Jordan + Chris

(May 20, 2023 in Ronan, MT)

Nestled within the breathtaking landscapes of Ronan, Montana, on May 20, 2023, a love story unfolded that beautifully merged the rugged spirit of Montana with a touch of refined elegance. Jordan, our radiant real bride, envisioned a day that paid homage to her multi-generational Montana roots while weaving in a sense of sophistication and uniqueness. The result was a wedding that seamlessly blended the raw beauty of the area with the grace of an upscale event. With a soft color palette evoking the gentle hues of the Montana sky and an array of carefully chosen details, Jordan and Chris's celebration told a story of love, heritage, and a shared future. From the first glance to the final dance, their day captured the essence of Montana's laid-back charm and showcased the couple's unwavering commitment to each other. Join us in reliving the magic of this extraordinary wedding, where tradition, love, and the allure of Montana combined in perfect harmony.

By our real bride, Jordan:

What was the vision for your wedding?

My vision for our wedding was simple elegance with touches of Montana if that makes any sense at all. We both come from multi-generational Montana families so we wanted to reflect our connection to the area and our hard-working, relaxed style but I also wanted our day to be unique to us and a little fancier. Right away, I loved the idea of a soft color palette including shades of champagne, pink, or blue (which we never officially picked) as well as white florals and greenery and a small semi-naked cake. Chris was very supportive throughout the process and I think we followed through on our initial plan pretty well. My mom and I loved looking through Rocky Mountain Bride's magazines or social media posts for inspiration which were very helpful in providing Chris with visuals to help explain ideas. It also provided a lot of help with finding great vendors in our area which we believed to be high quality. In addition, Montana is a small place so we directly or indirectly knew of some of the vendors we chose but networking with one vendor in one aspect of your wedding may lead you to a vendor in another aspect.

How did it go on the day-of?

I say we're definitely biased but our wedding day was perfect! Overall, our wedding followed traditional expectations and timelines which was important to us including our decision not to do a first look and include all of our siblings in our bridal party. It was also fun to do trends including cupcakes and cake pops for guests, a neon sign, charcuterie boards for cocktail hour, and roasting marshmallows for s'mores in the evening. There were actually quite a few details I was planning on needing to be okay with going wrong the day-of and I was at peace with it. We chose our venue for many reasons but the view of the snowcapped Mission Mountains was a big factor. It had been very warm for May in Montana and there was smoke in the area from a fire in Canada, but the smoke cleared out hours before the ceremony and it was an absolutely beautiful evening. My dad had a stroke a few years ago which resulted in long-term deficits but he was able to walk me down the aisle, share a tear-jerking speech with some help from my mom, and join me for a father-daughter dance.

For special touches, I wore the earrings my mom wore on her wedding day, Chris wore a navy blue tie to stand out as the groom, and I bought our dads ties in a shade slightly different from the groomsmen. Both sides of our parents were included in the getting ready process and shared traditional moments with us. A hilarious detail was my little sister brought out a very large scroll with her speech written on it to spite Chris for frequently telling her to keep her speech short. Don't worry, she respected his wishes and kept it brief but his initial reaction is something I hope to never forget. Finally, our dog was not at our wedding but he stayed with us at the venue. He snuck in a couple of shots during the getting ready time and even hit the dance floor at the end of the night. I think we were able to have the simple elegant wedding through the ceremony and dinner then transition to a more traditional, relaxed Montana wedding. Ultimately, we both had a lot of fun and got to spend the majority of our wedding by each other's sides as we had hoped.

What is your #1 tip for future brides?

Enjoy the process! And set boundaries. I believe it is important to start planning your wedding early to ensure you both get what you want but enjoy your engagement and do not overwhelm yourselves. The best advice I got was to set aside certain times or days to discuss wedding planning rather than bombarding my fiancé with questions or information every evening. Take advantage of this phase of your relationship and make sure wedding planning is enjoyable for both of you.

Dress: Kenzie by Essense of Australia

Photos: Katy Shay Photography

Venue: The Silver Knot

Makeup: Josie Gibson

Hair: Mvp Beauty

Caterer: Montana Kickass Bbq

Dessert: Sweet Cakes by Melissa

Florals: Habitat Floral Studio and Garden City Floral

Planner: Big Sky Weddings

Dj: Brandon Johnson

Nails: Karlie Cleveland

HAIR EXTENSIONS: TAYLOR FARNWORTH