Danielle and Cody's vendors:

Danielle and Cody met on Thanksgiving during Danielle's senior year of high school. Cody had to do a little chasing before Danielle finally gave in, but luckily for her it was the best decision she ever made. From that moment on, they spent every day together until Cody’s National Guard unit was deployed in 2003. Over the course of the next year, they wrote letters back and forth to each other to keep in contact until he returned home.

On the day he proposed, Danielle and Cody had been together for 12 years. Over these twelve years he learned that she can be pretty hard to surprise, so he proposed on the only day he knew she wouldn’t be expecting it — the anniversary of when they started dating!

To begin planning, Danielle spent a lot of time researching local vendors. She asked friends for advice and checked out Wedding Wire and The Knot. For her Gatsby-themed wedding, she handpicked vendors she knew would help carry out her 1920’s inspired theme. Her best friend used Stuart Alexander Productions for décor and loved him, so she knew she would too. The Rollins Mansion was her first choice for a venue, because it was built from 1925-1927 and provided the perfect ambiance. Great Caterers of Iowa, owned by Joni Bell, was the right fit for catering. She understood Danielle’s vision of wanting something different. She created the most delicious Chinese, Italian, and BBQ stations for guests to enjoy. She even set up a tasting for the couple, prior to the wedding, and prepared every single item on the menu. Her wonderful friends helped with videography, hair, makeup, and her sweet friend Amy, who nicknamed herself Danielle’s Personal Assistant, helped in whatever way she could.

After all the research and countless days spent pinning, every detail of Danielle and Cody’s Gatsby-themed wedding came together just as she planned. “Pulling my vision together was my favorite part of the whole process. It was so much fun to bring my dream wedding Pinterest board to life!” The endless hours of looking for the perfect 1920’s guest book, feather flower girl dresses, and pearl collar for her dog turned out just as she had imagined.

Her favorite moments that she will never forget from her wedding were spending time with and remembering the people that she loves. Her mom surprised her with a piece of fabric from her late grandmother’s wedding dress, she shared special moments with Cody and her dad during their first looks, and she had the time of her life “busting a move” with her best friends on the dance floor at the reception.

Danielle and Cody are a match made in heaven and to hear Danielle talk about Cody is just how a bride should feel about her groom. When asked about Cody she responded with, “Cody is one of the most loyal, hardworking men that I have ever met other than my father. To say Cody lives up to the standard my dad set, in my eyes, is a lot. I can’t wait to start this new chapter with him.”