I couldn't wait for Tom and Amanda's wedding day. But I had to.
They approached me almost two years prior to their wedding day, but after some soul searching and a few changes in plans, they ended up pushing things back in an attempt to ensure that their wedding day would be something that felt aligned with their needs--laid back, fun, and focused on time with close friends and family. Amanda and I developed a bit of an email pen-pal relationship, updating each other when the spring ephemerals were in bloom, or when they went to the courthouse for Part 1 of their wedding extravaganza (and Amanda wore the CUTEST polka-dot dress). I slowly developed a friend crush on the two of them.
Amanda and Tom are two of the smartest people I have ever met. They met at Cornell College in....I'm going to be honest, some really smart person math class that I literally could not tell you what it was because I took three choirs in high school, all so I could avoid taking PE. But both Tom and Amanda are incredibly kind, funny, and humble people. Amanda a warmth about her that makes everyone feel safe and seen, and her passion and knowledge for native plants is enviable. Tom is wildly charismatic and probably one of the best speech givers I've ever encountered--all on top of being a natural romantic. (The way he looked at Amanda throughout the day even made ME feel like we were in a romance novel.) And both of them are my exact flavor of nerdy. It was one of the reasons I think we were drawn to each other in the first place. Amanda walked down the aisle to the theme from How To Train Your Dragon, Tom's favorite movie. The flowers of Amanda's bouquet were native flowers that reminded her of her family's garden. Their reception was littered with their favorite boardgames and card games. They even had stickers of their adorable pooch Wally to make sure he was part of the day. The charming way they incorporated pieces of themselves into their wedding day had me wiggling with glee every time I noticed another little detail that quietly said "Amanda and Tom."
They got married at First United Methodist Church, a gorgeous, liberally-minded church on the edge of downtown Des Moines. Amanda and Tom said "I do" under a stained glass dome in front of a small group of friends and family. After we headed to Raccoon River park for a casual reception at their nature lodge, enjoying lots of popcorn treats, friendly boardgame challenges, and debates about what Molly's cupcake is the best. (*ahem Creme Brulé cough*)
I had a really, really rough time sending them their gallery because they are the kind of couple that just sticks to your heart. I want everyone I work with to be happy with their photos, but there was something about the two of them that I desperately wanted to be sure I captured. And after some thought, I think it's just the genuine nature of their relationship. With each other, with their families, with their friends. There is nothing try-hard about either one of them, and their presence is just so...easy. I wasn't sure I would be able to capture that easy kind of love that they both have. But of course, by simply being them you can sense it even in the smallest of moments.
