A Jewel Toned Wedding at the Historic Conrad Mansion

We talk a lot about the beauty of nature here in Montana. Can you blame us? With Glacier National Park in our backyard, it’s hard not to be fascinated by the sweeping mountain ranges, lush woodlands, rolling meadows, and breathtaking panoramas. No matter what season it is, Montana is drop-dead gorgeous! 

But we don’t want to forget about the rich history of Montana! Take the Conrad Mansion for example. Built for the founder of Kalispell (our home base!), Charles Conrad, in 1895, the mansion reflects Norman-style architecture and has been nearly perfectly preserved through the decades. It is now regarded as the most authentic mansion that predates 1900 in the Pacific Northwest. 

With a place as stunning and historic as the Conrad Mansion, it’s no wonder that couples dream of tying the knot here! That certainly was the case for our beautiful couple, Maggie and Christian, who had a jewel-toned wedding at the mansion with about 100 of their family and friends. Their celebration represents the culmination of hundreds of years of history, beauty, and love. When the Conrads originally owned the mansion, they filled the home with family, friends, and guests, showing classic Montana hospitality to anyone who visited. The tradition continues to this day with weddings like Maggie and Christian’s, and the other various types of events held at Conrad Mansion every year. 

Let’s explore Maggie and Christian’s jewel-toned wedding and learn how we used this venue for their celebration while still respecting all of its rich history and culture!

Designing a Mansion Wedding:

Planning a wedding at a historic venue like Conrad Mansion means marrying your preferences with the needs of the establishment. After all, preserving the history and legacy of the estate is the number one priority! For Maggie and Christian, their dream wedding meant having their loved ones by their side in a unique setting. They loved the rich colors that Conrad mansion already features, and wanted to build upon them with a jewel-toned wedding color palette. Their wedding colors of emerald, ruby, amethyst, citrine, and aquamarine were definitely worthy of Lettie Conrad, the family’s matriarch! 

We held their mansion wedding ceremony outside in the shade of the most gorgeous trees that were probably as old as the mansion itself! There, we set a grapevine arch accented with baby’s breath and white roses for Maggie and Christian to exchange their vows in front of. We chose this arch design because it was unique yet organic, blending in beautifully with the surrounding nature. 

When working at a historic site like this, it’s especially important to not damage or disrupt the grounds or property. Thus, we set the arch using a small wooden platform and ceramic pots that would be as easy to remove as they were to set. Just like in Glacier National Park, the saying goes, “Leave no trace besides your footprints!”

Conrad Mansion Wedding Ceremony:

Preparing for the Ceremony:

On Maggie and Christian’s Conrad Mansion wedding day, we began the day setting up the cocktail hour and reception spaces. This couple booked a private home nearby for the celebration after tying the knot at the mansion. There, the vendor team set cocktail tables in jewel toned linens on the front lawn, complete with dainty bud vases and gold mercury votive candles. Inside, we set a variety of long, rectangular tables in rust and burgundy linens with multi-colored bud vases running down the center of each one. 

The dessert table had to be our favorite element though! We displayed the triple lemon raspberry cake and cupcakes on a built-in wooden hutch with a mirrored back. Jewel-toned paper with a scroll design encased each cupcake, and we adored how the fresh floral on top of the main cake mirrored the raspberry, lemon, and mint garnish on each cupcake. 

This home was the perfect complement to their wedding ceremony at Conrad Mansion because like the mansion, it featured warm wood details, a beautiful, manicured garden, and a distinct historic charm. 

Wedding Ceremony:

Back at Conrad Mansion, Maggie made her bridal debut in an elegant, midi-length wedding gown. Maggie accentuated her look with blue heels, an airy veil, and a colorful bouquet of roses. The vivid floral looked like it could have been plucked from the surrounding gardens that Maggie walked through on her way up the aisle. Her mother escorted her as they traipsed through the gardens, past the stately mansion and through their loved ones. Christian awaited them at the end, ready to receive (and marry!) his bride. 

Aunt Marianne officiated the ceremony that day, and it was as heartwarming and emotional as you would expect it to be and more! The sun shone down on them as they shared their vows, exchanged rings, and did a symbolic hand fasting ceremony. 

By the time they said “I do,” their smiles were as radiant as could be!

Portraits at Conrad Mansion: 

Conrad Mansion is a dream for wedding portraits! The mansion itself is a charming brownstone building with natural greenery crawling up the sides and a big brick chimney in the center. The front lawn is perfectly manicured with various flora and foliage lending their beauty to your photos. 

Not to mention the inside of the mansion is steeped in old-world luxury! With rich wood, plush rugs, and vintage furniture sets, each room looked like it was a movie set, made just for Maggie and Christian. 

Throughout their wedding day, whether they were inside the mansion or out, these newlyweds captured their love against a historic backdrop that helped make their day even more unforgettable! 

Private Home Celebration: 

While our owner and lead planner, Katie, ensured the ceremony went smoothly at Conrad Mansion, our planner assistant, Mari, helped put the finishing touches for the celebration at the private home. When guests started to arrive there, she welcomed them with open arms and champagne…What better greeting is there?! 

That evening, the group celebrated Maggie and Christian’s new marriage with good eats, good music, and good hangs! The newlyweds shared their first dance in the gardens to the tune of “I Only Have Eyes for You” by The Flamingoes before laughing and dancing the night away with their best people. 

It was a magical evening, setting the stage for a magical marriage! 

A Word from Katie:

Congrats Maggie & Christian! Your wedding at Conrad Mansion was so delightful, it gave me all the feels! One of my favorite moments of the day was sending Maggie down the aisle and seeing the look on Christian’s face when he spotted her. I felt all the weeks of planning led to this one moment, and it was so special to witness! Best wishes to you two! 

-Katie

Montana Vendor Team: 

Wedding Planner: Big Day Celebrations

Venue: Conrad Mansion

Photography: Chance Jackson Photo

Catering: The House of S & M

DJ: Glacier DJ

Ceremony Music: Clara Wieck

Cake: Kim Wides

Floral: Rose Mountain Floral

Hair & Makeup: Copper Hair Lounge

Rentals: The Party Store

Linen: BBJ La Tavola

Restrooms: Quartermoon Restrooms

Bridal Salon: J Scott Couture 

Invitations: Minted

Let’s Plan Your Mansion 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!