A Des Moines Family Wedding - Geena & Holden
One of the biggest burdens for a bride leading up to her wedding day is knowing how the day will actually go. There are so many decisions made to prepare for the wedding. What flowers do I get? Where should we have our wedding? What music to we incorporate? And of course, how will everything come together? It’s hard to believe that this wouldn't cause stress or anxiety.
When I think back on this wedding I’m jaw-dropped by how Geena and Holden’s biggest burden was its greatest success. Geena and Holden met back in college and have chased each other across the globe for several years leading up to their wedding. Along the way they’ve met so many people who’ve now become the best of friends. Geena’s from Texas, and Holden’s from South Dakota. A barn in Winterset, Iowa is where everyone came together, where families and friends met for the first time. It was something the both of them were anxious about, but when the wedding day came, it was one of the most beautiful displays community.
I’ve seen weddings where Family becomes a point of controversy. Whether it’s the bride’s Family versus the grooms, or mom’s versus dad’s, it’s always something that can bring a weight on the bride and groom. I remember thinking of my own wedding and thinking of what it will look like for 2 sets of divorced parents to all be in the same room... I see the grounds for anxiety and nervousness. And maybe it’s the extended family or Family friends, but whenever you have a celebration with 200 people who all know the bride and groom and not each other, it leads a path for worry.
This is where Geena’s and Holden’s wedding came to life. Everyone came together, friends and family, a few days before the wedding and pitched in to set it all up. Coworkers were the ones creating the bouquets and arrangements, as well as providing the venue, friends were the ones setting up the decor and bartending, and Family came in to help put together one of the most beautiful weddings. It was so incredible to see a community that perfectly reflected the new unity of the bride and groom.
