Wedding in Montana?
Photo: FettersPhotography
Gorgeous! That’s the weather for this mid-fall ceremony- high 60’s, sunny, bright bluebird of a sky, couldn’t ever predict a day like this in early fall for a wedding in Montana - what a fabulous day! The vibe was laid back, casual with a mix of formal evening gowns worn in the sunshine. The crowd was a little hesitant to shout their enthusiastic “We do!” in the congregational vow section, but once Libbie remarked on that, I had them do it again- they came through with volume and verve!
Photo: FettersPhotography
The Parkview Pavilion (with a view of Glacier National Park) is a fabulous spot to get married- it housed all of their 30 some guests who had traveled caravan style from Wisconsin and provided both a ceremony site, reception area, prep cabins and of course- the nearby Lake MacDonald in the park, for even more amazing photos.
Photo: FettersPhotography
The palette was described as deep sea green and blue, with champagne and a balance of medium gray. The gowns were more of a sage green and the bride’s dress was sprinkled with lacy leaves throughout and a sweeping train. The groom had a handsome suit, white shirt and green tie. There was a lot of attention paid to the tying of that tie. I think four different folks had a hand in it! It was so warm I wore a sleeveless dress with blue and green, small striping with a gathered bodice.
Libby and Chad wanted a short and sweet ceremony with a standard Declaration of Intent and though they didn't want to create personalized vows, they did choose written vows that had special meaning to them. They spoke of not having to cherish and honor each other but “getting to”, of the privilege of being in relationship, and how they valued that as their main intention.
Libbie and Chad drove all the way to Montana from their home in Wisconsin with two kayaks and a ten foot high three part wooden mountain altar decorated with flowers. Chad assembled the structure once they arrived and it was a stunning and notable backdrop for their ceremony and all their group photos.
My favorite part of this day were three moments after the ceremony. The first was Chad's mother approaching me with teary eyes and a smile, thanking me for “marrying her son “. She seemed overwhelmed with gratitude and had no more words than those. The second was when nephew, Noah, was signing the marriage license as a witness, his first official document signing of his life, who asked the intelligent and reasonable question, “ Do I need to sign both my names or just my first name?” Us grown-ups all smirked and smiled at his question and I requested that he use both his names, please. The final special moment that stands out in my memory for this day is the conversation I overheard on my way to my car, in which bridesmaid Sydney, speaking to the screen on her phone said, “ Yeah it just ended… short and sweet, to the point, their vows were super cool! I loved it!” What a great way to end my time with their family and friends.
“Yeah, it just ended… short and sweet, to the point, their vows were super cool! I loved it!”
At the end of the ceremony we met at the side of the reception hall to sign the marriage license and take a quick photo or two. I always have a little commemorative “Marriage Certificate” prepped to share with my couple, as well as a personal note and a little gift bag with business cards. This time I included a locally made beeswax floating candle in the shape of a heart. I set it to the side of the table where we were signing the license. When young nephew Noah saw that- he was quite curious! He wondered what it was, thought it might be food and wanted to eat it. Libbie the bride said she didn’t know! I let him know it was a candle and he likely could eat it, but it wouldn’t taste very good. I’m pretty sure Libbie would make sure it stayed safe from his hungry eyes.
“Audrey was everything we could have hoped for and more in a wedding officiant, she was the perfect fit in our opinion! We truly appreciated and enjoyed her presence and expertise throughout the entire process! She was extremely helpful, supportive and accommodating leading up to and on our big day.
Thank you for everything!”
TEAM
Officiant: Audrey Hyvonen, Bespoke Ceremonies Montana
Sound:Rob Brown, Kosmic Radio
Photography: Megan Fetters Creative , Jessie Haidle , second shooter
Venue: Glacier Outdoor Weddings
