An Elegant, Neutral Wedding at the Bride’s Family Home

What comes to mind when you picture a backyard wedding? Are you envisioning an elegant, neutral wedding with graceful hues of gold and champagne? Can you imagine the rolling hills, towering forest trees, and periwinkle mountains surrounding the grounds? Do you see an al fresco wedding reception with all your family and friends, laughing together over dinner then dancing with them until long after dark?

Because we do! A backyard wedding can be everything you’ve ever dreamed of for your wedding day and more – With the help of the right vendor team! For our couple, Fallon and Sam, a neutral wedding at their family home in Whitefish, Montana was the vision for their dream day. We worked with them to make it happen. We curated the aesthetic to be both simple and lush and coordinated all the logistics that come with having a private residence wedding.

If you’re intimidated by the thought of hosting your wedding at home, this post is for you! We’ll show you how we pulled off the ultimate mountain wedding for Fallon and Sam at their gorgeous cabin home. From the design to the epic party, this neutral wedding will give you butterflies!

Boy Meets Girl:

Like any good love story, let’s start at the beginning! Before there was ever even a thought of this neutral wedding, Fallon and Sam went on an extraordinary journey to fall in love. They’ve known each other since they were in junior high when they both had secret crushes on each other but were too shy to act upon it. Sam even remembers saying to his friends back then, “If I could get a girl like Fallon, I’d marry her on the spot!”

Although they didn’t quite get married (or start dating!) on the spot, their story took them on the most beautiful path to the altar. When they were both attending University, Sam was home for the summer and finally found his chance – and the nerve! – to ask Fallon out and fulfill his high school dream. They had a whirlwind summer together, but they were going to school in two separate cities. This meant they started their relationship, long distance. While it was tough, it made their bond that much stronger. They learned so much about communication and relationships at the same time that they were learning about each other.

When they both graduated, it was an especially joyous milestone because it meant that they could finally live in the same place! Together, they moved out to Calgary then Vancouver, where they now reside and have started their family with a furry little kitten named Blue.  

A Magical Iceland Proposal:

After 10 years of dating (and 15 of crushing on each other!), Sam knew it was time to make it official and tie the knot. When Fallon and Sam went on a vacation to Iceland, they rented a camper van and planned to explore the backroads of the country with a luxurious stay in a glass lodge at the end. Although Sam had originally planned to propose at this spectacular glass lodge, he just couldn’t wait any longer to make Fallon his betrothed! So one morning, when they were enjoying coffee together and gazing at a gorgeous mountain view, Sam got down on one knee to pop the big question.

Of course, Fallon said yes! This had been years in the making, but now it was their time to start planning their neutral wedding and get married “on the spot!”

Neutral Wedding Inspiration:

When envisioning their dream wedding day, this couple knew 2 things: They wanted to spend it at Fallon’s family home in Montana surrounded by all their loved ones and they wanted it to have elegant, neutral vibes. They’re naturally drawn to neutral and minimalistic designs that let everything else shine through, so it only made sense for them to incorporate hues of gold, champagne, beige, and ivory throughout their neutral wedding. These colors perfectly complemented the dark wood of the cabin and the surrounding forestry, so they knew it was an ideal fit.

The ceremony would take place on the stone steps of the cabin’s backyard with the cabin’s stately glass windows and wood paneling serving as the backdrop. This was already such an elegant and meaningful spot for the ceremony, so we didn’t need to do much to dress it up! So we kept it simple and added a greenery garland to the top of the cabin’s main archway and fruitwood garden chairs for guest seating.

This neutral wedding reception was then set on the property’s large meadow surrounded by lush forest trees with a view of the mountains and river in the distance. Celebrating in the fresh mountain air with a landscape as beautiful as this? Priceless!

When it comes to designing a wedding, we never want to detract from the venue’s natural features. Thus, like the ceremony site, we didn’t need to do a whole lot to dress up the reception. We set long kings’ tables for the guests with assorted bud vases, amber goblets, and gold votives. We draped a greenery garland down the center of the head table, but then let the natural beauty of the area speak for itself.

One of our favorite personal touches that Fallon and Sam incorporated into their neutral wedding design was their table numbers! They named each table after a particular year in their lives and on the table signs, they included photos of themselves from that year. Such a sweet and sentimental way to pay homage to their journey!

Tying the Knot:

On the day of this neutral wedding, Fallon looked radiant in her delicate, A-line wedding dress with floral details on the bodice. Her bridal bouquet consisting of white, peach and soft orange blooms added a beautiful pop of color to her look. She started the day by doing a first look with Sam, who donned a light tan suit and white boutonniere with rust accents. The emotion was plain on his face when he saw his bride for the first time and they enjoyed a special, private moment together.

That emotion would be later reflected on everyone’s faces during this neutral wedding ceremony when Fallon walked down the aisle to “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” With their best people by their side dressed in various tones of gold and champagne, they exchanged vows and rings. Cheers and claps filled the air when they shared their first married kiss and then again for their second married kiss as they did a dip while walking back up the aisle!

Pulling Off a Backyard Wedding:

Holding a wedding at a private residence comes with its own unique benefits and challenges. A couple of the main benefits include:

• No Time Limits – Formal venues let you rent the property for a specific number of hours. At your home, you’re free to start and end the party whenever you wish! The night before their neutral wedding, Fallon and Sam hosted their rehearsal dinner at the private residence. On the wedding day, they were able to dance the night away and even have a late night after party! Pro tip: Don’t forget to consider your neighbors and any noise ordinances that your area may mandate.
• No Restrictions – Formal venues may have décor restrictions, like no confetti or glitter, or specific alcohol policies, like no shots. These don’t exist at your home! For example, Fallon and Sam got to use their personalized shot ski with their family and friends without having to worry.

On the flip side, there are specific challenges to consider when having a backyard wedding, mainly with logistics. Determining if your home has enough space for your guest count is the first priority when considering a backyard wedding. Then, you’ll also need to take into account elements like: transportation, restrooms, power supply, and a rain plan. This is when it pays off big time to have an experienced wedding planner, like our team, in your corner!

After we take care of all the details, your backyard wedding will be incredibly special and meaningful. All the fun and joy of the day makes the hard work worth it!

Planning a private residence wedding and feel overwhelmed by all the details? Hit the button below to connect with us and ease your mind!

Neutral Wedding Reception:

After Fallon and Sam were officially married, it was time to party! They kicked things off with toasts from their loved ones at their neutral wedding reception. Both funny and sweet, their family and friends shared memories and well wishes with the newlyweds, prompting many smiles, laughter, and hugs from them.

We were honored to witness the sheer amount of love that enveloped the entire reception. The perfect example of this was for this couple’s first dance. They danced to “First Date” by Blink 182 and they invited their guests to surround the dance floor during it. This symbolized just how important their people are to them and how special it was to have them all there that day.

From there, the dance floor opened… and it never stopped! This group knew how to celebrate by dancing the night away. Bubble guns were even brought out as dance floor props, which added an extra fun flair to the party!

Overall, this neutral wedding was truly unforgettable. Between the elegant aesthetic, natural landscape and outpouring of love onto this beautiful couple, it was a perfect day!

A Word from Katie:

Fallon & Sam, congratulations!! It was such a joy and honor getting to work with you both for this special day. Your neutral wedding dreams totally came true and everything turned out so beautifully – Even better than we could have dreamed! We wish you nothing but happiness and love forever!

-Katie

Vendor Team:

Wedding Planner: Big Day Celebrations

Hair & Makeup: Covet Beauty

Photography: Cluney Photo

Videography: Kord & Co Films

Ceremony Music: Patricia Robertson

Band: Savvy the Band

DJ: The V-Team

Catering: The Kopper Kitchen

Bakery: Krispy Kreme

Bartending:Treasure State Hospitality

Floral: Mum’s Floral

Rentals: Empress Tents & Events // The Party Store

Transportation: Montana Trolley Co.

Let’s Plan Your Neutral 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!