A year ago this weekend, I photographed a sweet wedding at the Celebration Barns in Eastern Iowa for Katie and Jackson. At the wedding, during family photos, they told me Jackson's sister (Mariah) and her fiancé (Will) were getting married the next year. I ran up to them at the end of the day, handed them my business card, and the spent about a week in bed recovering from the worst cold I'd ever had. Possibly because I'd been sick, I didn't remember that interaction until I received an email in the winter from Mariah-- asking if I'd be interested in photographing their destination wedding in Colorado!!!!
The answer to Colorado (or any destination wedding photography) is always yes in my book. ;)
Cole and Erin heard of me through a friend. We photographed their engagement photos at a pond near Cole's childhood home... so it was only fitting that we took some photos at the pond next to Cornerstone Church, where they got married! This day was such a sweet one. Erin's bridesmaids were all so much fun, helping her with her dress and laughing with each other. I want to be friends with all of them!
Joelle and Kyle complement each other perfectly. They're yin and yang, tall and short, laughter and thought, social and shy. These two had been acquaintances for a while, until a year of college in the same dorm made them more. ;) They had a gorgeous day, nestled in the city of Ames in central Iowa, and I had the joy of photographing this wedding day!
Savannah & Nathan first met up with me a few months back. We went out for drinks and an appetizer at Roca, in downtown Des Moines. It was obvious to me pretty fast that these two are FUN! We connected easily and quickly. I knew that I’d love their wedding day!
I meant to have this post blogged long ago—but fall and early winter are always chaotic, and I just realized this week that Lindsey & Matt’s gorgeous fall wedding in the mountains of Colorado (in Silverthorne, near Vail!) had never been blogged. This beautiful venue and amazing wedding day deserves to be shown off on the blog, so here it is!
This wedding day was the unicorn of wedding day! A gorgeous first look, seriously overwhelming amount of bridal portraits, the sweetest ceremony at Kingsway Christian Church (where the couple WELDED together the final bits of a beautiful stained glass piece), an outdoor reception at Falconwood Park, homemade pie, the absolute best comfort food for dinner, and much laughter and dancing! Click on the post to see the whole amazing day!
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!
One of the biggest parts (and first parts) of planning a wedding day boils down to venue. Without a wedding venue, you really can't get married. ;) And a venue can completely set and influence the aesthetic and theme of your day! So, I'd say that picking a venue is both vital and important. Not to mention, a pretty large amount of your wedding budget will go into renting one.
Shelby and Preston's wedding day at Riverside Bible Camp was an absolute dream! Shelby wanted things to keep with a simple, springtime feel, and I have to say that I'm slightly obsessed with ev.ery.thing. The girls and guys began their day getting ready at a hotel in Story City, making it easy for everyone to sleep in a little before the big day.
Jillian and Anthony met in college, but they didn't feel immediate sparks. However, after months together on the road for a traveling class, their friendship slowly grew into more. They bought matching bear hats together (you'll see them later!) and share a love for the outdoors, family, and simplicity. All of that was evident in this gorgeous outdoor spring wedding at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Illinois!
Lizy and Kyle's day left nothing to be desired! After waiting for years, they finally married in Lizy's home church (New Covenant Bible) in Cedar Rapids... just weeks before her graduation from Iowa State University! New name for graduation, how bout dat. ;)
Jenny and Jeremiah's story began back in the summer of 2012. They both attended a summer program in Florida for two months; however, Jenny was a staff member and Jeremiah attended as a student! (I also participated and met them both, however, since I was from a different university, didn't interact much with either one.) The next summer, Jenny led a missions trip overseas, and Jeremiah was one of the (again) students on the trip. That summer created a strong friendship between the whole team.
Last May, I had the privilege to try my hand at wedding videography. It was honestly the most gorgeous rainy wedding day I'd seen in Iowa, moody and woodland magical! Dirk and Emily care genuinely for each person they meet. Likewise, the people they surround themselves with are also kind and SO FUNNY! Clink the link to read more after the jump, and watch their wedding video!
We began photos at Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, where Danae and her ladies were snacking on bagels, drinking sparkling cider, and getting made up. Knowing some of those women made the morning extra fun for me! Danae had chosen a gorgeous deep purple for her bridesmaids to wear, and I just have to say--this may be one of my favorite color palettes! Not to mention her ring...heavenly. I'm so thankful to have had the time for detail photos, especially the sweet heirloom handkerchief Danae carried!
December sparkles with twinkle lights, dreams of snow, and the hope of Christmas. It's arguably the most magical month of the year...so when Megan told me that she and Kelly were getting married on December 1, I'm pretty sure I squealed!
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!
This is probably one of my very favorite wedding days. Not because it was the most extravagant (it was wonderfully simple) or some new exotic location (Omaha is not all that new!). Rather, it will forever be a favorite day simply because Naomi is like a sister to me, and James & Naomi have a way about them where everyone feels like family!
