Rainy and Intimate Garden Party Wedding at Salisbury House

WeddingsDes Moines

Oct 27

Lara and Jay’s rainy late-summer wedding at Salisbury House & Gardens was inspired by their love of nature, fantasy, and one another.

These two met through their overlapping social circles over a decade ago in Ames, and immediately hit it off as friends. A few years later, they found their way to a light and easy love, and agreed in 2020 that they should try for a baby. They found out they were getting twins instead, and when Lara was five months pregnant, Jay surprised her by proposing in the middle of their maternity session with Lara’s photographer friend. One moment Lara turned around, and there was Jay holding a ring. Now, their days revolve around making up nightly stories for their toddlers and saying goodnight to the moon, bunnies, and squirrels.

Speaking of stories, anyone who’s read The Hobbit will know that hobbits treasure the everyday pleasures of a quiet life: good company, harmony with nature, and joy in the simple things. Lara and Jay share those values, so as a fun nod to the hobbits, they chose September 22—the famous birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins—as their wedding date. Salisbury House & Gardens, a historic Tudor-style mansion, was a natural fit for their venue. Nestled deep in the woods in the heart of Des Moines, the lush greenery of the formal gardens provided the perfect outdoor space for their intimate celebration. A light, drizzly rain fell throughout the day, and water droplets sat heavy on the petals and leaves of the fully bloomed peonies. The misty air created a hazy scene that felt like stepping into a fairy tale set in an enchanted English garden.

Before the ceremony, Lara and Jay shared a private first look in the mansion’s north entrance alcove. Jay wore a dark gray suit with a burgundy vest and tie from Langel and Woods Clothiers, and Lara wore a Melissa Sweet Bridal gown from David’s Bridal with a sheer floral overlay and a white shrug around her shoulders to stay warm in the cool, misty weather. Her hair was braided into a Dutch crown with little white flowers tucked into the braids, and she wore Victorian-style lace-up boots that were perfect for the rainy garden setting—we made sure we got some photos featuring the boots because they were SO COOL and unique. After a quiet moment with just the two of them, Lara and Jay had a second first look with their twins on the south side of the mansion. The kids were so excited to see their parents all dressed up, and each of them wore burgundy outfits to match Jay’s and carried their own tiny bouquet to match Lara’s.

Their family and closest friends gathered at the south end of the gardens by the Pompeiian pillars for the ceremony. The kids walked down the aisle hand in hand with Jay while Lara and her dad followed. An old friend of Jay’s played cello during the ceremony, and his music fit the elegant garden setting beautifully. I was able to connect Lara and Jay with their officiant, Carrie England, who I’ve worked with many times before. Carrie creates personalized, thoughtful ceremonies, and her presence brings so much warmth and intention to a wedding day. I highly, highly recommend working with her for your day too.

After the ceremony, everyone gathered on the patio and raised their glasses for a champagne toast, where Lara and Jay’s son helped his grandma finish her champagne “faster!” by tipping her flute all the way up. Everyone had a big laugh at that. It was a sweet and celebratory way to end (my time at) this beautiful and simple celebration of love, in one of my personal favorite wedding venues in Des Moines. If you’re a nature lover like Lara and Jay, you’ll want to consider the Salisbury House for sure.

Lara and Jay initially found me through Google and said they were drawn to my warm and intimate style. After receiving their gallery, Lara wrote me the kindest note about how happy they were with their photos:

“These are SO AMAZING!!!!! You captured us so well, I couldn’t have imagined anything better. Thanks so much for being a part of our day. It was perfect. ❤️🥂”

— Lara