The mountains are calling and we must go – today we’re sharing a wedding from Susan K Adams Photography that every mountain-bride needs to see for some steep inspiration! Montana made for the most breathtaking scenery for the couple’s ceremony, complete with a circular wedding arch by Labellum that we seriously can’t stop staring at. We love the fact that the groom favored getting married at 320 Guest Ranch because of it’s rustic look, so the bride incorporated her sophisticated style to the décor – their contrasting styles came together to create the most perfect mountain wedding ever. See for yourself!
Let Mama Earth shine. Don’t try to overpower her because you’ll never succeed, especially not in Montana. As a designer by trade, the bride Alex and groom Dylan knew they had an incredible task at hand designing their wedding spaces in the beautiful Gallatin Canyon. The couple met in Bozeman during college and stuck around after graduation because it’s nearly impossible to find an opportunity more tempting than living, playing, and working in Montana. Dylan fly fishes and hunts in his spare time and Alex designs beautiful interior spaces in the mountains, so a wedding by the river tucked away in the mountains was the perfect fit. They fell in love with the beauty of the Gallatin Canyon (think Big Sky and West Yellowstone access) and chose the 320 Guest Ranch to provide their guests, all coming from other states, the perfect Montana experience.
The ranch itself was a bit more rustic than Alex’s personal style, so her goal was to bring in a more sophisticated feeling, while still providing a ranch vibe for their guests. She already had an incredible landscape, so she was very intentional about bringing in elements that would only complement and enhance the natural beauty. She chose colors that were more muted and neutral with a simple pop of forest green in select areas. Says Alex, “My favorite part of any event design is the florals, and I think they make the biggest impact, so I incorporated them as much as possible. I used white and neutral toned flowers with lots of greenery to brighten up the rustic decor while keeping it simple to blend with the landscape.” The flowers also helped to make the tent feel more intimate. The floral designer, Labellum, hung simple greenery alongside handmade macramé mobiles (made by the bride’s mother!) to bring the space down.
“I’m a very nostalgic person and also very detail oriented, so I brought in a lot of personal touches where I could without being too loud about it.”, says Alex. The couple is obsessed with their black lab Hatch. Dylan surprised Alex with her two years ago, and they knew they wanted to include her somehow without being too cheesy about it, so they asked their baker to make a “Hatch” black lab cookie. Dylan’s dad created a family brand that they incorporated into their design as well. They ordered a custom wax seal stamp of the brand and used different shades of wax on the place cards to indicate which meal each guest was to receive.
One of my favorite moments of the day was watching Alex and Dylan walk into the decorated tent together, alone, before any of their guests. We all know weddings are about much more than the flowers you choose or the food you eat, but watching their elated expressions as they witnessed for the first time a space they had created together that perfectly reflected what was important to them was a highlight of the day. They snagged a couple of cookies, and Alex straightened a few forks before leaving the tent, hand in hand, more ready than ever to share their vows and commit their forevers.
Photography: Susan K Adams Photography | Floral Design: Labellum | Gown: Truvelle | Cake: Elles Belles Bakery | Jewelry: a.b.Ellie | Ceremony and Reception: The 320 Guest Ranch | Gown Boutique: a&be bridal shop | HMUA: Ethereal Hair & Makeup Artistry | Seamstress: Lumi Bridal