{Montana Bride Featured Wedding} April + Zach

Our love story started during our freshman year of college at MSU. We first noticed one another during our chemistry lab class. April thought Zach was the best looking guy ever and thought there was no way that he would ever like her, but April did not know that Zach felt the same way about her.  Zach found little ways to talk to April and one night during a study group he asked her for her phone number. The funny thing is that April gave Zach her number and waited for him to call her but Zach wrote down the wrong number and he spent a lot time asking people if they knew her number.  Zach eventually got April’s phone number and we went on our first date and we have had chemistry ever since.
 

After Zach graduated from MSU he went to Great Falls to work as a Project Engineer for a construction firm on a hydro-electric Dam, from there he went to San Diego, California to work on water treatment plants. After April graduated from MSU she was employed in MT. For the most part, our relationship has been a long distance relationship although our love for one another has never faded. We always found a way to stay close no matter the distance. On April’s birthday, September 22, 2012, she went to San Diego to visit Zach.  We woke up early to enjoy the sun rise from the beach. As we sat on the beach in Carlsbad, California, April was playing with an orange juice top which we had just recently peeled off a Tropicana bottle. Zach took the orange juice top and slid it on April’s ring finger and when  she looked up at Zach he said in a sarcastic tone “I think it’s a little too big.” Zach then pulled out a ring box and placed it in front of April and said “this one should fit you much better!” April was speechless and after a few seconds Zach asked April to marry him.  Of course April said “yes”.  We spent the rest of our day celebrating by enjoying a Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan concert under the stars.  We were married on August 10, 2013 at St. Peters Church in Anaconda MT.

Photographer: MKate Photography

Venue: Anaconda Country Club

Catering: Butte Hill

Florist: Christie's Flowers of Anaconda 

DJ: Joes DJ Service

Tuxedo Rentals: Thomas'

Dress: Plume Bridal

Hair: The Vogue Salon in Anaconda 

{Montana Bride Featured Wedding} Megan + Tyler

Tyler and Megan met in college at MSU-Northern through mutual friends and dated for 6 years prior to getting engaged.  Though they had professional vendors on hand, they also did a lot of DIY.  They wanted a "black & white wedding" but Montana style, so they carried that through the theme, including asking the guests to wear black or white.

Photography -  Studio SkM

Venue - Kleffner Ranch

DJ - Entertainment Tonight (Calvin Richards)

Flowers - Leslie's Hallmark

Videographer - Froman Films Production (Andrew Mozer)

Cake/ Desserts - Park Avenue Bakery

Food - Chili O'Brien's Catering (side dishes) and Family made the main course & appetizers

Hair & Make-up - Salon Off Broadway (Jenny Buchman & Erin Weninger)

{Montana Bride Vendor Spotlight} Paul Bellinger Photography

Paul Bellinger has an artistic vision for dramatic fine art wedding photography as epic as your love story.  He specializes in crafting one of a kind artwork preserving your most cherished memories.  Paul takes on a limited number of weddings each year so that each can receive his full artistic attention, and so that each client can be given the absolute finest service possible.  Contact him for any wedding destination.

1. What inspires you?

I vowed at my wedding that my wife would “always be my greatest inspiration.”  So my beautiful wife is my greatest inspiration in all aspects of my life.  I’m inspired by my family, especially my teenage sister who is awesome in every way.  As an artist, everything inspires me, but beautiful light makes me grab my camera quicker than anything else.  I’m inspired by the power of photography.  I’m inspired by people who do big things and take chances on their dreams, people who change the world, and people who use their talents to help others.  I’m inspired by wilderness.  I’m a pretty inspired guy!

2. What is your favorite place or thing about Montana?

If you asked me this question before I moved to Montana eight months ago I could answer in one second: Glacier National Park.  Now that I live in Billings though, I think it’s the Beartooth Mountains.  Just catching a glance of the Beartooths (Bearteeth?) can brighten up my day in Billings.  Being from Nebraska, mountains are addictive to me.

3.  Best piece of advice for the Montana Bride:

It breaks my heart when I see brides stressed out on their wedding day.  I think you have to wake up on your wedding day and just let go of all stress and focus your energy on celebrating every moment of it.  Let other people do the worrying while you enjoy your time with the people you love.  And don’t make your mom do everything!  The bride and mothers of the bride and groom should have the day off!  Of course it makes it a lot easier when you have so many amazing Montana wedding professionals at your fingertips at montanabride.com.

Paul Bellinger Photography

Billings, Montana

406-850-2674

www.paulbellinger.com

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{Montana Bride Featured E-Session} Rachel + Austin

A Beartooth romance that will help you understand the phrase “purple mountain majesty.”  The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is an amazing place, and East Rosebud Lake is one of it’s crown jewels.  I am so blessed to have amazing clients like Rachel and Austin!  They are overflowing with love for each other and their homeland here in Southern Montana.  They couldn’t wait to see the mountain location I had scouted for their engagement session and they didn’t think twice about getting their feet wet for some of these photos.  Thank you so much Rachel and Austin!  Also thank you to Rachel’s awesome maid of honor Carrie, who watched my back for moose and bear and carried an extra can of bear spray for me!

Photography by: Paul Bellinger Photography

{Montana Bride Vendor Spotlight} Britney Paige Cinematographers

A team of three specializing in wedding films for the audaciously radiant bride, Britney Paige Cinematographers puts together your love story in a kinetic, breathtaking movie. Looking like a true motion picture using creative storytelling, cinema tools, audio and visual, they focus on each bride's journey from falling in love to walking down the aisle.

What inspires you?

What really inspires me is a story. A person's account of their life and experiences, struggles and triumphs. I get lost in "what might have been" when I see an object that is old and worn from years of memories being made by countless people. My heart is full and inspiration over bounds when I can sit down with people from all walks of life, congregate over a cup of coffee and hear their story, of where they've been and what life has taught them.

What is your favorite place or thing about Montana? 

I don't think I have one particular place that is my favorite, but having lived in Montana a good portion of my life, I love that you can travel from one side of the state to the other and experience all sorts of beauty. I love visiting the Eastern vast plains where my family's homestead is, and getting lost in beauty of extravagant mountains when I travel to the West. It's a state like any other and it's vastness provides endless possibilities for exploration and recreation, much of it I excitedly have yet to do!

What is your best piece of advice for the Montana bride? 

Weddings never go exactly according to plan. Hire the best professionals to worry about the chaos while you fearlessly have fun on your wedding day. Enjoy, embrace, and splurge to have it captured in a way that will leave you breathless for years to come! Too quickly the day comes and goes, you want to be able to relive the moment you said "I Do.

Britney Paige Cinematographers

1411 Wicks Lane

Billings Montana 59105

970.580.5477

www.britneypaige.com

info@britneypaige.com

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{Montana Bride Vendor Spotlight} Bloom

There's something about enterprise and Bozeman garages. Floral stylist Amber Westfall of Bloom is another of our many local entrepreneurs. A Bozeman native with MSU fine art creds and a stint in NYC's high-profile event scene, Westfall began her creative floral-design business in 2006, operating out of her garage, and brings a massive bouquet of enthusiasm rare these days in the wedding and design industries. Bloom's personal touch incorporates anything from local fruits to exotic blossoms, and she handles private events, weddings, personal orders, and beyond. -write up compliments of The Bozeman Magpie, voted one of Bozeman's Best 2013.

Bloom is grateful to have worked on with many local organizations such as:  The Gift Worth Giving, Thrive, Shakespeare in the Park, Montana Ballet, and many more.  Bloom has been featured in Brides Magazine, Grace Ormonde, Style me Pretty, and of course Montana Bride.  Please visit us for more information at montanabloom.com.

1. What inspires you? 

Beautiful Blooms!  Nothing is better than receiving a great box of flowers at the shop!!!  I am also inspired by all the great Bozeman entrepreneurs!

2. What's your favorite place or thing about Montana.  

I have several favorite places and events in Montana.  I love the diversity of the landscape in our great State.  From The Miles City Bucking Horse Sale to The Cherry Festival in Flathead...you don't need to go far from home to experience something new.  Some of my favorite vacationing spots are The Sacajawea Inn in Three Forks, Chico Hot Springs, and the Rainbow Ranch in Big Sky....The rooms are so gorgeous!

3. What is your best piece of Advice for a Montana Bride?

Relax and enjoy.  Let your great Montana Vendors do the work for you!!!

Blooom

Amber Westfall

715 West Olive Street

Bozeman, MT  59715

406.600.4883

www.montanabloom.com

bloommontana@gmail.com

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{Montana Bride Vendor Spotlight} Larry Stanley Photography & Jennie Lynn Photography

We are a father daughter team of professional photographers. Jennie Lynn and I shoot individually for clients and sometimes together when our schedules allow.  We travel around Montana, the United States and beyond, photographing for wedding and advertising clients that value insightful and remarkable imagery. Recent destination weddings include San Diego, Fort Worth, the Bahamas, and the beautiful Hill Country near Concan, Texas.  This summer will find us in New York City in August and again in March of 2015.

Of course the list of destinations would not be complete without mentioning the weddings we photograph all over the “Big Sky Country” of Montana from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park.

Our photography styles are influenced by a passion for beauty and the love of spontaneous moments. The phrase “beauty… as it occurs naturally” has come to define my personal view as a professional photographer and as a human being. I see my work as one that looks for and captures the beautiful moments that arise in every aspect of life. The celebration of the union of two people in marriage is full of this naturally occurring imagery.


We invite you to visit our beautiful, light-filled studio conveniently located 15 minutes from both downtown Bozeman and the airport. Our studio and office is upstairs with a great view of our Bridger mountains.

What inspires you?
Here in Montana, inspiration is in the environment.  All I have to do is step outside and look at the mountains in my backyard and the sky above.  The immense scope of the Absarokee mountains, the vibrant waters of the Yellowstone river and the lush, high mountain lakes and valleys near Livingston, Montana; these are my source of inspiration. 

What is your favorite place or things that I love about Montana?
My favorite place is the Paradise Valley, the scenery is awe inspiring and Yellowstone River is pure magic. And, my favorite thing is (you guessed it) swimming in the Yellowstone as much as possible.

         What is your best piece of advice for the Montana Bride?
‘FIT’.......Information offered by photographers to their potential clients is often titled “Packages and Pricing”, “Investment” or “Pricelist”.  Initially, the information presented is very necessary to find a photographer that meets your budget or price point.  However, it usually doesn’t go deeper to cover a much more important issue when hiring a photographer. That is something I call ‘FIT’.

‘FIT’, has nothing to do with packages or even price. Most photographers offer pretty much the same products, prints, albums, files, etc. which you can see and choose as an end product. But, how do you know if a photographer is a good ‘FIT’ and will capture the authenticity of your wedding?   As a wedding photographer, ‘FIT’ is so important to me that I often adjust my pricing and package contents for a couple that I relate well to.

If I truly enjoy the experience of shooting for a couple, the result is more inspired and beautiful photography.  It’s true.  Think about it, if you like the person you work for, you will be a more productive employee. The same is true with most photographers.  Just say’n.  So… how do find a photographer that is a good FIT for you?

The answer is simple. Narrow down your choices by studying wedding photography websites.  See who makes the images that speak to you.  Then meet with photographers face to face.  Realize that they will be with you for the duration of ‘your’ wedding day.  Remember this is your wedding day, not theirs!  Wedding photography is not a show or a charade. It is a service provided by those of us that have a gift for capturing images of life and love. If you choose well, you will remember the magical moments in the images they captured for years to come.

Larry Stanley Photography
3701 Trakker Trail #2E
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-586-8387 studio
www.larrystanleyphotography.com
www.jennielynnphoto.com

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