We’re back!
The wedding was simply lovely and was held on a beautifully breezy afternoon in Dubuque, Iowa.
The cathedral where the ceremony was held was absolutely gorgeous!
I love how ornate Catholic churches are.
I always feel like I’ve stepped back in time, and into Europe, when I’m in one!
After the ceremony, the wedding party headed out on a trolley to cruise around town,
while the guests headed to cocktail hour at the Grand River Center.
It’s a fairly new complex and is situated right on the banks of the Mississippi river – which lends some gorgeous views!
It was slightly rainy in the morning, but a bride couldn’t have wished for a more picturesque afternoon. 
The couple’s colors were black and white – very chic.
We arrived right at the beginning of cocktail hour, natch, snagged a table right in the middle of the action,
and had a little fun. 
Cocktails too – I chose Sangria. What a fun idea to include on the menu!
While we sipped, we snacked on mixed nuts at the table,
some finger food,
and awesome hot apps that were being passed out. Gyoza’s? Yes please!
Soon the wedding party arrived and we took our seats to begin the fun.
After a luscious dinner of reisling marinated chicken – it was TIME FOR CAKE!!!
Both bride and groom were well behaved and there was no cake smashing to be had. Has anyone ever seen cake/face smashing at a wedding in person? All I know is, I told Ben that he would have a VERY unhappy bride on his hands if he smashed cake in my face at our wedding. Thankfully, he knew what was good for him, and refrained!
They had four different kinds of cake to choose from, but I had my eye on one in particular.
Strawberry filled white cake, anyone?! Light, sweet and refreshing – top notch.
My husband unhinged his jaw and inhaled his piece. Why wouldn’t he? Seriously, it was on a dare and was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Oh wedding shenanigans!
Oh, I thought this was so cool – they also had chocolate covered fortune cookies!!! How clever/cute!
Mine ripped in half. 
There we go! Good fortune.
The evening was too gorgeous to stay indoors all night, so a bunch of us headed outside to sit by the river and enjoy each other’s company for awhile.
The groom is a friend from high school, so it was fun to catch up with some old classmates that were there too.
Romance was in the air.
Drinks, too!
I paid my duties as beer wench a couple times.
The good times rolled well into the night and concluded with some furious cutting of scotcharoos. Totally normal.
Congrats Katie & Dan!!!!
In slightly obsessed news, I started and finished reading Twilight in the car on the way to and from the wedding, then proceeded to watch the movie on YouTube this afternoon. I am hooked!
It’s so funny to re-watch the movie after reading the book. The first time I saw it, pre-book, I thought it was awesome! Now that I’ve read the book, though, the relationship Edward & Bella had in the movie seems really underdeveloped and so incredibly rushed. Know what I mean?
At any rate, I cannot WAIT to dig into the rest of the books. Wheee – I love book series’!
Ok – time to go wind down for the evening and prep for the upcoming work week. Have a great night!!
LOVE the dress! looks like a fun wedding
Your dress is so cute! I cracked up at those pictures of Ben – that’s sheer talent right there!
I was just in Dubuque two weeks ago. Its so gorgeous especially with the Mississippi River! That cake looks delicious!
Looks like fun! Random question, but in the picture of people sitting outside, is the guy on the right side in the blue shirt named Greg? If so he used to work with my husband. Small world!
you and the bride both have nice dresses…your photos look like it was a good time. cheers.
also-i dont know if this is me being really east coast or me being really dumb-i had no idea what a “scotcheroo” was and i had to look it up, lol. of course now i crave one…
Looks like a fun wedding! And glad you liked the book. I think it has so much more than the movie. So much more depth to all the characters and relationships.
I love the idea of chocolate covered fortune cookies! Looks like it was a gorgeous wedding!
Looks like you had a great time, sometimes weddings can be fun, sometimes not! You looked beautiful in your dress too!
I knew you’d love the books, once you started!
You two are so beautiful! I especially love your dress!
And, yes – the movies have *nothing* on the developing passion and love the books describe… And, I agree – totally rushed!
Im glad you had such a good weekend!
oooh what a fun day!!!!
I actually have seen cake smashed in the face at weddings. But it was totally legit for the couple and you kinda expected it… but she had to be taken to the bathroom & cleaned off afterward.
I, however, told my husband that he shouldn’t do it and the best man said he should, but husband took the sensible approach and listened to his new wife. Ha! 
He’s a good man. 
I grew up in DBQ… That is the Cathedral I will be married in someday, you got be very excited for that.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the river walk. much to be said about the view from the convention center!
The wedding looked lovely – and so did you! Love the dress….it fit perfectly with the theme! Black and white is so classy and timeless.
My husband and I had green cake and since he’s bald I took it upon myself and put it all over his face and bald head! It was fun to do!
My brother and his wife got married at the Cathedral a few years ago and had their reception at the Grand Harbor too! Growing up in Dubuque, I am glad you were able to enjoy our beautiful city!~
oh my god. are scotcharoos an iowa thing? because i had never heard of scotcharoos until my family from iowa introduced me to them. best. thing. ever.
I love the ‘unhinged’ picture! I, too, have been witness to my husband unhinging his jaw at a wedding reception — courtesy of a cake eating contest!!
Looks like it was a fabulous time!
Beautiful wedding! I love the elegant cake:)
That looks like such a lovely evening! Sooo funny about the cake inhaling!!!!
I don’t think I’ll do the cake/face smashing at my wedding. Too cheesy
You will definitely love the Twilight books – better than the movies for sure
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I was in Dubuque on the river walk too that day! There was a Art Market there from 1-6 on Saturday and my boyfriend was selling his art work. What a cool, neat place; I loved the views.
I’m so glad you got to go to Dubuque this weekend. I was the Assistant Wedding Coordinator at the Grand River Center last summer!! It was an amazing job, I got to see a lot of gorgeous weddings and the views can’t be beat. I hope you took advantage of the indoor waterpark at the Grand Harbor hotel next door.
My husband definitely smashed cake all over my face at our wedding! I didn’t really want him to, but I was in too good of a mood not to get mad at him.
How awesome to pull up your page and see pictures of Dubuque! Our business is about a block from the Cathedral so I see it on a daily basis. Glad you had a good time in Dubuque!
Ok, the pictures of Ben? Laugh out loud funny!! Looks like you had a great time!
I’m glad to say I’ve never witnessed any cake-in-the-face weddings. And like you, I told my husband he’d better not even contemplate it – but then we went with ice cream at our wedding instead of cake, so it really didn’t matter in the end.
I’m famous!
I LOVE your dress!! Could you tell me where you got it?
This is crazy but I keep recognizing people in your pics. I went to med school with Dan – he was a year behind me. (I don’t know if you remember but you took a pic of my nephew at the Iowa Cubs game). Small world again!!
i could never hold 4 glasses of beer all at once…nice! your dress is also nice…i could not pull it off yet if i were to wear that…still need to flatten my tummy
Where did you get your dress? I MUST get one for myself!
hahahah i was cracking up at those pictures of ben eating cake. that is SO something my boyfriend would do. looks like a blast – i LOVE weddings! and you are beautiful
Gorgeous wedding! I love your dress too… where is it from?
looks like a great wedding!
totally agree in Twilight. I read the books before the movies and the books really are so much better!
Love, love, love weddings. Aren’t they the best? Glad you two had a great time – it looked like it was marvelous.
I just have to say I love all of the picture that you have in your posts. I always think I should comment on how cute they all are. Even something as simple as breakfast! After seeing the pictures from the wedding you attended, I couldn’t put off commenting any longer! They are great!! And I’m curious, what is the camera that you have?
You were in my home town
. It is very pretty on the riverwalk down by the Mississippi, glad you had fun!
So glad you’re reading the Twilight series. I knew you’d love them! The books are always better than the movies.
I would have picked the strawberry-filled white cake, too!
You look darling in your dress… and so tan =]
What a great looking wedding! I was just like you with the whole cake smashing thing…I told him hubby I spent too much money on my dress and getting my makeup done, for him to be ruining it. Good times.
Love your pictures! You have a great eye.
Reminded me of a visit to Dubuque a few years ago. I have pictures of the exact same view from the river walk.
You and Ben make an adorable couple!
Oh, I didn’t know your wedding was here! Isn’t the cathedral gorgeous? My niece is getting married at the Grand River Center in September and I see there are some great ideas from your pictures.
[...] At least this spectacle was conducted in the privacy of our own home. Unlike cupcake gate… [...]