How did you and your husband meet?

Mitch and I met in college, at Iowa State in the College of Business where we both joined a co-ed business fraternity. We had the same Supply Chain Management major and took positions on the executive board of our pledge class.

How did he pop the question?

Mitch arranged for my family, his family, and all of our friends to hide and surprise me after he proposed - my best friend (and Matron of Honor in our wedding) was in town and asked me to visit the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines to check it out as an option for her upcoming wedding’s rehearsal dinner, but walked me around to the Simon Estes Amphitheater where Mitch was waiting with a rose. Everyone popped out to celebrate with us! I was completely surprised!

what do you two like to do for fun?

We have 3 dogs and love spending time with them, our families, and friends! We love going to local restaurants for dinners and celebrations.

Tell us about your wedding planning experience! What did you love? Was your favorite part of it?

I LOVED everything about it, mainly Karla’s suggestions and having the peace of mind that a professional was keeping everything on track, leading up to and on the day itself. The design concept was the most fun! I was just talking with Mitch about the chiavari chairs making suuuch a difference despite me being so stubborn on budgeting for them the entire time - haha! But looking at the other weddings that have just taken place at our venue, ours stands out for the incredible detail and designer impact that Karla made.

What personal touches did you include into your wedding day?

We involved semi-truck chocolates into our wedding, as favors for the guests. We had just lost Mitch’s grandpa, a month before the wedding, who was the owner of a freight company, so we used the color of his company logo for the twist ties. Another personal moment was when our pastor mentioned our newest dog, a rescue who we relentlessly pursued but her owners never came forward, and we were blessed to have adopted her.

Tell us about the wedding dress! How did you choose it?

My wedding dress was everything I wanted, and actually I’d stumbled upon it when I walked into a bridal shop alone after work one day just to look - tried it on, and loved it! Simplistic and elegant yet whimsical, a cute little bow on the back, and buttons all the way down the train, a solid and non textured material.

Tell us about the decor and floral. How did you decide?

I went with my favorite colors, which are black and white, and Karla convinced me to I corporate a metallic element so we’d went with gold. Gold chargers, silverware, and neutral or clear compotes, with a black napkin on solid white tablecloths and white chiavari chairs. Florals were all white, incorporating the natural greens of stems and greenery. My main goal was to stick to a classic and timeless concept, with nothing at all trendy.

What advice do you have for couples engaged?

Congratulations on finding your life partner, and no matter the size of the wedding, the location, the small details - cherish that this day is about your relationship at the end of the day! Honestly, I used to think I wouldn’t need a planner, as it is an investment for many reasons; towards your peace of mind, or for the design, or for the convenience of not burdening friends and family with setting up and tearing down on the big day and other small tasks.... If I could offer advice, I’d say that it’s such an exciting time in your lives, so enjoy the simplicity that a wedding planner would bring you. You and your partner will have a mental checklist of hundreds of “to do’s” before your big day and knowing that a professional is keeping everything under control is really going to cut down the stress level on the both of you, but also parents and family and bridal party - HJE was a lifesaver. Not to mention, your wedding day will be gorgeous!