The picturesque backdrop and stunning settings throughout the property made it an easy decision to select GREEN VALLEY RANCH for their day. “It was one of the first decisions throughout the wedding planning process where we were both smiling, totally calm and utterly confident – we knew this was the place for us.” Captured by ELIZABETH LANIER PHOTOGRAPHY, the couple knew they were rolling the dice by having an outdoor wedding in Montana in September. “There could be rain, there could be smoke and based on prior years (yes we studied the farmers almanac before picking our wedding date) the chances were very high the weather would be anything other than sunny. We were surprised and overjoyed that the sun came out that day and it was absolutely stunning.”
the inspiration
When we started wedding planning we were all over the map on style! I recall some of the first conversations about style and decor and being so overwhelmed, the only thing I had to say was “I really like the color blue.” We learned quickly with help from our planner (Cara Lard with GOLDFINCH EVENTS) that we have more traditional taste when it comes to decor but we still loved having an elevated feel to match the vast outdoor beauty in Montana. We were able to pull in dark and natural blues while also having statement pieces like the flower arrangements. While Tim and I both appreciate the elevated aesthetic on our wedding day, we wanted to cultivate a much more casual moment for the welcome party. We brought in a host of delicious food trucks and an Americana band for a backyard cookout. Bringing our family and friends into our backyard allowed us to share the setting to so many of our favorite memories – making it even more special.
Bringing our family and friends into our backyard allowed us to share the setting to so many of our favorite memories – making it even more special.
The proposal
Tim took me out to Bowman Lake in Glacier National Park for a picnic. Between the bumpy road to get there and the misty sky that day I was a little unsure how successful this picnic would be. Shortly after we set up the picnic Tim proposed with the most beautiful Montana Sapphire ring. It was a special moment for the two of us as it was a moment with JUST us, and our yellow lab, Bacchus. We spent that night in a glamping tent before heading back to Whitefish to celebrate with our families the following day.
The dress
My dress shopping experience started out chaotic and ended with confidence and joy that I found the perfect dress for me! I didn’t initially know (or have a clue) what kind of dress style I wanted. My mom and I ventured out to NYC for a fun weekend of browsing and trying on different styles. It was stressful! I was in one of the biggest cities in the world and was so disappointed with what I found. A few weeks later we popped into a dress consignment shop in Seattle called Blue Sky Bridal. Within minutes I found the perfect dress and it was a true Cinderella moment because we didn’t even need to get alterations!
The flowers
Traditional and elevated. This was one aspect of the wedding where we felt the more the merrier. We loved the classic look of white flowers but having an outdoor wedding in September it made sense to pull in warm golden tones as well. MUM’S WEDDINGS in Whitefish are the true brains behind the floral arrangements. As far as details that we planned, the flower arrangements at the reception were one of our favourite details. We’ll never forget the overwhelming vastness and stunning arrangements MUM’S WEDDINGS put together.
Since we were hosting a wedding in a destination that isn’t the easiest for everyone to get to, we wanted to ensure that our family and friends had the most unforgettable time.
THE HONEYMOON
We visited Spain, Italy and Ireland over a 3 week span immediately following our wedding weekend. Our first stop was Mallorca where we could relax and reminisce on the whirlwind of the prior week! It was a great spot to have lazy mornings and lay out in the sun. San Sebastián was our favorite stop on the trip – a stunningly picturesque European city with friendly people and some of the best food we’ve ever had. We did a food tour and relished the opportunity to meet a knowledgeable, local foodie over pintxos and txakoli (a sparkling dry white wine from the Basque region). In Italy, we spent time in both Tuscany and Lake Garda. The Tuscan pasta and the dramatic lake and mountain views from Lake Garda still lives rent free in my head. Dublin was our final stop: we played a fun, but windy, round of golf at Old Portmarnock golf course and consumed enough Guinness and ‘fish and chips’ to last a lifetime!
IMPORTANT ASPECTS
There were two stand out aspects that were a top priority for us: 1) concert-worthy live music we could dance to and 2) guest experience. We saw our band, The Spazmatics, a few years back and had the best time! They are a true 80s cover band who knows how to put on an incredible show, and to top-it-off, they dress up as NERDS. I’m sure our guests were puzzled when they first walked out on stage, but the dance floor was swarmed within seconds and the party lasted for nearly four hours. Several guests even made it in front of the microphone on-stage to participate in their own 80s rock saga. Guest experience was also really important to us. Since we were hosting a wedding in a destination that isn’t the easiest for everyone to get to we wanted to ensure that our family and friends were going to have an unforgettable time. It means so much to us that our guests made it all the way to Whitefish Montana and we wanted to forward on our appreciation. Another aspect we focused on were the details around logistics and timing; making sure guests had timely transportation and didn’t spend too much time waiting for the run of events. Top notch vendors, food, beverages, music, etc were also really important to us. This is an aspect of the wedding that could not have been accomplished without the help of our event planner, GOLDFINCH EVENTS.
THE MOMENT
Our first dance is one I’ll never forget! We spent a lot of time talking about what we wanted to do, what song we would dance to, etc. It was only a couple days before our wedding that we finally picked a song and practiced some moves in the kitchen. It was so much fun for both of us as we didn’t pick a song we thought would be ‘easy’ to dance to, rather, it was just one we both liked (This Must be the Place by Talking Heads). By the time we got out on the dance floor it felt like the first time we both got to be creative and goofy and just let loose! A joyous feeling of “we did it!” And it was one we’ll never forget.
