Weather can be so much of what we remember from a wedding day. I can legitimately give you details about what the weather was like on wedding days 10 years ago. Josh and Sarah weren’t dealt a perfect day weather-wise, but I can say with confidence that they still had the best day ever, which is all that matters! Despite the miserable weather, we were able to get quite a bit of photo work done outside thanks to the tenacity of Sarah and the agreeableness of Josh. We did spend a few minutes shooting in some sprinkles, and as long as Josh and Sarah were cool with it, we were cool with it too.
We started the day with the girls having hair and makeup done at Bella Sala in Tiffin, Iowa. This was the first wedding that we had photographed post renovation at Bella Sala, and man have they done a great job of elevating that space! The outdoor grounds have always been beautiful, but now the interior has been dramatically updated to match. I’m sure they will do well because of all the work they have done. Not only have the design aesthetics been upgraded, they have built a new bridal suite that is (in the words of Buddy the Elf) ginormous! Kara will appreciate an Elf reference in this. I think she’s already watched that movie twice in the last month.
After hair and makeup, we traveled to St Mary’s Catholic Church in Solon, Iowa. Before the ceremony, Sarah shared a couple first looks with her dad. 🙂 Irregardless of a flap, I’m sure it was a special moment for him as he married off his last daughter. Josh and Sarah also shared a first look together so that we could get some photos done before the ceremony and focus on partying afterward. And that’s what we did. We got as much done as we could beforehand while the rain stayed at bay. As the rain eventually started to fall, it was time to get these two inside a church sanctuary anyway so that they could seal the deal. Though the ceremony may have looked a little different because of the church’s mask at limited guest requirements, real emotion and sentiment were still present.
We made a couple stops on the way back to Bella Sala and we just hung out and took some fun photos of the wedding party having a good time. As the rain picked up a bit more, it was time to begin the reception, which they kicked off with a choreographed wedding party dance.
After dinner, we were considering scrapping photos at sunset because we just assumed that it was still going to be raining based on the radar. But when Sarah approached me, I stepped outside to see what things were looking like, and lo and behold, the sky was orange! Somehow, the miserable weather decided to finally leave us alone and we were blessed with a ridiculous sunset. I’m not a scientist or a meteorologist, but for some reason—unexplainable by me—on some of the worst weather days that we have photographed, I have seen some of the most dramatic sunsets appear. If you get a sliver of clear sky on the western horizon and have a bunch of clouds that that sunlight can cast color onto, it looks magical. We also had the fun benefit of being able to utilize some we pavement for some interesting reflections as well. It was a benefit for us, probably not so much for Sarah’s dress. Either way, these sunset photos were totally worth it.
We finished the night with toasts, spotlight dances and good times had by all, especially Josh and Sarah, which again, is all that matters.
Guys, thank you so much for choosing to have us be a part of your wedding day! Thanks for rolling with the weather circumstances with such grace and for trusting us throughout the whole process. We wish you guys all the best in your new journey together!
Hair & Makeup – The Style Vault (Mt. Pleasant)
Cake – Stef’s Cupcakes (Lone Tree)
DJ – QC Music Man
Catering – Phat Daddy’s
Transportation – Fueled
Dress – The Bridal Shop
Photographers – Carter Photography
