I love a pastel wedding as much as the next girl, but what really sets my heart a’flutter? A bride who’s not afraid to play with color. Just take this bohemian beauty who mixed shades of red, gold, gray and green for a design that blends seamlessly with the landscapes of Montana. Leslie Lukas crafted every bloom, from flower crown to centerpiece, and Rebecca Hollis captured perfectly behind the camera.
From The Bride…My husband Steve and I live a very Brooklyn existence, but we had no doubt in our minds that we wanted to get married in a place defined by its natural beauty. We looked pretty much everywhere (on the internet, of course), but had a lot of trouble finding somewhere that matched our criteria. We had a few major stipulations:
1. Gorgeous natural setting.
2. Amazing food.
3. Allow us to party until at least 1am.
We were lucky to find everything we were looking for in Rainbow Ranch Lodge, a rustic luxury (quite the oxymoron, but it does exist) hotel/restaurant/wedding venue smack dab in the middle of the Bob Ross painting that is Montana. We ended up visiting in January to confirm it was the venue we wanted and were floored by the quality of the food (hyper local and fresh, impeccable flavor), the picturesque surroundings, and the attention to detail of the rooms. This was it!
The planning process was definitely challenging as everything happened via email and phone, but our vendors all made the process as streamlined as long distance wedding planning can get. When we got to Montana, we only stressed for about a day but shortly found the peace bestowed upon us by our surroundings. We also did a ton of DIY-ing at home in Brooklyn. I put my graphic design background to use and designed our whimsical/rustic/luxe invitations, silkscreened our menus and welcome tote bags, hand painted our program, and designed a field guide. We spray painted toy animals gold for escort cards, and I made 80+ travel candles in my studio to serve as wedding favors. Whew!
The day of the wedding, as they always say, went by insanely fast, but it was absolutely the best day of our lives. We started hair and makeup 9am, and spent the morning chatting and admiring the beautiful scenery. Later that day, I saw the flowers for the very first time and was ecstatic about how they turned out. They were colorful in a warm and classic way — the balance of the neutrals to the colors were spot on and I loved how effortless the arrangement looked. The weather was beyond perfect, and the ceremony our officiant composed, centered around love and mindfulness was completely reflective of our bond and brought us all to tears. Cocktail hour featured delicious appetizers from bacon-wrapped figs, asian beef skewers, and eggrolls, and our signature cocktail, a Huckleberry Mojito. We chose to skip most of the traditions, opting to extend dance floor time instead. Music was mostly 90s hip hop, and tons of singalong inducing hits. The desserts, all created by the chefs of Rainbow Ranch, which ranged from eclairs to fruit tarts, to the most amazing naked (frosting-less) cake, were some of the best we’d ever tasted.
All in all, we would change absolutely nothing about that day. Just to have all our favorite people in one place was enough, but being surrounded by mountains and rivers and trees, eating insanely good food, listening to all our favorite music, was just a dream come true. We’d do it all over again if we could!
Photography: Rebecca Hollis | Videography: Linda Chow | Floral Design: Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events | Wedding Dress: Veka Bridal Couture | Bridesmaid Dresses: Custom Dyed By Upstate | Catering: Rainbow Ranch Lodge | Makeup: Indulgence | DJ: Joe's DJ Service | Favors: Brooklyn Candle Studio | Officiant: Beth Renick | Wedding Venue: Rainbow Ranch Lodge | Cake & Desserts: Rainbow Ranch Lodge | Paper Goods: Tamara Mayne | Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Corral Bar