An Early Fall Lakeside Wedding in Lake Mary Ronan
As summer winds down into fall, we can’t help but feel so grateful for this time of year! These few weeks when we’re in between summer and fall feels celebratory to us. We just pulled off some amazing summer weddings in Montana and are in the final stages of our fall weddings. Plus, the air is already turning a bit crisper and we’re feeling the first breezes of autumn. Nothing could be better!
In honor of this season, we’re reminiscing on Kelsey and Sam’s early fall lakeside wedding in Lake Mary Ronan. Their big day perfectly encapsulated the vibe of late summer meets early autumn, as they had an indoor/outdoor celebration with their 80 guests.
We’ll forever remember all the incredibly unique touches they incorporated, including big moments like the interactive hat bar at their welcome party and the literal fireworks going off at the reception. But just as memorable were the smaller details that made the day feel so personal, like the toasting flutes that originally belonged to their parents and the Igloo cooler they used as their guest book.
This lakeside wedding feels like such a fitting reminder of the symbolism that comes with this time of year. Just as summer slowly gives way to fall, your engagement season eventually gives way to your marriage. And while saying goodbye to your engagement can feel a little bittersweet, we don’t have to tell you how exciting it is to step into the next season of life together. After all, the end of one season simply means another one is beginning and your marriage will be the sweetest one yet!
To celebrate everything that this time of year brings, join us as we take a look back on Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding day!
Wedding Welcome Party at The Lodge at Lake Mary Ronan
Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding weekend began with a fun welcome party! All the wedding festivities took place at The Lodge at Lake Mary Ronan, a charming and rustic Montana wedding venue near Glacier National Park. It’s here where Katie first ran the wedding ceremony rehearsal before putting the finishing touches on the welcome party setup.
A unique activity that Kelsey and Sam offered to their loved ones that evening was a custom hat bar! Guests could select a hat color and type, a hat band, feather, pin and up to 5 characters of branding to make the end result all their own. The hat bar served as both an engaging way to entertain guests and a one-of-a-kind take-home favor. The hats’ Western style was the perfect way to pay homage to Montana for this lakeside wedding weekend.
The rest of that evening entailed great barbecue and even better company. We love a wedding welcome party because it sets the tone for the weekend, and this one made it easy to see that Kelsey and Sam’s celebration was going to be anything but ordinary!
Early Fall Lakeside Wedding Day
After a relaxed evening to kickstart the wedding festivities, it was Kelsey and Sam’s big day! Kelsey and her bridesmaids started the morning by getting their hair and makeup done in the Lodge’s Treehouse. Here, Kelsey surprised her girls with a special build-your-own-bouquet bar! They each got to customize their bouquet for the day with whatever flower types and colors they wished. This definitely took personalizing their bridesmaids’ look to the next level!
At the same time, Sam was getting ready for their lakeside wedding by donning his forest green suit and bolo tie. He wasn’t afraid to add color and personality to his groom aesthetic and the final look was a cool blend of being both polished and unique!
Then, we held a series of heartwarming first looks, starting with one between Kelsey and Sam themselves. We picked a spot in the woods for this sacred moment and it was everything. Kelsey looked like an angel with her hair in waves tumbling behind her and her off the shoulder, floral embroidered gown. Her natural makeup finished the look, keeping it light and ethereal. With a beauty like that, it was inevitable for Sam to be all smiles as he turned around and saw his bride for the first time!
Afterwards, Kelsey and Sam each did a first look with their parents: Kelsey with her dad and Sam with his mom. Moments like these are a great reminder that a wedding day isn’t just about you (although you’re the stars!). It’s about the entire family and those who shaped you into the phenomenal people you are.
Needless to say, it was a great start to this lakeside wedding day!
Lakeside Wedding Ceremony Details
Then it was time for the main event! Kelsey and Sam’s friends and family gathered on the outdoor Flag Deck, where the sun glinted off the lake and the mountains were like rolling purple hills in the background. The venue had an existing wooden arch at the ceremony space’s entrance and Conrad Floral did an amazing job decorating it with natural greenery and baby’s breath to give this wedding party a picture-perfect grand entrance.
The arch gave way to the aisle, which we lined with baby’s breath arrangements and layered with assorted vintage rugs. This then opened up onto the altar, where we placed one large rug and a floral garland to decorate the banister there. Mother Nature finished the job for us by giving us a bright and sunny day, as if all the world was celebrating Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding day.
That day, the ceremony was filled with touching emotion, but also smiles and laughter. Kelsey and Sam’s dog even joined them at one point to also say “I do!” Before sealing the deal with a kiss, this couple participated in a handtying unity ceremony during which their officiant wrapped a special fabric cord around their united hands. This symbolized two coming together as one.
One of our favorite parts of a wedding day is seeing the unabashed joy on your faces right after you’re pronounced husband and wife. It’s one of the purest moments of happiness we get to witness, and it never gets old.
Cocktail Hour
As Kelsey and Sam took family and newlywed photos, guests got the party started at cocktail hour. Most people know how the flow of this part of a wedding day goes, but what you may not realize is how much our wedding coordination team gets done during this hour! At this point of a wedding, the reception setup is complete, but our team still needs to hustle. Check out just a few of the tasks we typically handle for you during cocktail hour:
- Congratulate you and bring you apps and drinks!
- Direct guests to cocktail hour
- Repurpose ceremony decor to reception
- Light all the reception candles
- Liaise with the caterers and entertainment team to ensure our reception timeline is aligned and they’re ready to go
- Ensure you sign your marriage license
- Bustle your wedding gown
- Once photos are done, repurpose your bouquet and your bridesmaids’ bouquets as additional reception decor
- Invite everyone into the reception once all the above is complete!
We did all of this and more on Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding day. Even though it’s a busy hour, it’s all in a day’s work for us!
Wedding Reception Design
Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding reception took full advantage of the late summer and early fall season! It was an indoor outdoor celebration with a comfy lounge area and outdoor dining areas on the patio and additional dining tables inside. As guests found their seats at the beginning of the reception, they were able to sign the newlyweds’ Igloo cooler guest book, snap a picture in front of the custom welcome mirror that read “Howdy,” and take in the beautiful tablescapes we set up for them.
The outdoor dining tables featured colorful floral centerpieces interspersed with classic baby’s breath arrangements. We wrapped the plates in pinot velvet napkins and set vintage glasses at each place setting. We had the lounge set up nearby that included a cozy camel colored couch, evergreen chairs, leather poufs, a vintage wooden coffee table and a cowhide rug to tie it all together. It fit right into the lodge’s aesthetic!
The indoor space had these warm wooden walls, which gave the room a homey and intimate feel. We played off of that with the tablescape design that featured floral in shades of red, orange, yellow and berry. We included old books in the centerpieces, fanning some of the pages to look like a flower. Last but not least, we set all kinds of candles across the tables to give the space that perfect golden glow later in the evening.
Indoor Outdoor Wedding Reception in Lake Mary Ronan
For the newlyweds’ grand entrance into their lakeside wedding reception, they took the scenic route, first greeting their guests on the outdoor deck and then making their way inside. They couldn’t have looked happier!
Everyone then enjoyed dinner together followed by the toasts. The beautiful couple used champagne flutes that had originally belonged to Kelsey’s mom on her own wedding day, making this part of the evening even more special.
The best part of an indoor outdoor wedding reception is that you can hold different wedding formalities in different spaces! We maximized this for Kelsey and Sam’s wedding by having dinner split in both spaces, but then the toasts and dancing outdoors under the stars. Since it was just the beginning of fall, the weather was just right to enjoy the night outside.
As the reception went on, Kelsey and Sam cut their vintage-inspired sweetheart cake, twirled on the dance floor with each other, and even enjoyed fireworks that lit up the sky! The dance floor was also lit that night, especially when one of the newlyweds’ loved ones led everyone in an Irish Ceili group dance!
Silent Disco After Party
And the fun didn’t stop there! After the official conclusion of the reception, those who wished to keep the party going joined Kelsey and Sam back on the Flag Deck for a silent disco after party! Katie and our Big Day Celebrations team transitioned this space from the original ceremony setup to the after party setup during the reception, so that when guests arrived, all they had to do was put some headphones on and keep dancing the night away!
From start to finish, Kelsey and Sam’s lakeside wedding at Lake Mary Ronan reflected all the wonderful things that the season of early fall has to offer! It was a flawless day and definitely one we’ll keep looking back on for years to come!
A Word from Katie:
You guys!! Your lakeside wedding weekend was absolute perfection! I had the most fun with you both every step of the way and couldn’t be more overjoyed to witness your happiness. Happy one year anniversary, Kelsey and Sam! Cheers to many more!
-Katie
Montana Wedding Vendors:
Wedding Planner: Big Day Celebrations
Venue & Catering: The Lodge at Lake Mary Ronan
Photography: Kelly Kirksey Photography
Videography: Honeyseed Photo & Film
Hair & Makeup: Melanie Hobus
Cake & Desserts: Bakes & Cakes by Brie
Floral: Conrad Floral
Rentals: Empress Tents & Events
Linen: BBJ La Tavola
Transportation: Wild Horse Limousine
Hat Bar: Ginny Junes
Invitations: Minted
Let’s Plan Your Lakeside 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!
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