Tuesday, April 15, 2014

{Montana Bride Feature Wedding} Meghan + Josh






Our home base is actually Los Angeles, because Josh is a full-time Musician. We decided on a destination wedding to be closer to Josh's parents, who own and operate Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe in Red Lodge, MT. The goal was classy, vintage, and most importantly, comfort and fun. 110 of our friends and family made the trek.  We had a hodge podge of vintage plates, vases, and jars on the tables. To represent our backgrounds and pay homage to our families, the centerpieces were framed photos of our grandparents and great-grandparents on their wedding days. Also, since I'm Chinese, we had golden buddhas as the placecard holders and my grandmother's vintage Chinese chest holding the fans and umbrellas for the guests at the ceremony. 








Highlights of the wedding include a mechanical bull, and customized dartboard and bean bag games. An ice cream cooler with huckleberry ice cream and 7 other flavors serving as dessert, and Josh's cousin, a pastor, officiated the ceremony. The music was perhaps the best part. Our good friends provided the ceremony and first dance music. Andy Grammer (known for his single "Keep Your Head Up") and his wife Aijia sang the first dance and father/daughter songs. For the ceremony, fellow musicians Roland Gajate-Garcia (American Idol), Dru Decaro (Miguel), and Greg Karagianis (Andy Grammer) played. 





















































Photographer: B Young Forever Photography
Venue: Private Ranch, 9 Lazy M Ranch
Location: Red Lodge Montana
Flowers: IGA Floral Billings
Rentals: Party Time Plus
Mechanical Bull: Bigtime Inflatables
Benches and Arbor: Moments In Time, LLC
Wedding Planner: Patricia Clark
Wine: Yellowstone Cellars
Beer: Red Lodge Ales
Ice Cream: Scoops, Red Lodge, MT

Gown: Allure Bridal



Thursday, April 10, 2014

{Featured Montana Bride Wedding} Thushani + Brady




Brady grew up in the small town of Wibeux, Montana while Thushani grew up in Sri Lanka. They met and fell in love in Las Vegas and are starting their life together there, but they chose to have two weddings; one where each was from. I was lucky to photograph their first wedding here in Montana. They invited family and close friends for an intimate gathering and were lucky to get a gorgeous day topped off with a lovely sunset that evening.


















Floral Design: Labellum
Hair and makeup: Sarah Ashley
Dress: Alfred Angelo



Wednesday, April 9, 2014

{Montana Bride Featured Wedding} Kaily + Joey



What can we say other than Gorgeous!  And then of course you throw in a groom AND a father of the bride in Uniform and it just takes it to a whole other level.  We love this wedding and how beautifully Amelia Anne captured it!  Congratulations to Kaily + Joey, and to the two handsome men in uniform….Thank you for your Service!!!















Photography: Amelia Anne Photography

Venue: Z5 Ranch, Arlee MT
Flowers: Bride's Aunt
Detaisl: Bride


Friday, April 4, 2014

{Montana Bride Vendor Spotlight} Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel


It’s the day you’ve dreamed about since childhood and at the Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel we believe that planning a wedding should be a joyous occasion. We take pride in assisting you with all of the details to insure your wedding day is as magical as you imagined.

Why you should consider the Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel for your special day:

1. You’ll plan your special day with an experienced event planner with many tips and ideas.
2. Each wedding is customizable. You’ll end up paying less altogether (and a have lot less stress) than you would if you had to negotiate each vendor individually.
3. The Helena Colonial Hotel Red Lion is conveniently located off I-15 and offers 24 hour
Complimentary airport shuttle to and from the Helena Airport for your guests.
4. You can have your entire event on site, rather than shifting from location to location. The Helena Colonial Hotel boasts 15,500 square feet of flexible event space for your ceremony and reception.
5. You don’t have to worry about your guests making it home safely after the festivities. The Helena Colonial Hotel Red Lion offers discounted group rates on hotel rooms. The 149 guest rooms and suites are all oversized and newly updated with amenities like complimentary WI-FI and our super comfy Sealy pillow-top mattresses.
6. We’ll help you sort out all of the menu details. Whether you want an elegant feast or traditional family favorites- our banquet and catering staff is committed to a tasty (and cost-effective) reception.
7. We have plenty of parking at the Helena Colonial Hotel and it’s free! (No need to worry about those pesky parking tickets downtown!)

What inspires you?
I am personally inspired by seeing live music. Every show I see, I get goose-bumps…there’s something so intimate about seeing an artist perform on-stage. I am also inspired by the majesty of Montana and the people that reside here. I feel that residents of Montana choose the quality of life over the big city amenities. We are in-love with our spectacular, unspoiled nature and that inspires me every day.

What is your favorite place in or thing about Montana?
It’s hard to choose just one favorite place or thing about Montana, but I would say my experience working in East Glacier Park in my early twenties shaped who I am today and is still my favorite place. The town of East Glacier is 12 miles from Two Medicine Lake and this particular region is very scared to several Native American tribes, including the Blackfoot. You can truly feel the energy buzzing in this area. I remember sitting with my girlfriends on the bank of Two Medicine lake watching dark clouds swell above the mountains. In just a few minutes the crackling sounds of thunder and lightning forced us to huddle under a tree as it poured rain. Within 5 minutes, we saw slivers of sunshine through the clouds and decided to run into the waves pounding the shores of the lake. Swimming in warm waves, feeling the light sprinkles of rain on our face and the sun shining is a moment and a place I will never forget in Montana.  

What is your best piece of advice for the Montana Bride?
As a wedding consultant at the Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel the very first question a bride or groom asks is, “How much will it cost?” Planning a wedding can be a huge venture full of details, and often times the couple is so overwhelmed with it all, they find refuge in asking about price because it’s the only thing they know they need to ask. Yes, price is important, but what other wishes do you have for your special day? Don’t focus too much on price in the beginning--find out what will make your day truly special to you and then plan a budget accordingly.

The friendly and experienced staff at the Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel is willing to make your day absolutely magical and unforgettable. We look forward to working with you!

Helena Colonial Red Lion Hotel
2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, MT 59601
Tel: 406-443-2100  |  Fax: 406-449-8815
www.helenacolonial.redlion.com/meetings-groups/weddings/
E-mail: chelseah@helenacolonialhotel.com