Nicole & Rayden | Wedding | Iowa City, IA

Nicole and Rayden’s spring wedding was SO lovely! After a week full of rain, we got to enjoy some beautiful weather on their wedding day. Some of our favorite things: Nicole’s gorgeous gown, a scrumptious spread of cupcakes, some very touching (and hilarious) reception toasts, and cat napkins! Keep scrolling to see all the highlights!

Pretty little details. ❤️ We absolutely love the custom carved ring box. The bracelet Nicole wore was her “something borrowed,” from her mother.

THE DRESS!

After getting ready, Rayden and the guys spent some of their morning playing games together.

These matching floral robes were so pretty!

Nicole’s mom putting the bracelet on her wrist was a special moment.

The couple chose to do a first look before their wedding. We love first looks — there’s so much emotion packed into one intimate moment. The way Rayden’s face lit up when he turned and saw Nicole…*LOVE*

So happy. Almost time to tie the knot!

The wedding ceremony took place at Newman Catholic Student Center in downtown Iowa City.

Rayden’s nieces and nephew started things off as the flower girls and ring bearer, aka ring security.

We loved that the bride and groom were escorted down the aisle by all of their parents.

The ceremony included some meaningful scripture readings and music.

It’s official…they’re MARRIED!

We got to spend some of this sunny afternoon in downtown Iowa City around the Old Capitol Building and the Iowa Memorial Union.

This was such a fun group!

Next, we headed over to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Coralville. While their guests enjoyed the cocktail hour, we took some portraits of the bride and groom outside.

Here’s what Nicole had to say when we asked what she admires most about Rayden: “I’ve always admired how open he is with me, and how driven he is to be his best self. He’s very hard working, not just at work, and I love how he makes things happen, even when it’s tough.”

Here’s what Rayden had to say when we asked him what he admires most about Nicole: “How intelligent she is, not just in school but her ability to pick up on things around her. How supportive she is, I’ve never had to wonder if she would be there for me regardless of whatever challenges there are. Her ability to accept people as they are and make the best of every situation.”

That smile on Nicole’s face says it all. So. In. Love.

When asked what he couldn’t live without (aside from Nicole!), Rayden said “my mini library of books.” So naturally we thought it was appropriate to take a few portraits of these book lovers in the library.

Inside the Hyatt Regency, the reception space was full of lovely, thoughtful decor. Their color scheme, royal blue with peach accents, was so striking.

These custom beverage napkins featured a message from Nicole and Rayden’s beloved cat, Roo. So cute!

In addition to a wide variety of tasty cupcakes, Nicole and Rayden had colorful m&ms and jelly beans for guests to take home.

The couple had a mini personal cake set up for their cake cutting ceremony. Check out that adorable cake topper!

After portraits but before the reception, Nicole and Rayden joined their wedding party at Backpocket Brewery for a drink. This is a great local spot that’s within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency.

What’s a grand entrance without a dramatic dip+kiss?!

After dinner and the cake cutting, toasts were given by Nicole’s siblings, one of her bridesmaids, and the fathers.

At the beginning of Nicole’s dad’s toast, he asked everyone to turn and give their neighbor a quick shoulder rub to loosen things up.

Cheers!

The happy couple danced to a beautiful instrumental song, “Given” by Helen Long.

This crowd had a lot of fun on the dance floor!

Nicole and Rayden, congratulations! Your wedding day was just perfect and we were so delighted to be part of it. Thanks for choosing CTW Photography and we hope you enjoy these highlights!

Vendors:
Photographer: CTW Photography
Caterer: Hyatt Regency Hotel
Baker: Sweet Tooth by Kim/Molly’s Cupcakes
Dress: Embody Bridal
DJ: Schulte Sounds
Salon: Flip Salon and Spa