Seth and Megan chose the perfect setting for their Venue at Montana 45 wedding. As their Montana wedding photographer, I loved how intentionally they built their day around the things that mattered most to them: their relationship with each other, their relationships with the people they love, and, above all, their relationship with Christ.
It was an intimate, deeply spiritual celebration with just a little bit of rustic whimsy. Nothing felt overdone. Instead, every detail felt personal and purposeful, and the entire day had an incredibly easy flow.
A Slow, Easy Morning
Seth and his guys started the morning completely separate from Megan and her girls. They had a slow, easy morning that included a trip to the local athletic center for a cold plunge, while Megan and her girls arrived at the venue and spent an easy morning laughing, getting ready and listening to music.
Because of the girls’ early arrival and the flow of our day, this was the most easy going bridal party I had ever seen. By the time my second shooter and I arrived, the room was relaxed, the music was going, and people were dancing and having a genuinely good time.
And this is where I have to give a huge shoutout to Capella at Empress Tents and Events.
I cannot tell you how much of a difference having a great planner makes on a wedding day. The lack of stress was noticeable. Even Megan’s mom was able to relax as much as a mother of the bride can relax on a wedding day because we all trusted Capella and her team to take care of the details.
That trust made a huge difference in how the day felt.
The Details That Made It Theirs
Once I arrived at Venue at Montana 45, I started photographing the details of the day. Megan and Seth had beautiful invitations and vow books, along with their individual perfumes and flowers.
One of my favorite details was Seth’s ring. It belonged to his grandfather and is a two-tone white and yellow gold ring with his grandparents’ anniversary engraved inside. They added their own anniversary date to it, creating this really beautiful connection between the generations.
They also brought a 1930 Ford Model A that Seth’s uncle had recently purchased. It was decorated with flowers, lace bunting, and a “Just Married” sign, and it became a really fun part of their portraits later in the day.
Megan’s morning was just as meaningful. As she got dressed, I photographed the quiet moments between her and her mom as they zipped her dress, put on her jewelry, and added special touches from her grandmothers.
Then we stepped outside for bridal portraits.
I don’t often get designated time specifically for bridal portraits, so I was genuinely excited about this. We could slow down, take our time, and really photograph the dress Megan was going to marry her favorite person in. It was one of those little surprises in the timeline that ended up being really lovely.
A First Touch and Prayer Before the Ceremony
Megan and Seth didn’t want to see each other before the ceremony, but they did want to have a first touch and spend some time praying together.
They prayed for their marriage, their ceremony, and what they hoped the day would be.
I photographed just a few moments before stepping back and giving them space. I wasn’t going to photograph the entirety of that prayer. Some moments aren’t for the camera. Sometimes the best thing I can do as their photographer is recognize when a moment belongs completely to the couple and let them have it.
That is an important part of how I approach wedding photography. I want to document your day beautifully, but I also want you to actually experience it.
A Ceremony Focused on Jesus
When it was time for the ceremony at Venue at Montana 45, the focus was incredibly simple: Jesus.
There were chairs in an open grassy space with trees behind them and a singular cross. No elaborate floral installation. No unnecessary decoration. Just a beautiful setting and the people who mattered most.
A friend from church played the violin, which added such a personal touch to the ceremony.
Seth still hadn’t seen Megan, and the anticipation was palpable. When she finally walked out, I turned toward Seth and watched him completely overcome with emotion.
It wasn’t just the emotion of seeing his bride. It was the weight of what they were stepping into together—the solemnity of marriage and what it meant to step out in faith into this new journey.
Their good friend, Bryce Crawford, officiated the ceremony, which made the experience even more personal. They opened in prayer, shared traditional vows, and then took communion together with Bryce.
It was a beautiful reminder of what sacrificial love looks like and the foundation they wanted their marriage to be built upon.
And then they were pronounced husband and wife.
The tension just released.
And it was pure joy.
Portraits, Private Vows, and Time to Be Present
After the ceremony, we moved quickly into family photos and full bridal party portraits. Since Seth and Megan hadn’t seen each other beforehand, we needed to take care of those group photos after the ceremony.
Then we stepped into their portraits and private vows.
Just like during their prayer, I photographed a few moments of them reading their vows and then stepped away. They had written these deeply personal words for each other, and I wanted them to have the privacy to actually share them.
That balance is something I care deeply about. My job isn’t to insert myself into every meaningful moment. It’s to know when to guide, when to photograph, and when to step back.
A Reception Full of Joy
Seth and Megan had an incredible group of bridesmaids and groomsmen around them. They were genuine, fun, and completely invested in celebrating their favorite people. Having walked through so many life stages with these two, their bridal party felt like the perfect compliment to this new journey.
The reception at Venue at Montana 45 opened with a meaningful prayer from Seth’s dad before everyone settled in for dinner catered by DeSoto Grill in Kalispell. The evening then flowed in to heartfelt speeches and sweet dances
After Seth and Megan had their first dance, Megan danced with her father, and Seth danced with his mom. They then welcomed everyone on to the dance floor, and the party really started.
Their DJ, Hannah with RMF Entertainment, kicked things off, and everyone was dancing, laughing, and having a great time. Around 10 p.m., local pizza arrived for a late-night snack, which felt like the perfect addition to an already really fun night.
When Montana Gives You Smoke
One thing we couldn’t control was the wildfire smoke.
August in Montana can be tricky. It can be hot, sunny and perfectly clear, cloudy with serious thunder storms, or you can end up with smoke. Unfortunately, Seth and Megan got two out of three: warm weather and wildfire smoke. Not only does smoke make for visual challenges, it can also impact how your photos turn out.
Photographing in smoke means your photos often turn out a little hazy, and often can have an orange cast to them. While I pride myself on delivering a product that accurately reflects the weather and feeling of your day, I knew that orange tinted photos were not the look we were hoping for with Megan and Seth’s wedding photos.
Being a seasoned Montana wedding photographer, I knew that I would be able to color correct the images to better represent the colors Megan spent so much time selecting.
I was confident in my abilities to still accurately portray their day and represent the true day that they had.
Later in the evening we ended up with some substantial cloud coverage. Because of this, we didn’t get the golden-hour portraits we had hoped for, but we did get some really fun, intimate photographs around the Model A. Seth is a big Peaky Blinders fan, so when he ended up smoking a cigar, we leaned into it and created some pretty epic show-inspired portraits.
Honestly, I love that about weddings. Sometimes the plan changes, and you make something great out of what you have.
An Intentional Day at Venue at Montana 45
What I loved most about Seth and Megan’s wedding at Venue at Montana 45 wasn’t any single detail.
It was how intentional the entire day felt.
They created a wedding that was focused on Jesus. They made room for prayer. They surrounded themselves with people who genuinely love them. They trusted their planner. They built extra time into the schedule. And because of that, the day was incredibly smooth.
Quite literally, nothing was off schedule.
Capella was constantly reading the room and making tiny adjustments when needed, and those small changes kept everything moving without making the day feel rushed. That kind of behind-the-scenes work is invaluable.
And as their photographer, it meant I could do my job well. When I photograph weddings without planners, I am often naturally pulled into the roll of a quasi-planner. It is something I don’t mind doing, and am truly happy to help my couples in any way that they need. But when I have the opportunity to work with planner, it means I can focus on photographing what is happening right in front of me, instead of worrying about what is supposed to happen next.
Seth and Megan created a wonderful day, but more than that, they created an intentional beginning to their marriage. And I have no doubt these two will have a beautiful life together.
Looking for a photographer for your Montana wedding?
If you’re planning a Montana wedding and want a photographer who can do more than simply show up with a camera, I’d love to hear from you. I work closely with my couples and their planners to build thoughtful timelines, create space for the moments that matter, and photograph your day with a calm, observant presence. You can learn more about my wedding photography services or contact me to tell me a little about your day.
Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Venue at Montana 45 HERE
Planner: Capella, Empress Tents and Events
Caterer: Desoto Grill
Florals: Fjell Farms
Hair:
Makeup:
DJ: Hannah, RMF Entertainment
