The city of Altoona, which is conveniently located just five miles from Des Moines and 20 minutes from Des Moines International Airport, is a small family-oriented community featuring some big-city amenities.

If you're in Altoona for an extended wedding weekend, make sure you save time to have some fun at Prairie Meadows Casino, which has slot machines, poker tables, horse racing, and live shows to keep you entertained.

Altoona has plenty of resources and shopping areas, so you will not have to travel far to find the essentials on your wedding checklist.

The local Hy-Vee is a good place to start, since it offers affordable prices on party trays, wedding flowers, and custom wedding cakes from its bakery.

For wedding cakes, you could also try Cakes of All Kinds or Indulgent Moments Specialty Cakes, both of which offer a large selection of flavors and can make cakes to fit the style, color scheme, and theme of your big day.

Finally, The Traveling Photo Booth is a great way to keep you and your wedding guests entertained, and the souvenir photos from the booth make excellent wedding favors.

If you get tired of the casino, Altoona has eight parks for you to enjoy, including Lions Park, which has an enclosed shelter you can rent for special occasions, Village Park, Phoenix Park, and Haines Park, which has a romantic rose garden and gazebo, where you can take engagement and wedding photographs.

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