WOOOOWEEEE do I have a treat for you guys!  I am (finally) getting around to writing up a blog post on the exquisite Downtown Des Moines wedding that I coordinated near the end of this summer.  It’s a stunner- just like its couple!

The Bride

Maddie, my bride, first reached out to me over Instagram.  Actually, Maddie was THE very FIRST DM I received on Instagram once I launched my business page over there.  She is actually one of the sweetest humans you’ll ever meet.  Throughout my entire process of working with them, Maddie and Jackson were so thoughtful, both toward me and about every detail of their wedding.  Maddie could be planner professionally.  For real, folks.  We had an instant connection about organization and all things efficiency!

The Couple

She and Jackson were one of the COVID-19 impacted couples.  Originally, they intended to have around 350 people at their wedding!! Ultimately, the number was somewhere more around 150 for this downtown Des Moines wedding.  But, what I loved about working with Maddie and Jackson was that even amidst less than desirable conditions (hey there, COVID/quarantine/world pandemic) they stayed so positive and uplifting.  They always believed that their wedding was about more than the fluff- it was about their marriage.  This is what I’m all about!  Your wedding should reflect your marriage.  Full of hope, faith, love, and trust.  I would venture to say that their big day hit the nail right on the head.

The Downtown Des Moines Wedding Venues

To serve as their day-of coordinator, I arrived at the Hilton in Downtown Des Moines bright and early as set up was to get started.  Maddie and Jackson chose to have their cocktail hour and reception at the Hilton; and to have their ceremony at the St. Ambrose Cathedral. Hello smack dab in the middle of downtown for this Des Moines wedding!  Both venues were GORGEOUS.  And I cannot say enough great things about the staff at both venues, as well as the amazing vendors that I had the opportunity to work with.  (Listed below!)  I would recommend each and every one of them.

The Cocktail Hour

Something fun about Maddie and Jackson’s timeline, is that they colored a little outside the lines and switched up the cocktail hour to be before the ceremony!  Because the church venue, for their ceremony, did not have a reception hall or event hall attached, there was not a place for everyone to gather beforehand.  So, cue the cocktail hour just two blocks down the road at the Downtown Hilton!  As cocktail hour drew to a close (and the wedding party finished up pictures in another area of Des Moines), guest hosts escorted the guests over to the St. Ambrose Cathedral.  This worked splendidly!  If you’re a Des Moines Bride looking to have a social gathering time before your ceremony kicks off, I highly recommend considering something of this variation.

The Reception

Following the insanely stunning and incredibly heartfelt ceremony at St. Ambrose, everyone returned back to the Hilton for the reception… err, should I say, party?!  Maddie and Jackson have some of the best, most energetic, and joyful friends and family that I have ever had the pleasure of getting to work with at a wedding!!  Honestly, every person in their wedding party, their families, and really all of their guests were just so enjoyable and thrilled to celebrate Maddie and Jackson.  In my opinion, this is exactly as it should be.  The smaller guest count made it so that Maddie and Jackson had their closest people surrounding them to celebrate and be a witness to their commitment to each other.  Can I get an AMEN?!  I love that.

Overall, this day could not have been more perfect.  It was a true honor to get to work with this sweet couple and coordinate the best Downtown Des Moines wedding!  For more pics, head on over to my Gallery page and check them out + connect with me on Instagram for many more highlights.

 

Check out the sweetest review of this day, written by Maddie, HERE!

 

VENDORS: Hilton Downtown Des Moines, St. Ambrose Cathedral, Shelly Sarver Florals & Design, Justin Meyer Photography, Riley Mullane– DJ, Unique Events Iowa, Painting for Cheese- signage, DSM Salon- hair & makeup, Josh Meyer- videography, Molly’s Cupcakes– cake & dessert