Smiling Dog Event Group

Smiling Dog Event Group Smilling Dog Event Group is your premier partner for exquisite events in Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Kansas City. Unforgettable memories.

We bridge the gap between luxury design and high-end entertainment, offering a seamless experience for weddings and corporate events. Welcome to Smiling Dog Event Group (formerly Smiling Dog Entertainment and Occasions and Stems). we are your premier partner for exquisite events in Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Kansas City. We bridge the gap between luxury design and high-end entertainment, offerin

g a seamless experience for weddings and corporate galas. Our Curated Services: ✨ Full-Service Event Design & Installation 📸 Luxury Photo Booth Experiences & Set Design 🌸 Silk Floral Design & Balloon Decor 🛋️ Statement Rentals & Vintage Furniture 🎧 Retro Audio & Video Guest Books 🥂 Upscale Dessert Bars & Party Planning

Elevated experiences.

Sometimes people wonder why rentals”cost so much”.One of the things they don’t understand is the extra work that goes in...
06/01/2026

Sometimes people wonder why rentals”cost so much”.

One of the things they don’t understand is the extra work that goes into these rentals/services.

This image shows 90 chairs and 11 - 60” Round Tables that were picked ip today from a weekend rental.

Every one of the 90 chairs and 11 tables needed to be removed from the trailer, cleaned, dried, and returned to the trailer for return to our storage facility. Ready for our next rental.

Removing, cleaning, repacking, returning to storage took almost 3 hours.

That’s outside of the original loading of the equipment, delivery of the equipment, and pickup of the equipment.

So yes, we do charge a fair amount for the rental of these and other items, but that is because a lot of work goes into helping make someone’s day special.

We’re happy to do the work for every event!

Today our sister brand Snap and Play Iowa (snapandplayiowa) is providing an outdoor enclosed photo booth experience for ...
05/29/2026

Today our sister brand Snap and Play Iowa (snapandplayiowa) is providing an outdoor enclosed photo booth experience for the Grinnell College Alumni Reunion.

This is our company’s 4th year participating in this fun event!

If you’re not already, please use the links above to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages and give them a follow.

What do you want your wedding day to look like? Close your eyes and imagine it: walking into a grand ballroom completely...
05/28/2026

What do you want your wedding day to look like?

Close your eyes and imagine it: walking into a grand ballroom completely transformed. The ambient lighting catches the clean lines of bespoke silk floral arrangements, and every single statement piece feels tailored uniquely to your love story. You feel completely relaxed, breathing in the magic, because you know every intricate detail is being handled seamlessly behind the scenes. No stress—just pure, high-end sophistication.

At Smiling Dog Event Group, we don't just host events; we curate masterpieces. From exquisite full-scale decor design to interactive, luxury photo experiences that capture your guests in high-definition, we provide the sophisticated foundation your dream wedding deserves. Let us handle the meticulous coordination so you can experience the luxury of being a guest at your own celebration.

✨ Let’s begin your experience. Contact us today to design your dream day.

Mistakes happen. But you aren’t judged by the mistakes you make—you’re judged by how you handle them. ✨Every event profe...
05/26/2026

Mistakes happen. But you aren’t judged by the mistakes you make—you’re judged by how you handle them. ✨

Every event professional knows that no matter how much you plan, live events will always throw you a curveball. What matters most is having a team that knows how to swing back.

For Savannah and Ben’s gorgeous wedding this past weekend, they fell in love with our signature wood-frame Boxwood Hedge Wall (Slide 3). The twist? The venue’s elevator was just a few inches too small to fit the frame.

The Pivot: We quickly offered a solution: we’d use our flexible Pipe and Drape Boxwood Wall (Slide 2) and bring along our custom white trim package to give it that exact, high-end wood-frame look they wanted. Crisis averted. Or so we thought!

The "Uh-Oh" Moment: Fast forward to Saturday morning. We finished setting up the main decor, headed out to grab a quick lunch, and sat down at 12:15 PM. That’s when the realization hit like lightning—we forgot the white trim package. With pre-wedding photos starting at 2:00 PM and the ceremony at 4:30 PM, the clock was ticking.

The 3-Hour Hustle:
Instead of panicking, we went into full-on problem-solving mode:

12:20 PM: Rushed to Menards to buy raw lumber and supplies.

1:00 PM: Went home, built a brand-new two-piece trim set from scratch, and threw on a fresh coat of paint.

3:00 PM: Loaded the wet trim into the truck and raced back to the venue.

3:30 PM: Arrived to find the trim didn’t perfectly align with the pipe setup. Time to improvise! With some on-site "MacGyver" skills, we securely attached and adjusted the trim to look flawless.

The Result (Slide 1):
By 3:30 PM, the wall was complete, beautiful, and ready for guests. No one in the reception room knew a mistake had even occurred. The ceremony went off without a hitch, and most importantly, the Bride absolutely loved the final look.

When you hire a vendor, you aren't just paying for the items on the invoice—you're paying for peace of mind. We deliver what we promise, even when we have to build it from scratch on a Saturday afternoon to make it happen. 🥂

Cross one more beautiful wedding off the list, and a huge congratulations to Savannah and Ben!

Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Their coura...
05/25/2026

Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Their courage and dedication will never be forgotten.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day from all of us at Smiling Dog Event Group. 🇺🇸

Today we worked alongside a number of other amazing vendors to create a beautiful ceremony and reception space at Toast ...
05/23/2026

Today we worked alongside a number of other amazing vendors to create a beautiful ceremony and reception space at Toast for Savannah and Ben’s wedding!

Here are a few photos of the space.

Something Blue
Magnolia Floral - themagnoliafloral
Budget Bride - budgetbrideia
Complete Weddings - Complete Weddings + Events Des Moines

Today we're finalizing our preparations for the decor for Ben and Savannah's wedding ceremony and reception at Toast () ...
05/22/2026

Today we're finalizing our preparations for the decor for Ben and Savannah's wedding ceremony and reception at Toast () in the The District - Prairie Trail in Ankeny.

Special thanks to Something Blue for helping us with some of the decor items. We enjoy collaborating with other wedding professionals to deliver for our couples!

We can't wait to show you how beautifully everything turns out!

We're sure her bright spring colors (similar to those in the photo) are going to pop against Toast's brick interior.

Ever feel like your wedding Pinterest board went from a dream oasis to a weapon of mass distraction? 🫠Let’s be real for ...
05/21/2026

Ever feel like your wedding Pinterest board went from a dream oasis to a weapon of mass distraction? 🫠

Let’s be real for a second: wedding and event planning can be incredibly overwhelming. When you’re staring at budget spreadsheets, tracking down RSVPs, and trying to figure out the difference between "taupe" and "champagne," it’s totally normal to hit a wall. Decisions start to feel heavy, and sometimes the fun can just...evaporate.

When my clients start feeling the burnout, I tell them to hit pause and do one of these things to bring the joy back. The goal isn't just to cross something off a list; it's to remember the big, beautiful reason you're planning in the first place!

Check out these moments from some of our past celebrations. Look at the laughter, the smiles, and yes, the pure, silly fun! THIS is the end result. This is what you are creating. Think about all the joy of your special day!

If you’ve hit that wall today, try one of these reset buttons:

The "No-Wedding" Date Night: Go out with your partner or co-planner and ban the "W" word entirely. Just re-connect.

The Cake Tasting Pivot: Stuck on seating charts? Stop. Go buy a few small treats, open some bubbly, and turn a chore into a tasting party at home.

Delegate One "Annoying" Task: Hand off that one tedious item to a trusted friend or—hi, hello!—a professional planner.

You deserve to enjoy the journey, not just survive it.

🤍 Take a deep breath. What’s one non-wedding thing you’re going to do tonight to recharge? 👇

As our teams look back on Sunday’s celebrations, we are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Ashlin Knuth, ...
05/19/2026

As our teams look back on Sunday’s celebrations, we are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Ashlin Knuth, who lost her life just hours after walking across the stage with the Ottumwa High School Class of 2026.

From all of us at Smiling Dog Event Group and Snap and Play Iowa, we offer our deepest condolences to Ashlin's parents, her brothers, her friends, and the entire Ottumwa community. There are no words to ease this kind of pain, but please know that our thoughts, prayers, and hearts are with her family and everyone grieving this profound loss.

For those who wish to honor her legacy, her family has shared that memorials may be made in Ashlin’s memory to the Heartland Humane Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—two causes that were very close to her heart.

Celebrating 5 years of milestone smiles with the Ottumwa High School Bulldogs! 🎓✨Yesterday, just shy of 400 incredible ...
05/18/2026

Celebrating 5 years of milestone smiles with the Ottumwa High School Bulldogs! 🎓✨

Yesterday, just shy of 400 incredible graduates from Ottumwa and Gateway High School walked across the field at Schaefer Stadium to receive their diplomas. We were honored to be back for our fifth consecutive year to help these students, families, and friends capture memories that will last a lifetime.

The morning rain tried to throw a wrench in our setup schedule, but our team pushed through the humidity to make sure everything was flawless the moment the gates opened.

Here is how we brought the celebration to life this year:

📸 The Ultimate Photo Booth: Families kept our traditional booth absolutely hopping all day long.

🔄 360° Video Experience: Capturing every angle of that graduation day excitement.

🎈 Custom 7-Foot "O" Balloon Wall: Built completely from scratch as the ultimate commemorative photo backdrop. Graduates were lined up before and after the ceremony to get their perfect shot!

Our team even shot off the CO2 Cannons to welcome the students through the Ottumwa Bulldogs tunnel as they entered the stadium!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Thank you for letting us be a part of your massive achievement. 🔴⚪️

Address

1100 N Hickory Boulevard, Suite 102
Pleasant Hill, IA
50327

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 8pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 8pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm
Sunday 8am - 8pm

Telephone

+15154469054

Website

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