Montana Weddings

I really don’t even know where to begin with this wedding. Of course there are the hold-your-breath beautiful images that our friend Ryan Ray captured. And the this-can’t-be-real farm backdrop complete with perfect horses and dressed up vintage bicycles. But then there is also this bride and this groom. Who are so madly in love I almost think I should look away. But then I can’t. Because they are just so lovely and the wedding that they designed is proof that if you simply follow your heart, the rest will fall into place. Click here to see even more.

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From the Bride… I know its cliche to say, but our wedding really was a dream come true! I’m the girl who’s been planning my wedding since I was eight, and my love of weddings and art came into play in my career, a wedding photographer! I feel so blessed to find a man with the same passions and helped so much with wedding planning! We wanted our wedding to first be intimate and romantic, cozy and definitely us. Having the wedding at my grandparent’s property was such a blessing, not only was it beautiful and the perfect backdrop, but it was comfortable and my most favorite place to be.

We kept our guest list to mostly family and few close friends and wed under our “Family Tree” I honestly made myself so nervous all Summer thinking about the ceremony and how nerve wracking it would be to up in front of people declaring our love. When the day came I so incredibly happy and beaming and the ceremony ended up being my most favorite part of the day!! The sun was shining through the trees, Jeremiah had tears in his eyes, I had never felt more beautiful or loved than that moment.

Before we even started dating Jeremiah texted me a random quote, not knowing if I’d understand it was from You’ve Got Mail, but I most definitely did, and I knew I was in love with him already. We tied in our love of that movie by having “You’ve Got Mail” cards at each place setting for our guests to write us notes and drop them off as our guest book. It was so fun going through them the next day! I also walked down the aisle to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Harry Nilsson, the same song at the end of the movie. If I could change ONE thing about our wedding, I would’ve included our puppy, Brinkley!

Wedding Photography: Ryan Ray Photography / Wedding Venue: Bride’s Grandparents Home in Columbia Falls, Montana / Floral Design: Mum’s Flowers / Wedding Catering: Cimarron Deli / Vintage Rentals: Vintage Whites Wedding Rentals / Other Rentals: Celebrate Events and Party Rentals / DJ: Joe’s DJ Service /Wedding Dress: Enzoani via Plume Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Impression Bridal / Hair: Jenessa Stewart / Makeup: Jeff Fulford Designs

If there is one thing about this wedding that stuck out from the get go, it is the gorgeous Vera Wang gown on the even more stunning bride. The color is perfection (and the same color her mother wore the day she married the bride’s father!) and the cut? Amazing. Once I was able to get past that gown though, I was rendered speechless. Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events was able to take the beauty that is Montana and harness it into a wedding that could quite possibly bring a tear to your eye. Especially once you realize Lauren Brown Photography has filled the gallery with beauty!

Bozeman, Montana holds a very special place in our hearts. We fell in love with absolutely everything the Big Sky state has to offer on our very first visit and we knew from the moment we were engaged that we wanted to share it with our family and friends as our wedding destination. Living in California, we knew we were going to need a wedding planner that understood our vision, embraced it and took it to the next level. As soon as we met Leslie, we knew we were in good hands. She introduced us to a dream team of local vendors who made planning a destination wedding a breeze and helped turn our wedding hopes into a blissful reality!

We decided on a contemporary, romantic meets organic feel that would flow through all aspects and design of our day-from the soft, neutral color palette with a pop of chartreuse to the bridesmaid’s dresses, tabletop décor, wedding cake and flowers.

I am an all about the details kind of girl and the personal touches of our wedding were the elements that added the most meaningful character. My father-in-laws house was the modern, architectural focus of the wedding and inspiration for our invitations. The handmade chartreuse fly topped cocktail stirrers showed our love of fishing. My blush wedding gown (identical in color to that of my mother’s) reminded me of the day my parents said “I do.” The belles of Ireland centerpieces both reminded us of our Irish heritage and excited us for our upcoming honeymoon. The bouquet that my dad made for me had me in tears the moment I laid eyes on it and I will never forget the wind sail arbor that we were married under that my husband designed.

One of the most important things to us was showing our guests how grateful we were that they made the trip to celebrate such a special day in our lives. We wanted them to take in the beauty of the great outdoors, indulge in amazing food, dance under a canopy of stars and enjoy the party!

So much work and energy goes into planning a wedding and the most important thing to remember on your big day is to set aside some time for the two of you, as a couple, to sit back, relax and take it all in!

Photographer: Lauren Brown Photography / Ceremony and Reception Location: Cameron Bridge Road / Floral & Event Design: Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events / Invitations and Printed goods: Pricilla Foster, Ro Sham Bo / Tent and Vintage Rentals: Montana Party Rentals / Linens: BBJ Linen Company / Catering: Lafoley Oven, Ryan Lafoley / Cake: Cakes by Jenn / Bag Piper: Daniel Hartzheim / DJ: Joe’s Mobile DJ / Bartending Service: Top Shelf / Welcome Dinner Location: The Baxter Hotel / Rehearsal Dinner Location: Gallatin River Lodge / Pre-wedding pampering: The Loft Spa / Transportation: 66 Cornbinder Truck / Limo: Classic Limo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN & Watters / Flower Girls: J.Crew / Bride’s Dress: Vera Wang, Bridal Galleria / Groom’s suit and tie: Zenga /Bride’s Shoes: Vera Wang Lavender + Jimmy Choo / Groom’s shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

And here we go, on to Part III of the amazing wedding that gave our first Style Me Pretty Weddings book life and took it from an idea to an oh-my-gosh, I’m holding it in my hands today moment. The perfect real wedding that Jose Villa and Joy Thigpen sent our way many moons ago, that literally helped turn our book into something real. Because it was so beautiful, we had to find the best possible way to showcase it. And to use it to teach other brides that no matter where you get married, no matter what your resources are, you can have a wedding that is as lovely as those you see on the pages of your favorite blogs. Or books. Remember, all proceeds from today’s online book sales will go to the families of Newtown.

There aren’t enough words in the English language to properly thank Jose Villa and Joy Thigpen. This wedding is what wedding dreams are made of and it’s the reason that I find so much joy in my everyday. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for letting me share it with the world! And to the bride and groom who let us in and gave us permission to have a front row seat…you are amazing.

And as if all these beyond beautiful photos weren’t enough, NP Films sent along the videos that will keep you gushing all day long.

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There is SO much more in the book with inspiration for literally every make and model of bride, every budget and every style. This is a crazy approachable wedding book, that is pretty enough to grace your best bookshelf but portable enough to toss in your bag and pull out over lunch with girlfriends.Oh and did we mention that it’s on stands TODAY and you can buy right here!!??

From Joy Thigpen …I think the most important thing for the bride was having the wedding at the homestead. Her great-grandparents were the original homesteaders on that land, and it was the same house and farm that her Grandma Hazel now lives in. Rachael once lived there and attended school in a one-room school house down the dirt road. Every inch of that place means so much to her. Her 4-year-old brother was not a ring bearer but a “ring guard” as that was much tougher. The groom’s family made/brought traditional Lebanese fare that was really exotic and delicious.

We used a collection of flowers including hydrangea, burgundy lady slipper orchids, irises, agapanthus, artichoke, sweet peas, chocolate cosmos, dahlias, ranunculus, lilac, peonies and roses. We really have FiftyFlowers to thank for the abundant and gorgeous blooms. They did whatever they could to ensure we got the florals we needed and the result was truly beautiful. 

The wedding itself was a bit more stressful than usual as Montana was flooding for the first time in 50 years. And, this was supposed to be an all outdoor wedding! But the bride and groom were really really great and had amazing attitudes and were so wonderful to work with. In the two days leading up to the wedding as we all thought about back-up plans, everyone kept saying, “Well, at least we know we’ll have beautiful flowers!” So the grandmother’s basement-turned-floral-studio really was a constant source of encouragement to the family. In the end, we got the first two days of sunshine in three weeks, and the ground dried out enough for us to have the wedding on her family’s farm, which meant so much to the bride. (Not enough to keep my rental car from getting stuck in the mud at 1 a.m. after the wedding, but that’s another story!) 

Wedding Photography: Jose Villa Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Family Farm in Floweree, Montana / Floral + Event Design: Joy Thigpen / Wholesale Flowers: FiftyFlowers / Officiant: Reverend Jan Witman / Wedding Cinematography: Nathan Pickett Films / Catering: Zac’s Montana Kitchen / Bar Service: Rocking K Bar / Wedding Cake: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Cake Topper: Lollipop Workshop / Wedding Invitation, Program + Escort Card Design: Rifle Paper Co. / Calligraphy: Molly Suber Thorpe of Plurabelle Calligraphy / Vintage Stamps: Verde Studio / Map: Laura Condouris of Trial by Cupcakes / Music: Capital City DJ (406-227-8644) / Montana-Shaped Cookie Favors: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Rentals: Celebrate Event & Party Rentals + Strobel’s Rentals / Linens: La Tavola / Shuttle Service: Great Falls Historic Trolley / Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara / Wedding Dress Modifications: Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Reception Dress: Melissa Sweet “Fiesole” / Bride’s Veil: Vera Wang + Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Backup Shoes: Hunter / Bride’s Jewelry: Custom by Wilson / Hair + Makeup: Mar Romero of TEAM Hair and Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Groom’s Suit + Shoes: Paul Smith / Groomsmen’s Suits: Kohl’s / Groomsmen’s Ties: The Tie Bar

You know, we are lucky. Like really lucky. Because our job is to write about beautiful moments. The kind of moments that people remember forever and ever. And if we’re being really honest, it feels a little unfair. As dozens of moms and dads are lost in grief right now and as parents, we find it incredibly hard to continue with the prettiness, when some people are dealing with such ugliness. While this isn’t at all enough, we wanted to let you know that we’re donating all proceeds from today’s book sales to the families of Newtown, Connecticut.

We’ve been celebrating the launch of the book with the wedding that started it all. That Joy Thigpen crafted to utter pefection and Jose Villa captured in photographs that will make you smile and cry and laugh simultaneously because they are just that beautiful. Rather than take up more of your time when I know you just want to see the goods, we’ll just dive right in!

So why did we decide to write this book, you ask? Well…it’s simple. Every day we share inspiration. So much inspiration that our own heads are often left spinning. Then you layer on pinterest and magazines and art and movies and fabrics and colors and oh my, the inspiration is almost too much. So we wanted to show you HOW to use that inspiration that you are surrounded by. HOW to piece it apart, to break it down, and to put your own unique style stamp on it. This book may be pretty, but it’s also a guide. That will help you brace yourself against the storm of pretty and design a wedding that is uniquely…you.

Style Me Pretty Weddings is on shelves TODAY or you can buy right here!

From the Bride…

We left floral design entirely to Joy. Almost all of our inspiration pictures were from weddings that Joy designed, so we trusted her absolutely and she exceeded any expectations we had. We got compliments on the flowers from life-long farmers and ranchers that have probably never noticed, let alone commented on, flowers before in their lives. FiftyFlowers also did an incredible job of getting flowers to Montana that every Montana-based wholesaler said would be impossible to get.    

We tried to add things to our wedding that were personal and fit us as a couple. We picked songs for the ceremony that were meaningful to us to replace traditional wedding music, and we wrote our own vows. We also tried to introduce our guests to both of our backgrounds.  For our out-of-state guests, we tried to show them what we loved about Montana and why we chose to get married there. My aunt baked her secret recipe cookies, a favorite of both of ours, as welcome treats for all our guests, and we wrote personal welcome notes to each guest letting them know what they meant to us. We also designed a wedding map that was filled with meaningful landmarks around the farm and showed nearby family farms, so that our guests could understand the significance of the location. We also tried to show our guests what we love about Justin’s Lebanese background. We had our favorite Lebanese foods as appetizers, included baklava on our dessert table, and we used readings from a Lebanese poet in the ceremony. 

My advice would be not to forget that it’s your wedding and that it needs to be true to who you are as a couple.  There are thousands of beautiful weddings and ideas, but at the end of the day, your wedding has to fit you.  There were times when we got overwhelmed by the options, but things came together for us when we looked at the credits on the inspiration pictures we both liked and realized that, although the styles in the pictures were different, the vast majority were pictures taken by Jose at weddings designed by Joy.  Once we had the dream team on board, it was easy to trust them to carry out our vision.

Wedding Photography: Jose Villa Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Family Farm in Floweree, Montana / Floral + Event Design: Joy Thigpen / Wholesale Flowers: FiftyFlowers / Officiant: Reverend Jan Witman / Wedding Cinematography: Nathan Pickett Films / Catering: Zac’s Montana Kitchen / Bar Service: Rocking K Bar / Wedding Cake: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Cake Topper: Lollipop Workshop / Wedding Invitation, Program + Escort Card Design: Rifle Paper Co. / Calligraphy: Molly Suber Thorpe of Plurabelle Calligraphy / Vintage Stamps: Verde Studio / Map: Laura Condouris of Trial by Cupcakes / Music: Capital City DJ (406-227-8644) / Montana-Shaped Cookie Favors: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Rentals: Celebrate Event & Party Rentals + Strobel’s Rentals / Linens: La Tavola / Shuttle Service: Great Falls Historic Trolley / Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara / Wedding Dress Modifications: Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Reception Dress: Melissa Sweet “Fiesole” / Bride’s Veil: Vera Wang + Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Backup Shoes: Hunter / Bride’s Jewelry: Custom by Wilson / Hair + Makeup: Mar Romero of TEAM Hair and Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Groom’s Suit + Shoes: Paul Smith / Groomsmen’s Suits: Kohl’s / Groomsmen’s Ties: The Tie Bar

It’s here! The day our pretty little book hits stands. The day that we’ve been nervous/happy/excited about for more than an entire year! The day has come and we are literally bursting on the insides with pure and total glee. So today we wanted to do something really special. We got permission from our publisher to give SMP readers an exclusive first look at the wedding that started it all. The picture perfect, can’t believe it’s a real wedding that we thought was so absurdly special it deserved nothing less than to grace the pages (literally 26 of them) of a book. A tuck-it-in-your-bag, pull-out-over-lunch-with-your-girls kind of book. It’s this wedding that literally gave us the idea to write a book at all and we have it all here for you today…designed by the crazy talented Joy Thigpen with photographs by who else? Jose Villa. Who I call a genius at least twice a week.

And before we get to all of the goodness, just a little teensy weensy reminder that the full wedding and 16 other absolutely gorgeous, never-been-seen-before weddings are all tucked inside of our pretty new book…with a cover by our friend, Jose Villa. On stands TODAY or you can buy right here! Eeek! So flipping exciting!

From the Bride… Our goal was to have a wedding that fit our family farm and Montana but still had style. In a sure sign that we studied up too much on weddings, we came up with a catch phrase for the style — rustic elegance. Our color palette was soft purple, green and blue.  We chose colors that we liked, those that complemented the farm and those that we were willing to ask our closest friends and family to wear. Having the wedding at such a personal location felt like inviting all of our guests into our home. We wanted everyone to be relaxed, comfortable and, most importantly, have a great time. We knew that we were asking the people we care the most about to come out to what seemed like the middle of nowhere in Montana (in what turned out to be flood conditions), and we wanted to make sure it was a fun experience and that our guests were well-taken care of. We based a lot of the wedding on that idea and added in things like a lemonade stand before the ceremony, late-night burgers, french fries, milkshakes and shuttle service.

Wedding Photography: Jose Villa Photography / Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Family Farm in Floweree, Montana / Floral + Event Design: Joy Thigpen / Wholesale Flowers: FiftyFlowers / Officiant: Reverend Jan Witman / Wedding Cinematography: Nathan Pickett Films / Catering: Zac’s Montana Kitchen / Bar Service: Rocking K Bar / Wedding Cake: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Cake Topper: Lollipop Workshop / Wedding Invitation, Program + Escort Card Design: Rifle Paper Co. / Calligraphy: Molly Suber Thorpe of Plurabelle Calligraphy / Vintage Stamps: Verde Studio / Map: Laura Condouris of Trial by Cupcakes / Music: Capital City DJ (406-227-8644) / Montana-Shaped Cookie Favors: Cakes From Cabin Ridge / Rentals: Celebrate Event & Party Rentals + Strobel’s Rentals / Linens: La Tavola / Shuttle Service: Great Falls Historic Trolley / Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara / Wedding Dress Modifications: Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Reception Dress: Melissa Sweet “Fiesole” / Bride’s Veil: Vera Wang + Nazzy Nazari / Bride’s Ceremony Shoes: Manolo Blahnik / Bride’s Reception Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Backup Shoes: Hunter / Bride’s Jewelry: Custom by Wilson / Hair + Makeup: Mar Romero of TEAM Hair and Makeup / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Angelo / Groom’s Suit + Shoes: Paul Smith / Groomsmen’s Suits: Kohl’s / Groomsmen’s Ties: The Tie Bar

By now you probably know that I am the world’s biggest fan of Montana and having grown up in the Big Sky State, I happen to think it’s the prettiest place EVER to hold a wedding.  Yes, I may be just a tad bit biased, but I think this breathtaking 320 Guest Ranch affair proves my point whole-heartedly.  A visual stunner crafted by Social Hour Events, it’s clear blue skies, acres upon acres of majestic mountains and a rustic meets sophisticated vibe that is crazy gorgeous.  Cluney Photo snapped up every beautiful moment and let me be the first to say – Montana never looked so good.  Click here for more.

From Social Hour Events… It was important to the bride and broom to have their wedding location be somewhere that all of their guests could stay together and enjoy more than just the actual wedding event.  They chose the 320 Guest Ranch in Big Sky, Montana, because of its proximity to Yellowstone Nationa Park and the gorgeous setting it would allow them to enjoy. The couple went on their first date in a national park and got engaged in a national park, and so they naturally wanted their wedding to take place at the gates of a national park! Their love of nature really came through in their event design, which the bride describes as “elegant rustic.” We worked hard to make the elegance shine through without covering up the fact that we were on a horse ranch in the mountains. The whole weekend felt very personal and intimate. Guests arrived Thursday evening and were invited to a home cooked meal at the bride’s mother’s cabin. Friday night, there was a pig roast, complete with bonfire and s’mores. The ceremony was officiated by the bride’s aunt, then was followed by a parade led by the bride, groom and the Last Chance Dixieland Band, which escorted everybody to cocktail hour. The vintage plates were all from the personal collection of the bride’s mother (she drove them from Spokane!). The tables were labeled with vintage postcards from national parks around the country, and almost every element, from the invitations and the photo booth, to the golden horse shoe escort card holders and the cake were DIY projects that the bride and her family took on with our help. 

Wedding Photography: Cluney Photo / Wedding Venue: 320 Guest Ranch in Big Sky, Montana / Event Design + Planning: Social Hour Events (Based in LA and DC) / Floral Design: Bloom / Officiant: The Bride’s Aunt / Wedding Cake: DIY / Wedding Invitation Graphics: Antiquarian / Wedding Invitation Design + Elements: Social Hour Events / Calligraphy: Shane Perry / Escort Cards: DIY / Band: Last Chance Dixieland Band / Table Runners + Photo Booth: DIY /Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal + Customization / Bride’s Shoes: Vintage

Excuse me for a moment while I marvel at this Montana beauty by Cluney Photo. It’s a stunning swoon-fest where every detail makes a mark on my heart, and you can’t get much better than that. Not to mention the ruffles on this Bride’s stunning Watters dress alone makes me want to linger on the first image for more time than I care to admit. That dress is delicious. It perfectly compliments the eclectic chic countryside fête that plays out oh-so-perfectly in the full gallery of images, so make sure you take a little time today to linger over all the lovely, I’ll be right there with you…

From the Bride… We really just wanted it to be a fun party! We had a BBQ dinner, lawn games, fireworks and cigars. We kept the atmosphere very light-hearted, did our pictures before the ceremony, had brief speeches and skipped the bouquet/garter toss and cake cutting. We wanted to celebrate with our guests as much as possible.

My personal style is a little eclectic. So when it came to deciding on wedding colors and choosing décor to all match, it didn’t feel natural to me at all. So I scrapped having colors all together and just went with what I liked! It all turned out working so well, and it really felt like us. I really wanted the day to be very vintage, nature-infused and whimsical.  My mom and I collected over 80 bottles and jars and lots of old books and boxes throughout our engagement. My family, Gray, my wonderful bridesmaids and I did every aspect of our décor. I ordered all my flowers online, and they all came packed tight and looking very thirsty a few days before the wedding. Arranging all the flowers for the bouquets and décor was actually such a blast. We had a lot of fun doing it. The whole day was a huge team effort. We also had really great staff at our venue, which made the entire day run smoothly and stress-free! Since we didn’t have a wedding coordinator or florist, the help was very much appreciated!

My favorite memory was the first look! It was so full of emotion, and I have never been so excited in my entire life! I also really loved our ceremony. It was outdoors on a perfect day with a beautiful backdrop at a place that meant so much to us. My brother was the officiant, and he kept it so light hearted and so “us.” Our ceremony focused on being a celebration of all the love and support we have received from our friends and family as well as Gray’s and my love for each other. Our wedding was far from traditional, but our guests loved it! My advice would be to stick to what you normally like, what you think will make the day an awesome time for your guests and in the end, what will make you and your husband happy and think back on the day with fond memories. Everything isn’t going to go perfect on the day. When we pulled up the walls on the pavilion to reveal the reception areas, one of the big doily balls had shrunken up to a weird, saggy shape. Lots of little things happen, but you will be surrounded by such love and happiness on the day, it most likely won’t bother you a bit! So just go with it and enjoy every second!

From the Groom… The entire day was a favorite memory for me — just seeing all of Jenna’s hard work, ideas and plans come together was amazing. I absolutely loved seeing Jenna in her dress for the first time — she was stunning! The ceremony and reception were both very beautiful, and I feel that the whole day flowed perfectly. The decorations, games, weather, food, drinks, speeches, music and fireworks were all perfect. I am so happy to have been able to share this amazing day with Jenna, our family and friends!

Wedding Photography: Cluney Photo / Wedding Venue: Pavilion at Creative Vision in Kalispell, Montana / Flowers: FiftyFlowers / Catering: Porteus BBQ / Desserts: Simply Sweet Bakery / Wedding Dress: Watters

Green as far as the eye can see, lush doesn’t even come close to describing this wedding by Jeremy and Alicia Brown Photography held at Glacier National Park. We’ve seen some pretty amazing wedding backdrops in our day, but Mother Nature definitely outdid herself on this one. It’s stunning and THEN some. And when you throw a plethora of perfectly imperfect florals in the mix? We are sold. Amazing vistas, lovely details, favorite-worthy florals – the gallery of this wedding is a must see!

 

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the Bride… Tyson and I met running cross-country at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He thought I was daring, and I thought he was hilarious. We moved to Whitefish together in 2007 after we both graduated from college. Since moving here, we have been lucky to share so many adventures in Northwest Montana. One afternoon in the fall of 2010, when the larch were beginning to change colors, Tyson was determined to go for a run-hike up the Danny On Trail at Big Mountain with me to show me the amazing colors. We headed up the trail and a little over half way up we stopped at a rock ledge to look out over the valley. He got down on one knee and proposed there. It was a complete surprise.

Having spent the past four years living in Whitefish, Montana, with Glacier National Park as our playground, it was only natural to pick the location we did — Glacier Park Wedding Resort in West Glacier, Montana. We were married by our fellow hiking friend and pastor on a hillside looking out onto the mountains we had explored together. My goal was to keep the day simple and enjoy it. I used Style Me Pretty for lots of ideas. Providing a fun, relaxing, yummy and beautiful environment was the key to our planning, and each decision was made purposefully. Everything about the day was wonderful, from the ceremony to the food to the crazy dancing that closed the evening. It was a fun-filled week of utter bliss and complete exhaustion by the end. It would not have been as relaxing and easy to simply enjoy the day without Kelsey at Great Northern.

From Kelsey of Glacier Park Weddings at Great Northern Resort… Holly and Tyson’s wedding was exactly what a wedding should be: a gorgeous celebration with a bride and groom who were relaxed, sparkling with excitement and soaking up all the love around them. They took full advantage of the natural Montana style of our grounds when they put together their rustic, romantic affair: native wildflowers abounded, the menu featured locally-sourced ingredients, and the favors — pint glasses printed with the outline of the state of Montana — were filled with local beer. Guests mingled about the airy tent to the tunes of a fantastic bluegrass string band and lounged on the straw-bale couch we crafted just for Holly and Tyson. Holly has a fabulous eye, and we spent lots of time sitting on the deck at Great Northern Resort in our sunglasses, brainstorming and collaborating and sharing ideas. My favorite moment was just before the ceremony, when my team and I had finished assembling all of Holly’s carefully-selected details, and Holly and her bridesmaids walked up into the tent. Seeing that everything had come together just as she had envisioned, she gave me a huge hug — and I was thrilled to know that she had the beautiful event she wanted AND a relaxing morning with her girls, with time to spare for some champagne before the ceremony!

Wedding Photography: Jeremy + Alicia Brown of Jeremy and Alicia Brown Photography / Wedding Venue: Glacier Park Weddings at Great Northern Resort in West Glacier, Montana / Event Design: Kelsey Motes-Conners of Glacier Park Weddings at Great Northern Resort / Floral Design: Mum’s Flowers / Appetizers + Dinner: The Cuisine Machine / Pies: Ganache / Ice Cream: Sweet Peaks Ice Cream / Wedding Stationery: DIY by the Bride with Paper from Paper & More / Rentals: Celebrate Event & Party Rental / Ceremony Music: Spring Wagon Stringband / Wedding Dress: Casablanca Bridal via Storybook Bridal / Dress Alterations: Debe Moffatt / Ring: Tacori / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Ann Taylor Loft / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic / Groomsmen’s Pants: Banana Republic / Groomsmen’s Shirts: Calvin Klein

I’ve always had this weird obsession with Montana even though I’ve never been lucky enough to go there…and now this obsession has reached a whole, new level and I need to get my booty out west pronto! I’m loving each and every detail of this wedding as if it were my own. I love that there were hayrides and horseshoes, s’mores and campfires! What a perfect way to highlight all the things about Montana for all your out of state guests. Nashan Photographers were on hand to capture all the great details and if you’re like me and just can’t get enough of Big Sky Country, click here for more!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…We currently live in Boston, but I grew up in Montana and always knew that I wanted to get married back home. My husband’s entire family is from the Massachusetts area and I was thrilled to be able to give them a glimpse into my upbringing.  We choose Moonlight Basin in Big Sky because it is not only a breathtaking venue but we spent time there the first time I brought my husband to Montana for his first “out west” ski experience!

Since the majority of our friends and family were going to have to travel, we wanted to make it a weekend long celebration for everyone, and give those from the east coast a taste of the wild west!  We started the weekend out by hosting all guests at a rehearsal dinner at the 320 Ranch.  Guests were taken by hay rides down to the river for a BBQ complete with horse rides, horseshoes, live music, and s’mores by the campfire. The weather was absolutely beautiful and made the start to the weekend perfect!

The following day, our ceremony took place at Soldiers Chapel at the base of Big Sky, MT.  I don’t think the pictures do this Chapel justice, as the view from inside the chapel is beautiful Big Sky Mountain.  My dress, Melissa Sweet Fern (minus the bow in front!), was the perfect style for this country affair with its head-to-toe French lace.  Because we had a small wedding party, only a maid of honor and best man, my sister (the maid of honor) was able to pick out a dress that fit her perfectly.  We made up for the small wedding party with a quintet of flower girls and a dashing ring bearer!

After the ceremony, guests went back up the mountain for a reception of dinner and dancing at Moonlight Basin Lodge.  The centerpiece of the lodge is a massive stone fireplace that our florist and wedding planner decorated with moss, orchids, and over 300 votive candles.  Floor to ceiling windows run across the entire back of the lodge and give a panoramic view of the mountain and ski hill. Guests were greeted with a refreshing glass of summer sangria and were invited to leave us a message on chalk boards in our photo booth vs. a traditional guest book.  The flowers were a mix of color and texture – with everything from fluffy peonies to bright orchids. I’d like to add a special thanks to my family and my husband’s family for making our special day possible – we couldn’t have done it without them.  It was a day that we will remember and cherish forever!

Rehearsal Dinner: 320 Ranch / Ceremony Location: Soldiers Chapel / Reception Location: Moonlight Basin Lodge / Planning + Florals: Fresh Designs / Wedding Photography: Nashan Photographers / Wedding Cake: Cakes by Cabin Ridge / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston Bridesmaid Dress + Flower Girl Dresses: Priscilla of Boston

 

If I could live forever inside of this next perfect wedding…I could die happy. The backdrop is of course insanely beautiful, but it’s the photographs that Mary Beth Tyson snapped, that have completely taken my breath away. Add to that a bride that could quite possibly be the most lovely bride I’ve ever seen, with her laid back completely effortless beauty, a handsome groom in a fedora, their three year old little piece of perfection and well, it’s pretty much a fairytale realized. Click here to see the full wedding.

click here to see the full wedding!

Michael and Amy were married in their native state of Montana.  They planned their wedding in just under two months wanting to have a summer wedding but didn’t want to wait until the long winter was over.  It was important to them that the mountains were showcased so they chose Holland Lake Lodge which is nestled between the Mission Mountains and the Bob Marshall wilderness.

They were married with only the very closest family and friends in attendance and with Amy’s 3 year old son as the ring bearer.  Amy’s dress was handmade by her mother using 100 year old vintage lace that her mother was given when she was a little girl.  Michael’s suit was purchased at JCrew and bought to match the straw hat.

Photography: Mary Beth Tyson / Bridal attire – designed and handmade by her mother using 100 year old vintage lace  / Bridal natural crown – Habitat Floral Studio / Groom’s suit – Jcrew / Wedding Venue – Holland Lake Lodge / Florist – Habitat Floral Studio

This wedding has captured my heart.  First off, it was shot by the hyper-talented and super awesome Katy Gray of Katy Gray Photography.  Now, as if that wasn’t enough, the wedding of Larissa and Brett is so chock full of homespun details and decor, it’s hard not to get sentimental about the whole thing.  Just listen: her mom and grandma each had a hand in the invitations; his family helped out with the program fans and wooden signs, her friend’s mom made her sash … even her aunts played the ceremony music!  Seriously.  If this isn’t pure, unadulterated family love and togetherness, I honestly don’t know what is.  (Pssst… Would you like to see all the yummy photographic goodness right now?  Then the gallery‘s just the thing for you.) — xoxo, Alison of The Knotty Bride

{See all the gorgeous details in the gallery!}

A few words from our bride, Larissa:

I am from Kansas City, Brett is from Montana and for now we live in Arkansas, so having a wedding in Montana was a no brainer! It was 75 degrees and breezy. With the mountains in the background, and the beautiful green college campus there was very little need for decorations. It was perfect.

One of my favorite aspects of our wedding was our ceremony music. My Aunts played the flute and the cello which brought back great memories of my childhood of when I used to play the Violin. I walked down the aisle with my father to Bach- Cello Suite no 1, which gives me chills everytime I hear it.

I originally wanted to wear my mother’s wedding dress. It didn’t fit and I was afraid to get it altered, so I wanted a lace dress like my mothers but with a vintage touch. I found what I thought was “the perfect dress” by designer Romona Keveza. A friend’s mother made my beautiful sash for me. The rest of my accessories I also wanted to have a vintage feel which I got all from Etsy.

My mom and grandma helped me make our invitations. Brett’s family helped me make all of the program fans and the wooden signs. We also made all of our favors which were packets of wild flower seeds and pink lemonade mix. We decided not to do a wedding guest book, instead we set out a rustic picture frame for everyone to sign so it can be displayed in our home for years to come. We added a little humor and fun to the reception with the “party ‘staches” I made!

I loved the bridesmaids and groomsmen’s attire! I was unsure about the brown tuxes at first but after seeing them on, I thought they rocked! My favorite color is actually yellow but I just loved the way the light pink looked against the chocolate brown. All of Katy Gray’s work is Awesome!!! I couldn’t have found a better photographer to work with, honestly.

Thank you Katy, Larissa and Brett, for sharing this incredible day with all of us!  It truly was a treat to see!

xoxo, Alison of The Knotty Bride

Vendors: Photography: Katy Gray Photography / Venue/Catering: Carroll College, Helena, MT / Dress: Romona Keveza / Hair: Sugar Salon / Florist: Dana Johnson / DJ: Capital City DJ / Officiant: James Rice, Associate Justice to the MT State Supreme Court / Bracelet: Maylui / Earrings: Lulu Splendor / Blusher: MARISOL APARICIO / Sash bling: Daniel Design