Des Moines and Charlotte Wedding Photographer and Family Photographer

Happy International Women’s Day.
From girlhood, to crinkly smiling eyes, it is a joy to photograph all facets of womanhood. I’m so proud to document beauty and strength like this. Women go through so much, and if we’re lucky, we have a few good ones beside us through it all. To the mothers who’ve stretched and pushed and poured out. To the women working their asses off, making a way on their own. To the ones cleaning up, caring for, and consistently showing up. To the ones who’ve gone gray and are still glowing. I know how hard it all is and the grace it takes. Cheers, babes. You are stunning.❣️

Things photographers think are worth the expense at a wedding...

🤍 Venue. I know it’s the most expensive piece of the pie but your photos will reflect the space you choose. We will always do our best but we can only do so much.
(Hint: white or pale walls and ceilings will give you dreamy, crisp, and clean reception photos. Dark barns without much natural light are not fun to shoot in.)

🤍 Groom’s shoes. A rental tux or off-the-rack suit will
look twice as good with a great pair of shoes.

🤍 Your bouquet. Go small or simple, or even DIY on bridesmaids bouquets if you want to. They’ll look great alongside a stunning bridal bouquet. (Hint: skip boutonnières for everyone besides the groom. No one will notice. And keep the groom’s boutonnière small, otherwise it interferes with close up couples portraits.)

🤍 Reception chairs. There are so many things you can skimp on at a reception. But the chairs show up in nearly every photo. If they’re cheap plastic chairs, everything will look cheap.

🤍 Your photographer. But you already knew that. (Hint: Narrow it down and then meet them in person or via zoom before hiring. It’s not hard to find a photog whose work you love. But if you don’t gel with their personality, it’ll have a massive impact on how the day feels.)

And the number one thing NOT worth the expense? A large guest list. After a decade of photographing weddings (and having two of my own 😅), I can promise you, the smaller the guest list, the more fun and relaxed your wedding will be. You can still have an absolute blast on the dance floor with 60 people. The biggest bonus of unashamedly cutting the guest list is you can splurge on other things that are important to you. If you wouldn’t be excited about bumping into them out in public, or hosting them for dinner, they shouldn’t be on the list. There may be some tough calls but ultimately people will understand. You want to be surrounded by the people you feel completely comfortable with, and the ones who make life better when they’re around. 😌

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Midwest Wedding Photographer | Des Moines lowa
Wedding Photographer | Photography Services lowa |
Elevated Wedding Photographer | White Bridal Bouquet

The last time I was in Brady & Nelson’s living room was on their wedding day. They thought they knew joy then. They had no idea. So thrilled for these two to become parents. Their little one is magic. I couldn’t get over him. ✨

These two completely changed my mind about a valentines wedding. It’s the ultimate love day and I can no longer think of a better way to spend it. The guests had a built in date night, and they’ll get to spend the rest of their lives celebrating their anniversary when the whole world is feeling mushy and sweet. It was ADORABLE.
The last photo is Dante’s first dance with his 85 year old mother. She began fostering him when he was 3 and adopted him at age 7. This saint of a woman fostered 100 hundred children in her life. What an honor to be in her presence and photograph her legacy. 🤍

Photo assistant: @ashleyhinnersphotography
Venue: @bash_dsm
DJ: @dj.das.ent

Previews from A & L’s wedding at Salisbury House in Des Moines. The historic mansion is gloriously romantic and we had so much fun creating portraits. Small weddings are my favorite and it was a delight capturing this day for them.

Venue: @salisburyhousedsm
Design and rentals: @vintageloverentals