A Perfect Match, a Perfect Wedding

By Don Lowe Photos by BG Studios Photography

It seems as though trying to make a perfect match between a young man from the Big Apple and a young woman raised in rural Southwest Missouri might not be possible.

Instead, it worked out beautifully, and this newly married couple couldn’t have asked for a more magical, whimsical day when they became husband and wife October 1, 2022.

Making it all the more incredibly breathtaking was having their special day take place at Royalty Events Center, which is owned by Emily’s parents, Richard and Princess Kentner, and located on the picturesque Kentner Farm near Golden City, Missouri.

Things started out in a simple way for this young couple. They met online, and Kevin asked Emily out on a last-minute date.

“It was Kevin’s birthday (May 7, 2019),” Emily said. “We went on our first date to the Red Onion Café in downtown Joplin.”

Emily remembered, “On our first date, he showed up in a suit. He held the door open for me. He walked me to my car. And to this day, he treats me with the utmost respect.

“I fell in love with him first, then his family. They all have welcomed me into the family with open arms. He never tells me no. Even when I brought home Rosie, a rescued English Bulldog, from Golden Paw without consulting him, it made him happy because he knew I was happy.

“He always says, ‘As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.’”

Likewise, it didn’t take Kevin long to figure out this was the right girl for him. “Emily is extremely caring and loving. She showed me she would be willing to do things for me and that her love was unconditional.”

They got engaged about a year and a half later, on Valentine’s Day 2021, and then came the wedding planning, which required the couple to remain calm, cool and collected.

“We took our time,” they both said. “This was the most important

Kevin & Emily Fast Facts

Ages: Kevin, 27, and Emily, 25

Parents: Kevin’s parents are Charles and Naida Ryans; Emily’s parents are Richard and Princess Kentner

Hometowns: Kevin is from Queens, New York; Emily is originally from Lamar, Missouri, and later moved to Golden City, Missouri

High School Alma Maters: Kevin graduated from William C. Bryant High School; Emily graduated from Golden City High School

College Alma Maters: Kevin graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism

Careers: Kevin is a sports anchor at Fox 2 News in St. Louis; Emily is an insurance producer at Kevin Weber State Farm Insurance in Kirkwood, Missouri

Relaxation and Recreation

Fun: Kevin loves to watch sports and spend time with friends; Emily loves to do crafts and play with their dogs Otis and Rosie

The Details

Venue: Royalty Event Center in Golden City, Missouri

Wedding Coordinator: Amanda Robertson’s Wedding Design & Events, Lamar, Missouri

Décor/Event Rentals: Southern Distinction Event Rentals

Photographer: BG Studios Photography

Florist: Ciara’s Floral Designs, Bolivar, Missouri

Cake: Finn’s, Joplin, Missouri

Hair: Stacey Sadler from The One Salon on Main Street, Joplin, Missouri

Makeup: Kelsie Hudson at The Social Beauty Bar

Dress Shop: True Society by Belle Vogue, Kansas City

Dress Designer: Essence of Australia

Cocktail Hour Musician: Scott Eastman, Joplin, Missouri

DJ: Chris Roth, Lamar, Missouri day of our lives, and we wanted it to be perfect. We met with several different vendors, did a lot of research and took our time deciding what was best for us.

“We also had help from some amazing friends. Tina Brubaker, a family friend from Golden City, and Richard’s sister, Sharon Masterson, made everything possible. But nothing would have been possible without Princess, Emily’s mom. She made sure our day was perfect. We will never be able to thank her enough for everything she does for us.”

Emily was adamant that overcoming any hurdles is all about the ability to “communicate. We planned our entire wedding long distance. So, communication was key. Making sure Kevin was involved as much as possible and scheduling things on days he was able to make it down to Southwest Missouri was important to us.

“As far as the day of the wedding goes, hiring a ‘day of wedding planner’ was the best decision we made. Amanda Robertson made our day go so smoothly and allowed our family to be present and not have to worry about checking in vendors, timing or anything else.”

What helped make it so quaint for Emily was having the venue be Royalty Events Center. “What’s not to love? The location’s wonderful. It sits on the Kentner family farm. In the spring, summer and fall, especially when the weather is great, the outdoor part of it provides an amazing backdrop for pictures and the ceremony.”

It was a majestic day, and Kevin said a big part of making it perfect was “having our families there, in a building that was built by Emily’s family and a place that had so much love and care.

“To have your loved ones around to celebrate and see how much I love Emily only brought both sides of the family even closer.”

While the entire dating, engagement and wedding day intimacy was tremendous, Kevin and Emily remain most grateful as they recognize fully “the fact that through everything we experienced along the way, our love and care for each other has never wavered. We truly do love each other so much.”