Chic and Elegant Fall Micro Wedding in Ennis Montana
Adrienne + Mitchell
Ennis, Montana
Adrienne & Mitchell planned their wedding for Memorial Day Weekend 2020, but due to COVID, it got postponed to September of that year. They originally planned to invite 200 people but had to scale back their invitation list to 35 to comply with COVID gathering guidelines for the state of Montana. Though they probably would have loved the big wedding they planned, their micro-wedding did not disappoint. The toasts were heartfelt, and the dancing was the best I have ever seen. My favorite part was the love between Adrienne & Mitchell and the beautiful Montana setting. If you're thinking about having a micro-wedding, check out the rest of this post to see how wonderful a micro-wedding can be.
VENDORS
Photography: Kayleigh Rust
Planner: Beautifully Born Events
Rentals: Montana Party Rentals
Florals: Anselmi Floral Studio
Catering: Sauce Catering
Cake & Dessert: Elle’s Bells Bakery
Beverage Catering: The Bay Bar and Grill
Videographer: Genuine Videography
DJ: Moshunal
Bride's Dress: Floravere
Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN
Hair & Make-Up: Indulgence
Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Hugo Boss
Rings: Single Stone
Paper Goods: Ice Pond Press
Restrooms: Quarter Moon Restrooms
Shuttle: Big Sky Shuttle
Approximately 60-miles southwest of Bozeman, Montana, lies the small town of Ennis. Made up of roughly 1,000 residents, Ennis is a vibrant community with year-round outdoor recreation and an authentic western atmosphere. Mitchell's family owns a ranch in Ennis, where the wedding ceremony and reception took place. On the guest list were immediate family members and a handful of close friends, including Mitchell's crew seen above, decked out in socks imprinted with Mitchell's face.
This micro-wedding had many of the time-honored traditions that big wedding celebrations have but on a smaller scale. Thus, there were no pre-wedding jitters in the bride's quarters where Adrienne, her mother, and the cheerful bridesmaids prepared for the ceremony. After the final touches were applied, it was time for some champagne.
Adrienne and her dad shared a sweet moment before walking down the aisle. Though she was about to be married, her expression while hugging her dad's arm tells me she'll always be daddy's girl. I love it when brides request a first look with their dad. It gives me the chance to capture the unique relationship dads and daughters share. If your dad is walking you down the aisle on your wedding day, I hope you plan to do a first look with him. I guarantee those images will be among your wedding day favorites.
Montana weather in Autumn is warm during the daytime and chilly at night. The average temperature for September is around 70 ° for the high and 40 ° for the low. On this September day, the sun was shining, and the weather was comfortable, but the cool breeze blowing across the ranch reminded us that summer was over and Autumn had begun. With everyone comfortably seated on benches outside, the wedding ceremony began.
The town of Ennis is located about 70 miles from the northwest region of Yellowstone National Park. If you've always dreamed of a wedding in Yellowstone and spending your honeymoon riding horses and hiking forests trails in the mountains of Montana, you might want to consider Ennis. Roughly an hour's drive from Yellowstone, Ennis has authentic western charm and is surrounded by three mountain ranges that offer scenic views and outdoor recreation. Ennis also has a variety of rustic cabins, bed-and-breakfasts, and lodges to accommodate your stay. I am familiar with many hidden gems throughout Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest. Don't hesitate to ask me if you'd like some suggestions for your wedding, adventure elopement, or honeymoon.
Mitchell's family ranch was a lovely place for a wedding and reception. Their property sits on a prairie filled with native Montana brush and grasses, and in the distance, Sycamore trees and striking rock formations line the horizon. As you can see in these images, Adrienne and Mitchell were adorable, their ceremony was charming, and the scenery around Ennis was quite impressive.
In all the weddings I've photographed, the hug I captured between Adrienne and Mitchell after the ceremony gets first place for the most heartfelt. At that moment, many hugs were going around, but none were as profound as the bride and groom. There were a few tears of joy, and everyone was delighted and smiling. We paused to savor the post-wedding frivolity before formals and cocktail hour began.
Adrienne and Mitchell chose to do formals with the immediate members of their families. Formals are the least exciting part of a wedding day, in my opinion, but they're a necessary part, nonetheless. I captured a nice collection of keepsake portraits for Adrienne, Mitchell, and their families to look back on and cherish. Afterward, the joyous couple signed their marriage license to make it official.
As temperatures began to dip in the late afternoon, everyone joined together in the warmth of the fully enclosed reception tent, where reception festivities began. Inside the tent were large, tastefully decorated farm tables and a dance floor. I especially loved the tablescapes by Anselmi Floral Studio. My mouth was also watering for the sweet treats on display by Elle’s Bells Bakery. If you are getting married in southwestern Montana, I highly recommend both of their services.
It was time to get the party started. Adrienne and Mitchell planned to have their dance first. The bride and groom dance is an eagerly awaited moment for newlyweds, their guests, and myself. I enjoyed watching Adrienne and Mitchell dance and seeing the harmony between them. At this moment, they looked great in front of their guests. I am assuming they may have had a dance lesson or two.
Adrienne's dad took the floor and gave a short speech that got everyone's attention. He paid a few sincere compliments to Adrienne, welcomed his new son-in-law into his family, and filled the tent with laughter with his words of advice for the newlywedded couple. The vibe was merry inside the tent. Outside, the views were magnificent in all directions as dusk fell upon us.
Time to steal the bride and groom away for a few romantic sunset photos. Adrienne and Mitchell exited the reception tent without hesitation. Holding hands and giggling with excitement, they didn't need much direction from me. I captured these priceless shots of Adrienne and Mitchell lost in the moment in a pure state of wedding-day bliss.
Seriously, could it get more romantic than this? The image of Mitchell holding Adrienne up is a bona fide representation of the love that they share and one of my favorite shots of the day. Though there was a brisk wind, Adrienne and Mitchell enjoyed these tender moments together, basking in just-married radiance. After a few more shots and one more kiss, we headed back to the party and the warmth of the tent.
Upon rejoining the guests, I noticed the vibe in the tent had become even merrier while we were away. Adrienne and Mitchell found their officiant at the beverage table, where he handed them a well-deserved, celebratory shot. After the hard stuff went down, more champagne, toasts, and speeches went around.
With the reception in full swing, it was time for Adrienne and Mitchell to dance with their dad and mom. As you can see, Adrienne and Mitchell had a scaled-down traditional wedding. When planning your micro-wedding, keep in mind that it can be as unique as you want it to be. Having a small guest list is the defining factor of what micro-weddings are. They are more cordial than an elopement and less expensive than a full-blown wedding extravaganza. I think micro-weddings are here to stay — COVID or not. In my opinion, the more unique, the better.
After a few drinks and dancing, this lively bunch started to crave cake, and there is no cake sweeter than wedding cake. The MC paused the music briefly to announce the cake-cutting ceremony. All eyes were on Adrienne and Mitchell as they cut the first slice. The tent buzzed with good vibes, laughter, and lively conversation while everyone savored the luscious flavors of vanilla cream. The MC pumped the jams back up, and before long, everyone was back on the dance floor getting their groove on.
There is no waiting period to receive a marriage license in Montana. However, for women under age 50, a blood test is required before a marriage license is issued. Your marriage license is valid for 180 days after issuance. If you wait more than 180 days to get married, you'll need to apply for a new one. Ready to plan your Montana wedding extravaganza, micro-wedding, or adventure elopement? I'd love to help you with that. Let's talk!
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