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Vanessa & Brandon’s Botanical Garden Wedding

10.18.21

A garden wedding is an affair that never disappoints, and Vanessa & Brandon’s wedding was no exception. Vanessa & Brandon were married on October 10th, 2021, and had an exquisite wedding at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden filled with friends and family from all over the United States.

The Look

The co-best men wore white button-up shirts with suspenders and navy slacks, which complimented the groom who was wearing a navy suit. Vanessa had her bridesmaids wear blush pantsuits instead of the traditional bridesmaids’ dress. We loved this so much because the ladies looked incredible standing next to the beautiful bride. Navy and blush are a classic color scheme that will never go out of style.

The bride looked like a true princess in her ballgown and tiara. Vanessa wore all white gown with a sweetheart neckline and added lots of bling for an elegant look. She shook things up with her shoes and added heeled platform boots, and we think this fits her personality perfectly. Vanessa is sweet and polished on the outside but filled with humor and adventure on the inside.

The Venue: Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a lovely all-inclusive venue. The best part about this venue is you don’t need to do much decorating since there are so many details included in your package. With lots of greenery, flowers, lighting, and multiple patios you really can’t go wrong.

Vanessa and Brandon had their ceremony in the conservatory which is the big dome you see on the outside of the building. They were married in front of a staircase that was wrapped in live greenery creating such a romantic, natural backdrop. The chairs were gold and white that gave a minimalistic look so the bride, groom, and the garden could really shine. The wedding party walked through the garden down the aisle while guests watched from the garden level and the skywalk.

The reception was held in the Dupont room downstairs that had huge windows looking to the outdoor garden. There were about 90 guests in attendance, and they filled the room perfectly. Even with almost 100 guests, there was enough space in the room for a buffet, cake table, photo booth, dance floor, DJ, and a bar set up. The guests did not seem to be crowded at all, and you were able to move throughout the room easily.

The Music, Lighting, & Entertainment

Complete Weddings + Events provided the DJ service and the uplighting. Trey, the DJ, set up in the conservatory for the ceremony and cocktail hour. He played a mixture of Vietnamese and Cuban music to marry the cultures between the families.

The DJ brought the heat during the reception with dance songs bringing the crowd to the dance floor like the cupid shuffle. Then he started playing salsa music after having many requests. It was so fun watching the guests salsa on the dance floor! Vanessa & Brandon’s families know how to party!

Vanessa chose baby pink and goldenrod for her uplighting colors during dinner and toasts. Then we switched to sound mode which changes the color of the lights to the music beat. This really makes you feel like you are dancing in a nightclub!

Complete Weddings + Events also provided the photo booth and the guests had entertainment all night long. The bride chose a sequin rose gold backdrop, and of course, our team brought lots of fun props! A photo booth is always a great way to entertain your guests.

The Food

Trellis catered for the event and provided the bar service which only makes wedding planning more convenient since Trellis is located inside the venue. During cocktail hour Trellis served dumplings with other finger foods like chicken on a skewer and charcuterie.

For dinner, Trellis served chicken and salmon for protein choices for the guests. They also had asparagus, wild rice mixture, bread, and a mozzarella pesto olive salad for sides. The catering team served the guests in a buffet line and had dinner ready right on time.

For dessert, Vanessa & Brandon served gluten-free cupcakes from Scratch, brownies, crème brulee, tiramisu, and a passionfruit pudding. Every dessert was portioned into small serving dishes so the guests could try a few different things. The dessert table was bare at the end of the night, so we think it’s safe to say the guests enjoyed it!

The Flowers & Décor

Vanessa and Brandon decided to go minimal with their floral choices since the Botanical Garden already offers so many colors to enjoy. You found orchids in pots as the centerpieces which were given to the family to take home by the end of the night. This was not only an elegant choice but a practical one. The bouquets and boutonnieres were made by Vanessa’s sister and included roses and hydrangeas.

The décor was kept to a minimum so the details could be found in the garden. The dessert table & gift table had hits of gold to make the pink pop. The linens were all white, and you found cute photos of Vanessa & Brandon throughout the room. They had their guests sign wooden hearts and drop them in a shadow box so they could have this moment forever.

Photography, Videography, & Coordination

Complete Weddings + Events provided photography, videography, and coordination which made the experience easy for the wedding couple and their wedding party. The photographer, Jenni, and the videographer, John, worked seamlessly side by side to get every shot and every detail. The wedding party had indoor and outdoor shots to capture as many memories as they can. Having a day of coordinator always eases the mind of the wedding couple to ensure the smoothness of your event.

Complete Weddings + Events in Des Moines

Hashtags are a fun way to unite all the content from your big day, but needing hashtag help (or any wedding planning help) is normal! Don’t be afraid to reach out to Iowa wedding professionals to help you or connect you to more wedding resources to make sure you’re getting help where it’s needed. Complete Weddings + Events in Des Moines is a text or phone call away (515.266.1355) for advice or to set up a consultation to chat through your event! Contact Complete today!

Author: Amanda VanSickle

Photographer: Jenni Marquez

Complete Weddings + Events, Des Moines’ leading provider of event and wedding photography, videography, lighting, coordination, DJ services & photo booth rental.

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