Light rain drizzled over the mountains into the forest making the green trees pop beautifully against the blue silhouettes of the mountains.

The raindrops softly hit the wooden deck as the sounds of a saw cutting through a log echoed throughout the quiet valley. Asher and Melanie’s closest family and friends sat on the wooden benches overlooking the mountains bundled up with colorful blankets against the gentle rain.

They cheered with each movement of the saw, encouraging them to push through and keep going to overcome this first obstacle as a married couple.

Melanie and Asher went back and forth, pushing and pulling the saw that used to belong to Melanie’s late grandfather through the log specially engraved with their new titles as a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Melanie’s flowing dress swished with each pull of the saw. They had just finished their ceremony and were officially married! They ended it with a traditional German log cutting ceremony to overcome their first obstacle as a married couple as a salute to their heritage and their love for the woods.

Melanie and Asher cutting away at the log, holding each end of the saw with their dads and groomsmen holding the log in place was a perfect picture of the love, hard work and collaboration it took to pull off this woodsy, one-of-a-kind wedding celebration in the mountains of Montana.

 

 

From the bright colors that decorated the rustic venue, to the wood magnets that were given away as favors along with the embroidered Montana blankets, to the homemade watercolor invites and wooden ring box, to the taco and nacho bar, nothing about this wedding was cookie cutter and everything was thoughtful and intentional.

Melanie and her friends went out a couple days before the wedding and collected flowers from the wildness to use in the bouquets and centerpieces. When Tony and I arrived at the lodge where the girls were getting ready, Asher’s sister Drue and Melanie’s friend Dani were assembling all of the flowers on the porch.

Melanie’s dad handcrafted many of the stunning wooden decorations, and her grandpa got ordained for the occasion so he could officiate the ceremony. The groomsmen proudly set up the tents for dinner and dancing, and they looked incredible!

Melanie and Asher spent the night of their wedding literally dancing around the venue, joyfully celebrating their family and friends and all of the hard work and creativity that went into bringing their unique wedding vision to life. They went from the dance floor that was lit up with bistro lights and glow sticks and emceed by two close friends, to the bonfire in the back where people were laughing and sharing stories over s’mores and local Montana beer.

They had both moved from their hometowns in the Midwest to Montana because they love time connecting and refreshing in nature. Asher actually proposed to Melanie while kayaking on Flathead Lake. They wanted their wedding to be a getaway for their family and friends so they could enjoy a nature-infused vacation and see why they had fallen so in love with Montana. Their wedding was totally the fiesta party in the woods that they had envisioned, and Tony and I are beyond grateful we got to play a small part in it.

• Catering – Great Northwest Catering
• Wedding coordinator or planner- Asher and Melanie
• Bride’s dress- Velvet Bride – Missoula, MT
• Bridal accessories- Thrift Store, handmaid veil by Mom, Tradewinds Hippie Store – Crystal Lake, IL
• Groom’s attire- JC Penny and Amazon!
• Florist- Montana Wilderness and Sam’s Club 🙂
• Cake/Dessert- Delectable Desserts and Catering – Kalispell, MT
• Invitations – Handmade by Asher and Melanie

 

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