There is something so special about a wedding that feels timeless, romantic, and effortlessly sophisticated, and Ellen and Andy’s wedding at The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was exactly that. From their classic wedding-day attire to the warm, candlelit reception that followed, every part of their celebration felt intentional and elegant while still allowing their personalities to shine through.

Ellen looked absolutely stunning in a classic white ball gown paired with a long, flowing veil and pearl details, while Andy complemented her perfectly in a timeless navy suit. Their bridal party brought in a rich pop of color with deep burgundy velvet bridesmaid dresses, navy suits, and crisp white florals. Against the historic architecture and industrial surroundings of downtown Cedar Rapids, their wedding style felt sophisticated with just the right amount of drama.

Their reception at The Harmac wedding venue took that romantic atmosphere to another level. As evening settled in, the space was transformed with an abundance of glowing candles, white roses, sleek black details, and warm ambient lighting. The combination of the venue’s industrial architecture and their elevated, candlelit design created such an intimate atmosphere for dinner and dancing. The dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows made the candlelight even more beautiful after dark, giving the entire reception a warm glow.

One of the reasons we love an industrial wedding venue in Iowa like The Harmac is the versatility it gives couples when designing their day. Ellen and Andy leaned into the character of the space rather than competing with it, pairing modern, minimal details with romantic florals and candlelight. The end result was a modern romantic Cedar Rapids wedding that felt elegant, intimate, and completely timeless.

We can’t wait to share more from Ellen and Andy’s beautiful The Harmac wedding in Cedar Rapids, including their bridal party, wedding-day details, reception design, and all of the moments that made their celebration uniquely theirs.

bride and groom at rooftop on harmac wedding venue in iowa — Photo By: Grace T. Photography

As Iowa wedding planners, we have the opportunity to work at so many beautiful venues throughout the state, and The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is always one we love returning to. Its combination of historic character, industrial details, and modern design creates a setting that feels completely different from a traditional ballroom. For couples searching for a unique Cedar Rapids wedding venue, The Harmac offers a gorgeous blank canvas that can be transformed to fit so many different wedding styles.

One of our favorite things about planning a wedding at The Harmac is the atmosphere of the space itself. The exposed brick, large industrial-style windows, high ceilings, and architectural details give the venue plenty of personality before any décor is brought in. During the day, the windows allow natural light to fill the room, while after sunset, the entire space takes on a completely different feel. Candlelight and warm reception lighting look especially beautiful against the darker industrial elements, creating an intimate and romantic atmosphere for dinner and dancing.

From a wedding design perspective, The Harmac is also incredibly versatile. Couples can embrace the venue's industrial style or soften it with romantic florals, greenery, draping, and plenty of candles. For Ellen and Andy’s wedding, their abundance of candlelight, white florals, and sleek black details complemented the space beautifully. It’s the kind of Iowa wedding venue where a minimalist design can look just as stunning as an elaborate installation because the room already provides such an incredible backdrop.

We also love the variety of photo opportunities available throughout the property and surrounding downtown Cedar Rapids area. Between the industrial architecture, dramatic windows, rooftop views, and nearby historic buildings, couples and photographers have plenty of options without needing to travel far. It makes it easy to incorporate several different looks into a wedding gallery while keeping the timeline running smoothly.

For couples dreaming of a celebration that feels modern, romantic, and a little outside of the traditional wedding venue aesthetic, The Harmac is one of our favorite wedding venues in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. From a planning and design standpoint, we love having the freedom to transform the space for each couple while still allowing the character of the venue to shine through. Ellen and Andy’s elegant, candlelit celebration was the perfect example of just how beautiful a The Harmac Cedar Rapids wedding can be.

bride looking out the window — A Timeless Bridal Look from Embody Bridal

Ellen’s bridal look was the perfect combination of timeless elegance and modern simplicity. Her wedding dress from Embody Bridal featured a clean, structured silhouette with a classic V-neckline and beautifully tailored bodice. With its smooth fabric and minimal embellishment, the gown allowed the shape and construction of the dress to take center stage. It was an effortlessly sophisticated choice that felt right at home against the industrial architecture of The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
One of our favorite details was the back of Ellen’s gown. The open V-back added just the right amount of drama while still keeping the overall look refined and classic. Paired with her pearl necklace and understated white rose bouquet, every detail worked together beautifully. The simplicity of the gown also created such a gorgeous contrast against the rich burgundy velvet bridesmaid dresses and dark suits worn by the wedding party.
Of course, we can’t talk about Ellen’s bridal style without mentioning her veil from Embody Bridal. The long, sheer veil added movement and romance to her otherwise sleek wedding-day look. It photographed beautifully, especially during portraits when the layers of tulle caught the breeze and created those dreamy, editorial-style images every bride hopes for.
We love when a bride chooses a gown that feels completely true to her personal style, and Ellen’s Embody Bridal wedding dress and veil were such a beautiful example. From the classic silhouette to the dramatic veil, her look was elegant without feeling overdone and perfectly complemented the sophisticated feel of their Cedar Rapids wedding at The Harmac. For Iowa brides searching for wedding dress inspiration, bridal veil ideas, or an elegant Iowa wedding, Ellen’s timeless bridal style is definitely one to save!

bridal party photos — A Classic Burgundy and Black Wedding Party

Ellen and Andy’s bridal party brought such a timeless, sophisticated look to their wedding at The Harmac. The bridesmaids wore rich burgundy dresses, creating a gorgeous pop of color alongside Ellen’s classic white wedding gown. Burgundy is always one of our favorite choices for a fall wedding color palette because it adds warmth and depth while still feeling elegant and elevated.
The bridesmaids’ dresses also featured slightly different necklines and silhouettes, allowing each bridesmaid to have a look that felt flattering and individual while still keeping the wedding party cohesive. Paired with simple white rose bouquets, the deep burgundy dresses really stood out without competing with the rest of Ellen and Andy’s wedding design.
For the other side of the wedding party, the groomsmen wore classic black suits with burgundy ties that tied their looks back into the bridesmaids’ dresses. The black and burgundy combination felt polished and formal while complementing the industrial atmosphere of The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Andy stood out from his groomsmen while still coordinating beautifully with the overall color palette, making the entire wedding party look intentional in photos.
We especially loved how this color combination photographed against the architecture surrounding The Harmac. The deep burgundy, crisp black, and bright white created such a beautiful contrast and gave their portraits a timeless feel. For couples searching for burgundy wedding inspiration, fall wedding party colors, or Cedar Rapids wedding inspiration, Ellen and Andy’s bridal party is the perfect example of how a simple, classic color palette can make a big impact.

indoor wedding ceremony at the harmac in cedar rapids iowa — An Intimate Indoor Ceremony at The Harmac

Ellen and Andy chose to hold their ceremony indoors at The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the venue created such a beautiful atmosphere for their vows. With its industrial architecture, exposed brick, large windows, and modern details, The Harmac already has so much character that couples can create an incredible ceremony space without needing to overwhelm it with décor.
Their indoor Harmac wedding ceremony felt romantic and intimate, with the venue’s warm industrial setting providing the perfect backdrop. One of the biggest benefits of hosting an indoor wedding ceremony is knowing that Iowa’s unpredictable weather won’t interfere with the plans. Guests can arrive, get comfortable, and enjoy the ceremony without worrying about rain, wind, heat, or chilly temperatures—while still getting plenty of natural light through The Harmac’s expansive windows.
The couple kept their ceremony design elegant and timeless, incorporating white florals that complemented Ellen’s classic bridal look and the wedding party’s rich burgundy and black color palette. The softer floral details were especially beautiful against The Harmac’s darker industrial elements, creating that perfect balance of modern and romantic wedding inspiration.
Another reason we love an indoor wedding ceremony at The Harmac is how seamlessly the entire wedding day can flow within the venue. From the ceremony to cocktail hour and reception, guests can enjoy the celebration without having to travel between multiple locations. For us as wedding planners, having everything close by also makes transitions throughout the day feel effortless and allows the couple to spend more time actually enjoying their wedding.

bride and groom first dance at the harmac — the harmac wedding reception

After the ceremony guests headed into the main reception room for cocktail hour, while we moved the couples ceremony decor over to their head table.
During the cocktail hour, the bar was poppin’ (as per usual). But one of my favorite features the Harmac does for each of their couples, is that they make a custom ice stamp! The couple pics out a design they like which can be their initials, monogram, or wedding date, and each drink the bartenders make, they stamp the ice cubes right in front of guests! It’s such a cool feature, and guests love to see all the different stamps they get throughout the night!
After cocktail hour, the couple and their bridal party were officially introduced, and the couple cut their cake, and went into their speeches and toasts. After speeches, dinner was served by Peppercorn Food Co. and the desserts were brought out. The dinner for the evening was plated and consisted of either beef tenderloin or a grilled chicken breast, with grilled seasonal veggies and roasted potatoes. The cake was designed by Classic Cakes by Design, and was a circular two tiered coquette style, with white frosting layered beautifully. While we cut the bottom tier to serve to the head table and family tables, the top layer of the cake was kept for the couple to freeze, and eat on their one year anniversary.
Shortly after dinner, the couple shared their first dance, parent dances, and the dance floor offically opened.

A Romantic Candlelit Head Table at The Harmac

One of our favorite design elements from Ellen and Andy’s wedding reception at The Harmac was their gorgeous candlelit head table. Rather than filling the table with oversized floral arrangements, the couple leaned into the power of candlelight, creating a warm, romantic atmosphere that completely transformed the industrial reception space. The simplicity of the design allowed the architecture of The Harmac to shine while still making the head table feel like a true focal point of the room.
Candles were layered across the length of the table at varying heights, creating dimension and giving the entire setup that soft, glowing look. We especially love using an abundance of candles in a wedding design because they make such a big impact once the sun goes down. Against The Harmac’s floor-to-ceiling windows and darker industrial details, all of that warm candlelight made Ellen and Andy’s reception feel incredibly intimate and inviting.
The head table is naturally one of the most photographed areas of a wedding reception, so we always love giving it a little extra attention when designing a space. It’s where the couple sits for dinner, listens to speeches and toasts, and spends so much of the evening surrounded by their closest friends. Ellen and Andy’s candlelit wedding head table created the perfect backdrop for all of those moments without feeling overly decorated.
For couples searching for romantic wedding décor inspiration, candlelit wedding reception ideas, or The Harmac wedding inspiration, Ellen and Andy’s head table is such a beautiful example of how sometimes less really can be more. Hundreds of little points of warm light can completely change the feeling of a room, and their Cedar Rapids wedding reception at The Harmac proved that you don’t always need elaborate florals to create a dramatic, elegant wedding design.

An Old Money-Inspired Wedding Reception at The Harmac

Ellen and Andy’s reception décor at The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was the perfect example of how a neutral color palette can still create an incredible amount of visual interest. The couple embraced an elegant old money wedding aesthetic, using a sophisticated combination of black, white, candlelight, and subtle stone details. Rather than making every guest table identical, we incorporated three different centerpiece designs throughout the reception, which added dimension to the room while still keeping everything cohesive.
The first table design featured black taper candle holders with white taper candles, a mini table lamp, bud vases, votive candles, and a granite table number. Each seat was finished with a black-rimmed charger, crisp white napkin, and full place setting. The second design reversed the candle colors, pairing white taper candle holders with black taper candles while keeping the mini lamps, bud vases, votives, granite table numbers, and place settings consistent. We love alternating details like this because even a simple color swap can make tables feel different without disrupting the overall wedding design.
For the third centerpiece style, we skipped the taper candles and instead created clusters of white pillar candles in varying heights. Smaller votive candles were scattered throughout to add even more warmth, while the same granite table numbers, black-rimmed chargers, white napkins, and full place settings connected this design back to the other tables. Once the sun went down, having candlelight at different heights throughout the reception created such a romantic glow inside The Harmac.

Ellen and Andy’s wedding at The Harmac in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was the perfect combination of timeless elegance, romantic details, and modern industrial style. From their intimate indoor ceremony to their candlelit reception, every part of the day felt intentional and beautifully cohesive. Their classic black, white, and burgundy color palette worked effortlessly with the character of The Harmac and created a celebration that felt sophisticated without being overdone.

One of our favorite things about Ellen and Andy’s wedding was how committed they were to their old money-inspired wedding aesthetic. Ellen’s timeless gown and dramatic veil from Embody Bridal set the tone for the day, while burgundy bridesmaid dresses and classic black groomsmen attire added richness to the overall look. Inside the reception, black and white taper candles, mini lamps, granite table numbers, pillar candles, and simple white roses carried that same sophisticated style into every detail.

And then there was the candlelight! From the guest tables to their gorgeous head table, candles played such an important role in transforming the reception space. Once evening arrived, hundreds of little points of warm light glowed against The Harmac’s industrial architecture and expansive windows, creating an intimate atmosphere for dinner, toasts, and celebrating. It was a beautiful reminder that you don’t always need elaborate florals or over-the-top installations to make a wedding design feel luxurious.

As Cedar Rapids wedding planners, we love having the opportunity to take a couple’s vision and carry it throughout every part of their celebration. Ellen and Andy’s day showed just how versatile a The Harmac wedding can be, blending an industrial Iowa wedding venue with classic florals, sophisticated tablescapes, and romantic candlelight to create something that felt completely their own.

For couples searching for a Cedar Rapids wedding venue, industrial wedding venue in Iowa, old money wedding inspiration, or elegant Iowa wedding ideas, Ellen and Andy’s celebration at The Harmac is one we hope provides plenty of inspiration. We absolutely loved being part of their wedding day and watching all of these beautiful details finally come together. Congratulations again, Ellen and Andy—we’re so grateful we got to celebrate alongside you!