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Weddings

A Snowy Christmas Wedding in Montana

black and white winter bride + groom dancing in candlelight
I'm Jackie

Traveling wedding photographer + photography/small biz educator.

Mesmerized by the way two people love each other, each so uniquely.  I always leave room for dessert. Believe swear words are just sentence embellishers. Think indulgences are necessary in this life. 

hey hey

Parties with all the best people in their lives.

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Love stories in all forms without the white dress... or maybe they wore white, it happens.

Just my little thoughts on different topics of planning your wedding day big party or just you two.

Stories of two lovers making it all about them, as they should.

For all of those holiday loving couples, you can’t count out the magic of a Christmas wedding! Snowflakes flying, candlelit dinner, the smell of pine filling the air, rich tones accenting the decor – it’s a merry time all around! Sarah + Preston didn’t shy away from embracing their love of the Christmas and threw the storybook winter wedding straight from a dream Pinterest board! 

These two live in California, but traded the sunshine on the coast for snow in the mountains for their wedding day. It’s no secret how much they love Montana + visiting as often as possible. Their mountain engagement photos we took while adventuring around Glacier National Park in the sweet summertime are extra proof! To get the best of both worlds in their photos, they opted for a December wedding back in Montana, but this time in the whimsical paradise of Big Sky. 

The stunning Big Sky Chapel gives the perfect backdrop for a winter wedding, with big, light-filled windows and incredible views of the mountain range this region is famous for. Christmas trees filled every room and joy was most definitely in the air as they got ready for their ceremony on the property. After the ceremony, we ran out in the snow for their portraits as their family and friends gathered for the reception at Lone Mountain Ranch. Sarah + Preston were absolute troopers as the chilly air only got colder and snow piled high as we took their photos on the mountain ridge. 

At the ranch, a dinner was prepared by Horn and Cantle, the on-site restaurant, and cocktails were sipped in The Saloon. The wedding details and decor were rooted in pine and natural woods and candlelight gave the room a romantic glow. While their guests enjoyed the space, Sarah + Preston took 30-40 minutes at their cabin alone, just to soak in all of the excitement of the day. This is my top recommendation for couples on their wedding day! Sit aside time to just be together. The day goes by soooo fast and you’ll be thankful you took time to really enjoy a moment just the two of you. 

To end a truly enchanting Christmas wedding day, Sarah + Preston listened to sweet speeches from their fam + friends, smashed cake into each other’s faces, and danced the night away to live music and a DJ set on the covered porch with heaters everywhere. 
A winter wonderland wedding is better in Montana, it’s just the truth, I don’t make the rules! If you found yourself gushing over this Christmas wedding in Big Sky, it’s time to claim a little bit of that magic for yourself! Let’s get to planning bb!