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Midwestern Brides
2022 was a much busier year of photographing weddings than I expected, but in the sweetest way. I had SO many wonderful couples to work with, and we saw snow, rain, and extreme heat. 9 of the 12 months held weddings, and each one was full of kind souls that made the long days and sometimes overnight travel worth it.
Sierra’s vibe is “boho bride” and I loved the outfits she put together for this session! I just can’t wait to see her vision for their wedding day come to life. It’s going to be one AMAZING event, and I am so excited to celebrate with these two and their families! Check out more photos from this sweet summery farm engagement session, just outside the Des Moines limits.
You won’t find many people planning a snowy destination wedding. All the magazine covers showcase mountains covered with wildflowers, or beaches on exotic islands. And even though I consider myself a part-time destination wedding photographer (hello, Colorado weddings!) the majority of my couples live and marry in the Midwest. Not surprisingly, I primarily photograph weddings in Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. All of which come with a LONG HARD WINTER each year!
Don’t get me wrong. I love snow! It’s gorgeous and reminds of me of ski vacations in the Rocky Mountains. And Christmas & my birthday (shoutout at December). And mulled wine, and sweaters, and silent wintery nights. But when you live in the Midwest, and winter can be anywhere from 3-6 months long, that means a good chunk of couples choose to tie the knot… come hell or high snow drifts. ;)
Wow. What do I say!? Lizzy, as I know her, roomed with me, in my first Ames apartment. She was a junior at ISU, and not long after moving in, this guy Nate started hanging around. He was kind of quiet at first (especially compared to her!) but slowly started sharing more of himself as we all crossed paths. Us girls figured out by the end of the year that we though he was the one for her… and we were right. ;)
What words can I use to describe this day! Intimate, snowy, full of love. Sarah and David’s outdoor tent wedding in small town (Ladysmith) Wisconsin— north of Eau Claire— was truly a day to remember forever. If you want to read a little more about them, check out their engagement photos in this blog post. (Which we took the night before!)
WHERE DO I START. WOW! Natalie and Alex happen to be some of the most laid back, kind, fun people you could know. And they sure know how to pick their friends! (Just wait until you see the bridal party portraits. Some of my fav. Ever.) This west des moines wedding photographer was DREAMING the entire day!
Anna and Jordan are native to Minnesota, but they actually both met in college at North Dakota State University! Jordan transferred there after completing his freshman year at Dordt College, where the seeds to connect with a campus ministry had been planted. Eventually, these two became friends through their involvement with The Navigators at NDSU, and through leadership team, campus life, and friends, these two became an item!
Elizabeth and Chris's wedding day threatened to rain. I'd been checking the Des Moines weather throughout the previous week, so that was no surprise to me. Still, nobody wants to have their wedding day shuffled by unexpected rainstorms! Thankfully, the skies were dry when everyone arrived at the church. After Elizabeth finalized her makeup and jewelry, she headed to a nearby barn for her first look with Chris! It was such a sweet moment, and they chatted for a good few minutes before starting more portraits. The sun even peeked out during bridal party photos! We wrapped up family photos (a part I rarely blog, but that is just so important during a wedding day) and drove back over to the church. Not long after, rain was pouring down outside!!! Everyone kept marveling at the miracle that the weather held while we were outdoors. Amazing!
The ceremony was held inside the new sanctuary of the Saylorville Baptist Church. It was simple and sweet--and I loved the foot washing portion of the ceremony! There were tender tears and huge smiles during the ceremony, especially as they were pronounced man and wife! On to the reception (with a few more portraits, because why not?!) and more tears, more laughs, and wonderful words said. Elizabeth's best friend gave a sweet speech, Chris' brother's toast made more than one person cry...and the "mad lib" game answers shared were HILARIOUS. Can I request all my couples do that instead of having glass clinks for kisses?! The Wagners' day was beautiful, and I was thankful to be part of such a wonderful wedding day!
