Lauren and Andy Wedding Day | Cedar Rapids Wedding Photographer

Lauren and Andy’s wedding day was a big celebration from start to finish at the Eastbank Venue. From the wedding party blasting Lizzo while walking to the venue to the family getting the party started on the dance floor, everyone was SO excited to celebrate and support Lauren and Andy in the next chapter of their life together. Scroll through to see all the joy and fun that was had during their wedding day 😊

Associate Work for Grace T. Photography

Carissa and Andrew Wedding Day | Waverly Wedding Photographer

Carissa and Andrew’s big day called for rain, but not a drop ended up falling! It was the perfect September day for an outdoor wedding at the Waverly Golf Club. Carissa and Andrew chose to keep traditional and not see each other before walking down the aisle. They were both so excited during their portraits leading up to the ceremony. Scroll through to see Andrew’s reaction to seeing his bride! It’s worth the wait 😊

Carissa and Andrew decided to keep the tradition of not have a first look. Instead Carissa had a sweet emotional first look with her dad. It had me tearing up myself!

Andrew was grinning from ear to ear the moment he saw Carissa walk down the aisle and it had me smiling behind the camera as well!

I had the best time with Carissa and Andrew at their wedding day and feel, so blessed I was able to be a part of their wedding day!

Alison and Caleb Wedding Day | Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden Wedding Photographer

Alison and Caleb were laid back and all smiles on their wedding day at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. From the first look to the very end of the night the two were full of joy and soaked in all the love through out the day. It was an intimate day with their family and friends and it was easy to see that every single person who attended the wedding was important to Alison and Caleb. Their families made me feel like I was one of them and I had an absolute blast spending the day with them. Not to mention they had the most delicious Vegan food and cupcakes at their reception, which I definitely enjoyed a little too much of 🙂

Vendors

Venue: Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Wedding Planner: Kim Blom

Flowers: Thistles Flower Market

Dress: David's Bridal

Hair: Lindsey Mollenhauer

Caterer: Trellis Catering

Cupcakes: Molly's Cupcakes

DJ: Nick Ryan

Each table had it’s own unique vintage place setting which Alison and Caleb had been collecting for their wedding day!

Photographing Alison and Caleb’s wedding day at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden was an absolute dream and I’m so honored I was a part of it!

Hannah and Tate's Big Day | Decorah Iowa Wedding Photographer

It was supposed to be a rain filled day, but that didn’t stop Hannah and Tate from being all smiles all day long. These two were filled with so much joy the entire day and it SHOWED. Their wedding party and family were also so light hearted and ready to have a great time and celebrate the new Mr. and Mrs. They had me laughing through out the photos, ceremony, and reception!

After lots of prayers and purchasing 12 clear umbrellas (just in case), the weather decided to hold off and they had a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Empty Nest Winery out in Waukon, Iowa. I’m so so so grateful I was able to be a part of Hannah and Tate’s wedding day and so excited to share my personal favorites.

We had time for a first look with Hannah’s bridesmaids as well and it was so fun. I love when the ladies are just as excited to see the bride all done up as the groom is 😊

For their guest book they had an Instax camera and had everyone took a picture and signed next to it. I thought this was such a fun idea and good way to remember everyone on your wedding day!

Hannah and Tate’s wedding day at the Empty Nest Winery was a success and I’m so happy they chose me to be a part of their day! I’ll be returning to Decorah for Randi Kate and Brad’s wedding in December and cannot wait! It is filled with so many beautiful nature spots that I am excited to explore again.

5 Things to Consider When Planning Your Wedding Day | Wedding Timeline Tips

Planning a wedding is a lot of work and can get overwhelming real quick. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when trying to make major decisions about your wedding day timeline. Here are 5 things that can help make your planning a little easier once decided.

The SEASON OF your wedding.

During the winter the sun sets much sooner than the spring and summer time.

If you are having the wedding ceremony the afternoon or early evening and want outside photos you will most likely need to take the family portraits and bridal party before the ceremony. Having a first look is a great option: you have special individual time together and can take a majority of the portraits right after.

If you are set on not having a first look, an option is to still take family portraits and part of the bridal party photos before to save time.

THE WEATHER.

Unfortunately, I cannot control the weather. If I could it’d be sunshine and blue skies every day with a killer sunset :) If you plan to do an outdoor wedding a tent, umbrella’s or backup location may be something to consider. If your wedding is in the winter and you want the majority of photos outside prepare your bridal party and wear warm shoes. A cute fur shawl or blanket scarf is always a great way to keep the ladies warm.

Do you want the bridal party photos AT your venue or do you have a specific spot IN MIND?

I’m all for fun and creative spots, but practically this adds to time of the portraits. So make sure to factor in driving or walking time to and from this location back to your venue. Typically it takes 1.5-2 hours to take all the photos: bride and groom portraits, family portraits and bridal party photos.

Are you havING a cocktail hour?

A cocktail hour is a great way to utilize time to talk with guests instead of doing a formal receiving line or you can use it to take portraits if the rest of the day is already full.

Are you PLANNING a grand exit?

Do you want a grand exit but plan to keep the party going into the night? Having the exit after the ceremony ensures all your guests will be able to participate and your photographers will be there to capture it. My personal favorite exits have included: balloons, sparklers, lanterns, lavender/leaves/pedals, and tissues.