Lots of people think that the Midwest is majorly lacking when it comes to stunning locations for an epic elopement. And while it’s true that we don’t have mountain views or an ocean at our disposal, we have our own hidden pockets of beauty if you’re know where to look and are willing to get creative. So if you’re dreaming of an alternative midwest wedding, let Julia and Jamie’s winter botanical garden elopement serve as inspiration.

Botanical Garden Elopement

I’ll just say it – winter in the midwest is an absolute shit show. It’s either -40 degrees Fahrenheit with winds that cut to the bone or a balmy 50 degrees and sunny. Both options make it nearly impossible to appropriately plan for a midwest winter wedding. But for Julia and Jamie, who wanted a Leap Day wedding, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden was the perfect location for their winter elopement.

The Botanical Garden has a lot of options for couples looking to get married there. They offer indoor and outdoor options for all weather events, and packages from intimate elopements to full celebrations. Julia and Jamie chose the Ceremony Only Wedding package, which includes a 15 minute ceremony and 45 minutes of photography inside the garden. This amount of time was perfect for us – we got to spend some time among the plants in the garden and greenhouse before heading outdoor for more portraits.

Downtown Des Moines

It was gorgeously warm that day, in true unpredictable midwest weather fashion. We took advantage of the sun and took some portraits at the capital.

Here’s what the couple had to say about their experience:

“Neither myself nor my partner are very comfortable or confident in front of cameras, but (Janet is) so relaxed and it helped us have fun and enjoy ourselves. It mostly just felt like we were hanging out with a friend! Janet is a wonderful photographer. She keeps everything light and fun and she is willing to work with you to make your day special. She goes above and beyond beforehand to make sure that everything is in line and that really does make a difference as to how smoothly our shoot went. We loved working with her!”

To book your alternative elopement, reach out here!

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