A Grand Wedding 2019

COMPLIMENTARY

2019 EDITION

10

Inspirational Weddings

SHUTTER SNAP

—

Quick wedding photo tips

DRINK UP

—

Planning your reception beverages

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TABLE OF contents

50 —

78 —

64 — 68 —

90 —

Clockwise from top left: Michaela Scott, Jamye Chrisman, Krysta Sorg, Cassie Molyneux, Amy Galbraith

Teton Weddings 50 —

62 —

76 —

HOOKED ON MOOK Hannah & Will

MEMORIES IN THE MAKING Lindsay & Ryan

A WYOMING LAKE DAY Meredith & Braden

54 —

64 —

78 —

FIERCELY IN LOVE Laken & Sam

INTO THE MYSTIC Lindsay & Isaac

BOLD AS LOVE Katie & Billy

58 —

68 —

90 —

A JACKSON ELOPEMENT Sierra & Stephen

HAPPY MEMORIES Jessica & Aaron

72 —

MOUNTAINTOP MARRIAGE Taldi & Nathaniel

AT LAST Kelsey & Hank

cover

ON THE : Newlyweds Karen and Bryan Kunkler share an exuberant moment from the top of Grand Targhee Mountain Resort in Alta, Wyoming.

Afterwards they partied the night away with friends and family at the Teton Teepee Lodge. Photograph by Heather Erson Photography //heathererson.com 8

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

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TABLE OF contents

26 —

38 —

42 — 46 —

32 —

44 — Clockwise from top left: Bradly J. Boner, Neil Simmons, Jamye Chrisman, Katy Gray, Jamye Chrisman, David Stubbs

Planning Your Wedding 22 —

42 —

SMART PLANNING My favorite tips

RECIPE FOR A GREAT DANCE PARTY Whatʼs your reception vision?

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Preparing for adverse weather

26 —

36 —

44 —

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT Ring care 101

SHUTTER SNAP Quick wedding photo tips

TREASURED KEEPSAKE Safeguarding your wedding dress

28 —

38 —

46 —

DRINK UP Planning your reception beverages 10

32 —

WELCOME TO THE TETONS A wedding here is unlike anything else A Grand Wedding ° 2019

WILD BEAUTY Petals with personality

jacksonholewedding.com

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A NOTE FROM OUR editor

Teamwork

M

Arnica Springs

y husband and I make a good team. It’s a characteristic of our relationship that dates to when we met in college. Back then, we often tackled our homework and studying for common classes together—each leaning on the other’s strengths but ultimately both learning the material (except for that Moby Dick assignment, but that’s a story for another time).

As our relationship matured, so did our partnership. Now, we anticipate our collective needs, match each other’s motivation levels, and inspire each other to be our best selves. What’s our secret to our teamwork success? We seek connection through open communication and mutual respect. And we hold hands. For as long as I’ve known him (some 24 years), my husband has always enjoyed holding my hand. A simple but powerful gesture, it brings immediate strength, connection, and comfort.

Those kinds of gestures—which sometimes happen involuntarily—make the everyday significant. As you embark on your wedding planning, harness that connection with your soon-to-be-spouse and practice your teamwork to reduce the planning stress and make your significant day even more special. Pause to embrace and appreciate sweet team activities along the way, like a weekly planning date night, a quiet dinner after venue scoping, or a mellow stroll around town as you check rehearsal dinner locations.

Time flies when you are busy planning such a big event. One minute you’re setting the date, the next you’re slipping into your gown, and before you know it, you’re waving goodbye to your guests. The day will be over in a flash.

As I reviewed this year’s wedding stories, I noted how teamwork and connection were strong themes throughout. Destination wedding couple Taldi and Nathaniel in “Mountaintop Marriage” (page 90) had weekly date nights to run through the wedding details and make shared decisions. In “Fiercely In Love” (page 54), Laken and Sam worked together to make their favorite wedding details come to fruition, and their dedication and commitment paid off as they hosted their dream Jackson wedding. Teton Valley locals Katie and Billy in “Bold As Love” (page 78) planned their wedding to reflect their personalities and connection with their community. Together, they picked huckleberries the summer before their wedding to use in the wedding cake they made. Hannah and Will in “Hooked on Mook” (page 50) recruited a team of friends and family members to help them incorporate their local favorites with their hometown likings to create a reception that blended the landscapes they love so much.

In addition to the weddings profiled, we assembled other stories to help you plan and relish your upcoming Teton wedding. Tyler Brooks (“Recipe For A Great Dance Party”) lists all the ingredients needed to make your reception a killer dance party. Joseph Haeberle reflects on his wedding-day photography experience to give five quick tips for maximizing your wedding photography in “Shutter Snap.” In “Welcome To The Tetons,” Britney Magleby outlines how planning a wedding here is unlike anything else. In “Drink Up,” I break down how to plan your reception booze and soft drinks. And, if you’re looking for ways to care for your wedding rings, check out “Protect Your Investment” for suggestions.

This edition is filled with creative ways and useful tools for you to celebrate your special day, so grab your partner’s hand and get busy!

Congratulations and best wishes,

Publisher Kevin Olson Associate Publisher Adam Meyer Editor Rebecca Mitchell Art Director Samantha Nock Copy Editor Richard Anderson Contributing Writers Tyler Brooks Joseph Haeberle Britney Magleby Advertising Sales Kal Stromberg kal@tetonmediaworks.com Ad Design & Production Sarah Wilson Luis F. Ortiz Lydia Redzich Taylor-Ann Smith Distribution Kyra Griffin, Hank Smith, Kal Stromberg, Jeff Young, Jayann Carlisle

P.O. Box 7445, Jackson, WY 83002 (307) 732-5900

© 2019 Teton Media Works, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this magazine’s original contents, whether in whole or part, requires written permission from the publisher.

Advertise in A Grand Wedding to reach prospective brides and grooms selecting the greater Teton region for their wedding location. Please contact the sales department at (307) 699-3620, or log on to our website, jacksonholewedding.com, to download a media kit in a PDF format.

Contribute. We’re always looking for real weddings to feature in A Grand Wedding. Please submit your story via our website if you’d like us to consider it for publication.

PS. Please follow us on Instagram, like us on Facebook, and visit our website, www.jacksonholewedding.com, to submit your 2019 wedding story for next year’s issue.

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A Grand Wedding ° 2019

LIGHTING

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13

TOAST OF THE

town Lindley Rust

Jamye Chrisman

Hannah Hardaway

Hannah Hardaway Jamye Chrisman

Ashley Merritt

Katy Gray

Heather Erson

Jamye Chrisman

Cody Downard

David Stubbs

David Stubbs Amy Galbraith

Jamye Chrisman Jamye Chrisman

14

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

TOAST OF THE Jamye Chrisman

David Stubbs

Cole Buckhart

Jamye Chrisman

town

Jamye Chrisman

Heather Erson

Ashley Merritt

Jamye Chrisman

Michelle Erwin

Adam J. Howard

Hanna Hardaway Rebecca Vanderhorst

Lindley Rust

jacksonholewedding.com

Katy Gray

Heather Erson

15

TOAST OF THE

town Hannah Hardaway

Jamye Chrisman

David Stubbs Heather Erson

Jamye Chrisman

Cole Buckhart

Michelle Erwin Jamye Chrisman

Katy Gray

Heather Erson Katy Gray

Heather Erson 16

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Heather Erson

Ashley Merritt

TOAST OF THE Jamye Chrisman

Heather Erson

town

Heather Erson

Katy Gray

Ashley Merritt

Ashley Merritt

Heather Erson

Heather Erson

Adam J. Howard

Jamye Chrisman

Katy Gray

Cole Buckhart

Jamye Chrisman jacksonholewedding.com

Jamye Chrisman 17

TOAST OF THE

town Amy Galbraith

Jamye Chrisman

Ashley Merritt

Jamye Chrisman Hannah Hardaway

Heather Erson

Bradly J. Boner

Heather Erson

18

Rebecca Vanderhorst

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Ashley Merritt

Adam J. Howard

Katy Gray

Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman

Katy Gray

TOAST OF THE Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman

town

Heather Erson

Ashley Merritt Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman

Heather Erson

Katy Gray

Jamye Chrisman

Lindley Rust

Rebecca Vanderhorst

Hannah Hardaway

David Stubbs jacksonholewedding.com

19

TOAST OF THE

town Hannah Hardaway

Rebecca Vanderhorst

Heather Erson

Morris Weintraub Lindley Rust

Katy Gray

Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman Adam J. Howard

Rebecca Vanderhorst

20

Jamye Chrisman

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Bradly J. Boner

Roslyn Smithers

Heather Erson

Adam J. Howard

TOAST OF THE Jamye Chrisman

town

Cody Downard

Katy Gray

Roslyn Smithers

Jamye Chrisman

Jamye Chrisman

Heather Erson

Heather Erson

Jamye Chrisman

Ashley Merritt David Stubbs

Hannah Hardaway Cody Downard

Adam J. Howard Jamye Chrisman

jacksonholewedding.com

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Left: Jamye Chrisman , Right: Hannah Hardaway

A

SMART PLANNING

way to remember who s soon as you say, attended your wedding, like “We’re getting married,” a thumbprint wedding tree the wedding advice My favorite tips canvas. Have guests place floods in from friends and thumbprints and signatures strangers alike. While it can Words by Rebecca Mitchell on a blank tree outline. It will feel overwhelming weeding make a memorable wall hanging to enjoy for years through the dos and don’ts, it’s worth your time, as you to come. Check out “wedding thumbprint tree” on never know when you’ll find a valuable tidbit.

Pinterest for inspiration.

Here, I’ve gathered some creative and memorable ideas to inspire your planning. Use your imagination to come Create signature outings up with a wedding that captures your personality, style, One of Katie and Billy’s (“Bold as Love,” page 78) favorite and relationship. Dream big, dig into the details, and parts of their wedding week was sharing their passion have fun! for public lands with their friends and family through Prioritize Take time early in the planning process to decide what elements are most important to you as a couple and individually. Prioritize those elements and refer to them when you encounter planning challenges. Jessica and Aaron (“Happy Memories,” page 68) stayed grounded throughout their venue tours and vendor meetings by referring back to their “Top 3 Important Things” list they made at the start of their wedding planning.

Escape for a few minutes Plan some alone time as a couple to appreciate the event’s magnitude and excitement. Hannah and Will (“Hooked on Mook,” page 50) escaped before and after their ceremony. Beforehand, they drove up a dirt road and found a stream for the backdrop for their bridal shoot. Spending time together, alone, in nature before the ceremony was invaluable for their nerves and gave them a few special moments to take in everything before being surrounded by loved ones. Also, they took a few minutes following the ceremony to relish the “newlywed glow” before joining their guests at the reception.

Break from tradition Instead of a classic guest book, consider a unique 22

their own “signature outings.” Billy led a mountain bike ride at Mike Harris Campground in Victor, while Katie went horseback riding from Moose Creek with close family and friends. It was a wonderful way to relax, connect, and soak up Teton Valley’s beautiful energy before the festivities began. Consider sharing some fun and personal experiences with family and friends before your big day.

Educate your guests Guests traveling by plane from sea level to our high elevation may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and other symptoms that can resemble the flu. This condition, called acute mountain sickness, is a common type of altitude sickness. It can occur at elevations as low as 5,000 feet, but usually lasts only a day or so.

Prepare your guests for high-altitude conditions with recommendations to drink extra water to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activities upon arrival, and limit smoking and/or alcohol consumption as that can increase dehydration and suppress respiration rate. If symptoms are present, guests should not venture to higher elevations until they abate. If symptoms persist or worsen, seeing a doctor is recommended.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

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Give guests options Your out-of-town guests will likely want to make a vacation out of their Teton travels. While on their scouting trip to Jackson, Jessica and Aaron (“Happy Memories,” page 68) kept track of their favorite places to eat, drink, and visit, and posted them on the “Things To Do” page of their wedding website.

Consider preparing some activity lists (three-, five-, and sevenday versions) for your guests to use as guidelines. Post them to your website or include them with your invitations. It will reduce the number of travel-related questions you will need to field and help your guests map out their Teton adventures.

Cody Downard

Share your history Consider dedicating a portion of your wedding website or rehearsal dinner program to explaining your relationships with your wedding party members. Your siblings may be easy for guests to identify but give them some background on your friends. It’s a great way to express your gratitude to friends and family. Plus, your guests will enjoy learning more about your special friendships.

when a guest inadvertently jumps in front of the professional photographer to capture a candid moment. Consider asking your guests to refrain from using their phones—entirely or at certain times. You can include this request in your invitation or ask your officiant to make a heartfelt announcement at the beginning of the ceremony.

Thank them Wedding favors are a small token of appreciation for your guests who traveled from near and far to celebrate with you. The most popular wedding favors are edible ones. Use your imagination and have fun.

Cole Buckhart

Don’t forget the children If you plan to have children attend your wedding reception, organize a children’s buffet complete with kid-friendly food, drink, and desserts. Have some tabletop activities like coloring books and small puzzles, and some lawn activities like bocce ball, ladder toss, or beanbag toss. Your young guests will love the special treatment, and parents will appreciate your efforts.

Get sent off in style Making a grand exit is more than just a great photo opportunity; it’s an age-old tradition that just keeps getting better with time.

Get creative with your exit plans. Walk through a tunnel of ski poles or boat oars, or have your guests wave brilliant sparklers, shoot off cap guns, or throw lavender buds.

Personalize it Look for inspiring ways to make your wedding reflect you as a couple. Consider creating a wedding brand—a meaningful image or monogram—that can tie together your wedding’s elements.

Weave it into your decor or stamp it on your paper goods. From wedding invitations and ceremony signage to dinner place cards and custom thank-you notes, your options for personalization are endless.

Capture the spontaneity Rent a photobooth for your reception and watch your guests flock to snap shots of funny expressions, endearing embraces, and silly disguises. Provide some creative props and let your guests have fun! Typical photobooth rentals include photostrips for guests and a CD of the night’s images for you.

24

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

David Stubbs

Ask your guests to unplug These days, nearly everyone who attends a wedding has a smartphone camera at the ready to capture memorable moments. While this can be a great way to see the event through many eyes, it can also distract guests’ attention and even backfire

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PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT Ring Care 101 Words by Rebecca Mitchell

Clockwise from top left: Bradly J. Boner, Katy Gray, Heather Erson, Cody Downard

Y

our wedding rings, perhaps the most important jewelry you will ever own, are both symbols of everlasting love and tangible reminders of your wedding vows. Since you will likely wear your rings every day for the rest of your life, you will want to know how to care for them to keep them looking brand new for years to come.

With special care and treatment, your wedding rings can remain as stunningly beautiful as the day you exchanged them.

Clean them.

Cleaning your wedding rings is quite simple. Jewelry experts suggest you soak rings in warm, soapy water for a few hours. Then, gently brush away any dirt or grime with a soft baby toothbrush. For best results, you should clean your rings every three weeks.

Avoid letting your rings come in contact with chlorine bleach or other harsh chemicals that can erode metal settings and dull finishes.

Insure them.

Insure your wedding rings either by adding a rider onto your homeowner's policy or by taking out a policy with a company specializing in jewelry insurance.

Wear them often, but not always.

To reduce the risk of losing your rings, try to avoid taking them off every

26

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

time you wash your hands. Instead, wear them as much as possible and enjoy their beauty and symbolism.

But don’t wear your rings during rough activities or sports that present a high risk of loss, like swimming, where cool water can cause your fingers to temporarily shrink.

If you work in a profession that makes it hard to wear your rings regularly (firefighter, nurse, mechanic, etc.), consider buying an alternate ring, like a silicon one, and storing your real ring.

Store them properly.

When you must take off your rings, store them in a lined jewelry case or cloth bag in a safe, memorable location. It’s best to pick a designated spot and make a habit of storing them there. Avoid leaving them near a sink where they can easily fall down the drain.

Service them.

At least once a year (preferably twice), take your rings to a reputable jeweler to have the settings checked, loose ones repaired, and stones inspected, along with a professional cleaning.

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DRINK UP

Jamye Chrisman

Planning Your Reception Beverages Words by Rebecca Mitchell

“D

rink up!” Risky words if you have an open bar at your wedding reception. Did you buy enough booze? Is your selection what your guests will want to drink? Did you budget for an endless supply?

And, most importantly, will your guests get home safely?

To successfully plan your reception beverages, you need to estimate consumption, provide options, determine your budget, and have a transportation plan.

Estimate Consumption Before figuring out your budget, estimate how many cases of wine, beer, and liquor you’ll need for the event. A good rule of thumb is to assume each guest will consume about two drinks during the cocktail hour and one drink per hour every hour after that.

For wine, count on pouring four glasses from one bottle, with twelve bottles in a case. For beer, a full keg translates to roughly fifteen and a half gallons or 165 twelve-ounce servings. Single-serving bottled beer is typically sold in cases of twenty-four. And for liquor, estimate eighteen mixed drinks per bottle. Don’t forget the mixers and extras, like tonic, orange juice, club soda, cranberry juice, drink mixes (pina colada, daiquiri, margarita), limes, olives, etc.

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A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Cody Downard

jacksonholewedding.com

29

Katy Gray

Cole Buckhart

The time and length of your reception, plus the availability of beverages, will contribute to how many drinks guests will consume. Alcohol consumption rises the later an event begins.

Guests will likely drink less at early-afternoon events compared with late-afternoon or evening events. For morning or earlyafternoon events, have plenty of non-alcoholic options available.

Determine a Budget For a modified full bar, experts broadly estimate that for every twentyfive guests you will need seventeen bottles of beer, four bottles of wine, one bottle of liquor, and fourteen non-alcoholic beverages per hour. Based on your guest list numbers (and the factors mentioned in “Estimate Consumption”), calculate a rough figure.

The length of your reception is a critical variable to consider: The longer your reception, the more beverages your guests will enjoy. If a fully stocked bar is available, experts predict forty-five percent of your guests will drink mixed cocktails or hard liquor, thirty-five percent will drink wine, and twenty percent will drink beer. Obviously, if you narrow the choices, the demand for each will increase.

Include an allowance for bartending staff and tips (a nice tip is twenty percent of bar costs). For quick and adequate service, hire one bartender for every fifty guests. Your caterer, venue, or wedding planner can help you find experienced bartenders. Be sure to use experienced ones as inexperience can lead to “large pours” and might throw off your estimates.

Provide Options Great parties have great drink (and food) options, so for best results, give your guests several choices. Create a few signature cocktails that reflect your personalities or wedding theme. The choices are endless, so get creative! Find inspiration on Pinterest or by Googling “signature wedding cocktails.” (If you offer a couple signature cocktails, you can cut down on your mixed drink options.)

Not to be Debbie Downer, but you might want to consider budgeting for event insurance that will cover any alcohol-related liability. If you are providing your own alcohol—outside of a catering company—you’re likely not going to be covered by your caterer’s liquor liability policy. Check with your insurance carrier and determine if it’s something you want to purchase.

Don’t forget to factor in the cost of your transportation plan. It can be part of your wedding beverage budget or a separate line item in your overall wedding budget.

For your beer, wine, and mixed drink selection, consider a variety that will appeal to many people.

Keep it simple, as trying to please too many tastes with too many options can backfire. Go with the crowd-pleasers.

Depending on the season and time of day, you may want to feature a hot chocolate bar and/or coffee and espresso bar with loads of extras like whipped cream, peppermint sticks, cinnamon sticks, and marshmallows. When it’s frosty in the Tetons, a customized hot beverage will hit the spot!

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A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Hannah Hardaway

And no matter the season, don’t forget non-alcoholic drinks. Stock up on lemonade, tea, soft drinks, and water. For extra credit, offer non-alcoholic mixed drinks, oldtime root beet or cream soda, and sparkling seltzers with fresh fruit garnishes.

Have a Transportation Plan If you’re serving alcohol at your reception, consider providing guests transportation to and from your reception. Use a couple of options on an hourly basis: an Uber-like service that can drive local guests to their homes, and a hotel shuttle-type service to drive guests to a few pre-determined hotels. Don’t forget to budget in driver tips, which should be about fifteen to twenty percent of the bill (often conveniently added to your total in advance).

There are many experienced transportation companies in the Jackson and Teton Valley areas that can help with the logistics. See our Resource Guide on jacksonholewedding.com for suggestions.

TeTon Pines CounTry Club S AY “ I D O ” Teton Pines provides an outstanding setting for life’s most cherished and celebrated events. We specialize in elegant rehearsal dinners and flawless receptions with customized banquets or exquisite plated dinners. Our outdoor ceremony site is perfect for exchanging vows and allows a seamless transition from ceremony, to photos, to cocktail hour. The grounds offer gorgeous bridges, ponds, and mountain views, creating a perfect backdrop for stunning wedding photos. After a mouthwatering meal your guests will celebrate beneath a soaring vaulted ceiling with exposed beams in front of an elegant floor to ceiling stacked stone fireplace. The spacious Clubhouse provides ample room for a band or DJ with no reception curfew. Our talented, caring, and experienced staff will make the dream of celebrating your new life together a reality. www . tetonpines . com

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photos by apres events

Clockwise from top left: Katy Gray, David Stubbs, Roslyn Smithers, Hannah Hardaway

W

hen a couple calls to hire me for a wedding, I ask them, “What is your vision for your reception?” They typically say, “I see everyone dancing and having a good time.” They follow that by saying, “I want to have fun and enjoy my family and friends.”

So, which is it? Is it people eating or a great dance party?

As you embark on your reception planning, consider these tips: Hire an expert planner An experienced planner can help you plan, organize, and execute your wedding, which will relieve you of a lot of stress. Finding the right planning assistance should be a fun step in your wedding process, and there are many experts in Jackson Hole.

RECIPE FOR A GREAT DANCE PARTY

It is remarkable how many couples are vague with their planning.

Planning for success is crucial, What is Your Reception Vision? especially with the music. I think Make it entertaining most feel that it will just take care of Keep in mind: Your wedding Words by Tyler Brooks itself or they will figure it out as the reception is not a food function. night goes on. But the questions you should be asking before the It is an entertainment function. The food is just one part of wedding will be harder to answer during the reception … not to entertaining your guests. mention add stress while you are trying to have fun.

Allocate your budget wisely Without detailed planning, you leave your party up to chance.

According to Modern Bride Magazine, most couples spend only 5 It might turn out to be incredible. It might flop. Or it might be percent of their budget on music. They spend 83 percent on the average. The outcome of your reception will be different in the ring, reception hall, catering, and bridal attire. Typically, couples eyes of everyone who attends. You can’t please everyone; however, spend more on the appetizers than on the DJ. At the end of the the better the plan, the better chance of success you will have. night, or five years down the road, what do you want you and 32

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

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307.363.0337 33

your guests to remember the most? The half-eaten appetizers or the party?

According to Bride Magazine, following the reception 38 percent of people remember the music while 8 percent remember the catering. In other words, no one leaves a party early because of the carrot sticks, but they might if they don’t care for the music.

While you may not have a choice about the cost of the appetizers or the DJ, you do need to consider which one will have the bigger impact on the overall success of your wedding. If music is crucial, consider allocating more for entertainment than things your guests may not remember.

A&B Productions

Pick your music Your reception is about you and your union. It is about you spending time and celebrating with your friends and family members. When it comes time to select your music, pick what fits you as a couple, but also keep in mind your guests and their tastes. A party made up of guests who are over 40 may not want to hear rap music all night. Variety will be important to keep the dance floor hopping.

Don’t be afraid to use traditional wedding music Overplayed, old, or corny, cliché wedding songs are those you typically hear at weddings. We all have songs we are tired of and prefer not to hear. Be sure to make a list of the songs you do not want played at your reception, but give your experienced DJ license to pull out an old favorite or two to get people onto the dance floor.

Make a request list Develop a request list of ten to twenty songs and organize it by cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. Any more than that and the DJ will spend more time looking at your list than reading the crowd. Remember: During the dance portion of the reception, these songs must be danceable!

Spend time with your DJ It is crucial that your DJ gets a sense of your musical taste prior to the event. Knowing the kinds of music you like and don’t like is key. For example, you might like music from the ’80s, but four kinds of music came out of the ’80s: pop, rock, alternative, and new wave. What types do you like and dislike? You might tell your DJ that you like ’80s pop and alternative but less rock and new wave. Be as specific as you can be.

Experience is crucial Everyone knows that the longer you work at a job, the better you get at it. A wedding DJ is no exception. Knowing what to do in different situations takes trial and error. Trust your DJ’s judgement and let him use his experience to read the crowd.

A common mistake is when the couple tries to plan the music or entertainment too much. At any moment during a wedding, the planned itinerary can change. An experienced wedding DJ doesn’t panic, knows how to roll with it and how to make the best of the situation … or possibly even make it better. When you book your DJ, make sure you are hiring an experienced wedding DJ. 34

Plan your placement well The DJ and, more importantly, the speakers need to be close to the dance floor. The farther away the DJ is from the action, the louder it must be. You don’t want the DJ projecting over dining guests, so plan for the DJ to be near the dance floor. And, while you’re mapping out the reception location, make sure the bar is in the same room or area as the dance floor; separating them will divide your guests.

Seek an interactive DJ Many couples tell me they want little or no DJ interaction on the dance floor—just play music. In my experience training DJs for the past 20 years, I have noticed that an interactive DJ is more confident in his ability in front of a crowd and typically cares about the party being successful. In other words, the DJ will do whatever it takes to make the party happen. Non-interactive DJs tend to be less confident and less versatile.

Consider the DJ advantage There are a few advantages to hiring a DJ over a band. A DJ can play all kinds of music—from hip-hop to jazz to boy bands.

A variety of music can help everyone at the party have a good time. With a DJ, there are no breaks in the music. When there is a break in the music, there is a break on the dance floor. Since you have the venue for only a certain amount of time, you’ll want to maximize its use. And, trust me: It is amazing how fast the time flies! If you choose the band option, consider hiring a DJ to play during the band’s breaks, so the party can continue.

When looking for music, do your homework and book early.

Remember to be explicit with your party vision. Allocate enough budget so you can hire an experienced DJ. Trust that your experienced DJ will know what to ask, how to help you through the planning process, and how to give you the best dance party.

— Tyler Brooks is president of A&B Productions, a DJ entertainment company based in Idaho Falls that serves the Jackson and Teton Valley areas. With more than 30 years of experience as a professional DJ, Brooks’ passion is fulfilling his clients’ party visions.

Check out his website at abpdjs.com. Follow him on Instagram: a.and.b.productions and abpweddingplanning. Read his wedding and school dance blogs at abpdjs.com/weddingplanningblog. Or follow him on Facebook: facebook.com/AandBProductions1987.

For additional questions, email him at tyler@abpdjs.com.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Look and Feel Your Best

remedejh.com 307.699.0090 jacksonholewedding.com

Jackson Hole's Premier IV Hydration Therapy Service 35

Ben Winckler

A

photographer isn’t just another vendor on your wedding day. Your photographer is with you the entire day, capturing moments that matter to you with the people who matter most to you.

Your memories are valuable and cherished.

Quick Wedding Photo Tips Tap into your wedding photographer’s talents Words by Joseph Haeberle to reap the most benefits and make your wedding more enjoyable and memorable.

SHUTTER SNAP

Here are five quick tips I suggest from my years as a wedding photographer:

1.

Book extra hours or plan an earlier schedule with your photographer.

Oftentimes, the few hours a couple has the morning of their wedding day can be the calm before the storm. The moments you have with family drinking coffee before things get started or the walk you take with your loved ones before the day gets rolling are part of your wedding day. They’re special. But if undocumented they might go unremembered. If you’ve only booked eight hours with your photographer, it might be worth it to sacrifice an hour of 36

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

dancing photos to make sure your moments earlier in the day are documented. If your photographer allows extra hours, it is worth it to have him show up early.

2.

Book a photographer whose work you connect with and love. A good photographer can see beauty wherever s/he goes—as the sun sets behind the Tetons, in an open meadow on a cloudy day, on a dance floor lit with colorful lights, or during a heartfelt ceremony. Maybe you’re a couple who loves extreme sports, or maybe you’d both rather hang out at a coffeeshop on the weekends. Look for a photographer whose work speaks to you and whose personality you enjoy. It’ll make it much easier for you to relate to your photographer and feel relaxed while your day is being documented.

3.

Find a venue that gives you the photos you want. When you’re choosing where to have your wedding, make sure to find a place that has adequate potential for the photos you want. Do a bit of research on your wedding-venue choices.

If you want naturally lit photos, consider an outdoor ceremony site like the Wedding Tree in Bridger-Teton National Forest. If you’d

rather have an indoor wedding with a bohemian vibe, try to find a venue with good light, big windows, and a variety of colorful backgrounds for your pictures. If you want photos of grandeur, look for a venue with unbeatable Teton views, large windows, or a massive staircase.

UNIQUE FLORAL DESIGNS for your SPECIAL OCCASION

4.

What if it rains? Let it happen. In some cultures, rain on your wedding day is considered good luck. But what about your hair, the dress, the suit, or Aunt Jan who didn’t bring an umbrella? For photographers, rain can make their job easier.

Soft light, cooler weather, and dramatic clouds can make for beautiful moments, so don’t be afraid to ask your photographer to capture them. Let it happen naturally. Overcome the bumps in the road, and make sure your photographer is there for all of it. (See “Expect the Unexpected” on page 42 for ways to ensure your guests are comfortable.)

5.

Keep things as tidy as possible. Many times, I’ve walked into the room where a bride or groom is getting ready and found it a mess—with Starbucks cups, makeup and accessories, miscellaneous food, clothing, and more scattered about the furniture. Not only does clutter add to the stress of the day, but it also gets in the way of having great “getting ready” photos. To avoid this, ask a few friends or family members to help you make sure things stay tidy and uncluttered.

— Joseph Haeberle is a commercial and editorial photographer inspired by the West. He shoots weddings in the Jackson and Teton Valley areas. He loves getting to know his wedding couples in advance of the wedding, so he can capture their personalities in his images. Reach Joseph by phone at 307-761-2354 or by email at joe@josephhaeberle.com. Follow him on Instagram at joepajamasweddings, or cruise through his website at joepajamas.com.

Providing Personalized Consultation for Every Event Serving Teton Valley, Grand Targhee & Jackson Hole

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David Stubbs

WELCOME TO THE TETONS A Wedding Here is Unlike Anything Else Words by Britney Magleby

W

elcome to a place unlike anywhere in the world.

You’ll see it the moment you glimpse those three towering peaks for the first time. You’ll feel it the moment the cold, thin air greets you. You’ll hear it when you pause and silence fills the space where ambient noise usually dominates.

We all know this place is unique. That’s why you’ve chosen it as your wedding venue. But it comes with a unique wedding planning process as well. In an area as different and beautiful as this, what else would you expect?

In the same way that open space replaces a city skyline here, one wedding vendor here can replace twenty-five in the city.

Where resources are unlimited in a city of 500,000, they are more difficult to find in a town of 10,000. And, while wedding planning can feel rushed in the hustle and bustle of the big city, it often feels easy, relaxed, and sometimes downright slow in a mountain town.

After eight years and more than 250 weddings in other cities and towns, I 38

have a decent idea of how a wedding works. But while some things remain the same no matter where you wed, my recent move back to the Teton area has made me realize that others certainly do not. Here’s what I’ve learned from my transition to Jackson, and what to know before taking on a wedding in this one-of-a-kind place.

Slow down Things move slower around here, which can work to your advantage. You don’t have to have all the answers right now.

Split up the biggest items and take your time on each. For instance, January can be venue month, February can be DJ month, March can be cake month, etc.

On the flip side, when the lack of urgency isn’t working in your favor, remember to be patient—with your vendors, with each other, and with the process. If the world around you isn’t rushed, there’s likely no reason for you to be either. When you feel stressed, excited, or overwhelmed, channel the calm energy that surrounds you. Stop, breathe, remember what’s important, and then move forward.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Embrace the beauty of the area What is the No. 1 thing that makes a Teton wedding unlike any other? The surroundings. Nowhere else in the world will you find a mountain range like this one, the pristine lakes and rivers that flow through the valley, and the sweet little Town Square framed by elk antler arches.

Utilize it! Consider incorporating locally purchased elk antlers into your décor by using them as centerpieces. Feature the Tetons and their pristine lakes as your backdrop by getting married in one of the stunning venues in Grand Teton National Park or Yellowstone National Park. Or exchange wedding vows and rings at the summit of a ski resort—Snow King Resort, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, or Grand Targhee Resort—and feature the stunning mountaintop views as your backdrop.

Don’t forget your roots Over 60 percent of the brides I’ve worked with in the area don’t live here, and over 90 percent are not from here.

While it’s important to honor this area as your wedding venue, it can be equally

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Clockwise from left: Katy Gray, Jamye Chrisman, Bradly J. Boner

important to incorporate pieces that honor where you’re from. If you’re from the city, feature your hometown skyline on your table numbers or escort cards. Or, if your family boasts strong ethnic ties, represent it with cuisine in your menu.

Utilize your small-town connections The views are great. The adventure is exciting. But it’s the people here who will welcome your guests to one of the greatest places on Earth. In planning a wedding, locals can be your biggest assets.

One of the best things about small-town living and small-town planning is that everyone knows everyone. So start asking questions. When you find a vendor or two you love, ask for their preferred vendor list to find more. If you’re on the fence about a company, reach out to the people around you for their advice. If you don’t have anyone to ask, ask your waiter in a restaurant or a stranger in a coffee shop. This is one of the few places you can do so easily (both receive local advice and talk to strangers). Chances are your vendors all know each other professionally, and perhaps personally, when they show up for you on your big day.

Party like the locals Locals in mountain towns consider themselves professionals in adventure and drinking. They stay out late in the bars and still wake up at 7:00 a.m. to embark on an adventure. While you’re here, you’ll want to party and celebrate with family and friends, but don’t forget that you have to wake up early for the biggest adventure of your life. Take a few tips from the pros to allow yourself an epic time and an on-time honeymoon departure.

Remember to drink water in between each alcoholic beverage. Don’t forget to eat—the breweries feature some great local food to pair with your pints. And remember that elevation heightens the effects of alcohol, so don’t try to go drink-for-drink with a Jackson lifer.

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Remember: You’re at 6,237 feet Very few wedding venues sit at 6,000 feet or above, and the altitude will affect your wedding in two major ways: weather and fatigue. Avoid panting while you’re walking down the aisle with two secret weapons: water and air. Drink water until you think you can’t drink any more. And, even though it may sound ridiculous, purchasing some canned oxygen from the grocery store could be a day-saver.

When it comes to weather, at the end of the day you should be prepared for anything. Snow in July is uncommon, but not unheard of. If a change in weather would ruin the whole day, consider changing your plans. And if, or when, a change in weather does come—embrace it!

Be grateful!

Finally, write down what you’re most thankful for and let gratitude be your guide. When you’re feeling overwhelmed with making every detail beautiful, allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the beauty that’s all around you. When you get frustrated with seating assignments, be happy for the one who you know will be sitting beside you. When you get wrapped up in the little things, return to the reason for it all. When it feels like too much, breathe the mountain air, listen to the sound of silence, watch the sun glow off the granite towers, and be grateful you get to do it all here—in this place that’s unlike any other.

— Britney Magleby was born and raised in Idaho Falls and spent her childhood playing in the Tetons. She now works at Snow King Resort and finds passion in making memorable events in the most beautiful place in the world. When she is not working, you’ll find her playing in the same mountains that were her childhood playground.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

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Neil Simmons

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Preparing for Adverse Weather Words by Rebecca Mitchell

Amy Galbraith

W

hile hosting a Teton wedding guarantees a beautiful backdrop, it also promises unpredictable weather. We can have snowstorms in July, sun-drenched days in May, windy weather in August, and mild temperatures in mid-November.

Additionally, the region’s wilderness is susceptible to wildfires, and subsequent smoke and haze can compromise the Teton air quality. As you select your venue and set your date, consider ways to keep your guests comfortable—no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.

Warm-Weather Relief When the sun is high in the sky and the days are long, the valleys on either side of the Tetons get their share of warm summer days. To provide some shade for your guests, consider using sunshade sails (fabric with UV block) or fancy umbrellas.

Be sure to strategically place the shade sails and umbrellas throughout your ceremony location at a height that avoids any issues with blocking guests’ views. If shades aren’t 42

practical for your decor or theme, consider providing individual, hand-held fans.

Guests can use them to make a little cool breeze or to block the sun.

should avoid exposure. Check local airquality reports and forecasts, and have a “plan B” outlined in case you need to move your outdoor wedding inside.

Following your ceremony, offer your guests chilled towels and a refreshing beverage— like a glass of huckleberry lemonade or a signature cocktail on ice—to quench their thirst. Be sure to keep the water flowing: Sugary or alcoholic beverages are more dehydrating than hydrating.

Cool-Weather Comforts Cool and cold weather are inherent to mountain living. In the summer months, evenings cool down and people often require a jacket for comfort. Winter months bring cold temperatures, frequently in the single digits, and tons of snow. To keep your guests warm when temperatures turn cool or cold, provide a basket of blankets, scarves, hats, and mittens. Offer individual hand warmers for extra-cozy hands!

Warm weather attracts insects, and if you’re near water it may mean bothersome bugs like mosquitoes. Consider hiring a professional to spray for mosquitoes before your celebration or provide bug spray for your guests.

If wildfire smoke is an issue at the time of your wedding, advise your guests in advance and take extra steps to keep everyone comfortable. Most healthy people will recover quickly when exposed to smoke, but people who have heart or lung diseases can really suffer. The elderly, young children, and pregnant women A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Invest in a tent made of thick, sturdy fabric. Not all tents are created equal.

Make sure yours has adequate sides, which you’ll want to close early to trap heat. Check with your rental company to make sure you can use candles and heaters inside your tent.

Fire up some propane heaters to take away the evening’s cool edge. Rental companies

Hannah Hardaway

stock varying sizes and models, depending on your space and heating needs. If you have a fire pit, lighting a fire is always a crowd-pleaser. Guests can stay toasty in front of the fire while sipping beverages like hot cocoa, apple cider, or even a hot toddy.

No Matter The Temperature At high altitude, the sun’s effects, good and bad, are magnified.

According to Jeffrey Benabio, MD, FAAD (thedermblog.com), at 6,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, you are exposed to 25 percent more ultraviolet radiation than at sea level. Add snow reflection to the equation and you have 80 to 90 percent more UV light reflecting at you (compared to 3 percent reflection on grassy areas). To offset the sun’s intensity, offer your guests plenty of water. Staying hydrated in the Tetons’ dry climate is critical to staving off many ailments—from dry, cracked skin to headaches or altitude sickness.

It’s your night

And while your guests may love the extra vitamin D, don’t forget to provide a variety of sunscreen products for body, face, and lips.

In Jackson, where the base elevation is 6,237 feet, it can take less than twenty minutes for skin to redden.

Area Weather Data Weather conditions differ around our mountain valleys and peaks, and temperatures can vary by 10 degrees or more from one place to another. If you’re new to the area, solicit help from your wedding planner or venue coordinator to learn what to expect for your location and date. To give you a general idea, the following table shows weather averages for the town of Jackson.

WEATHER AVERAGES FOR THE JACKSON AREA (IN THE VALLEY):

weddings + parties Avg. Max Temp. (°F)

Avg. Min Temp. (°F)

Avg. Total Avg. Total Avg. Snow Precip. (in.) Snowfall (in.) Depth (in.)

JAN 27

4

2

19

13

FEB 32

7

1

13

13

MAR 40

15

1

11

9

APR 52

24

1

5

1

MAY 63

31

2

1

0

JUN 72

37

2

0

0

JUL 82

41

1

trace

0

AUG 80

39

1

0

0

SEP 71

32

1

0

0

OCT 58

24

1

2

0

NOV 40

16

1

10

2

DEC 28

6

2

18

6

SteadyJake DJ dances + corporate events

This is your biggest day.

Information obtained from the Jackson weather station (6,237 feet in altitude) via the High Plains Regional Climate Center, www.hprcc.unl.edu jacksonholewedding.com

You get one chance to make it perfect.

Setting your event to music. w w w. S t e a d y J a ke .c o m ( 3 07 ) 41 3 -1 4 8 8 43

Jamye Chrisman

TREASURED KEEPSAKE Safeguarding Your Wedding Dress

Y

Words by Rebecca Mitchell

ou spent hours trying on countless gowns before finding the perfect dress for your big day. Now that your wedding is over, what should you do with likely the most expensive piece of clothing you’ve ever purchased?

Whether a wedding dress is a vintage hand-me-down or a brand-new gown by a famous designer, planning for its proper cleaning and preservation will ensure it remains a treasured keepsake for generations to come. Perhaps some day your daughter or granddaughter will want to wear it on her special day.

Here's some advice from wedding-dress experts: Don’t Delay Have your wedding dress cleaned and preserved as soon as possible. Why the rush? Stains left untreated can damage the gown’s fabric. Sugar spots can dry without leaving a noticeable mark but will caramelize and turn brown over time without proper handling. Salt from perspiration can cause a dress’ lining to eventually become brittle. Most dry-cleaning solutions do not remove sugar or salt without pretreatment. Be sure to review the actual condition of your dress with your dry-cleaning professional.

Look For Experience One of the best ways to locate a reputable wedding dress-

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cleaning and -preservation professional is to ask the staff at the store where you bought it. Bridal shops frequently send gowns out for cleaning and pressing, so their recommendations are useful. Get references from more than one place if possible, and do some research on your own. Make sure the professional specializes in wedding dresses regardless of whether they perform the work on premise or send it to a wholesale cleaner.

Find out what types of cleaning methods are used and make sure they correspond with the care label in your dress.

Some fabric and detail work—like sequins and beads—will require special cleaning methods. Find out if fresh solvents will be used to clean your dress. This is a must; dirty solvents can transfer impurities to your dress during the cleaning process, leaving your gown smelling like cleaning solvent.

Decide whether to Seal, Box, or Bag Once your dress has been professionally cleaned, decide which preservation method best suits your needs. The three main types of preservation—sealing, boxing, and bagging— employ a variety of methods to help protect your dress from oxidation, yellowing, mold and mildew, light, dust, and permanent creasing.

SEALING involves packaging a gown using acid-free tissue sealed tight in an acid-free box. However, this method does

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

not allow for future inspection to catch any oxidation, yellowing, or creasing issues; can cause permanent creasing, since the dress won’t be refolded every few years; and increases the chances of mildew, since the dress cannot breathe.

BOXING is similar to sealing except the box is not sealed, which allows for inspection, future refolding, and air circulation.

Sealing and boxing methods appeal to brides with either a large dress or a small closet.

BAGGING employs a technique used by museums to preserve historical clothing. The dress is hung on a padded hanger and enclosed in a 100 percent acid-free cotton bag. It remains unfolded, so permanent creasing is avoided. Bagged dresses are easy to inspect and need very little, if any, maintenance.

The only drawback is a bagged dress can require a fair amount of storage space.

Hannah Hardaway

Store it Carefully Find a safe, dry, and dark location with little temperature fluctuation to store your clean and preserved dress. Regardless of which preservation method you choose, never store your dress in an attic or basement. Even preserved dresses require a space with minimal temperature and humidity changes. And do not use a plastic garment bag, as plastic fumes can cause the garment to yellow.

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WILD BEAUTY Petals with personality Words by Rebecca Mitchell

W

hen you think of wedding flowers, what comes to mind? Roses? Peonies?

Calla Lilies? Hydrangeas? Tulips?

Ranunculus? Stephanotis? In addition to the classic pastel tones, today’s wedding flower options feature bright colors, bold pairings, adventurous additions of berries and succulents, and natural-looking bouquet-tying techniques.

Since wedding flowers can set the tone of your wedding décor and symbolize your personal style, don’t underestimate the value of them. Choose a floral theme that best matches your venue, budget expectations, and the combined personalities of you and your soon-to-be spouse.

The season in which you get married can greatly influence your flower options. While international floral markets provide accessibility to a nearinfinite variety, this diversity can come with a hefty price tag. Consult your florist (and even your wedding planner) for advice on blooms, accents, availability, last-ability, and preservation.

Clockwise from left: Ashley Merritt, Heather Erson, Amy Galbraith, Hannah Hardaway 46

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Clockwise from top left: Ashley Merritt, Jayme Chrisman, Neil Simmons, Heather Erson, Michelle Erwin, Cole Buckhart

jacksonholewedding.com

47

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A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Photography by Roslyn Smithers

2018 TETON

weddings

— Here is a peek at a handful of the many romantic, beautiful, and unique weddings that took place in the Tetons this past year.

jacksonholewedding.com

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Hooked on Mook HANNAH & WILL

Words by Hannah Orcutt Mook + Photography by Michaela Scott

O

ne summer day in 2013, Will pulled into my driveway in Jackson with a drift boat, a black Lab, and several six packs of beer in his truck. We were set up by a mutual friend who thought that, since we were both from Maine, we just might get along. She was right; the connection was immediate.

On our first date, we talked so much that we floated right past our planned boat takeout. Fast forward four years—past countless fishing dates, snowmobile and skiing adventures, extravagant meals prepared 50

together, camping trips, mountain bike rides, trips home to Maine, and one more black Lab—to Will planning an after-work float.

I reluctantly went along, despite afternoon thunderstorms and my debilitating fear of lightning. With flashes overhead, Will got down on one knee right there at the boat ramp and asked me if I would weather storms with him for the rest of our lives. We got engaged on the bank of the river where we had our first date and enjoyed an evening float bathed in post-storm light and literally surrounded by rainbows.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Let’s give it a

Shot

at the Jackson Hole Shooting Experience

We knew rivers, Maine, and the Tetons were themes that would play heavily into our wedding day. Getting married here was important to us, since we wanted to share our home with friends and family members from afar. It was equally important to bring in elements from Maine, where we both grew up. Will’s father started Mook Sea Farm, an oyster hatchery that grows Wiley Point, Moondancer, and Mookie Blue oysters. Of course, our cocktail hour featured a raw bar with these delicacies. We had Whoopie Pies, a traditional Maine treat, from the Orange Cat Cafe in Kingfield, where I went regularly as a child. Rocks and mussel shells collected from the Maine coast adorned the tables.

And I proudly wore Portia Clark freshwater pearls from Portland, a gift from my parents for my thirtieth birthday and a beautiful reminder of the sea. The reception napkins were folded with one sprig of Maine sea lavender and one sprig of sagebrush—a marriage of the two landscapes we love so much.

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wedding date 8 SEPTEMBER 2018 ceremony & reception location MOOSE CREEK RANCH officiant PATRICK LEARY, COUPLE’S FRIEND hair & makeup hair: STILLWATERS SPA AT TETON SPRINGS makeup: ERIN VISCONTI, COUPLE’S FRIEND photographer MICHAELA SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY florist HEIDE'S FLOWERS CYNTHIA ORCUTT, MOTHER OF THE BRIDE entertainment DJ ROSIE READ consultant JEANETTE BEARD, MOOSE CREEK RANCH RACHEL WARNICK AND ELLE SHAFER, COUPLE’S FRIENDS caterer THREE PEAKS CATERING dessert chef THE ORANGE CAT CAFÉ, KINGFIELD, MAINE rental service VALLEY LUMBER stationery design CYNTHIA ORCUTT, MOTHER OF THE BRIDE other specialty vendors MOOK SEA FARM OYSTERS singer: ADRIAN CROKE, COUPLE’S FRIEND dress: CHARLOTTE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE Bridal jewelry: PORTIA CLARK 52

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

We featured Teton elements in our wedding, too. Max Shafer, the brewmaster at Roadhouse Brewing Co. and Will’s best man, provided several varieties of Roadhouse beer. Max brewed us a special “Hoppily Ever After” pale ale with a label (that Max’s talented wife, Elle, made) featuring our black Labs, Gus and Rangeley. Chef Steve Murphy at Three Peaks Catering incorporated local elements into the menu, including elk meat harvested by Will and our officiant, Patrick Leary. Heide’s Flowers and my mother collaborated on the flowers. They combined Spray and Blush Vendela roses with locally grown wildflowers, greens, and blooms that my mom and sister-in-law harvested throughout the week leading up to our wedding. To honor beloved rivers, each reception table was named after a river where we spent time together.

The boutonnieres and bridal party earrings incorporated gray ghost flies, a fly originally from Maine that Will and I both grew up fishing with. Our officiant and dear friend equated marriage to a river and ended his heartfelt, personalized service with a quote from one of our favorite stories, “A River Runs Through It” by Norman Maclean.

It was important to us to have our ceremony near the water, so we chose a site right next to Moose Creek. With our black Labs close by, surrounded by family members and friends, and accompanied by the flowing creek, Will and I declared our intent to be husband, wife, and fishing companions for all our days. Moose Creek Ranch was a perfect venue with flexible outdoor and indoor spaces, places for out-of-town family to stay, and creeks and mountains nearby. Despite awakening to thunder and rain, the afternoon was warm and sunny for our outdoor wedding.

Everything about the wedding spoke to the two of us as a couple, our passions, and our intertwined backgrounds, including our dear friend Adrian Croke serenading the crowd with “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line, as we joyously recessed down the aisle. The whole weekend was a magical convergence of outof-town family and friends with our local community that we had built over the years. Our wedding was truly a team effort, and we are grateful to the vendors, family members, and friends who helped make our special day perfect.

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53

Fiercely in Love LAKEN & SAM

L

Words by Laken Rush Allen + Photography by Peter Lobozzo ike any good story, ours started with a guy walking into a bar.

He taught me how to cast a line and row a boat. He made me feel so fiercely loved.

Sam asked me out while I was working as a host at Local. He wrote his name and number on an O’Dell Brewing sticker he had found in his car and told me he would really like to take me out sometime. Between traveling and moving, it took about three months, but I eventually found the sticker and texted him. At first, he had no idea who I was, but after some investigative work, he figured it out and texted me back to make plans for a first date.

His engagement proposal was perfect.

After an amazing day of fishing, we were at our favorite campsite as the light started to fade. Sam said we should take some photos. While I was turned away, looking at the mountains in the background, he set the phone to record a video. Joining me for the photo I thought we were taking, he cleared his throat, got on one knee, and asked me to be his “sweet, sweet angel” for the rest of his life. He presented me with a ring he had personally designed. Through tears and muffled sobs, I accepted. It was all captured on video. We popped open a bottle

We spent the next four years learning from each other, laughing, and growing. I taught him how to mountain bike and backpack.

54

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

champagne that Sam had stealthily brought and celebrated. Without cellphone service or another soul around, we spent three days basking in the joy of our recent engagement.

There was never a question that we were going to get married in Jackson. After all, we met at Local, said our first “I love you” after a hockey game at Snow King, and lived together on Kelly Avenue.

We set out to plan our dream Jackson wedding. For better or worse, we both loved the little details. It was the most fun part for us to plan. Sam, a fly-fisherman, hand-tied the groomsmen’s boutonnieres to mimic flies. I drew the wedding invitations.

Sam designed the MADE belt buckles the

wedding date 29 SEPTEMBER 2018 ceremony & reception location JACKSON HOLE WINERY officiant MAX ALLEN, GROOM’S BROTHER hair & makeup JACKSON HOLE PARLOUR photographer PETER LOBOZZO florist ALBERTSONS entertainment HOT PASS consultant ALISON KYLE, DESTINATION JH caterer CAFE GENEVIEVE dessert chef BRIGID HORIGAN rental service CANVAS UNLIMITED SIGNATURE PARTY RENTALS transportation service SNAKE RIVER TAXI BLACK DOG RAFT COMPANY other specialty vendors JH STILLWORKS WYOMING WHISKEY MADE BACKLIGHT CREATIVE

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He asked me to be his “sweet, sweet angel” for the rest of his life.

groomsmen wore, and I designed the tablescapes and sparkler tags. We vetted and chose the perfect local band. We built the dinner menu and crafted the signature cocktails with Wyoming Whiskey and Highwater Vodka. In the end, every little detail that we had worried over and stressed about came together to make for the most incredible day.

The wedding weekend began on a Thursday with an intimate rehearsal dinner at Trio. We were immediately overwhelmed with love and appreciation for our friends and family members.

It is such a special, truly unique experience to have your favorite people, from every part of your life, in one place to celebrate you.

On Friday, I went for a hike with my friends and Sam went fishing with his. We were both in our happy places and loved impressing our friends with the beauty we get to see every day. We rendezvoused that afternoon for welcome cocktails at Hayden’s Post. That evening, Sam and I went to bed, separately, with butterflies.

I sprung out of bed early Saturday and hiked up Snow King with a friend just in time for the sunrise. It was gorgeous, and it reminded me of how thankful I was to have moved to, and stayed in, Jackson. After all, it’s where I met my husband. I feel like I blinked and found myself getting ready to leave the barn at the Jackson Hole Winery and walk down the aisle. Sam and I barely held back our tears, and didn’t bother to hold back our laughter, throughout the ceremony officiated by Sam’s brother, Max. We listened to a reading from my mom and exchanged personalized vows. When Max pronounced us husband and wife, we shouted “mazel tov” with our guests. Our dream Jackson wedding was even better than we had expected.

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Bradly J. Boner

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A Jackson Elopement SIERRA & STEPHEN Words by Sierra Weaver + Photography by Jamye Chrisman

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I

n August 2015, my father passed away. Even though he lived in California and I had been on the East Coast for years, we were incredibly close. The loss was devastating.

But I found support at home in North Carolina in Stephen, a guy I’d been dating earlier that year. We’d split up after a couple of months; not because we didn’t like each other, but because we had very different lives. I had a busy career as an environmental lawyer, and Stephen had a fabulous daughter who took most of his time and attention. But after that loss, Stephen was my rock. We spent more and more time together until one day—after we’d been to a concert, a movie, and on a hike in the span of a week—he turned to me and said, “We need to figure this out. I’m in love with you and you clearly want me around.”

We set about figuring it out, slow and steady. I spent more time with

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Can we just go back to Jackson and get married a year to the date from when we got engaged? his daughter, and he attended my court arguments. We listened to music and danced and fell deeper in love.

During summer 2017, we flew to California to sort through my dad’s pottery collection and drive my favorite pieces back to North Carolina. Stephen drove for days from the West Coast to the East, across a route optimized to take us through as many national parks as possible.

On Father’s Day 2017, Day Four of our cross-country trek, we woke up in Jackson with plans of making our way through Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks that day, ending in Bozeman. We now know how crazy that was, but I’d designed the itinerary so my mountain-junkie boyfriend would get to spend his special day in a place he would love. I’d been to Jackson once as a kid, but it was all brand new to Stephen.

We woke up, stumbled upon Persephone Bakery, and headed into Grand Teton for a short hike before we were to spend most of the day in the car. It was there, by the boat portage on Leigh Lake, that Stephen dropped to one knee and proposed. I was stunned and said yes on the spot, making that epic day even more so.

wedding date 18 JUNE 2018 ceremony location THE WEDDING TREE reception location JACKSON HOLE WINERY hair & makeup TANYA CROCKER photographer JAMYE CHRISMAN florist GILD THE LILY TOO entertainment LAUREN CONRAD consultant VIBRANT EVENTS JACKSON HOLE caterer LITTLE RED CAFE

Upon arriving back home in Chapel Hill, we excitedly started making plans. But nothing felt quite right.

Stephen is from Connecticut, and I’m from California. Both of us have college and graduate school friends scattered across the country, and it all just seemed overwhelming. Until one night, I turned to him and said, “Can we just go back to Jackson and get married a year to the date from when we got engaged?” “Yes, yes we can,” he said. The fact that the date happened to fall on a Monday would just keep the guest list small.

My main objective was to have a wedding that fully reflected each of us—our journey and the inspiration we find in nature—while not requiring 60

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Wedding Gown Cleaning, Pressing and Preservation Wedding Party and Guest Attire Cleaning and Pressing

much effort on our part. We simply didn’t have the time. Almost immediately, we found Jamye Chrisman and her stunning nature-based elopement photography.

Shortly after, we found Virginia Powell Symons of Vibrant Events Jackson Hole to be our elopement planner.

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Both recommended that for a truly intimate wedding the Wedding Tree in the Bridger-Teton National Forest was the spot. We invited each of our best friends from college and asked a friend from Chapel Hill to do the ceremony.

The day before our wedding, we rehearsed our short ceremony under umbrellas in the middle of a lightning storm. As we pulled up to the national forest parking area to get married the next day, it was still raining, but right on time the clouds parted, the sun came out, and the day was sparkling.

We started our ceremony walking across the mountain to Patty Griffin’s “Heavenly Day.” The five of us came together in a circle, joining our friends and joining the chapters of our lives. Our rings were held in a small pot my dad had made, as if he was giving them to us in the ceremony. We spoke our own vows. Stephen even sang some of his.

Our tiny perfect wedding was exactly what we wanted. Rounding out our heavenly day was our equally perfect honeymoon in Jackson, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park.

As we learned on our first far-too-short buzz through the region, we needed more than a day to explore it. We plan to keep visiting, exploring, and making this magical place ours for the rest of our lives. jacksonholewedding.com

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Memories in the Making LINDSAY & RYAN

Words by Lindsay Mulford + Photography by Morris Weintraub

R

yan and I met while on a group vacation at St. Croix, which was organized by one of my best friends from college. Eighteen of us, ranging from college friends to coworkers to friends of friends, descended upon the Caribbean island for Memorial Day weekend.

We spent the next two years in a long-distance relationship; I was an investment banker living in Manhattan, and Ryan was a sporting goods salesman based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Finally, we convinced our bosses to let us move to Chicago to be together at long last.

Once engaged, we knew right away that Jackson was where we wanted to have the wedding. My family grew up vacationing in Jackson, but Ryan,s family had never visited. We created a long weekend

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itinerary full of our favorite Jackson activities for our closest friends and family. We went whitewater rafting on the Snake River, just as I did as a child, toured Yellowstone National Park, introduced Ryan,s nephews and niece to the wonders of the West, enjoyed some local wine tastings, and attended the rodeo twice.

Our closest friends flew in to celebrate with us, including my friend Caroline, who introduced us, and a surprise visit from my best friend, U.S. Open tennis champion Sloane Stephens, who was able to join us between tournaments. We wanted a very small wedding, but with no detail or experience spared. We love knowing that our friends and family will have fond memories of such a special place.

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wedding date 18 AUGUST 2018 ceremony location MOULTON BARNS reception location THE LOCAL officiant CAMERON MERRITT, FRIEND hair & makeup TANYA CROCKER, HAIR & MAKEUP BY TANYA photographer MORRIS WEINTRAUB, IMAGEWELL PHOTOGRAPHY entertainment VINCE GUTWEIN, STRING LAKE ENSEMBLE consultant ALISON KYLE, DESTINATION JACKSON HOLE

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Into the Mystic LINDSAY & ISAAC

Words by Lindsay Dann + Photography by Krysta Sorg

W

e met on a beautiful October evening at Inversion Yoga studio in downtown Jackson. The moment we locked eyes, we both sighed, felt at ease, and were curious.

After weeks of running into each other, sharing short but deep conversations, and exchanging sparkling smiles, we planned a date. As I slid into The Stagecoach parking lot to meet him for our first official date, I had sweaty palms and nerves. I saw him parked and waiting in his car. I noticed a half grin on his adorable face through the giant flakes swallowing my view. We got out of our cars at the same time, and as he walked toward me, I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the snow. I basically begged him to make angels in the white, deep dust, which wasn't easy, but it did seem to take the edge off. The next thing we knew, we were drying off at the bar and laughing over a beer. The following morning, we hiked up Teton Pass to ski, took a dip in Astoria Hot Springs south of town, and enjoyed the salad bar at Whole Grocer to wrap up the day. The rest is history.

Isaac asked me to marry him on Christmas morning in our Red Top Meadows rental two years and two months later. We chose a dear friend’s bed and breakfast (The Dragon Fly Inn) in Victor for the venue, and it was truly unforgettable.

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Hannah Hardaway Photography

Marilyn, my beautiful 88-year-old grandmother, helped me plan our entire wedding with simple, earthy romance in mind. We held a spiritual ceremony and a crystal sound bowl meditation before exchanging the most heartfelt vows. In awe of the amount of love from all angles, we kissed (a few times) under our gorgeous arbor decorated with thick ferns and walked down the aisle to an acoustic live version of Van Morrison's “Into The Mystic.”

To kick off the party, guests enjoyed cocktails, organic wines, and local beers from an Airstream bar. The reception menu blended our favorite dishes with local favorites for a light, healthy dinner. We served fresh lobster rolls overnighted from Rockport, Massachusetts (Isaac’s home town), bison sliders, three different salads, hummus and charcuterie, gourmet cheeses and fruits, sushi (two sushi chefs made rolls all night), and chicken and pineapple skewers. Our desserts were as decadent as they were unique, with three cakes and an array of cupcakes. We chose flavors like lavender Chantilly, golden honey rose, and dark chocolate with vanilla bean. To keep our guests entertained and the party lively, we flew in from Boston the band Fun Bucket to perform at the reception. The dance floor was packed until the last moment possible. To ensure our guests made it home safely, we arranged for transportation to and from Jackson.

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As the party came to an end, we hugged our family and friends and enjoyed our chauffeured ride to Hotel Jackson where we stayed our first night as husband and wife. We enjoyed a bubble bath and champagne in our suite before flying off to Tulum, Mexico, the next morning for a magical ten-day honeymoon and a lifetime of endless love.

Relax • Rejuvenate • Reset 307-922-4212 • floatwyo.com 65

wedding date 25 AUGUST 2018 ceremony & reception location THE DRAGONFLY INN, VICTOR ID officiant CAROL MANN hair & makeup makeup: STEPHANIE BROOME cut and color: GRETA & HAAKON hair styling: NATALIE BURNS, BRIDE’S SISTER photographer KRYSTA SORG PHOTOGRAPHY florist BIND WEED FARM HILARY CANTU, PERENNIAL entertainment FUN BUCKET day of planner JILLIAN MILLER caterer BRYAN HAYES, CHEF dessert chef LADY IN THE WILD WEST rental service CANVAS UNLIMITED HIGH COUNTRY LINEN transportation service SUMMIT TRANSPORTATION other specialty vendors airstream party lounge: LUX LOUNGE crystal singing bowl meditation: DANIELA BOTUR, LOTUS VIBES

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Happy Memories JESSICA & AARON

Words by Jessica Bowersock + Photography by Cassie Molyneux

A

aron and I met through a mutual friend and dated longdistance between Chicago and Milwaukee for three years. Aaron grew up in Wisconsin, often camping at his grandparents’ lakefront property or with friends at one of the many state parks. I grew up in New Jersey, where I spent family vacations along the eastern seaboard. We both shared an appreciation for exploring the outdoors and trying new things.

On one of our first vacations, we car camped through Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. To say we weren’t prepared for camping in the mountains would be an understatement.

We were equipped for a nice summer vacation and were totally surprised when nighttime temperatures dipped to near freezing.

We crammed into a single-person sleeping bag and toughed out the cold and stormy nights in a tent that was not waterproof.

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Despite all of this, we loved our Teton vacation and knew that some day we would share this newfound magical place with our friends and family members.

Years later, on a rainy spring day in Wisconsin, Aaron convinced me to leave the comforts of the warm couch and living room to hike through a state park to a waterfall to get some cool portraits.

It looked like Aaron was having some problems with the light settings on the camera. He asked me to review the photos. While I was sufficiently distracted, he fished through his camera bag for something. He pulled out an illustration of us and said, “Oh, I was supposed to give this to you.” It was part of a series of “Happy Memories” illustrations he gifted to me for Valentine’s Day. But, this one was new and titled “The Day Aaron Proposed to Jessica.”

He dug the ring out of the camera bag and got on one knee.

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

A few months later, I finished my full-time MBA program and we prepared to move to Seattle together.

As we wrapped up our Wisconsin chapter, we told our families and friends to save the date in 2018. After 1,261 days engaged, Aaron and I brought our families and friends together in Jackson Hole. We planned a whole weekend of events to help our guests explore the region. To kick off the celebration, we went on a scenic luncheon float trip down the Snake River with Barker-Ewing. Our private group was lucky to spy two bull moose and several bald eagles. Then, in the evening, the mezzanine of Hand Fired Pizza hosted our welcome party, which Aaron dubbed “Hugs and Chugs.”

The pizzas and beers seemed endless as we caught up with our guests. Thankfully, the restaurant was able to accommodate our large party—twice as many people showed up than expected!

Live.

Hydrate.

Recover.

We chose not to have a bridal party, which helped keep preparations and portrait logistics easy. We did our “first look” in front of the beautiful Teton mural in Snow King’s lobby entrance before dashing to the park for pre-wedding portraits with our talented photographer, Cassie Molyneux.

We loved our Teton vacation and knew that some day we would share this newfound magical place with our friends and family members.

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wedding date 1 SEPTEMBER 2018 ceremony & reception location SPRING CREEK RANCH officiant MR. HIEP PHUNG, ESQUIRE hair & makeup BROOKE CHRISTIE, BALANCE SALON photographer CASSIE MOLYNEUX, CASSIE’S CAMERA florist GILD THE LILY TOO entertainment ROSIE READ, R SQUARED ENTERTAINMENT consultant KJERA GRIFFITH, GRAND TETON WEDDINGS dessert chef ALBERTSONS rental service CANVAS UNLIMITED transportation service JACKSON HOLE SHUTTLE stationery design AARON BOWERSOCK, GROOM other specialty vendors HINES GOLDSMITH

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From the lucky moose sightings on the Snake River float to the beautiful weather that complemented the phenomenal scenery, everyone truly experienced the magic of Jackson!

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LINN Canyon RANCH

Jamye Chrisman Photography

Nearly 100 family members and friends joined us at Spring Creek Ranch for a lovely ceremony, where we exchanged Tetonsinspired, locally made wedding bands before moving onto the reception. When we scoped out venues the year before, we knew it was important to have Teton views during our special day, and the Vista Overlook delivered just that. The venue truly helped our vision come to life with the amazing help of our dayof coordinator Kjera Griffith from Grand Teton Weddings. The reception was defined by an electrifying dance party, a delicious family-style dinner, and a roaring bonfire with s’mores at sunset.

www.linncanyonranch.com $208.787.5466 71

At Last

KELSEY & HANK

Words by Kelsey Brehm + Photography by Heather Erson

H

ank and I met the first day of our freshman year at the University of Denver. I couldn’t believe the cute guy in Spanish class started talking to me. Within a month, we were practically inseparable. On Halloween 2009, Hank asked me to be his girlfriend. In the nearly nine years between that day and our wedding day, we experienced so much together.

After graduating from college, I stayed at the University of Denver for an extra year to complete my MBA while Hank moved to Vail. After a couple of years of driving the treacherous I-70 corridor every weekend to see one another, we knew it was time for a change.

Hank finally convinced me to move to Jackson in October 2015. To say that he dragged me out here is an understatement. I had never been to Jackson and was terrified to move away from my family in Denver. As pretty much everyone who has said they were coming to Jackson for only six months knows, after those six months were up, I could not imagine living anywhere else. Hank and I are extremely glad to call Jackson our home now. The natural beauty, skiing, and, most importantly, the sense of community in this town blows me away every single day.

One July day in 2017, Hank took me hiking to the top of the Sleeping Indian for what he now tells me was “one final test.” He proposed to me at the summit. My response was, “What took you so long?!” Once we started planning our wedding, we immediately knew there was nowhere else in the world we would rather get married than Jackson.

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.

,

THREE PEAKS DRI

EST. 2013

GGS, IDAHO

It was a blast planning all the wedding details. Hank had always wanted a “wedding sword,” and soon after our engagement he got his wish. I bought Hank a full-size “Lord of the Rings” replica sword, and he declared his excitement to wear it at our wedding. We incorporated personal touches throughout the ceremony and reception, including a moose and “Lord of The Rings” cake topper, skis to sign instead of a guestbook, and of course cutting our cake with Hank’s sword. jacksonholewedding.com

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wedding date 22 SEPTEMBER 2018 ceremony & location JACKSON HOLE GOLF & TENNIS officiant MIKE WALLACE, COUSIN OF THE BRIDE hair & makeup JENNY B. ARTISTRY photographer HEATHER ERSON PHOTOGRAPHY florist SNAKE RIVER FLOWERS entertainment STEADY JAKE MOBILE DJ consultant PARKER THOMAS EVENTS caterer JACKSON HOLE GOLF & TENNIS dessert chef cake: LADY IN THE WILD WEST NOM NOM DOUGHNUTS transportation service MOUNTAIN RESORT SERVICES stationery design MINTED.COM other specialty vendors Signs: BBD DESIGNS

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It gives me so much peace knowing that my father knew that Hank would take care of me forever.

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The months immediately following our engagement were some of the happiest of my life as we planned, laughed, and shared the excitement for our big day with our families and friends.

However, everything changed when, just a few months after our engagement, my father passed away very unexpectedly. It was devastating. The thought of getting married without my father by my side was impossible to fathom for a long time. Hank was by my side every single day, supporting me, loving me, and assuring me that my father would have wanted us to have the wedding of our dreams. I am so thankful for the eight years my father and Hank had together, getting to know one another, drinking whiskey, and laughing at my clumsiness. I’m most grateful that Hank was able to ask my father for my hand in marriage before he passed away.

It gives me so much peace knowing that my father knew that Hank would take care of me forever.

We went ahead with our wedding planning, incorporating my father into our special day in as many ways as possible. One special way we remembered him was by teeing off a golf ball full of his ashes the Friday during our ceremony rehearsal. It was so special to me because when we arrived at Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis on Saturday for the wedding, I knew that my father was already there.

I awoke on our wedding day nervous and missing my father.

When I started walking down the aisle with my brother, we both felt the loss of him. However, as I arrived at the altar and turned to face Hank, a gust of wind picked up and blew my veil off. I knew in that second that it was my father, teasing me from Heaven and letting me know that he was there watching. All my nervousness dissipated as I married the love of my life and my father reminded me that he may not be here on Earth, but he will never leave me.

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A Wyoming Lake Day MEREDITH & BRADEN

Words by Meredith Runkle + Photography by Rebekah Bronwen

B

raden and I got to know each other through mutual friends from church. In a group setting, we would spend evenings chatting at The Bird or nights swing dancing at the Cowboy Bar. Little did we know our friends were trying to set us up.

Unlike many couples, our first date was not a fancy dinner at a fine-dining restaurant. Instead, we took a trip to Canada. On a sudden whim after work one Friday, we decided to drive 14 hours to Banff for Labor Day weekend.

Considering that we barely knew each other, a long car ride and multiple days of backpacking in the wilderness may not have been the best idea. However, our spontaneous decision paid off. Our 76

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adventurous and goofy spirits connected, and we quickly became best friends.

To us, transitioning our casual friendship to a lifelong commitment of friendship through marriage was a no-brainer. One March day with the snow-capped Tetons as a backdrop, Braden asked me to marry him. We picked a wedding date four months later in July, when we could tie the knot on a warm, sunny summer day.

Given that our first date was a trip to the Canadian wilderness, our personalities did not align with a traditional wedding.

Brainstorming turned into concrete plans and before we knew it, our wedding was taking shape. We chose Elk Island on Jackson Lake as our venue.

wedding date 7 JULY 2018 ceremony & reception location ELK ISLAND officiant PASTOR BRIAN HUNTER hair & makeup ASHLYN BECK & SYDNI SEDER, BRIDE’S FRIENDS photographer REBEKAH BRONWEN florist EMILY RUNKLE, LAURA MARTIN, AND AMBER GRAMMER, BRIDE’S SISTERS caterer CREEKSIDE MARKET dessert chef COLLEEN OLSON, MOTHER OF THE GROOM stationery design MINTED.COM paddle board rentals LEISURE SPORTS Local friends and family graciously volunteered to transport guests on their boats to our ceremony and reception on the island.

Mount Moran loomed behind us and Jackson Lake glistened as we exchanged our vows and rings, and the Tetons stretched around friends and family members when we walked down the aisle as husband and wife. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a picnic lunch, yard games, and speeches from the bridal party before heading down to the boat dock for the first dance. We danced with our parents for one song and then danced with each other for the next while everyone watched from the wooden dock or aboard various kayaks and paddleboards on the lake. Unbeknownst to the guests, we planned to jump in the lake—clothes and all—immediately after our first dance. As soon as we hit the water, laughter and exclamations erupted, thus commencing our lake activities.

We couldn’t think of a better wedding backdrop than Grand Teton National Park or better people to share our special day with than our closest friends and family members. jacksonholewedding.com

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Bold as Love KATIE & BILLY

Words by Katie McNamara + Photography by Jamye Chrisman

O

ur story began when I challenged Billy to a thumb war while attending St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. To this day it is still disputed as to who won, but I consider us both pretty darn lucky to have found each other.

Our first date was canoeing. We spent hours sharing stories of adventures and misadventures in the mountains and exploring our shared values. After graduating, our passion for adventure led us to the Tetons with one car, three bikes, two boats, and much anticipation of the journey ahead of us.

Billy proposed on a snowy March day in Teton Canyon with our dog, Tupper, the biggest smile on his face, and a very special ring. Billy made my engagement ring from an Idaho opal and old silver dollars he found at pawn shops. Having never made jewelry before, he spent many hours working away at it on a ski bench. This beautifully crafted ring deeply inspired our wedding celebration.

Teton Valley is our home. When it came time to choose our wedding venue, we could think of no other place than Moose Creek Ranch at the base of a canyon where we had spent many hours hiking, skiing, and exploring.

Our wedding vision mirrored what we loved most: community, creativity, joy, and connection to place. We felt it was important that our wedding strongly incorporated our community and reflected our personalities.

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jacksonholewedding.com

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When it came time to choose our wedding venue, we could think of no other place than Moose Creek Ranch at the base of a canyon where we spent many hours hiking, skiing, and exploring.

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We spent the summer before our wedding picking huckleberries for the wedding cake we made ourselves. Our wonderful family and friends contributed beautiful homemade desserts to make an epic dessert bar for our guests. My dad built matching Adirondack chairs out of old skis for guests to sign in lieu of a guestbook.

Our family members picked early-summer wildflowers the day before our wedding and put together beautiful arrangements for the ceremony, reflecting a tradition that was important to Billy.

(He picks a wildflower bouquet for my birthday every year.) Our dog, Tupper, played an important role as “best dog� and was the inspiration behind our logo, stationery, and table numbers.

On our wedding day, we awoke to a crisp 40 degrees and heavy rain. Mid-morning, the skies cleared for a moment and there was a beautiful dusting of snow on the mountains. Despite the rainy morning, we somehow ended up with a beautiful afternoon and evening of sun.

Aside from the weather, there was one other big surprise on our wedding day: I was waiting in our cabin before walking toward the ceremony location when John Love, the Moose Creek Ranch owner, pulled up in a vintage red Chevy truck ready to take me to the ceremony. What an entrance and surprise for Billy and our families!

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wedding date 16 JUNE 2018 ceremony & reception location MOOSE CREEK RANCH officiant SILAS STREETER, COUPLE’S FRIEND hair & makeup THE WISPY GYPSY photographer JAMYE CHRISMAN PHOTOGRAPHY florist THE FLOWER MARKET, MD NURSERY entertainment reception: SWITCHBACK, GROOM’S BAND ceremony: TOM TOXBY consultant JEANETTE BEARD, MOOSE CREEK RANCH caterer SPOON’S BISTRO dessert chef wedding cake: BRIDE + GROOM assorted desserts: FRIENDS + FAMILY rental service CANVAS UNLIMITED EVENT RENTALS stationery design DESIGNED BY BRIDE, PRINTED BY PRINT SHOP 22 other specialty vendors wedding bands: JC JEWELERS engagement ring: GROOM

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Walking down the aisle to our song, “Bold as Love” by Jimi Hendrix, played by our dear friend Tom Toxby, is a memory I wish I could play on repeat forever. I found myself smiling the entire ceremony while holding Billy’s hands and looking at our guests from so many chapters of our lives. It is one of the most powerful experiences of my life. Our dear college friend Silas Streeter officiated a heartfelt and genuine marriage ceremony for which we will be eternally grateful. Billy and I exited the ceremony in style, seated in the Adirondack chairs my dad made in the back of the Chevy truck. Together with Tupper, we soaked up our ceremony’s amazing energy.

Along with our guests, we enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Spoon’s Bistro and danced the night away with music by Billy’s band, Switchback. Billy felt it was a truly special experience to play for his family and friends in the place we call home. He played an acoustic version of “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty for my fatherand-daughter dance—a beautiful way to honor the two most important men in my life.

One of the most memorable parts of the day was honoring my parents, who celebrated their thirty-ninth wedding anniversary on the same day. I surprised my mom with the hat she wore at her wedding, and they shared a dance with other married couples.

It was such a gift to share this amazing place with all the beautiful people who have made us who we are. We feel so much gratitude for our wonderfully supportive parents and siblings and the dear friends and family members who traveled from around the world to be a part of our celebration. We happily live in Victor, Idaho, and look forward to many more years and adventures in Teton Valley. jacksonholewedding.com

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Mountaintop TALDI & NATHANIEL

Words by Taldi Walter + Photography by Amy Galbraith

C

hoosing the Tetons for our wedding was the easiest part of the planning. Several people questioned why we wanted to travel to the Tetons when we had the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges in our own backyard in Seattle.

But if you’ve experienced a Teton sunset, walked through a field bursting with colorful wildflowers, or seen the explosion of fall colors, you know why the decision was easy for us.

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The most important thing was choosing a location where we could share our love of adventure and the mountains with those people most significant to us. The Tetons delivered. Our wedding weekend was three full days of inspiring outdoor adventures, quality time with our guests, and the opportunity to make memories before an unforgettable backdrop.

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Marriage Our love story began in Seattle in 2016, when we met at a mutual friend's house party. Our relationship sparked immediately, and we fell in love one outdoor adventure at a time. A spontaneous skiing trip near Girdwood, Alaska, illuminated our shared love of snow and adventure. It also shone light on our growing love for each other. This was followed by ski trips in Canada and Washington and a very memorable climbing trip at Red Rocks, with a few summits sprinkled in. We both knew we had found our partner for mountain adventure and for life.

On a late summer night in 2017, we did our first night hike up Yellow Aster Butte in the North Cascades. Hiking through the dark with headlamps, we set up camp on top of the mountain with only the light of the moon and stars dancing across the sky.

The following morning, we snuggled in our sleeping bags and watched the colorful sunrise surrounded by Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, and the Canadian border peaks. Just as the sun came over the horizon, Nathaniel asked me to marry him. I said, “Yes!� and we celebrated our future with mountaintop mimosas.

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I grew up in northwestern Montana outside of Glacier National Park, spending weekends hiking, camping, fishing, skiing, and exploring the outdoors with my dad. Nathaniel grew up spending a lot of time outside, too, with family hikes, camping trips, and ski outings in Washington’s North Cascades. With so many personal and shared life moments having taken place in the mountains, we knew we should have a mountain wedding.

Choosing Grand Targhee Resort as our location meant our guests could park their cars and enjoy a three-day journey with us. We kicked off the weekend with a rafting trip down the Snake River and a welcome dinner.

On our wedding day, I started by sharing a sunrise mountaintop yoga experience with ten of my girlfriends.

With unobstructed views of the Tetons and the sun on our faces, it was the perfect way to start the day.

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As we headed down on the chairlift, my heart warmed to see many of our friends and family riding up for hiking, playing Frisbee golf, and mountain biking. Hearing stories later of how our guests bonded over outdoor activities was a highlight.

We heard from several friends after the wedding that they loved getting to know the other guests while on a hike, bike ride, rafting trip, or while sipping a beer.

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wedding date 18 AUGUST 2018 ceremony & reception location GRAND TARGHEE RESORT officiant MARY SMITH, COUPLE’S FRIEND hair & makeup KELLY RENE photographer AMY GALBRAITH PHOTOGRAPHY florist SHELLY MONK, THE FLOWER MARKET AT MD NURSERY entertainment STEADY JAKE caterer GRAND TARGHEE RESORT dessert chef A LA MODE PIES, SEATTLE PERSEPHONE BAKERY calligraphy and signage: OTTER AND INK DESIGNS

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We enjoyed the wedding planning process once we decided on Grand Targhee Resort. We had weekly date nights to run through details and make shared decisions. With such a beautiful location, it was easy for us to move forward with simple, mountain-themed decorations. We named our tables after the mountains we’ve climbed independently and together or that we aspired to climb in the years to come. Our dessert table was made up of our favorite treats. I picked two from Montana, Nathaniel picked two from Washington, and we picked two of our shared favorites. What made the desserts even more special was that many of them were made by family and friends as well as by Persephone Bakery in Jackson.

We were humbled by the presence of so many of our friends and family. The feeling of fun, excitement, and love was infectious for the entire weekend. We couldn’t have asked for a more idyllic location. And we loved working with the local vendors. The staff at Grand Targhee Resort was amazing, making for a low-stress and unforgettable weekend in the Tetons. jacksonholewedding.com

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David Stubbs

Exit

Every exit is an entrance to somewhere even better.

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-Tom Stoppard

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Tell Us Your Wedding Story

Photography by Rebecca Vanderhorst

Submit your Jackson or Teton Valley wedding to jacksonholewedding.com/submit-your-wedding

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS OCTOBER 1, 2019 92

A Grand Wedding ° 2019

Celebrate the beginning of your story AT TETON SPRINGS

© Jamye Chrisman Photography © Karissa Akin with Après Events (bottom 3 photos)

Nestled in the foothills of Teton Valley, Teton Springs Lodge & Spa is the complete destination wedding in your backyard.

Surrounded by three mountain ranges, our venue offers breathtaking backdrops for your unforgettable forever after.

Our Stillwaters Spa provides the perfect start to your big day with relaxation rooms and professional hair and makeup services.

We specialize in helping you create custom menu and bar options to suit your guests and guarantee unparalleled service as we help you plan your dream event from beginning to end.

Whatever it is you're dreaming of, we can make it come to life.

Carrie Snoey | Director of Catering | Teton Springs Office: +1 (208)787-8130 | Mobile: +1 (208)419-6122

catering@tetonsprings.com | www.tetonsprings.com

Hannah Brubaker | Group Sales Manager | Teton Springs Lodge Office: +1 (208)787-7277 | Mobile: +1 (208)541-4836 h.brubaker@naturalretreats.com | www.naturalretreats.com

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