Jordan’s vision for her October wedding day was fairly simple – she wanted a neutral color palette with shades of grey, white, ivory, a little bit of navy; black and silver metal decor and white flowers with greenery. Lucky for her, she didn’t have to lift a finger when it came to decor – Jordan’s grandmother, Honey, works at a home decor store and decorates for weddings and other events, and she and her friend who is a florist took care of all the decorating for the wedding. She would give Jordan hints and glimpses of what she was going to do, but ultimately it was all a surprise, and it was above and beyond what Jordan and Blake could have imagined!
Jordan’s stunning A-Line dress was not originally what she’d envisioned wearing down the aisle. She and her best friend and maid of honor, Sadie, had both gotten engaged within a month of each other, and they went dress shopping together, along with their mothers, and did not intend on walking out with anything that day. Jordan went in thinking she wanted a mermaid/trumpet style dress, but after trying on a few different dresses, her vision completely changed. At the second store they visited, Jordan came out of her dressing room and Sadie came out of her dressing room, and they both instantly knew they’d each found their dress! It was a special moment shared with some of Jordan’s favorite people.
It was important for Jordan and Blake and their families that they have a full catholic mass for their wedding. Although it was a traditional ceremony, there were some special touches throughout the mass, specifically honoring Jordan’s late step-father, Kyle, who she’d just lost in a farming accident a few months prior. The priest recognized him, talking about how his spirit was with them, will continue to be with them and will guide them, and those words meant the world to Jordan. She also had her mother walk her down the aisle, which was a very special moment for Jordan.
One piece of advice Jordan has for future brides is “to splurge a little on your photographer and videographer if you can. I go back and look at those photos ALL the time and our video brings me to tears every single time. I will treasure these for all the days to come. Those vendors are both services that require the right person to capture all those special moments that happen throughout that day.”
When asked what her favorite moment of the day was, Jordan said, “while the whole day was amazing and beyond our dreams, one of my favorite moments was at the reception right after being announced and seated at the head table was looking out and seeing all our loved ones there to help us celebrate. The entire day goes so quick and in that moment I was sitting down and paused for a quick minute just to scan the room. It is so fascinating to see all that love and support in one room. My heart was full.”
You can see Jordan and Blake’s downtown Iowa City engagement session here!
Photographer – Stephanie Marie Photography
Dress – The French Door Bridal Boutique
Shoes – David’s Bridal
Tux/Suits – Men’s Wearhouse
Flowers – Trisha Wempe Designs, Spencer, IA
Venues – St Mary’s Catholic Church, Solon, IA; Eastbank Venue & Lounge, Cedar Rapids, IA
Catering – Lidderdale Country Store Catering, Lidderdale, IA
Cake – Iced Bakery/Designer Cakes by Sara Bates, Marion, IA
Cupcakes – Scratch Cupcakery, Coralville, IA
Music /DJ – Jeff Henrich from Stick n Rich DJ Service
Videography – Kevin Thayer Films
Hair – Moods Salon and Spa, Cedar Rapids, IA
Makeup – Lindsey Faber
Rings – Jared The Galleria of Jewelry, Cedar Rapids, IA
Bridesmaids dresses – Adrianna Papell
Groomsmen apparel – Men’s Wearhouse
Rentals – Candles/decor: Hen House
Wedding day Hashtag – #HappilyHaluska
