Friday night, we were back at The HARMAC in Cedar Rapids celebrating Kayla and Erik Irons’ unforgettable wedding! 🎉 It’s been a while since we’ve been to this venue, but it still stands as one of our absolute favorites. If you’ve never been, The HARMAC is a hidden gem in Cedar Rapids, blending modern industrial vibes with a cozy, intimate feel. The building itself is steeped in history, originally built in the 1920s, and offers an amazing combination of spaciousness and charm. The venue boasts a large reception hall and a more intimate ceremony space, creating a perfect balance for any event. Plus, the rooftop option gives you those stunning photo ops with the city skyline as your backdrop—Kayla and Erik made the most of it on Friday night, and the pictures were incredible! 🌆✨
The ceremony was extra special as it was officiated by a close friend of the couple. We got to chat with her and her husband before the ceremony, learning how they knew Kayla and Erik, which added such a personal touch to the day. After the ceremony, we transitioned smoothly into cocktail hour while the bridal party headed up to the rooftop for pictures. If you’re considering The HARMAC as your venue, the rooftop is a feature I highly recommend—you just can’t beat those views!
Once the bridal party came back down, we got the reception started with their grand entrance. One thing I’ve really been loving lately is when guests spin cloth napkins over their heads during the entrances. It’s such a fun, high-energy addition to any reception, and Kayla and Erik’s entrance was no exception! 🎉 Entrances were done in groups—groomsmen, bridesmaids, and then, of course, Kayla and Erik. Group entrances are becoming more popular, and they’re a great way to add some variety to the traditional walk-in. Keep an eye on one of our upcoming blog posts, where we’ll explore more entrance ideas and how to tailor them to your vibe!
After a heartfelt blessing by Erik’s mom, Joy, we moved into dinner. They served buffet-style, and a great tip for couples is to use both sides of the buffet line like they did Friday night—it sped things up tremendously, and we had everyone fed in about 35 minutes. Keep an eye out for another future blog where we’ll dive into some dinner hour do’s and don’ts! 🍽️
The speeches and ceremonial dances followed, and then we really kicked off the party. I had the chance to work with a Spotify playlist that Kayla and Erik provided, which gave me a great roadmap of their music taste. I love when couples share their playlists because it lets me mix their favorites with what I know works to keep the dance floor packed. And packed it was! The floor was full from the very start, and we kept the energy high with a mix of everything from throwback oldies to disco and funk. At one point, there was even a full-on conga line going—just pure fun! 🕺💃
A huge thank you to Kayla and Erik for letting us be part of your incredible day! Everything about Friday night was top-notch, from working with Leah and her awesome crew at The HARMAC to connecting with the photographer who I’m hoping to collaborate with in the future. We’re actually back at The HARMAC again next Saturday, and I couldn’t be more excited to return for another amazing celebration.
Stay tuned for our upcoming blogs where we’ll cover everything from dinner hour tips to unique wedding entrance ideas. And don’t forget, voting for the Iowa Wedding Choice Awards is coming up soon—vote for The Sound Doctor DJ & Photo Booth for Reception Music! 🗳️
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