Heartland Wedding Ideas Jan/Feb Issue 2023 (Winter)

As we begin a NEW YEAR we want to say THANK YOU to all our readers and wedding vendors, because without you this magazine wouldn't be possible. We are a small but mighty team that is super passionate about the wedding scene in Iowa and we feel so fortunate that you've picked us up or chosen us to represent your business. We are so excited for 2023 and can't wait to bring you even more inspiration and value.

We start this issue off with two different styled shoots! Our first features a one-of-a-kind elopement, in your very own city. Learn how to prioritize to get the most of what you want for your big day! Our second shoot is inspired by Studio Bloom's grandmother's wedding photo and the results are a breathtaking, colorful floral extravaganza. We are obsessed with the color palette. Next up is the "It's My Big Day" section featuring Cui + Kenan's multicultural wedding. You'll love how they kept traditions and family at the center of their day!

We end with the Eastern Iowa Wedding Show Prize Winners and we love how high school sweethearts Emily + Brandon celebrated their win and wedding day.

We hope to see you at the winter edition of the Des Moines and Eastern Iowa Wedding Shows. We will be helping to host the runway shows — so be sure to come say hi!

XOXO,

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We’re on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. For inspiring ideas, local weddings, events, and vendor spotlights, follow our feed: @heartlandweddingideas.

STYLED SHOOT: PICTURE PERFECT

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IT'S MY BIG DAY: CUI + KENAN EMILY + BRANDON

Special thanks to this crew:

Visser Copy Editor

Sophia Lacy Copywriter Intern

Kelly

EDITORS' LETTER

Marissa Sakakhanone

Graphic Design Intern

ELOPING IN YOUR OWN CITY

AND PRIORITIZING YOUR BUDGET

This isn’t a “bargain hunter’s elopement guide,” but instead, a guide to cutting out all the extra stuff that isn’t important to you and your boo! We know you'll have the BEST TIME eloping in your own city with quality vendors making the most of your budget.

After nailing down the concept, Alyssa Leicht reached out to her good friend and fellow wedding photographer, Paige Kleckner, to partner on the shoot. From there, the duo curated the perfect list of wedding vendors to pull off the couples must haves.

Where to spend the most:

Alyssa and Paige knew Lea + Randy placed quality photography at the very top of their list of priorities. They wanted their elopement photos to last a lifetime so they could show all their friends and family what an amazing adventure they had! The groom sprung for a beautiful custom-made piece of jewelry for his hunny’s engagement ring to match her personal style — she's not a diamond gal. The couple also loves trying new things to eat, so they wanted their elopement to be an epicurean adventure. It was important to get a small cake to cut to enjoy with champagne. And Lea LOVES fresh florals, so she knew her bouquet needed to be grand!

Where to cut things out:

The couple didn’t want to buy a wedding dress and tuxedo they’d only wear once, they preferred a more relaxed and non-traditional look. They decided to buy the bride’s dress from Lulu’s and the groom’s jacket and shirt from ASOS and incorporate items they already owned (shoes, pants, accessories) to complete their outfits. They knew they’d be able to wear all the pieces again for formal events down the road.

The adventure:

Getting some gorgeous portraits was a must, so a shoot in The Whistler Studio for a cake and champagne picnic was perfect for the shots. Alyssa and Paige then took the couple exploring the East Village neighborhood in Des Moines.

Next up, they stopped for some fresh and delicious tacos (with lime Jarritos, duh!) at Taquería Veracruz taco truck on East University, capped off with a trip to Dairy Zone for frozen sweet treats. They finished the adventure by hanging out on one of the pedestrian bridges above I-235, watching the traffic zip by below as the sun set. After all was said and done, everyone had a ton of fun eloping in the city!

Every shoot is different, but we estimate you can put a stylish and intimate boho elopement adventure like this together for a total investment of around $3K-$5.5K!

Special thanks to Alyssa Leicht Weddings and Paige Kleckner Photo for sharing their vision with us for bringing the day to life. All words and photos by Alyssa Leicht.

Meet The Wedding Pros:

The sweetest cake made by Dust Bowl Bakery. We love this small heart shaped cake.

Alyssa & Paige found the blanket, floor poufs, cake stand, bud vases, silverware, and napkins at Target. They grabbed a few stems of heather and thistle from Gateway Market for the couple’s cake and champagne picnic. LOVE!

A girl's favorite accessory, is always a bouquet. We heart this one from Wildflower.

The Whistler Studio doubled as the perfect picnic backdrop and portrait studio.

The sweet couples hair was styled by Lauren Lage / Marc Stephens Salon.

A Lime Jarritos is a must. Always.

Final shots of a perfect day on the I-235 pedestrian bridge.

PICTURE PERFECT

Bold and beautiful florals set the stage for this intimate wedding party. The idea came from the florist, Studio Bloom, who was inspired by her grandparent's wedding day. The color palette was pulled from the only color wedding photo that was printed. Her grandmother wore the palest blue satin dress, holding a bouquet of red roses paired with bright red lips. The fearless use of color was breathtaking, and she knew a styled shoot would be the perfect way to nod to her grandmother's classic style with a modern twist.

The color palette popped with rich reds and pale blues carrying through to the bride's vintage red dress and lush velvet linens. Using clear acrylic elements and white backdrops allowed for a brilliant color story to unfold.

Meet The Wedding Pros:

Photography / Stylist / Planner: Ivory+Bliss Photography

Venue: Ashton Hill Farm

Floral: Studio Bloom

Cake: Little Blackbird Bakery Paper Suite: By Invitation Only

Linens + Decor: Unique Events

MUAH: Haley Ann Herbst Rentals + Decor: Unique Events

Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

By Invitation Only created beautiful, acrylic invites to match the vibe of the shoot.

The floral from Studio Bloom stole our hearts and was the star of the show.

The Linens + Decor from Unique Events provided an exquisite table setting.

Look at these two! The perfect shots captured by Ivory+Bliss.

Yes to florals in the hair!

MUAH by Haley Ann Herbst

othing Compares

TO A WEDDING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS

Celebrate your special day at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Historic buildings, modern facilities and picturesque outdoor settings await you and your guests. Enjoy free, close parking for your guests, an accessible location and a staff ready to assist you with every detail.

To schedule your wedding at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, visit iowastatefairgrounds.org or contact Off Season Events at 515-262-3111, ext 282.

Located just three miles north of Boone, Iowa, the 1868 Farmhouse has been fully restored to feature two getting-ready suites, brick courtyard, wrap around porch and three outdoor wedding ceremony spaces. New in 2020, the property features a completely renovated, modern wedding reception hall just steps away from the main house with seating for up to 300.

One of our favorite benefits the venue offers to couples is access to their inventory of decor — all free when you book! That's almost unheard of and a huge cost savings as you plan your big day!

Voted Central Iowa’s Best Outdoor and Rural Wedding Venue at the 2022 Wedding Choice Awards.

CENTRAL IOWA WEDDING

ONE OF THE OLDEST FARMHOUSES IN BOONE COUNTY

MODERN RECEPTION HALL

HUGE DECOR INVENTORY

CUI + KENAN

TRADITION

Chinese wedding decorations were a must. We love the pops of red, which symbolizes joy and luck, throughout!

We know you are going to swoon over the beautiful dusty blue and traditional Chinese red and gold color palette of Cui and Kenan’s wedding. The combination is stunning and had a lot of significance. And let’s be honest, their entire celebration truly is breathtaking!

Before we dive into the wedding, let’s get back to basics — how did he pop the question!? Kenan proposed to Cui in the backyard of their future home, which was under renovation at the time. They were in the thick of making design choices, so he called Cui to come and decide paint colors together. Upon her arrival, Cui’s God Dad was standing in the front yard and told her to walk down to the big tree behind the house. She was so surprised when she saw Kenan under the tree waiting to propose. What a romantic beginning to their life together!

When the couple began planning their wedding, it was super important to weave in their family traditions and cultures. For Cui, incorporating Chinese wedding decorations was a must and she brought in pops of the color red — which symbolizes luck and joy — in the wedding invitation, a tea set, paper lanterns and her reception dress. To honor Kenan’s Turkish culture, the couple incorporated the Evil Eye in wedding favors. The symbol is to ward off evil forces, and helps the couple live a long happy life. “Incorporating our culture into our wedding was most important to us,” Cui said. “It made our family members feel special to be a part of it.”

Both the ceremony and reception were held at Hotel Fort Des Moines. The location’s elegant chandeliers, detailed white woodwork and simple layout were an exquisite backdrop for their celebration.

Cui wore a stunning mermaid gown with lace details and off-the-shoulder straps for the ceremony. She paired the dress with a flowing cathedral-length veil and delicate diamond headband. Cui’s bridal bouquet balanced a combination of gorgeous white and blue blooms that coordinated with the unique partial floral arch that was the centerpiece of the ceremony. She worked with the one and only Shelly Sarver Designs for her ceremony and reception florals — Shelly nailed it once again!

After a breathtaking ceremony, the couple snuck out for portraits throughout downtown Des Moines with their photographer Jason

Thomas Crocker. He captured their love and the spirit of the entire celebration!

Cui also changed into a magnificent Chinese floor-length red dress with gorgeous gold embroidery for the reception. It was absolutely stunning!

The two had the best time dancing the night away with their family and friends to the music of the talented and energetic B2wins and ASE DJ. One of Cui’s favorite moments was Kenan’s speech at the reception, and of course, seeing all those they love celebrating by their side.

Cui and Kenan are so grateful their dream wedding came to life — especially being able to share each their cultures with one another and their guests throughout the ceremony and reception.

The elegance of the Hotel Fort Des Moines speaks for itself.

WEDDING STYLE

COLOR PALETTE

VENDOR LUST

Pampas grass in wedding florals has been trending and perfect for fall and winter weddings.

From their high school sweetheart love story to their rustic, country wedding, we can't get enough of Emily and Brandon.

The couple met in 2014 when they were just 13 and 14 years old. A mutual friend invited Brandon to Emily’s house to hang out one evening, and when Brandon left he knew she was the one. Four years later, Emily finally said “yes” to dating the boy from that night. Ah, young love! “Brandon told his friend that he was ‘going to marry that girl one day’,” Emily told us.

As time passed, the couple decided to buy their first home together. Brandon planned to propose during their final walk through, but he couldn’t find the right moment. Instead, he ended up proposing in Emily’s bedroom at her parent’s house. To add to the special moment, when Brandon got down on one knee … he split his pants! The two burst into laughter and tears of joy as they realized they were going to marry their best friend.

As they started planning, luck was on their side. They won the Eastern Iowa Wedding Show giveaway! They met so many excellent wedding pros through the event, and with prizes to help plan their perfect day. One of the vendors was the uber talented stationery designer, TandemHart. They worked directly with the team to create custom invites that matched the rustic spirit of their celebration.

Emily wore a gorgeous v-neck ball gown with a floral design trickling down the straps and bodice. She looked stunning and so joyful! Brandon and his groomsmen got their suitcoats and ties from Skeffington’s Formal Wear, and paired the jackets with dark jeans and cowboy boots to create a relaxed, country vibe. Brandon even wore a black cowboy hat! “I always knew that we were going to go with Skeffington's for our tuxes. Brandon used them for prom and they are overall amazing,” Emily said.

The reception was an absolute party! The couple and their guests danced the night away under the countryside sunset. The reception was covered in creams and rustic red and orange accent colors to match the florals. Three chandeliers hung with beautiful drapery and streaming lights flowing across the ceiling. All of their special details and fun memories were captured beautifully by DeeDee Miller Photography.

The two will never forget all their friends and family gathering together to celebrate their love. They were beyond grateful for all who helped their dream wedding come to life.

“I am so thankful for everything and how everything turned out!” Emily said.

Emily & Brandon are high school sweethearts who met when they were 13 & 14 years old.