Hello, newly engaged friends (or just college girls dreaming about wedding planning -cuz it sounds better than studying for finals)!

There are an overwhelming amount of wedding venues in the Des Moines area. As a wedding photographer in Des Moines, I not only love photographing at a variety of them... but I also want to help my current and future brides in their wedding planning! Wedding planning tends to be stressful. If I can help out my couples with a simple blog post, you bet I'm going to do that! I've already heard from multiple brides that my blog post on my favorite wedding florists helped them. As a professional photographer, I’m a resource— because I’ve shot and attended over 75 weddings in my career!

Just this past week, news got out that NOAH’S Event Venue went bankrupt and it seems word on the street is that they handled it poorly, to boot. I’ve worked on this blog post for a while + now seemed the perfect time to roll it out. After all, so many brides are on the hunt for new venues in the West Des Moines locale… and I have an abundance of ideas!!

Continue reading to see some of my favorite venues for weddings. And email me on the contact form with any questions about them, or to inquire about my 2020 or 2021 availability!

// ALSO!!! // For any couples who had booked the NOAH’S event venue in West Des Moines, I’m offering $300 off wedding photography for 2020 weddings. It breaks my heart that a business would shut down with such a lack of integrity. If you or anyone you know is on the hunt for a new photographer, as your venue and wedding date had to change, I’ll gladly work with anyone I’m able to!

Local Parks!!! Olivia + Phil’s wedding in an Omaha park was stunning and one of my favorite wedding days of my entire career. Des Moines offers some wonderful parks in Central Iowa to be enjoyed + used. Check out Jester Park Lodge for a stunning wedding space (you might feel a bit like a Disney princess!) or Walnut Woods State Park! (Also, nearby is Raccoon River Nature Lodge— similar feel for your day, if Walnut Woods is booked!) Bonus: You’ll likely save big bucks by having a park wedding, so you can put that towards investing into photo/video, or if that’s already covered, put it towards your honeymoon or marriage!

Clover Barn in Bondurant remains one of my hands-down favorite venues in the area. Not only is it all-inclusive (with a bridal room, bar, restrooms) but there are lots of gorgeous spots outside for photos! I’ve STILL never photographed there so if you book this venue + me, I’m love you FOREVER.

Another venue that I love is Sunset Ridge Barn in Prole! Savannah + Nathan married there a few summers back, and it was spacious and gorgeous. You’ll have a great view of the sunset over the pond, and feel like you wont’ disturb anyone— because you won’t! You’re surrounded by cornfields and baby deer and magical light.

Country Lane Lodge sits just outside of Des Moines in Adel, Iowa. It’s a huge space with gorgeous pine wood walls and space for all the dance moves your guests can muster. A full bar, kitchen, bridal room, and even heated floors for those winter weddings will keep you and all your family members happy all weekend!

Rollins Mansion has long sat on my list of preferred venues—yet I’ve only 2nd shot weddings there! It’s a stunning historic building, with all the charm of Downton Abbey and the modern plumbing of today. Ha! You can find their website here. It’s a great venue for an outdoor wedding, and you can drink mojitos and watch the sunset paint colors on the clouds while the birds sing during cocktail hour.

Check out Barnes Place for a super unique wedding venue! With a barn, enormous fireplace, and abundance of lush green trees + bushes, you’ll want for nothing. This venue hosts both outdoor and indoor ceremonies, so you can plan for whichever you prefer! (I always recommend outdoor —and Barnes Place has FOUR OUTDOOR LOCATIONS!—because celebrating life is just so much prettier in nature!)

Emerald Hills (below) is a STUNNING event venue just south of Des Moines. They’re also offering to work with couples who are displaced after the NOAH’S event center fiasco. Give them a call or email today! I would love to photograph there, and am offering a deal for any couple who books Emerald Hills and me for 2020 due to being dropped by Noah’s.

I hope that’s helpful! I could go on for days about wedding venues, but I’ll stop here for now.
Warm wishes to all!
Amelia