fbpx

Married in Montana | An Intimate Western Montana Mountain Wedding Under the Stars

February 13, 2022

Be sure to grab your lightsaber and light the way for the new Mr & Mrs! Ashley and Jared combined their loves for the outdoors and all things out of this world with their take on Star Wars meets a modern Montana mountain wedding. They were sure to pull out all the stops on this one, from the Millennium Falcon wedding guest book for guests to sign when arriving, to the grand sparkler and lightsaber duo exit at the end of the night. Little details were everywhere you turned and it was fabulous. Their ceremony was held in front of a stone cliffside with idyllic mountain views all around. It all came together so perfectly on an early fall day and is a most picturesque example of combing the best of both worlds on your wedding day.

When Ashley and Jared first reached out to me, they told me about how they live in the midwest but wanted to get married somewhere in the country with beautiful mountain views while still having the ability to invite their family and closest friends for their special day. After searching for venues all over, eventually they came across White Raven Venue & Retreat, located just outside of Missoula, Montana. It was the perfect Montana mountain venue for an intimate wedding. Located on a beautiful mountain plateau overlooking the Clark Fork river in the region of the state known as Glacier Country, the venue features a beautiful mountainside ceremony spot, majestic pines, and wildflower meadows in front of a mountain backdrop that’s perfect for couples photos.

Surprisingly enough, for being right a mere 25 minutes from downtown Missoula, it was dark enough out at White Raven that you could see The Milky Way. Yes, THE FREAKING MILKY WAY—that hazed band of light seen amongst the stars by the naked eye in only the darkest of areas. I proposed the idea to Ashley and Jared about doing a photo of the two of them in front of the night sky during their reception and they were totally down for it. I’m always so happy when couples trust the vision. That photo has easily become one of my favorite couples shots. Check it out towards the end!

It was a huge honor traveling out to Montana to celebrate with Ashley, Jared, and their people. Intimate weddings like these are such a joy to be a part of because of the warmth I receive from not only the couple but their family and friends as well. All of their guests traveled from out of Montana as well so just being there for Ashley and Jared’s wedding day was a testament to the amount of love that is had for those two.

I feel that Ashley and Jared carved out the perfect itinerary for their trip out to Montana. Since everyone was traveling to Montana for the wedding, they wanted to spend their wedding day with their guests. Then, Ashley and Jared opted for a day-after session with me in the majestic Glacier National Park, where they camped for their honeymoon after their wedding. We woke up before sunrise and danced among the pink-painted mountains of that September morning. It was absolutely epic, and I definitely recommend you check out that blog post as well!

A picture of White Raven Venue & Retreat, an intimate Montana mountain venue for weddings
The interior of the lodge at White Raven, a premier Montana mountain venue for intimate weddings
A black and white candid image overlooking the mother of the bride's shoulder as she watches the bride walk down the aisle with her dad at her Montana mountain wedding
A wide shot of an intimate Montana mountain wedding
A close up shot of a Montana mountain wedding with a small bridal party
A bride and groom kiss while walking out from their Montana mountain wedding ceremony
Star Wars themed wedding details including lightsabers and Star Wars graphics
Star Wars themed wedding ideas including a wedding day scavenger hunt game
Various Star Wars themed props for a wedding photo booth
Star Wars Wedding Cake
Star Wars Wedding Cake topper
Star Wars themed Mr & Mrs wedding sign
A bride and groom stand among the wildflower meadow in front of the Montana mountains on their wedding day
A groom dips his new bride for a romantic kiss after their Montana mountain wedding
A bride and groom stand in a meadow in front of the Montana mountains outside Missoula on their wedding day. The groom has his hands in his pockets and the bride is swooping her veil in the air.
A closeup of a bride and groom standing in a meadow in front of the Montana mountains outside Missoula on their wedding day. The groom has his hands in his pockets and the bride is swooping her veil in the air.
A groom holds his bride while standing in a meadow in front of the Montana mountains on their wedding day
A groom holds the train of his bride's dress as they walk through a meadow in the Montana mountains on their wedding day
The campfire and seating area at White Raven, Montana's premier mountain wedding venue
A bride and groom share laughs and s'mores as they sit in front of a campfire on the night of their Montana mountain wedding
A bride and groom sit around a campfire with their guests on their wedding night at a mountain venue in Montana
A bride and groom stand in front of a mountain in Montana on their intimate wedding night in front of a star-filled night sky with a view of the Milky Way
A bride and groom kiss at the end of their wedding night during a grand exit surrounded by their guests, sparklers, and lightsabers
A bride and groom kiss at the end of their wedding night during a grand exit surrounded by their guests, sparklers, and lightsabers

When asked, “What made you choose me as your photographer?”

“Looking through the photos on your website, it just looked like you captured the most emotionally meaningful moments in the weddings or elopements. You incorporated nature in every way possible and the people in the shots look relaxed and happy. The pictures aren’t the typical posed pictures and they don’t look like cookie-cutter images.


“I don’t want to remember the stressful parts of my wedding. I don’t want the pictures for the most important day in our lives to look faked or unbelievable. I want to look at those pictures and remember why we wanted to get married in the first place, while enjoying something we both love (the great outdoors).”

A+J, I’m so happy that you trusted me to take on such an important role for your wedding day. I’m glad it was it fun-filled and stress-free and everything you were hoping it would be. Cheers!


Feeling inspired by these intimate Montana mountain wedding photos?

Ready to start planning your very own intimate mountain wedding?

The first step is contacting me today to get the conversation started!

SHARE THIS STORY
COMMENTS
EXPAND

This was SO well done! I love that your couple stayed true to themselves. the milky way shot is so beautiful!

I love how they incorporated the Star Wars theme in such a fun, but classy way! Great photos and holy heck that milky way shot is AMAZING!!!

THose are some serious Star Wars fans lol. Beautiful day!

Well this is pretty much perfection. I’m not sure what else to say except that this is so beautifully and perfectly done!

Okay, wow! How awesome is this? Love all the Star Wars details and it looks like they had an incredible day! Beautifully captured their spirits šŸ™‚

Seeing a couple incorporate what their interests are during their wedding day is such a joy! Love this!

Shut up!!! A star wars themed day sOunds like a dream!!! I loved the mini lIght saber fight and smores By the campfire.

ADD A COMMENT