A Place to Say "I Do"

I have very exciting news to share today! Well, exciting for me, you can judge your excitement level. We have found a CEREMONY location! I thought this would be a longer process, because we had something a little more specific in mind than your traditional wedding ceremony. Neither of us are tied to a church and don't want a religious ceremony. I would LOVE to have an outdoor ceremony, but Iowa weather in the summer is so finicky; I don't want the added stress of a 100+ degree day or a 60 degree rainy day. So, we set our search indoors.

I had three ideas in mind for our ceremony.

1) An Iowa barn to compliment our rustic, vintage vibe. But, how does one go about finding a barn big enough and in good enough shape to accommodate 250 wedding guests? I love the venue below the I found on Pinterest, but I just couldn't connect the dots to make it happen in Cedar Falls.

2) An old building with lots of character. How do I find one of these? This wedding was held above the bride's clothing store in a historic downtown building in Springfield, IL. Without inside knowledge or a connection, I was having trouble finding a room like this in Cedar Falls.

3) Somewhere on UNI's campus. Kevin and I met in Cedar Falls and are both very passionate about our alma mater. I love the UNI community and would love to forever associate it with our wedding. We did some looking a few week's back, but didn't fall in love with any one location. Mom and I went to a bridal show in Cedar Falls and talked with the UNI vendors about possible ceremony locations. Then it hit us. The UNI Commons. I know a lot of my readers are students/alumni of UNI, and the Commons is a common (pun intended) place for wedding receptions. I had never considered it for a ceremony. Here are a few pictures I found online, both of ceremonies and receptions. [Note: Don't look at the decorations, look at the room itself! I've got big plans.]

Mom and I went to visit and fell in love. The room is large and open, it has wood floors and big ceilings with very cool detailing. It's vintage, cozy, big enough, beautiful, and on campus. Perfecto! I booked the date yesterday and am happy to announce we will be exchanging "I Do's" at the great University of Northern Iowa!


[Note: The Commons Ballroom is where our *ceremony* will be held. The reception will still be at the Rotary Reserve. I've had some questions] :)