This wedding planner’s small wedding, part 2

In the last post I talked a bit about why my husband and I decided to have a small wedding ceremony. This post will share some of the behind the scenes details.

I started the day by getting my hair and make-up done. I decided to get ready at the home I grew up in, while Ryan got ready with his dad and brothers. There was something so special about being at home, surrounded by people that helped me grow, the people I love. Tied to my bouquet, I carried trinkets from both of my grandma’s and my best friend, it was my way to keep them with me throughout the day.

We didn’t have a bridal party, so when I did a first look, I did it with some of the most important women in my life, with a special introduction from my niece. It was followed by an emotional first look with my dad.

After the ceremony (which I shared more of here), we held a reception at the Livingston Depot, a historic train depot and part time museum located in Livingston, MT. There we were joined by additional friends and family for the celebration. My favorite part of the entire day was spending time with friends I hadn’t seen in years, but yet here we were, all together again!

The décor was simple–almost everything was handcrafted, and it all tied in to who we are and what we love. We used a mix of long and round tables, laid out to surround the dance floor. On the long tables, we had wooden table runners that I wood burned with special dates, quotes, and images. Each one was different, so guests could walk around and learn about our relationship. My dad and husband built the wooden bar for the wedding. Our flowers were a mix of gorgeous bouquets from Eco Flower and live, loose flowers we scattered around the tables.

The *delicious* bbq dinner was a nod to my husband’s southern roots. Our desserts were a mix of donuts (from the most amazing local donut shop) and cake from Momofuku Milk Bar (a NYC bakery that’s on my bucket list to visit someday). We also had pumpkin rolls and a caramel apple bar because, hello fall!

Our budget was small, the wedding day was a bit unconventional, and it was all so perfect. After letting go of the expectations and pressure that I put on myself, I was able to put together a day that was exactly the right day for my husband and I.

Be sure to check out our list of vendors below!

Want more behind the scenes? You might be interested in my dress shopping experience.

My wedding vendors:

• Photography: Tracy Montoya Photography
• Dress: After 5 and Weddings
• Rings: Riddle’s
• Hair and Makeup: Tresses Salon
• Catering: Blondie Bakes
• Donuts: Granny’s Gourmet Donuts
• DJ: Joe’s Mobile
• Bartending: Scissorbills Saloon

This wedding planner’s small wedding, part 1

Hi all! My 2 year anniversary is coming up, so I thought it would be fun to share our wedding story.

As a wedding planner, of course I felt pressure to create an amazing, unforgettable event with every detail so unique and “publication” quality. Let me tell you, that pressure was exhausting! Not to mention we were intentionally working with a limited budget.

After trying to do things the traditional way, it became very clear that the traditional way was not the right fit for us. So, I started over and really just took everything one step at a time, really putting thought into who WE are. From there, things really came together pretty dang well.

So, that brings me to the “why” of our small wedding. To be totally honest, my husband would have been just as satisfied if I said “let’s elope”. He is a pretty quiet personality and hates being in big groups or being the center of attention, so the idea of getting up in front of a crowd, reciting back phrases of love and devotion with all of those eyes staring at him created a lot of anxiety. I knew I wanted to have my dad walk me down the aisle since we are extremely close. From that, we came to a pretty easy compromise.

On that hot, sunny October afternoon, about 15 of our closet friends and family gathered along the banks of the Gallatin river for our wedding ceremony. It was small, it was perfect, and I wouldn’t change anything.

This experience is what drives my passion for small weddings. Sure, they aren’t the right fit for everybody, but there’s also nothing wrong with choosing this option if it feels like the right fit for you and your fiancé. Not sure if this is the right option for you? Let’s chat! I’d be glad to talk with you about the pros and cons of small weddings so you can ultimately make the decision that makes your heart happy.

Watch for part 2 next week–I’ll be sharing some of my favorite details from our wedding reception!

Until then, if you’re thinking about having a small wedding or elopement, check out this fun, casual elopement styled shoot and our elopements information page.

 

 

 

Meet the Wedding Planner

To celebrate my birthday (on Eclipse day!) I’ve dubbed this the unofficial “Get to Know the Wedding Planner Week” so everyone can get to know the lady behind the logo.

Here are 10 fun facts about me:

1. My passion for event planning started when I was 9 years old. My entrepreneurial spirit comes from my dad, who ran a business out of our home for 18 years. Combining the two made starting a business feel like a natural progression.
2. Words used most often to describe me are: quirky, crafty, and determined
3. Despite having plenty of local opportunities, I’ve never seen the northern lights but would absolutely love to!
4. I’m a geek when it comes to Montana history and could easily spend a summer exploring ghost towns and old cemeteries.
5. Lucille Ball has been my business idol for as long as I can remember. In my opinion, she is the greatest boss lady of all time.
6. My favorite part of a wedding day is watching the space come to life. First with décor, and then with all of the couple’s friends and family–laughter, music, dancing. It makes even the hardest days worth it!
7. I love to go on adventures, hiking, biking, kayaking, and most recently Geocaching. I feel most at home when I’m at the river.
8. I’m a total 90s kid! I still love almost anything related to 90s Nickelodeon and boy bands.
9. When I create designs, the inspiration usually finds me in the weirdest ways. Past inspirations have come from a set of antique doors, a cape, and fringed napkins.
10. I don’t have a favorite color, but I really like pink. And green. And blue.

Photos by Keeley McKay Photography

Charlie and Dixie’s Vintage Yellowstone Wedding

This wedding will always be extremely special to me because it’s the first wedding day I ever professionally coordinated. Besides being genuinely kind, Dixie was an extremely hands on bride, DIYing almost everything for her elegantly vintage themed wedding. That lady has some serious talent and an amazing eye for detail! And I have to tell you, the fact that this wedding was held in Yellowstone National Park makes it one of my favorite weddings ever.

It was a typical rainy May day, but that didn’t damper the spirits of the day.
The ceremony was held at the historic Mammoth Chapel in front of the couple’s closest friends and family.
One of my favorite moments of the day was the ring exchange between Chuck and Dixie’s son. It was so beautiful to watch them all honor their vows and truly come together as a family.

After the ceremony, everyone made the short trek down the road to the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, where the reception was held in the historic Map Room. The hotel provided full catering (a delicious Italian buffet!) and bartending services, but for desserts, Dixie had cakes brought from Bozeman, and they were displayed alongside a beautiful croquembouche .

Joe’s Mobile DJ services provided the music that kept everyone dancing the night away (and helped Chuck to serenade Dixie with a super sweet surprise karaoke performance)

So, here are some of my favorite detail shots from the day, taken by my amazing photographer pal, Missy Short Photography. Enjoy!

• VENDORS:
• Ceremony: Mammoth Chapel
• Reception: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel
• Photography: Missy Short Photography
• Floral: Allison Brooke Designs
• Dress: After 5 and Weddings
• Music: Joe’s Mobile DJ

2017 Montana Wedding Event

On February 18 we set up at A Montana Wedding Event. The past few years this bridal expo, put on by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, has be held at the Grantree Inn, but this year’s event was moved to a much larger venue, The Commons at Love and Baxter. There were dozens of quality vendors for couples to chat with, and some awesome food truck, coffee, and cocktail options to enjoy. I enjoyed walking around and seeing the different booths, meeting new vendors, and seeing familiar faces.

For the History in the Making booth, I envisioned a wall of greenery, a beautiful wooden table, and unique little accents to round out the tablescape (I’m obsessed with the wooden candle holders my husband helped me make) The floral design, created by the always amazing Sue at Wild Blume, had heavy focus on greenery with touches of white, and really tied together the organic, rustic vibe of the whole design.

Here are a few of my favorite images–Enjoy!

  

  

 

  

I have to send out a HUGE thank you to my husband Ryan who put up with my pestering and built me this gorgeous table and bench set.

He’s pretty much the best 🙂

Simple Elopement Styled Shoot

One of the things I love most about being in the business of weddings is seeing how special and unique each wedding is. Some folks want to throw a big party, surrounded by friends and family. Other couples would rather keep it short and sweet–hosting a ceremony with just a few witnesses, or even simpler as just husband, wife, and officiant. That was the inspiration behind this mini-shoot with Simple Reflections Photography.

    

We wanted this elopement shoot to be simple, sweet, and romantic. We set up a picnic blanket and accented it with an antique basket, vintage jar lanterns, and a delicious pie. Our bride was decked out in an adorable dress from Moda Fashion Truck. She carried a simple bouquet of white hydrangeas, and our groom stayed casual in jeans and a tie.

 

 

Can we talk about how stinkin’ cute this real life husband and wife are? Seriously the most perfect models for this shoot! 🙂

Here are a few more images for your viewing pleasure–Enjoy!

   

   

Interested in Eloping? We’re happy to help! We offer an elopement package that’s almost completely customizable and would love to talk with you about your dreams for your day.

 

 

The Blooming Beetle, a floral up-cycling service

We are so happy to announce the launch of our free new service, The Blooming Beetle, floral up-cycling and delivery.

So what the heck is floral up-cycling, you ask? It’s a service designed to cut back on post-wedding waste by giving back to our local senior community.

Have you ever thought about what you’ll do with all of your centerpieces/floral after the wedding is over? Sure, you could take everything home to clutter up your counter tops–OR  you could give them a second life by donating them to The Blooming Beetle.

It’s all pretty simple!

1. Decide to donate some or all of your wedding/special event flowers
2. Contact us to schedule a free pick up (We request at least 7 day advanced notice if possible.)

From there, we’ll use your flowers to create several smaller arrangements and deliver them to local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Here’s a short article that explains how your donation can make a huge impact!

Not only can you feel good knowing you’re brightening the day of senior citizens, but what an amazing way to start off your new life as a married couple!

Our signature “Blooming Beetle” delivery vehicle is still in the works with plans to be debuted Summer 2016. Be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep up with the latest news. Want to donate sooner? Contact us and we’ll make it happen!

Now a few of the “fine details”

While we’re SO excited to offer this service, it is not exclusive to just History in the Making clients; We gladly accept donations from any event, and would love to be able to provide this service all year round (here’s looking at you, Christmas parties!)

We also happily accept donations from floral shops and private donors. When making a floral donation, we ask that the donation contain enough stems to create at least 6 small arrangements. (size reference: an average Mason jar) or 1 large arrangement (cylindrical vase) We also ask that flowers be in useable condition. We can certainly handle picking out a few droopy flowers or browning petals, but please don’t donate an entire bunch of half-dead flowers. We want these arrangements to be beautiful, uplifting, and something that will last at least a few days.

Our free pick up service is available in the Bozeman, Belgrade, and Three Forks areas. Since this is a not for profit service, we have a $15 suggested donation to assist with fuel costs for floral donations from Livingston or Big Sky.

Know someone that would like a special floral delivery? Let us know and we’ll do our best to make it happen!

A few reasons to say “I Do” in Bozeman

I may be a bit biased here, but Montana is a seriously incredible state. Not only are we home to 2 national parks, but we have countless acres of state parks and forests, tall mountains, vast plains, national monuments, ghost towns–I could go on for days.

Bozeman, located in Southwest Montana, is an amazing place to live, work, and get married. Here’s a few reasons you should consider saying “I Do” in our little piece of paradise.

Incredible local vendors

       

Here in the Bozeman area, we’re lucky to have an abundance of amazing vendors who can make your day everything you’re hoping for. Beyond the typical vendors, you can also find a variety of food trucks, dozens of bands and musicians (and we’re not talking crappy about wedding singers), liquor infused cupcakes, and a fresh oyster bar, to name just a few of our local gems.

Venues for all styles (and budgets)

   

Whether you’re dreaming of a gorgeous rustic barn, an upscale ballroom, or a Victorian style mansion, we’ve got it covered! With so many options, there are price points to fit most any budget, from city owned venues priced at a few hundred dollars to luxury properties that run at several thousand. The best part? You’re guaranteed mountain views at almost every single venue, and no matter the style of the venue, there is always a feeling of authentic Bozeman.

Plenty to keep your bridal party and guests busy

  

Best know as the “Gateway to Yellowstone”, Bozeman provided countless other opportunities for locals and tourists to get out and about every day.

Love shopping? We have a fair share of well known chain stores, and our Main Street is lined with small, locally owned businesses, restaurants, art galleries, and coffee shops.

If you enjoy history, Bozeman is home to the American Computer Museum, the Pioneer Museum, and the world famous Museum of the Rockies.

For the adventurous folks, Bozeman offers the “Main Street to the Mountains” trail system. There are 45 miles of trails within city limits alone–and hundreds more if you want to get out of town. Some of the most popular city trails are: The M hike, Bozeman Pond Trail, and the Highland Ridge Trail. Looking for something more? Check out the 6 rock climbing boulders scattered around the city for a fun climbing challenge.

After a hard day of adventuring,  quench your thirst at one of Bozeman’s local breweries. There are several breweries and tasting rooms to choose from, as well as a vodka distillery located downtown. Take a short road trip to the small town of Ennis to get a taste of Montana moonshine (and be sure to stop for a dip at Norris Hot Springs on the way)

Interested in learning more about getting married in Bozeman? Let’s chat! We love working with local AND destination couples to bring their wedding ideas to life.

Photo Cred: Missy Short Photography, Merissa Lambert Photography, Silver Orchid Photography, and Tracy Montoya Photography.

2016 Montana Wedding Event

This year marked my second year as a vendor at the Montana Wedding Event, and I was really excited about the opportunity to meet new couples and new vendors!

This year my booth design started with these ah-ma-zing giant letters! I had so much fun building them, and hope to get a lot of use out of them in the future.

Since I knew the letters would create a wow factor, I wanted the rest of the design to be simple but complimentary. As I was developing the design, it seemed to be heavily feminine so I consulted with my husband on a few different ideas to keep it “man friendly” while still pretty and elegant. But true to my typical design aesthetic, this table is affordable to re-create on almost any budget.

So, here are just a few pictures from the show. I hope you all like it as much as I did!

See those pretty chair sashes? Watch for my post on how to make them in the near future 🙂

   

     

 

Mountain Inspiration-a mini styled shoot

It was Super Bowl Sunday, and I had some time to kill before the big game. I also had a table and chairs in my car from the Montana Bridal Event the day before, so my mother in law and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous 40 degree day and head up the mountain to Hyalite Reservoir for an impromptu mini shoot.

Luckily these amazing views make up for my lack of professional photography skills. It was such a fun day that left me feeling really inspired.

For an adventurous couple wanting an authentic Montana Winter wedding, it doesn’t get much better than this!

     

     

      

 

Yes, even being buried up to my knees (and sometimes hips) in snow pack, I had such a blast!