If there is one thing I love more than Montana, it’s Montana weddings. And when that Big Sky beauty happens to be an elegant barn affair dripping in the richest of details from some of our favorite vendors, well… meet my happy place. It’s the beautiful stylings of Habitat Events meets gorgeous images from Rebecca Hollis meets a lovely little number from Sky Focus Films. Sit back and enjoy, my friends.
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From the Bride… Magical. Elegant. MT Sunset. Laughter and Happy Tears. Love. And one epic dance party – These are the words that come to mind when I reflect on our July Montana wedding. Mother Nature took care of us – we woke up and the entire mountain range was blurred by smoke yet when I came out in my dress to take photos the smoke had cleared and we were blessed with a true Big Sky Montana backdrop for our much awaited wedding day.
My husband grew up in Bozeman, Montana and I knew after my first visit that I wanted to get married there – it’s truly breathtaking. So, this past July, after a year and a half engagement we brought over 100 guests from all over the U.S. to Big Sky Country to experience the beautiful landscape, adventurous outdoor activities, and to join us as we shared our forever vows.
Our wedding aesthetic was fairly simple – we wanted to ensure we captured and showcased the beauty of Montana and the stunning environment in which we were getting married. The color palette was neutral – ivory, champagne, metallics. My Liancarlo gown was a rich champagne color with beautiful lace that faded into tulle. I loved pairing the formality of the dress with the rustic nature of the barn. Alex wore a Ludlow J. Crew three-piece navy blue suit and looked so handsome. The bridesmaids wore silk chiffon Amsale dresses in Champagne – it was a perfect pairing to my dress and they just floated amongst the fields. For flowers I wanted loose, organic, free-flowing neutral flowers and Jen at Habitat Floral Studio nailed it. I almost cried when I saw my bouquet for the first time – again, it was the perfect pair with my formal gown.
Our ceremony was very important to the two of us. We met numerous times with our Reverend to make sure we all felt really good about how the most important words of “I do” would come together. It was beautiful, memorable, and moving. Our Reverend, who has been marrying couples for over 20 years, told his congregation on Sunday that it was the first wedding that he had ever cried at. Framed by the beautiful Bridger Mountain Range, it was truly perfect.
Our reception was held in a Big Yellow Barn (literally). The barn was built in 1917 and recently turned into an event venue. All the dining was held up top where the hay used to be stored. The tables were set in long italian style with lush green garland runners, creamy ivory blooms, and rustic wooden boxes filled with beautiful flowers. As the sun set we went out into the field to capture the infamous Montana sunset in our wedding gown and suit; and we danced to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green for our first dance as the MT skies turn a rich purple color through the barn windows. Our DJ, who we flew in from Seattle, kept the dance floor packed….at times some of the guests were a little nervous the barn floor was going to collapse as everyone danced until the wee hours of the night.
A small detail: My mom’s father (my grandpa) died in an accident two years ago and was taken far too early from our family. I knew he would be looking down on Alex and I when we got married and smiling, and I knew my Nana would have loved to have sat next to him and squeezed his hand as we said our vows, so I surprised my mom and Nana with a small charm with his picture on their corsages. It was a small touch but I think they both loved having him to hold that day.
What did we love the most about our wedding? Too many things to count…however, being that Bozeman is now our new home we absolutely loved having all of our closest friends and family come experience Montana and share their love and energy with us on our wedding day. We both felt like we were wrapped in a blanket of love the entire weekend.
Photography: Rebecca Hollis | Videographer : Sky Focus Films | Floral Design: Habitat Floral Studio | Wedding Dress: Liancarlo | Wedding Invitations: Jay Adores | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Food For Thought | Calligraphy: Cast Calligraphy | DJ: Adam Harke | Groom's Attire: J.Crew | Barn: Big Yellow Barn | Bridal Boutique: Kinsley James Couture Bridal | Cake And Desserts: Whipped Confections | Film Lab: PhotoVision Prints | Planning: Habitat Events | Rentals: Montana Party Rentals | Second Photographer: Votive Photography