You might think a waterfront wedding in the dead of summer is a risky move, but even in the heat, this sun-filled intimate Flathead Lake wedding ceremony was as chill and smooth as could be. A quick trip to the mountains for a day-after photoshoot kept the outdoor fun going, too!
Jess + Brian bring an easy-going presence to everything they do and their wedding day was no different. With no real timeline in place, we flowed through their plans with ease and kept the focus where it should be – on the fun and happiness surrounding them!
I won’t sugarcoat it, it was HOT. It was the first of July in Montana and there was one tree (only one!!!) near the property of Flathead Lake Forevers wedding venue. Turns out that one tree would come in handy and actually was giving shade to their sweet little lounge set-up for their private first look, all planned by my girl Katie over at Big Day Celebrations!
But rewind a bit because plenty happened even before their tear-filled first look while they exchanged personal vows under said lone tree. Jess got ready with her girls in an Airbnb in a different part of Flathead Lake and booked the Montana Trolley Company to bring them to the venue. A little late, but going with the flow, Brian thought we were starting the first look by the lake, when in reality, Jess had pranked him with some groomsmen in wedding dresses…not once, but twice. I had never actually photographed a good ol’ groomsmen switcheroo so I was unsure how it would go, but Jess + Brian are both hilarious, so of course it set the mood with lots of laughs and joy for the day.
Jess was stunning in a shimmery, textured dress with a removable jacket. It was absolutely perfect for a day full of sunshine. Brian wore a blue suit, coordinating with the blues and whites that they used for their wedding colors (which I loooooved and was different from the usual pink, blush tones for summer weddings). Their waterfront wedding ceremony kicked off an evening of celebration, with an insane sunset, a kicked-back cocktail hour in lounge chairs, and a party under the welcome shade of the reception tent (thanks Empress Tents & Events)!
The reception set-up was just as dreamy as the rest of their day, with the most Pinterest-worthy wedding desserts from Montana Wildflour and locally made ice cream from Sweet Peaks Kalispell and table settings dripping in blues, whites, and greens impeccably arranged by Conrad Floral. Jess + Brian danced to Your Song by Elton John as their first dance before we ran to the dock for golden hour photos on the lake.
The fun with these two did not end with the waterfront wedding & reception! A few days later, I scooped up Jess + Brian and took them into Glacier National Park for a quick day-after session. Day after or a-few-days-after sessions are actually more common than you might think. In fact, I have plenty of after wedding photoshoots to share, so take a peek! They’re the perfect way to take the rush + stress of packing lots of portrait photos into your wedding timeline, plus a great opportunity to add a bit of variety to your photos in your wedding attire with totally different locations!
So there you have it, an action-packed yet still extremely chill wedding weekend enjoying what summer in Montana has to offer! Trust me, you wanna save this one for your own inspiration if you’re planning a lake wedding!
