an artist's fairytale wedding day | vibrant, earthy, and sentimental | Elkader to Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Jenna + Gabe
07.05.24

Jenna and Gabe became Mr. and Mrs. Varney on Friday, July 5th, 2024. They met when they were just kids, childhood family friends who never imagined they’d grow up, reconnect and fall in love, but that is exactly what happened! Both families were overjoyed by the union, along with numerous close family and friends who showered them with love and support on their wedding day.

The day was the perfect mix of small-town comfort, with an intimate first look on the bride’s family land, a traditional ceremony in the historic St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Elkader, followed by a drive to the city of Cedar Rapids, where the couple celebrated in chic style at the DoubleTree ballroom. Even though the bride and groom reside in the city, they chose to come back to their roots for their wedding, and everyone involved had a special connection with the couple through art and life in small-town Iowa. The groom and groomsmen stayed at The Jude in Elkader and enjoyed being able to walk for coffee in the morning and having such a cool place to prep for the day, too. The bride’s stunning dress was from Holly’s Bridal Boutique, and would you believe I even caught an image of Holly fluffing her train as she approached the aisle! The flowers were locally grown and arranged by flower farmer and retreat host Jamie Wingert, who I also happened to catch a glimpse of in attendance! Jenna’s dear friend Celia provided her videography, and I felt so honored that Jenna and Gabe entrusted me to document their day as their wedding photographer. The couple stopped at the Black Sheep, a favorite spot of theirs, and it was super elegant and classy with the coolest lighting. Then the newlyweds dined and danced the night away at the DoubleTree and it was absolute perfection!

There were so many sweet moments throughout the day, but I feel like my personal favorite was the first look, down the wooded path that led to vintage wicker chairs and a matching chandelier that was placed in the tree canopy. The bride’s father and brother even helped make a special arch for the groom to walk through to meet his bride. The entire first look was so sweet, calm, and sentimental … a true reflection of the bride and groom. I am so glad they took that special time.

Every wedding I strive to have at least a few “hero” images, images that I can see being a full spread in an heirloom album. The gorgeous colorful wedding party, all of the special stops we made throughout the day, getting ready at the Jude, the Bride’s family home’s floor to ceiling windows, the woodsy first look, the most beautiful historic stone church, the classy social club pit stop, the chic city reception… I feel like every single image from this wedding day is a hero image! But enough chit-chat… enjoy some of my favorite images from Jenna + Gabe’s vibrant, perfectly-them, multi-city wedding day:

Jenna + Gabe, thank you again for trusting me with your most amazing day! When couples read this blog post, I hope it encourages them to plan their wedding just the way they want, to incorporate all of their sentimental moments, and to take time for themselves to just enjoy and breathe in the joy on their wedding day like you two did!

Happy Honeymooning, friends!

Jillian

I highly recommend all of these vendors and venues!

The Photography - Jillian Herrmann | JWebbArt.com
The Videography - Celia
The Dress - Hollys Bridal Boutique
The Florals - Jamie Wingert
The Ceremony - St Joes Catholic Church
The Pit Stop - The Black Sheep
The Catering & Reception Venue - The DoubleTree Cedar Rapids
The Entertainment - DJ- Atlas Entertainment
The Cake - Classic Cakes

and a special thank you to my dear friend, Annie Palas, for assisting me throughout the day!