I looked at a lot of venues in the Des Moines area, but I was disappointed by the prices and restrictions I found. Then I came across Happy Apple. I liked that I could do both the ceremony and reception at the same venue (and it was nice to hav...e an easy backup ceremony location in case the weather was bad). I liked that I could bring in any caterer and I could get in the day before to set-up and decorate. Rick and Sue are really nice people who are very easy to work with. The orchard has a beautiful ceremony location overlooking a pond, backed by apple trees. It's just a short drive from both Norwalk and Cumming, so it's easy for guests to get there, and because it's out in the country it's very peaceful. Compared to other local venues, I found the rental price to be competitive and the cost of beer and wine was also reasonable (and they provided bartenders!). I would absolutely choose this venue again.