What if I were to tell you I had a fabulous fête to share with you that was going to blow your wedding-loving mind? Would you believe that the natural beauty of Jackson Hole, Wyoming was matched and exceeded by a fine bit of nuptials? Could you believe that the cool color palette went perfectly with amazing flowers and the slightest, chicest hint of The Old West? It might be hard to take that all on face value, until I tell you Carrie Patterson Photography was behind the day. Now it’s easy. It’s easy to see the sweet charm in every gorgeous image. It’s easy to feel the relaxed elation in every smile. It’s oh so easy to fall in love when you check out the gallery!
Click here to see the whole pretty, pretty thing in the gallery!
My husband and I met six years ago on April Fool’s Day. He had just left a blind date and I was out with a girlfriend celebrating her birthday. My eye caught his gold-buttoned blue blazer and his my smile. Over the next three years, we dated, traveled and enjoyed our life together. During the week of Thanksgiving 2008, we vacationed in Florence, Bruges and Paris on our first whirlwind European adventure. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Chris hired an undercover professional photographer to follow us around the enchanting streets of Bruges in an effort to capture each moment leading up to and during the proposal. On bended knee on the city square, he asked me to marry him and then subtly pointed out our secret follower.
The decision to get married in Jackson Hole was an easy and an obvious choice. We refer to our 2006 encounter with Jackson Hole as our first grown-up vacation and it was simply love at first visit. Our families and friends live all across the country and Jackson Hole became not only the wedding location, but also an endless source of inspiration during our planning process. Once engaged, we visited JH and finalized our plans with a powerhouse list of vendors. Carrie Patterson topped the list with her breathtaking photography and endless guidance to ensure our wedding was the perfect balance of beauty and entertainment.
Inspiration for the style of the wedding played homage to a comfortable weekend getaway with our closest friends and family. Our primary goal was to ensure that each of our guests had the opportunity to fall in love with Jackson Hole, just as we did. From each detail from our save-the-date postcards with Wild West old time photos to line dancing to The Devil Went Down to Georgia, we hoped to indulge our guests with a relaxed western experience. Two weeks prior to the wedding, we mailed a custom stamped local map along with a detailed itinerary of the weekend’s events. Thursday we met as a group for Snake River Lagers and Friday’s rehearsal dinner took each of our guests up the Bridger Gondola for cocktail hour and then back to Nick Wilson’s Cowboy Bar for BBQ, dancing and a photo booth.
The day of the wedding was pure magic. I spent quality time with my sisters and two best friends and while getting ready, I experienced a tremendous, indescribable closeness with my mother. Chris and I had a “first look” with our bridal party and I remember a quiet excitement that rushed over me as I took those last steps towards him. The moment he turned around and looked at me was one of the most special moments in my life. During the entire day, I felt so absolutely beautiful and loved and Carrie captured that exact essence in each of her photographs.
Carrie’s photography of our wedding tells a story of love and life and happiness. There are moments caught on film that were easily and unintentionally overlooked. Her ability to seek out an oasis of emotional purity is unlike any other photographer I have ever encountered. She loves her art so much and it shows in each smile and tear and glance.
Photography: Carrie Patterson Photography / Flowers: Lily and Co. / Venue: Shooting Star Ranch / Band: Judd Grossman Band / Cake: Jaclyn’s Cakes / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Entertainment: Judd Grossman / Invitations: Trendy Treasure