Ceremony - Des Moines Botanical Center
Reception - Holiday Inn, Mercy Campus
This was an absolutely FUN couple! ...and they are kind and patient and understanding... (I will explain more about that in a minute)
The wedding was at the Des Moines Botanical Center. Now, I have shot MANY portrait sessions at the Botanical Center, but this was my first wedding there... and WOW was it beautiful! Missy kept her colors simple and complimentary to the explosion of color in the Botanical Center. Their wedding was simple, beautiful and elegant.
We took the couple to the Papajohn Sculpture Park for their after wedding photos - which was a blast! Missy ran through a sprinkler, the wedding party jumped in the air on a grassy hill, they climbed all over the alphabet person (I really should know the proper name for that sculpture) and honestly did just about anything we asked!!
The reception was located at the Holiday Inn - Mercy Campus in downtown Des Moines. Now, if you haven't been to the top floor of this place - which was were the reception was, I might add - you NEED to go. It has the most BeAuTiFuL view of the Des Moines skyline!
Not only was this a first for shooting a wedding at the Botanical Center, but also the first time a had an assistant with me. She ROCKED by the way. :)
NOW... Remember that I said that they are kind and patient and understanding? Yeah - there's a story. *sigh* Okay so I debated on whether to even mention this but - sheesh! I am a girl of full disclosure and ya know what else? I'm human. :) SO... this is what happened... I had the rings for some awesome "ring shots"... and put them on this super-cool branch at the Botanical Center... and then... * TINK! * ...the rings fell off the branch. Now, I caught Missy's ring, but Gerod's... was no where to be found. (!!!!!!) Lindsey (my assistant - thank God she was there!) and I looked, and looked, and looked, and looked... and we couldn't find it. CRAP! Lindsey went and got a couple of Botanical Center employees ... I went to go tell the bride. * ug * She was so sweet and understanding and kind and patient... so was Gerod and their family. I felt like - I'm sure you can imagine. But you know what!!!!?? An hour and a half later - they FOUND IT! Wanna know where?? INSIDE A PLANT! I'm not kidding. *Phew!* And in plenty of time for the ceremony!
That little mis-hap made for a little chuckle during the ceremony - and I am happy for that. Thank you Missy, Gerod, family and friends for being the good and kind people you are. And thanks to the Botanical staff who found Gerod's ring!!
Needless to say... it was a beautiful wedding. See.... :)
