After talking with Danny and Amy during our initial wedding consultation, I had in my notes in quotes, “We just want our wedding to be an awesome party.” It’s this way with a lot of weddings, but occasionally you can feel the tension building on a wedding day when the couple is eagerly waiting in anticipation for the ultimate unwinding and celebration at the reception, and there are a few “hurdles” to be cleared before they get there. It’s not that Danny and Amy weren’t looking forward to spending time getting ready with their besties, doing a few photos and then actually getting married during the ceremony (that’s kind of what every wedding is about, no?). It’s more they were really, really looking forward to the reception. And it was a sweet, sweet thing once they finally got there.
We started the day with the guys and girls getting ready at the Radisson Hotel in Coralville across the hall from each other. After a teary first look with her dad, Amy headed to downtown Iowa City to meet Danny for their first look at the Old Capitol, which is across the street from where they first met. We took advantage of the ridiculously beautiful July day, though even 75 degrees felt hot, if I’m being picky. I think I’ve determined that 65 and sunny is perfection . . . but that’s probably not likely in July, so we’ll take the 75 we were dealt, especially since rain was bouncing in and out of the forecast. It was a perfect day. On a perfect July day, they shared a dramatic first look in front of the Old Capitol building, and Danny and Amy had the whole space to themselves (shocker). We spent a few minutes using the classic architecture as a backdrop, and then we brought things full circle as we crossed Clinton Street to visit The Airliner, which was where their relationship began in the first place. They may not be the most beautiful photos you’ve ever seen, but I would typically say that emotion and sentiment trump a sexy backdrop. It was cool that we could document a part of their relationship history there, even if it was only 5 minutes and we inconvenienced their outdoor patio guests! You only do this thing once!
The wedding ceremony and reception were both at the Celebration Farm. It’s such a beautiful venue at all times of the year and it is so easy to get great photos there! Danny and Amy wrote their own vows, which made them and many of their guests cry. Big win, as far as I’m concerned. After being pronounced husband and wife, they shared their first kiss as a married couple. It was immediately after that—when they turned to face the crowd and threw their hands in the air—that you could visually see some weight fall off their shoulders and this party had just gotten started.
Let’s take a quick moment at this point to recognize the rockstar effort of Brenda and her team at Town or Country for designing and planning this party. Things looked beautiful and they were everywhere to make sure that this party was truly awesome. Now, after Danny and Amy made their entrance into the beautifully decorated reception space and enjoyed a delicious dinner, it was toast time. There were a lot of stories recounted, and I would say you couldn’t ask for much more out of the toasts. There were hysterical moments that made you cry. A couple sentences later, there were sweet and gracious words that made you cry. Look at the photos, it’s easy to see.
DJ John Cox got the party started with Danny and Amy’s first dance, along with their parent dances. John always does a nice job of investing in the couple’s story and graciously adds feeling and weight to their spotlight dances. After that though, he kept the music pumping and ensured that Danny and Amy had that awesome party they were hoping for as they envisioned their wedding on a Zoom call in the middle of a pandemic last year.
Danny and Amy, thank you guys so much for choosing to have us be a part of your wedding day! We wish you guys all the best in your new journey together!
Hair/Makeup – Eden Salon & Spa (Karlene); Lindsay Lafayette; + a few others
Flowers – Hy-Vee Wilson Ave
Cocktails – Bread Garden Market
Planning & Design – Town or Country
Cupcakes – Scratch Cupcakery
DJ – DJ Cox
Invitations – Allegra Iowa City
Dress – Bhldn
Catering – Kalona Kountry Katering
Suits – Men’s Warehouse
Photographers – Carter Photography
