A Country Wedding at Schafer Century Barn

Lindsey and Kyle had one of those weddings that you didn’t want to leave.  It was deeply personal, relaxed, beautiful, and fun!  It all started as we drove closer and closer to Schafer Century Barn, located in the countryside of Adair, Iowa.   Along the way, we were greeted by small signs saying “almost there!” and “just around the corner!”  and finally, when we arrived, we realized these signs were for their wedding!  It was such a cute way to welcome guests even beforethey had actually arrived!  We walked up to the barn, and I could just feel the excitement as friends and family helped with all of the finishing touches.  Burlap and teal accents, babies breath, wood rounds – no detail was overlooked.  I was greeted by Kyle’s mom when I arrived, as she was finishing up a few decorations, and even though she was just a tiny bit frazzled, I could tell that she was just as excited about her son’s wedding day as he was!

We started things off at the barn, where Kyle and Lindsey finished getting ready.  One thing I LOVE about weddings where the ceremony and reception are held at the same venue is that I am able to incorporate all of the decorations into the detail photos!   So let’s get to it!

Her ring dish – love!

Finishing touches for makeup, and into her dress!  This was probably the tiniest space I’ve ever had a bridal party use to get ready, but we made it work!

A sweet gift to the groom, with ceremony time and all!

Lindsey shared a sweet daddy-daughter first look that was one of my favorite moments from their day.

Their gorgeous outdoor ceremony was the perfect spot for their first look.

They exchanged letters before their first look – Kyle was all sneaky and slid his through the door!

It was a very sunny and windy day, so we headed back to the barn for some shady spots by the trees for bridal party photos.

These two little ones nearly stole the show 🙂

This next photo needs a tad bit of explanation.  Kyle and several of his groomsmen (all but one, if I remember correctly) at one point in time were in the service.  He served for a year in Afghanistan, and he has a passion for gun safety and education. This group of men includes a gunsmith, Marine, and current and former National Guard.  And Kyle is now a cop.  While this is not a typical groomsmen photo, it was an important request from Kyle that he wanted.

Time to get married!

Kyle & Lindsey’s wedding ceremony stands out as one of the more personal and funny weddings of the year – lots of good laughs!

When your wedding vows include promises to not care about Hobby Lobby receipts, it’s a good wedding!

We had some veil and wind issues that day.   If you scroll back through, you’ll notice the disappearing and reappearing veil.

Lindsey and Kyle enjoyed cocktail hour inside the barn with their guests before we enjoyed cake and toasts.

We stepped outside for a few quick sunset portraits to end the day – I always love when the bride and groom are willing to take time away for just a few moments alone.

Lindsey and Kyle are incredibly wonderful dancers, so they actually had two first dances – a traditional slower dance, and then a more fun update dance.  And they were both memorable!

A quick outfit change, and it was time to get the party started!  Huge props to Chuck Rice from Mobile DJ Studios for providing some of the best music and great atmosphere for the entire night.  He did a phenomenal job!

Lindsey and Kyle weren’t the only talented dancers – it was quite a party!  Schafer Century Barn was the perfect place for their country dancing crowd.

What a way to end the night!  Congrats to Kyle & Lindsey!