Montana Couple Returns to Marry at Flathead Lake
Rustic, Nostalgic, Thoughtful
Jonathan and Nicole, a Montana couple that live in Minnesota, are both native to Kalispell, where they returned for their intimate family gathering for Thanksgiving and the next day, for their wedding ceremony, on a private dock on Flathead Lake in Somers, Montana.
I arrived early and as the walk down to the dock was icy and steep, I was watching my footing closely on the descent. When I turned to look back, I noticed the playful white baubles hanging from the trees leading to the ceremony site. The site itself was decorated with boughs of greenery, gauze, golden stars and snowy accented branches - all forming an archway to mark the ceremony location at the end of the dock. It wasn't what the couple had planned but it was a beautiful addition from the mother of the bride who really wanted to decorate and make the occasion marked and special.
The dock had a lot of memories from its years in the family as the summertime play spot, with a hot tub, boat tie up and lots of rocks climb on. It was a delight to add this festive occasion to the box of memories.
The sky was heavy with a thick fog that obscured the mountains and hung over the lake like a misty magical blanket. The family prepared a big bonfire on the shore and welcomed each other with hot toddies and hot chocolate, a spread of butter cookies and stunning cupcakes from local bakery Sugar Happy. The vibe was low key, business casual outfits with snow boots, and was peppered with excitement by standing close on a narrow dock with three leashed dogs.
My suggestion, to designate their best skilled photographer from the gathered family to assist all who had gathered in sharing the moment and not striving to record it, was met with relief and excitement. They didn't want their parents to be fiddling with their phones throughout the ceremony and asking Nicole’s brother to just later share his photos with everyone, made it easiest to have everyone bring their full presence as a gift to the gathering.
Jonathan wore a simple sweater and a dark overcoat. Nicole had a sensible warm coat with some festive white peeking from underneath that would be better appreciated at their indoor dinner once warmed up. They chose to invite their fathers to be witnesses to the marriage license signing and we incorporated that into the ceremony itself as the final element. Both dad's had tears in their eyes and shared a sweet moment together after being clearly touched by this act of inclusion.
Jonathan found me by looking for an officiant available in the Kalispell area and after reading about me and my services on my website, thought I would be a good match for their desire to have a quick non-religious ceremony outside and they were right! I delighted in meeting them, learning their preferences to be private and focused in the ceremony and was pleased they trusted me with creating that for them based on their intentions.
My favorite moment was when I asked for the rings, Nicole declared she had to go get one. She buzzed through the crowd back to her bag to retrieve the ring she had for Jon, which provided a sweet moment for everyone to grab a Kleenex after the emotional exchange of vows they had just shared. The normalcy of our human behavior was punctuated and celebrated through this moment and it fit so well with their attitude of both reverence for the occasion and go with the flow approach.
“Audrey was amazing! She responded to our online inquiry promptly and worked with us to provide a customized experience that exceeded our expectations in every way. Audrey took the stress out of big event, meeting us on Flathead Lake for an outdoor wedding in November! Everyone could not stop talking about what a great job she did. I would recommend Bespoke Ceremonies Montana for weddings big and small. You won’t regret it!”
TEAM
Officiant: Audrey Hyvonen, Bespoke Ceremonies Montana
Photography: Audrey Hyvonen
Cupcakes: Sugar Happy Bakery
Venue: Private Dock, Flathead Lake, Somers MT
Are you excited to get started on planning your epic adventure wedding in Montana too?
Want to elope just the two of you?
Want to have your closest family and friends there too?
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This sweet spot, West Shore Unit of Flathead Lake State Park, is a perfect place to have your intimate elopement. Quiet and serene, with breathtaking views, it is a public recreation area occupying 129 acres on the western shore of Flathead Lake five miles south of Lakeside in Lake County, Montana. The state park can get busy during the hottest days of summer. It offers boating, fishing, camping, swimming, hiking, and wildlife viewing. With a special use permit for commercial activity, I'm pleased to offer intimate elopement access for couples who want to get married next to the lake, hassle free! Visit the BOOK ME page on www.BespokeCeremoniesMontana.com to reach out about your ceremony options.
