Sage Lodge Winter Wedding | Laken + David

Who says you can't get married in Montana in the winter? These two did – in January – and wouldn't change a thing. Photography by Montana Bride Vendor Collective member Opal & Ox Photography and Film. As seen in Montana Bride magazine; order yours here!

“We bumped into each other for the first time at Montana State University in the fall of 2014 while David was pursuing an engineering degree and I, nursing. I caught David’s eye when I started going to his college fraternity for social events. Our first date was with a group of friends at Chico Hot Springs, and a few weeks later we were official! Flash forward to after our graduations in 2018; I moved home to Northeastern Montana and David stayed in Bozeman. This began our season of a long-distance relationship that included countless FaceTime dates, phone calls, miles of flying and driving, and getaway weekends. The most recent was a trip to Maui in October 2020. While in Maui, we planned to chase waterfalls on the East side of the island. We parked the Jeep on the side of Hana Highway and began our hike through the Bamboo Forest. When we reached Na’ili’ili Haele Waterfall, David knelt down with a ring and proposed.

There’s so much craze on Instagram that urges brides to have the trendiest, most post-worthy wedding. I think a lot of vendors and even the couples themselves forget that behind all of that, there is a sacred ceremony happening that unites two people for the rest of their lives. David and I tried to keep that in the forefront when planning our wedding. Each piece and decision was meaningful to us.

There were just 82 days between when we got engaged and when we said ‘I do,’ which is super uncommon in 2021. At first I wondered if planning a wedding in less than three months was possible, but after the fact, I don’t think I would have wanted any more time! When all of our vendors gave us the green light, we became more confident in choosing January 9, 2021, as our date. I would relive our day without changing a single detail forever. It was truly the best day of my life. David and I professed our commitment to each other before God and our closest family and friends in the most beautiful area, and we threw a heck of a party afterward!” –Laken, the bride