Marry your best friend.
After Kacy and Jason's engagement session, I knew that their wedding was going to be one that sat with me for a while. Not because of flashy details or extravagant plans, but because talking with them I knew that no matter what they decided to do, it would be deeply rooted in what felt comfortable and joyous to them. They had informed me that they had chosen the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens as their venue not just because of its natural beauty, but because of the meaning behind it: Jason had bought Kacy an annual membership years ago for Christmas as a way to keep her warm and give her something to do during the winter. Over the years it had become a special place for the couple to spend quality time together, enjoy local events, and build memories.
And speaking of building memories, what better way to lock in a core memory than scaring the ever-living sh*t out of someone? Kacy walking out to the first look spot with a Jason mask to prank her Jason, something they have been doing to one another at home since they first moved in together. "My mom is going to HATE this," Kacy giggled, bobbing up and down in anticipation.
Most of the day was spent with that same energy bubbly energy as Kacy, Jason, and I just walked around, chit chatted and wrangled nieces/nephews. Nothing particularly out of the normal, but that was kind of the point: true love is being able to enjoy the company of people around you without having to go above and beyond. Of course I gushed over Kacy's flower-embroidered green wedding dress and their personalized big-head posters of their cat, Neil Smith, all while giggling wildly at goofy, made-up bits and new inside jokes. But otherwise the majority of the day was Kacy and Jason just spending quality time together amongst the ceremony and time with family.
I love elopements and micro-weddings that make you feel part of the fold. As a photographer sometimes it's easy to feel like you're on the outside of everything, the newbie among a close-knit circle. The saying goes, "Marry your best friend," and Kacy and Jason did just that. But they also have a way of making you feel like you're part of this super special friend group created just for you when you're in their presence. It was an honor to be able to not only document them, but befriend them throughout this experience together. And to leave at the end of the night with a donut from ChaCha's Highland Bakery? Fuhgeddaboudit.
