If you are on the fence about having a smaller guest count, this sweet intimate rose garden elopement may just make up your mind.

We started our afternoon at Alex + Anna's new home nestled amongst some giant trees in the heart of Des Moines. Something about this home gave me a beach house sort of vibe. Full of awesome character! Immediately we were welcomed with a drink + conversation. We felt so welcomed! The vibe was so relaxed, no stress, no tears. It was a lovely day to be celebrating. We even prepared ourselves for a full day of rain and a ceremony in their living room. But something magical happened and the sun showed it's beautiful face all day.

The Ceremony

The couple jumped in the car with us and we headed on over to the Miles Mills Rose Garden where their guests were waiting. I love that their old neighbor was Miles whom told them about how he created the rose garden for his late wife. After checking out the place on their own they immediately felt a connection to have their wedding at the Rose Garden. Something about not having a set plan, and going with the flow just makes my heart happy. We discussed where to place the chairs, how everyone should walk down the aisle, then the show began. One of the sweetest moments of their ceremony included readings from their siblings that were personal love letters that their grandparent's wrote to their significant others. It was so sweet, so intimate, and a tear jerker! The roses were perfectly in bloom and really added a beautiful touch to their ceremony without having to buy anything extra. Haven't you ever heard of the saying less is more?

The Celebration

Before dropping our lovely couple off at dinner in the East Village we utilized our time to capture some fun and intimate photos of just them. WHICH YOU KNOW IS MY FAVORITE PART! I could spend hours with just my couples hopping around town. My favorite stop was Bellhop. A super cute tiki bar that just fit their vibe perfectly. Love that spot and always recommend checking it out.

Advice From The Couple

When COVID-19 hit the US Alex and I had a really hard time deciding how to proceed with our wedding. We knew for sure we wanted to keep our original June 20 wedding date, but did not know what to do about the wedding. We decided to move the reception to next summer and scale back our guests. We ended up having only our Iowa family attend with the exception of Alex's brother and his boyfriend. At first we were bummed that not everyone could be there, but it ended up being perfect. We both felt like it was a blessing being able to have an intimate ceremony with the people we love the most. If we could go back and do it again, knowing what we do now, we would have ended up inviting only family to begin with. It was the most perfect day.

Dress: BHLDN

Hair: Oliver + James

Makeup: Vanity & Glamour

Tux: Hugo Boss

Floral: Boesen

Check out their super sweet and intimate day below! I'll be sure to add their party pictures when we get together for their reception next year!