Allan is from Costa Rica & needed to secure his visa before they could move forward with anything wedding-related. For a few weeks he & Kate waited with bated breath to see if he would get approved. The day they told us “WE GOT IT!!!”  our neighbors could probably hear us jumping up and down, yelling with excitement. Our joy for Kate & Allan is genuine – when he saw her for the first time on their wedding day, he wasn’t the only one with tears in his eyes. 

In the second week of January we flew to Des Moines to meet two “strangers” who already felt like close friends. Little did we know we were about to be adopted into their family – family that came from all over the world (truly: New York, Costa Rica, London, California, Myanmar &, of course, Iowa) to support two people they held in high esteem who were about to commit their lives to one another. On Thursday night we met everyone at a charming Airbnb for pre-wedding festivities. Snacks and stories were shared – we kept pinching ourselves thinking, “Who are we to be invited into this group? Into such a personal part of Kate & Allan’s life?” 

Friday came with a crisp chill in the air and moody fog that settled over the city and we met again at the same house for coffee and brunch. When we walked in the door, Kate and her college girlfriends were exchanging Secret Santa gifts – something they do every year over Google hangout, no matter the distance that separates them. If there’s anything we learned from these people, it’s that friendship is both an action and a privilege. After some homemade scones and lots of giddy emotions, Kate and Allan parted ways for a few hours – him for a glass of scotch and a beard trim, her for some curlers and makeup.

Being invited into their story was a sacred experience – we hope you can feel that in these images. From the dried lavender bouquet Kate picked herself (fitting, seeing she’s a florist and botanical expert) to the sparklers Allan surprised her with at the end, this was one of the most intentional wedding days we’ve had the honor of capturing.