Steeple Square Dubuque Wedding with a Wild Twist

A Steeple Square Dubuque Wedding with Wrestling Moves

When you photograph weddings for a living, you see it all! Cary and Krystal’s Steeple Square Dubuque Wedding was one I’ll never forget. It was emotional, stylish and wildly entertaining, their day was the perfect reflection of who they are: bold, loving and completely unapologetically themselves. From the sentimental recreations to surprise wrestling moves and a few bar top portraits, this day had it all.

Getting Ready at Steeple Square

The day started with couple getting ready on site at the Steeple Square, a stunning historic venue in downtown Dubuque. This venue was previously a church, with some of the most beautiful painted ceiling and amazing architecture you will find in the area. Cary and Krystal each got ready in separate areas of Steeple Square, Krystal’s dress was one of the most jaw dropping beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen. Cary’s suit was a custom suit from Addicted Bespoken with a bee bolo tie, absolutely unique.

A Ceremony Full of Legacy and Love

Steeple Square isn’t just a beautiful venue, it also holds a special family meaning for Cary. His grandparents were married there back when it was church and during the wedding we took time to recreate some of the their original wedding portraits. It was a powerful emotional moment that perfectly tied their story into the legacy of love within those walls.

Dusk Portraits & a Paul’s Tavern Detour

At dusk we stepped out for a few photos in the Millworks District against the Ivy wall and a few images in the downtown street. Now this is where things get fun. Cary loves Paul’s Tavern, so much that he ordered hundreds of Paul’s Tavern hats to hand out at the reception. Of course we had to make a stop for a few photos. At first the bartender wasn’t going to let the couple on the bar… but when Cary casually mentioned he bought several hundred hats from them, they were more than happy to let Cary and Krystal hop up on the bar so we could get a few portraits of them.

A Reception That Brought the Party (and the Wrestling Ring)

Back at Steeple Square the reception was pure fun. From the Convivium’s incredible dinner to the emotional dances with family the whole evening was packed with personality. Cary and Krystal both professional wrestlers, halfway through their first dance Cary flipped Krystal in a wrestling move and Krystal pinned him right on the dance floor. Still to this day I can’t figure out if this was a mistake or if this was a completely choreographed moment, but it was awesome!

Champagne Spray Wrestling Style

The couple finished the night by binging out their wrestling faces and spraying champagne. Cary and Krystal’s Steeple Square Dubuque wedding was the kind of day that reminds us why we do this. It wasn’t just about the beauty of Steeple Square but about the meaning, legacy, laughter and most importantly, the love. Weddings like this are what Elite Images is all about, we love to capture not only how they look but how it feel.