If you’ve ever read my blog before, you know how much I love Lawrence. So I’ll try to refrain from gushing. One really cool thing about Lawrence is its architectural character. Some of my favorite areas to shoot are around the coolest old buildings. When I was in Lawrence shooting Cassy and Dylan’s portraits, I discovered that someone has recently added a little extra character to some of the buildings I like to shoot around…

I just got home tonight from Lawrence, where I had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful wedding at Danforth Chapel on the KU campus. Taylor and Jacob held their reception at The Eldridge Hotel, which is by far one of my favorite wedding venues in Lawrence. I can’t say enough about how great the staff is to work with! They really make the entire experience so wonderful for the bride and groom, their guests, and even for me as their photographer. And the fact that their rooms are beautiful and super comfortable just completes the amazing Eldridge experience!

One of the coolest things about The Eldridge (and about Lawrence!) is its history. Though it was originally built in 1855 as The Free State Hotel, the building was burned down just a year later by pro-slavery invaders. The hotel was rebuilt with an extra floor, and they swore to build yet another floor each time the hotel was destroyed in the future.
Well, in 1863 William Quantrill rode into town from that crazy pro-slavery state to the east of us and burned our beautiful Lawrence to the ground. The hotel was rebuilt again and named after its rebuilder, Colonel Eldridge. The hotel’s seal and motto, “from ashes to immortality,” attest to Lawrencians’ determination to stand and fight for the rights and dignity of people everywhere.

How can you not love Lawrence?! What a cool place. Though the hotel has since been closed, reopened, rebuilt, and renovated several times, it retains its architectural grandeur. It’s really a beautiful building! I had the opportunity to make a few images of some of its details while Taylor and Jacob’s guests were in the ballroom, happily dancing the night away.

I love how on this last one, you can see each of the years that the hotel was built.

If you’re interested, you can read the complete story of The Eldridge Hotel’s history on their website.
Photos from Taylor and Jacob’s wedding day are coming up next!

Happy Holidays everyone!!