Molly & Nick’s West Des Moines Ballroom Wedding

Sometimes, there are just those couples who you click with so effortlessly – Molly and Nick are one of those couples.  From the very beginning, I knew that I would adore getting to know them and photographing their wedding.  Molly has the perfect taste in style and decor – she loves classic, beautiful, and timeless.  Her and I have pretty much the exact same taste!  And when she shared how excited she was to work with Kelly at Bella Flora on their wedding design, I knew everything would come together exactly as she envisioned.   Their dream ballroom wedding came to life over the months of planning.  And then, the pandemic hit.

To say that it felt like a huge punch to the gut was an understatement.  Nick and Molly had been engaged for over a year (and together for quite a bit longer) and had been looking forward to their wedding and were EXCITED to get married.  Once state restrictions came into place, I knew we’d have some hard conversations ahead since their wedding was in June.

It was at this point that I was so incredibly grateful for the connection I had with Molly and Nick.  During their engagement session, we really hit it off, and I even was able to meet some of her family – they were so welcoming!  As Covid-19 took over and threw many plans for 2020 weddings out the window, I also had a feeling that Molly and Nick ultimately desired to get married more than anything else.  That was the most important thing to them.  Molly and I were sharing emails and messages on instagram, and I spoke with her dad for a bit in early May as they were trying to make some decisions about their wedding.  At that point, they had made the decision that they would move forward with their wedding, but downsize things to be smaller and include just their immediate families.

Within a week, the governor of Iowa announced changes for gatherings and reopening businesses across the state.  Many wedding venues were still mostly closed, but restaurants were opening back up (with restrictions).  A petition had been started and a contingent of people had been calling the governor’s office to get more clarity on why bars and restaurants could open at 50% capacity, but weddings were not allowed.  It felt like very day, there were changes being made.  Molly and I both were watching press conferences daily to see if changes were announced and then FINALLY, on May 20th, the change to allow wedding receptions to restart was announced.  I’m pretty sure there were happy tears for Molly!

With great joy, Molly and Nick gathered together in front of their closest friends and family to exchange their wedding vows, followed by a celebration like none other!  When you finally have a chance to rejoice and be with the people you love most, after months of separation, there is no greater feeling.  I know that their wedding will be one I never forget.  It was a rollercoaster, but they made it!

Congrats to Molly and Nick!  I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from their wedding day.

Ceremony: St. Francis of Assisi
Reception: Hilton West Des Moines Ballroom
Florals, Rentals, Design:  Bella Flora
Invitations: Dana Osborne Designs
Cake: Sister Sweets
Tuxedos: Reynolds Menswear
Bridesmaid Dresses: Bridal Traditions
Wedding Dress: Ready or Knot
Makeup & Hair: Salon Spa W
Videography: MDL Events
Photography: Jennifer Weinman Photography

These absolutely beautiful invitations were designed by Dana Osborne and I am in love with them!

I’m in love with Molly’s fancy wedding shoes!  She also had some super cute Kate Spade tennis shoes for later on in the evening – the perfect combination of glam and practicality.

In love with the Kate Spade sparkly Keds!

Nick looked dashing in his classic black tux and bowtie.

Molly surprised Nick with the gift of custom cufflinks with a sweet message in her own handwriting!

This moment was a tear jerker for all of us.  Nick had prepared a gift for Molly that was an entire journal full of over 300 letters to her!  She gasped as she opened it, and we all just couldn’t believe how meaningful and sweet this gift was.

A brief and sweet father-daughter first look right across from their church…

Nick and Molly exchanged letters and had their first look before their ceremony, and it was full of the sweetest emotions!  They warned us they would cry a bit, and there were some tears, but of joy and excitement!

We were able to photograph a few portraits of the two of them before we jumped into family photos.

One of Molly’s biggest requests (other than getting married in the midst of a pandemic!) was an epic veil photo with it floating in the wind – this is a new favorite!

Loved this sweet little flower girl!

Married at last!

We headed towards the capitol for a few photos of the bridal party after their ceremony.

It was very hot and very bright during these photos, but I am in love with how they turned out!

One of my favorites!

The wonderful team at Bella Flora did an incredible job decorating the Hilton West Des Moines for their classic ballroom wedding reception!

Ivory linens with soft blush tones and beautiful peonies decorated the ballroom.  The soft pink uplighting combined with the candles made for the perfect atmosphere!

The enthusiasm in the air when Molly and Nick entered was through the roof – people were SO excited to gather and celebrate!

Sharing their first dance as husband and wife!

Time to cut loose and dance!

We ended the night with a few sunset photos right outside the hotel.  We found a tiny little spot in between the parking lot and the main road to the mall, and you would never know where we were!  This was a lucky find and the best way to end the night with Molly and Nick!

Congrats to you both and thank you for a truly memorable day!