A Boho Rustic Wedding at Green Valley Ranch

When choosing a wedding vibe, who says that you have to choose just one? Gabby and Paul’s boho rustic wedding is a testament to the ability to blend two complementary themes into one! This outdoor wedding celebration took place at Green Valley Ranch in West Montana and incorporated so many fun elements, from an emerald lounge furniture setup to real orange place cards to not one, not two, but SIX confetti cannons!

Gabby and Paul’s boho rustic wedding was truly a blast to be a part of! I hope that their wedding and love story inspire you to think outside of the box for your own wedding!

It’s a Love Story…

Gabby and Paul’s love story began back in 2010 when they met in their freshman year of college. They attended Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, where their mutual hobby of rowing and shared interest in Greek life brought them together. The two quickly became friends through these extracurriculars, but nothing sparked between them romantically throughout their collegiate experience.

After graduation, they found themselves living in New York. We all know how lonely and uncertain those early post-grad days can be, so it was a blessing for Gabby and Paul to have a friendly and familiar face there. Gabby recalls that she always had a little crush on Paul, and one day, seemingly all of a sudden, he developed a crush on her back!

They spent a whirlwind of a New York summer falling in love. Their first date was at a Cuban restaurant in the West Village followed by a trip to Washington Square Park. There, they shared some wine, laughed, and danced under the stars in the soft grass…until the cops kicked them out!  

Since they already had a strong foundation of friendship, their romantic relationship easily and naturally blossomed. During their dating days, they were inseparable and eventually moved in together in 2017. They even added a new member to their family that year: their puppy, Evan!

As Gabby says, they’ve been a family ever since!

…Just Say Yes!

Gabby and Paul have always had wild and adventurous spirits. It’s a huge part of their relationship! So it makes perfect sense that they embarked on a two-month road trip around the US, camping and exploring as many national parks as they could. Glacier National Park was one of the last parks they visited.

After a long, hot day of hiking around Logan Pass, Paul took Gabby to Many Glacier under the guise of having a nice dinner at the hotel. Little did Gabby know that Paul had something up his sleeve!

He ended up popping the big question that evening by the lake right as the sun was setting. As a bonus, he arranged for a professional photographer to capture the moment and take engagement photos right after. The night couldn’t have been more perfect!

Planning a Boho Rustic Wedding:

That’s the point at which Gabby and Paul came to me! After just one conversation with them, I could tell that they were a couple who I definitely wanted to work with! Both of them are so kind, friendly, and funny with such infectious smiles. My favorite part about our conversations was that they were more focused on the wedding experience for themselves and their guests, rather than the intricate details.

They simply wanted to celebrate their love and be surrounded by all their friends and family. My job was to make that happen and to ensure that Gabby and Paul had a ton of fun along the way!

Since the lovebirds selected Green Valley Ranch as their wedding venue, we decided to really play with the ranch vibe. We chose to plan a boho rustic wedding for them because it seemed to fit perfectly with the natural beauty of the ranch, Montana in general, and the couple’s personalities!

Boho Rustic Wedding Décor Details:

I think that our boho rustic wedding vision truly came to life on their wedding day! We used the incredibly green mountains and forest trees as their ceremony backdrop. We simply accented the landscape with two wooden pedestals and simple floral arrangements.

At the cocktail hour, we set up the most beautiful and rich emerald green lounge furniture. It came complete with throw pillows, a wooden coffee table, and a striped blanket with Gabby and Paul’s names embroidered into it. We then set their night sky themed guest book on a nearby wooden table with various family photos.

To show their guests where to sit for the reception, we set out real oranges with name tags on them. The tags were green and in the shape of a leaf to form the most adorable escort cards ever!

For our boho rustic wedding reception, we used long wooden picnic tables. We named each table after a different national park, so one table’s name was “Big Bend” and another table’s name was “Mount Rainier.” This was a tribute to Gabby and Paul’s travels and love of nature!

Atop the tables, we set a greenery garland down the center. We also scattered mini black lanterns amongst the greenery. Each place setting featured a duo of mountain blue plates and red gingham linen napkins. To finish off the aesthetic, we utilized mason jars as the water glasses.

Last but certainly not least, their wedding cake was a one-tier naked cake with fresh strawberries adorning it. We also placed tiny, white wildflowers on it and set the entire thing on a wood slice pedestal. It was both boho and rustic, not to mention perfect!

Gabby & Paul’s Boho Rustic Wedding Ceremony:

On the day of Gabby and Paul’s boho rustic wedding, the festivities began with Gabby’s first look with her dad. She looked absolutely stunning! She wore a long, white bohemian wedding dress a diamond cutout at the back and fringe flowing down the skirt. The lace along the bodice and hemline were also exquisite! Gabby complimented her dress with turquoise jewelry and a flower crown in her hair that corresponded with her colorful bridal bouquet!

It’s no wonder that Gabby’s dad was so excited to turn around and see his daughter’s bridal look for the first time! They shared a sweet hug and private moment before it was time for Gabby and Paul to tie the knot.

As the ceremony processional kicked off, Paul and his guys walked down the aisle to “Night Moves” by Bob Seger. A great song only to be topped by the girls entering the ceremony to “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty. Gabby then floated down the aisle on her father’s arm to the notes of “Carry You Home” by Mike Murray.

The ceremony itself was filled with love and was a great representation of the couple’s love story. For their unity ceremony, Gabby and Paul had their moms drape a Mantilla veil on their shoulders, keeping with Roman Catholic tradition.

Everyone was so excited for Gabby and Paul when they were pronounced Mr. and Mrs.! If only they knew what was in store…!

As Gabby and Paul made their way back up the aisle, they surprised their guests with two blasts of confetti! Not a bad way to celebrate their new marriage!

Gabby & Paul’s Boho Rustic Wedding Reception:

After taking family and wedding party photos with the ranch’s turquoise vintage truck and canvas tent, it was time to party! Gabby and Paul hopped on the dance floor for their first dance as their loved ones surrounded them. After this, their family and friends gave 3 toasts that were all as heartfelt as they were humorous.

Following a delicious dinner and the parent dances, Gabby again surprised everyone by having an outfit change! She started the party by changing into a white tank top, black belt, white jeans, red bandana, and cowgirl hat! She looked SO cute and was also so ready for a night of dancing under the stars! Nothing says ‘boho rustic wedding’ like a boho wedding dress and a rustic cowgirl party outfit!

From that point on, everyone let loose and busted out their best dance moves! They were all so giddy and excited, and they let it show! At one point, Gabby even did shots with her dad and close friend! The night was absolutely so much fun and the party didn’t even begin to wind down until close to 1:30am at which time more confetti filled the air!

Final Word from Katie:

Gabby and Paul, thank you for inviting me to be a part of your beautiful boho rustic wedding! I was so glad to see that you two had the time of your lives that day! Cheers to you both and your future together!

-Katie

Vendor Team:

Venue: Green Valley Ranch

Coordinator: Big Day Celebrations

Engagement Photographer: Leah Lamberson Photography

Wedding Photographer: Kelly Kirksey Photography

Videographer: White Rose Films

Musician: Mike Murray Tunes

DJ & Lighting: RMF Entertainment

Florist: Mum’s Flowers

Baker: Montana Wildflour

Hair: Evolve Hair Salon

Makeup: La Vita e Bella

Rentals & Lighting: The Party Store

Vintage Rentals: With Love Vintage Rentals

Transportation: Harlows Bus Service

Caterer: Oso Catering

Restrooms: Quartermoon Restrooms

Bartender: Maverick’s Casino

Wedding Gown: Rue de Seine

Bridesmaids: Show Me Your Mumu

Invitations: Minted

Let’s Plan Your Boho Rustic Wedding!

Big Day Celebrations offers full-service wedding planning, coordination & design services, and micro-wedding packages, so no matter how you envision your wedding, we will make it happen and have a whole lot of fun along the way!

Ready to get started? Drop me a note below and let’s do this!