long distance.&nbsp; After seven years of dating, the two took a trip to Savannah, Georgia in October 2020 to celebrate Megan taking the bar exam. In Savannah, Megan and Ian invested in their first piece of art from a local Savannah artist as a reminder of their trip and the memories they had made–an oil painting of the fountain in Lafayette Square.&nbsp; Later that day, Ian proposed by that very fountain, and the couple celebrated their new engagement on a riverboat cruise that night–much like the riverboat they had taken all those years ago in Memphis.&nbsp;

The Next Chapter

We recently moved to downtown Chicago, where Ian works in commodities and Megan is a corporate lawyer. We love exploring the city’s famous food scene, taking our miniature dachshund, Oliver, on adventures, and enjoying Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. We are so excited to start this new chapter of our life and are beyond thankful we get to celebrate the beginning of our marriage with all of you. Thank you for being a part of our journey!&nbsp;

Our Story

Photos

Eva Bowles

Morgan Johnson

Elise Ferron

Stephanie Bryant

Meredith Schasch

Claudia Panichelli

Abby Rathgeb

Casey Waughn

Megan's oldest brother | Fraternity brother 

Brian Schaff

Branden Schaff

Alex McGovern

Colton Bracco

Darius Grayer 

John Ismert

Mike Hartung

Steve Allen

Wedding Party

Q + A

I. GETTING TO KANSAS CITY

For all of our wonderful friends and family coming in to celebrate from out of town, if you're not within driving distance, flying into KCI is your easiest option. The airport is about 20 minutes from downtown. We recommend taking an Uber from the airport, which should be readily available. Rental cars are also an option. You shouldn't need a car once you're downtown, but a car may be a good idea if you're planning on a more extended stay in KC, or if you want flexibility to explore some of the neighboring areas.

Kansas City International Airport

II. ACCOMODATIONS

Loews Kansas City Hotel

III. GETTING AROUND KC

Our hotels, pre-wedding events, wedding and reception are all within about 1.5 miles of each other, so getting to and from the wedding festivities should hopefully be quick and easy! We would recommend walking (especially from the church to the reception), taking a quick Uber, or hopping on the <a href="The Streetcar is a free streetcar that travels through downtown, from right outside our reception venue to the riverfront. It goes by each stop every 10-15 minutes and runs until midnight on the weekends. We highly recommend hopping on for a quick, easy and free way to explore KC&#39;s downtown. " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Streetcar.</a> The Streetcar is a free streetcar that travels through downtown, from right outside our reception venue to the riverfront. It goes by each stop every 10-15 minutes and runs until midnight on the weekends. We highly recommend hopping on for a quick, easy and free way to explore KC's downtown.

<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ixu9QLMXjQYZpikz6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">This Google Maps link</a> has all of the important wedding locations pre-populated to help you get a sense of where things are.

Travel

We love Kansas City, and we love sharing our home town with all of our favorite people. In addition to eating our way through the city (see our restaurant recommendations <a href="https://www.theknot.com/us/megan-schaff-and-ian-bowles-may-2022/kc-food-drinks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>), below are some of our favorite things to do when we're back home.

Union Station

<a href="https://unionstation.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Union Station</a> is the site of our wedding reception, so you’ll be spending some time here. But, it’s worth a separate visit if you have free time. The architecture is stunning, written plaques on the walls tell a rich history of the building and the city, and it’s also home to a model train gallery, science city, and more.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The <a href="https://www.nelson-atkins.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nelson</a> is one of Kansas City's gems. It's free (except for certain exhibits) and houses an expansive collection of artwork from all genres and corners of the globe. We also love grabbing food for a picnic from Cosentino's or Whole Foods and spending an afternoon on the front or back lawn (keep an eye out for the famous Shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn).

The Crossroads Art District

The <a href="https://kccrossroads.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crossroads</a> is the closest neighborhood to downtown. We love spending an afternoon walking around and exploring the 100+ art galleries in the district. You can also do your own pub crawl at some of the city's best micro breweries (some of our favorites are <a href="https://www.casualanimalbrewing.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Casual Animal</a>, <a href="https://doubleshiftbrewing.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Double Shift</a> and <a href="https://www.breweryemperial.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brewery Emperial</a>, although there are plenty more to visit). We'd also recommend stopping by <a href="https://www.boulevard.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Boulevard's</a> nearby tasting room--there's a giant deck with fantastic views of the city.

The City Market

Located near the Missouri riverfront (Ian's favorite place to be), the Rivermarket neighborhood is home to tons of local shops and restaurants. <a href="https://thecitymarketkc.org/farmers-market/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">City Market</a> also hosts a farmer's market every Saturday and Sunday, where you can find plenty of local provisions. We love to take the streetcar from downtown and spend a couple of hours exploring when the weather is cooperating.

The Country Club Plaza

The <a href="https://countryclubplaza.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Plaza</a> is a lovely outdoor shopping and restaurant district, with architecture modeled after Kansas City's sister city, Seville, Spain. Look out for the many fountains in the area (Kansas City dubs itself the "City of Fountains," and locals will tell you we have more fountains than any city except for Rome).

The Parade of Hearts

New to KC, the <a href="https://theparadeofhearts.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Parade of Hearts</a> project placed painted heart sculptures throughout downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. At the end of May, the hearts will be auctioned and the funds will be donated to some of KC's most important causes, including supporting the city's healthcare system, education system and small/minority owned businesses. See how many you can find while you're out and about!

Things to Do

Registry

We kindly request

that each of our guests is fully vaccinated and boosted against the Covid-19 virus. In the event you are not fully vaccinated and boosted, please ensure you have received proof of a negative Covid test within 24 hours of attending any wedding festivities. Thank you all for your respect and support in making our day as safe, fun, and memorable as possible.

Covid-19

Food is a way to our hearts, and KC is a hidden gem when it comes to dining. There are so many classic restaurants we treasure and have been visiting for decades, but we also love that there are new places to explore every time we come back home. We are so excited to share our city with you -- enjoy!

KC BBQ

Classic: <a href="https://www.joeskc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joe’s KC </a>The BBQ that made Kansas City famous—the original location on 47th is worth a trip for the authenticity, but Country Road Ice House serves Joe’s food and is right downtown. Get the Carolina (Megan's pick) or the Z-man (Ian's pick). Modern: <a href="https://q39kc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Q-39</a>Same great classic BBQ with an elevated flair.

Italian

Classic: <a href="https://lidias-kc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lidia’s</a>&nbsp;Get the Pasta Trio and thank us later! Modern: <a href="https://farinakc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Farina</a>

Mexican

Classic: <a href="https://www.ponaksmexicankitchen.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ponak’s</a>But you really can't go wrong with anywhere on "the Boulevard". Margarita's is another Schaff family favorite. Modern: <a href="https://barriokc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brookside Barrio</a>&nbsp;They have an amazing patio to enjoy the perfect May weather in KC.

American

Classic: <a href="https://www.peanutkc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Peanut </a>The original KC sports bar; famous for their wings. Modern: <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=DChcSEwj4u8OM4bH0AhW26-MHHRV4C4kYABAAGgJ5bQ&amp;ae=2&amp;ohost=www.google.com&amp;cid=CAESQOD27eChwawtGScqwI6CYPpSEbME2IiMcykTCPy7744V7AtX4Ni8rTTj2cuG43WaM390qZ5xgCl1Xgl8XUc3YHM&amp;sig=AOD64_2UieHokcdXBZymuDuTuRaDN8LXbA&amp;q&amp;nis=1&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiuorCM4bH0AhVJkIkEHWiEBCcQ0Qx6BAgCEAE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Corvino Supper Club &amp; Tasting Room</a>; <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=DChcSEwj4u8OM4bH0AhW26-MHHRV4C4kYABAAGgJ5bQ&amp;ae=2&amp;ohost=www.google.com&amp;cid=CAESQOD27eChwawtGScqwI6CYPpSEbME2IiMcykTCPy7744V7AtX4Ni8rTTj2cuG43WaM390qZ5xgCl1Xgl8XUc3YHM&amp;sig=AOD64_2UieHokcdXBZymuDuTuRaDN8LXbA&amp;q&amp;nis=1&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiuorCM4bH0AhVJkIkEHWiEBCcQ0Qx6BAgCEAE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Town Company</a>&nbsp;Both incredible new American restaurants that really showcase KC's culinary scene--reservations highly recommended. We dream about Corvino's seaweed donuts on a regular basis. And The Town Company is right on the lobby level of Hotel Kansas City!

Asian

Classic: <a href="https://bluekoi.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blue Koi</a>If Ian could eat one meal for the rest of his life, it would be their ginger basil chicken. We're hoping their downtown location re-opens soon. If not, try to Uber eats some ginger basil chicken and an order of dumplings from their Leawood location. Modern: Let us know if you find one—we’re looking for good sushi!&nbsp;

Cocktails

Classic: <a href="https://www.pierponts.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pierpont’s </a>This is a 1920's style lounge located in Union Station (our reception venue!). They have dinner too, but our go-to move is sitting at the bar and ordering a round of our favorite cocktails (usually a French 75 for Megan and an Old Fashioned for Ian). Modern: <a href="https://themercuryroom.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mercury Room</a>Mercury room is an experience and really unique to KC--we highly recommend a visit for the view alone. Reservations required.

Coffee

Classic: <a href="https://theroasterie.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Roasterie</a> Modern: <a href="https://messengercoffee.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Messenger Coffee</a>; <a href="https://www.mikccafe.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Made in KC cafe</a>

Lunch

Classic: <a href="https://www.theclassiccupcafe.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Classic Cup</a>; <a href="http://www.cafeeuropakc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cafe Europa </a>Both great cafe spots for a quick bite. The Classic Cup is located on the Plaza, which is a fun area to explore and shop around on a nice spring day. Cafe Europa is one of Megan and her mom's favorite spots--you can find them on the patio splitting the green salad and a piece of lemon cake (probably with a glass of wine in hand). Modern: <a href="https://therussellonmain.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Russell</a>

Brunch

Many of the downtown hotels have great brunch options. But if you have some time Saturday or Sunday, we'd recommend heading to the Plaza and enjoying the neighborhood. Some of our favorites are <a href="https://ryekc.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rye</a>, <a href="https://gramanddun.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gram &amp; Dun</a>, and <a href="https://www.truefoodkitchen.com/locations/kansascity/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">True Food Kitchen</a>.

Megan & Ian

Megan & Ian

Photos