Picking the place to have your wedding is a big decision for many of us living in a first-world country. I'm trying not to make it a bigger deal than it is, but I still want a beautiful location. To do that, I did a bit of research on venues around Des Moines. Of the three dozen or so options, I narrowed it down to 6 to visit.
After looking and considering all of the amenities, drawbacks and prices of each venue, we kept two on the list: Holiday Inn Downtown and Jester Park Lodge in Granger.
I've been to the Temple of Performing Arts in Des Moines before for a wedding, just last month. However, that wedding ceremony was in church. This Saturday I attended a ceremony at the Temple in the Recital Hall. It was beautiful. Stained glass windows adorned the one side while wonderful arches added drama and grace to the ceiling. It was a great space for a wedding of around 250. Any more than that and it will be too small.
The Temple did not make our list of venues because while beautiful it wasn't the feel or look Lucas was going for. To no surprise, Lucas does want to be part of the wedding planning. i warned him he better not because a groomzilla.
Some women hate swimsuit shopping; I happen to love it. Not that my body is super amazing, but I love dreaming of relaxing in the sunshine someplace warm near the water without a care in the world. So when I heard a radio commercial for Action Accents' yearly summer sidewalk sale, I jumped.
The store is located in the Shops at Roosevelt on 42nd Street just north of I-235. Just blocks from my house, I had never been. I try to support small businesses when I can afford it, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity. The selection was insane! I browsed the racks for 30 minutes before narrowing it down to 6 swimsuits. The staff was friendly, and the store was clean. Plus, my suit was half off.