Ellie + Nathan

(March 18, 2023 in Kalispell, Montana)

Step into a world of love, joy, and unforgettable moments as we take you on a journey through the vision our real bride Ellie and her partner had for their wedding day. Picture a celebration filled with simplicity, elegance, and timelessness. This couple’s dreams began with a blank canvas, slowly shaping the aesthetic they desired. And when the day finally arrived, it exceeded all expectations, leaving them with cherished memories and hearts brimming with happiness. So, join us as we recount their magical moments, the perfect details, and the laughter that filled the air on this couple’s special day!

By our real bride, Ellie:

What was the vision for your wedding?

We wanted a simple, elegant, and timeless wedding. We didn't know exactly how we wanted everything to look but developed the aesthetic over time. Our venue was an old lumber warehouse that has been redone, which sounds odd, but it was beautiful and we had to do very little in terms of decorations. We had scattered florals, mostly muted pinks/creams, and a lot of greenery.Because we live in a small-ish town, there aren't endless vendors to choose from, which made things easier in some respects! Decision fatigue is real when it comes to planning a wedding! We found our photographer first, then the wedding coordinator. Our photographer and coordinator were awesome and provided a lot of recommendations for our remaining vendors. Our coordinator also really helped us envision the day and brought in a lot of special details.

How did it go the day-of?

The day was absolutely magical. Afterward, we kept marveling at how much fun we had, and how well everything went. When you spend months (or years) planning an event over in a matter of hours, it can go by in a flash, but try to soak everything in! On our honeymoon, my husband and I journaled about the wedding day and included some pictures that family and friends took on their phones. This was our way to make sure that we remembered every little, sweet detail!

Nathan and I stayed with our respective bridal parties, so the morning was fairly relaxed. I woke up early with anticipation, sipped coffee with my bridesmaids, and played some games! Around 10, we started hair and makeup. I loved having a chill morning with my girls. Around 2, my hair and makeup were done, our photographers arrived, and it was time for me to get dressed. It seemed so surreal that everything was happening! I had butterflies - and still do when I think about it now! Shortly after, I went over to the venue and got in position for our first look. I was unbelievably excited, and my legs felt like jello. As soon as Nathan came around the corner, every bit of nervousness melted away. It was perfect. We chose to do our own private vows before the ceremony, so we took a minute to do that. This was such a special moment for us to have together, and I'm really glad we went that route. For us, it allowed us to make the vows much more intimate, since we were only sharing them with each other, rather than 200 other people.

We also did the majority of our photos before the ceremony. We didn't want to have to worry about it after the ceremony, and wanted more time together day-of! One of the weirdest things about your wedding day is that unless you plan for it, you spend very little time with your partner. We had a blast taking photos, then got lined up for the ceremony. This part of the day is honestly a blur - I remember walking down the aisle, saying our vows, and walking out with my HUSBAND!

Directly after the ceremony, we signed our marriage license, and just took a few minutes to be alone together and soak everything that we had just experienced. What a surreal feeling! From there, we went onto dinner and LOTS of dancing! Something non-traditional that we did was rather than our bridal party at the head table, we sat with our parents, siblings, and grandparents. With such a full day, you don't typically get a lot of time with your family, and it was very special to be able to share a meal with them.

We took a few golden hour photos after dinner, and had an absolute blast - our photography/videography crew was so much fun. Our getaway car was a vintage Mustang, and we took a lot of photos with that, which turned out so neat. One of our favorite things we did was throughout the night, our guests took photos through the POV "app-clip" (functions like an app without guests having to actually download it), which allows them to take photos with a disposable camera filter. All of the photos were uploaded to an easily-accessible online album, where we and the rest of the guests could look at them. This was an easier and less expensive way to give guests a "disposable camera". Some of our favorite photos came from our guests this way!

What is your #1 tip to future brides?

Comfy shoes!! I chose to wear Chacos under my wedding dress, and am so thankful. A wedding day is usually long, and not having aching feet at the end of the night was AWESOME! I was able to walk around, dance, and be on my feet without a problem.

DRESS: HALEY BY ESSENSE OF AUSTRALIA

VEIL: LAUREN BY SARA GABRIEL

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALYSHA PIERRE

FILM PHOTOGRAPHY: RILEY CONNELL

VIDEOGRAPHY: CALEB FITZWATER WITH HALF MILE MEDIA

COORDINATOR: CAPELLA WITH EMPRESS TENT & EVENTS

HAIR AND MAKEUP: EMILY WITH CRAFT SOCIETY SALON

FLORALS: SAVANNAH GENTRY WITH FORAGE AND FLORAL

VENUE: SNOWLINE ACRES

DJ: CHAD HUFF

CATERING: COPACABANA GRILL

DESSERT: CHEESECAKE WITH BROOKLYN BAGEL AND BAKERY