Tabitha + Kayla’s Wedding Day Pros

PREMIER HEARTLAND WEDDING IDEAS VENDORS:
Caterer: Baratta’s Restaurant
DJ: DJ DAS

Photographer Riley Glenn Photography | Ceremony & Reception Venue Forte Banquet & Conference Center (Event Planning: Nailah Fitzgerald) Floral Bride's bouquet: Hy-Vee Floral, Wedding party bouquets: Tabitha’s mother | Wedding Dress David’s Bridal (Tabitha) | Menswear Men’s Wearhouse and Something Blue | Dessert Hy-Vee | Hair Tabitha’s hair: Amber Schmidt (Family Friend), Kayla’s hair: Crowned Braiding and Protective Styles (Taryn) | Makeup Tabitha’s makeup: Sara Beidler (Tabitha’s best friend), Kayla’s makeup: Kaitlin Coleman (Kayla's sister) Nails Top Nails | Fitness Anytime Fitness | Decor Design InVision Creative Graphic | Officiant Cara Lutes | Hotel Hilton Des Moines Downtown | Ceremony Music Rai Ahmed-Green

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Surprise engagement for the one you love.

One way to surprise someone is to get them to unknowingly plan their own surprise. And that’s precisely what Kayla did to surprise her bride to be Tabitha. It was Memorial Day 2018, and Kayla planned a celebration full of family for the weekend. During the gathering, Kayla asked that the nieces and nephews bring random photos of the couple to Tabitha. After the last picture, Kayla cued their favorite song and brought Tabitha one final photo and proposed. She was utterly shocked, and she was so happy that her family could be a part of it.

The couple always said their love was “crystal clear,” so they used that as inspiration for their day, pulling in all sorts of elements that would embody that, from mirrors, diamonds, and other crystals to bring their vision to life. Family was a big part of their planning as well. Kayla’s mom decorated while Tabitha’s mom made the bridal bouquets. It’s those details that make a wedding uniquely personal.

Finding the wedding pros that get you.

In January, the couple attended the Des Moines Wedding Show, where they found one of our favorite wedding pros, DJ DAS. “He was amazing!” Kayla told us. “He went above and beyond by assisting in our wedding rehearsal and creating a LOVELY voiceover for our first dance.” And the couple adored their pick for photographer, Riley Glenn Photography. “She captured our love in so many ways, working with her could not have been any better.”

Planing in a time when it’s hard to plan.

Once the pandemic hit in March, the couple started to get nervous. “It was frightening to think about,” Tabitha told us. “We held planning a little until June. Thankfully, venues reopened, and we decided to pursue the wedding, not knowing if things would potentially be worse in the future.” Like so many couples, Tabitha and Kayla did not want to postpone something they had wanted for so long. And with social distancing and masks, they were able to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Kayla and Tabitha both agreed that the best thing about the day was seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony arch. They decided they would both walk down the outside aisles and meet in the middle. It also removed the patriarchal tradition of one walking to the other, which was important to them. Kayla told us, “It is YOUR day, and you should do what makes you feel special, even if others may have their own perspectives for the wedding.”