When it comes to wedding photography, Big Sky Montana will always have a special place in my heart
I moved to Big Sky, Montana in the winter of 2014, I fell in love with the area. I have since spent plenty of time working and playing all over, be it Gallatin Gateway, the Yellowstone Club, or The Spanish Peaks. The natural beauty is just incredible! This time also allowed me to work under one of my mentors for several seasons which gave me my first look at what the life of a professional wedding photographer is like. What an amazing, eye-opening experience and SO different from what I was accustomed to growing up in western North Dakota and Chicago where I studied.
A note on rehearsal dinner photography
I love it when I’m asked to attend the REHEARSAL DINNER for several reasons. Most importantly, it creates an opportunity for beautiful photojournalistic moments and allows your inner circle to get used to the idea of having a guy wave a camera around the room. Those extra hours provide an invaluable opportunity for connections to be made and trust to be built between your family and closest friends. If this happens, when the camera starts flying around again on the wedding day, nobody even notices.
P.S. REHEARSAL DINNER coverage also gives me an opportunity to find the best angles in the ceremony room without disrupting any guests. This is also a great time for you to voice any last-minute questions or concerns you might have about the flow of your ceremony. I’ve found that this usually relieves last minute stress, improves the flow of your ceremony, and creates the best opportunity for ceremony photos that you will love for years!
This particular wedding party’s REHEARSAL DINNER was such an amazing time! We gathered at the Big Sky Chapel for a quick walkthrough. (The Chapel is only a couple of blocks from where I used to live & I reconnected with the “snowboarding minister” from other weddings we were involved with years ago.) Afterward, dinner was served at Cinnamon Lodge. Connections were built, smiles were photographed, and roping lessons were taught.
The ‘Big Day’ in Big Sky
On their wedding day, Rachel and Marc each got ready at separate rental properties. The architecture of the area is also worth mentioning. It tends to be an interesting blend of modern, rustic, and chic with lots of either masonry work or historic log buildings. Somehow, the light always ends up being so perfect in Big Sky, it’s magic!
As Rachel and her bridesmaids were getting ready there were so many opportunities to stand next to beautiful large windows and just stare at the scenery. These windows also provided wonderful lighting for everyone to get ready and for me to snap away!
a Classic Montana wedding
One of the reasons why I love documenting weddings in Montana is that the vibe here is one that is just more relaxed and focused on the couple rather than on the production of a wedding.
These ideals are often reflected in the venues that people often choose to get married. I think it’s perfect when couples pair the locations of Big Sky Chapel with a reception venue like River House because, between the two places, the bride and groom can choose between having an indoor ceremony and an outdoor reception.
After the ceremony, Rachel and Mark took a few couple’s photos and then headed over to their reception at Riverfront House, where they met up with the rest of their guests. This is one of the most beautiful places to have a reception because of all the light that shines through the gorgeous white tent. One of the things that I loved about Rachel and Mark’s wedding, is that they planned the wedding that seemed the most fitting to them and their relationship.
If you didn't know planning a wedding is a HUGE task.
I encourage you to plan the wedding you want. Put your wedding dreams out there and go with them! And just remember, for every setback, there’s a silver lining, so try not to get discouraged when setbacks happen. Make the best of what you have, keep it in the moment, and remember what’s most important for your wedding.
Which begs my next question: what is the most important part of your wedding and why does it matter to you? What do you want to see IN your wedding gallery??
Hey I’m Zak, originally from North Dakota I moved to Montana in 2014 and started photographing people’s weddings under the guidance of a mentor. After a couple seasons learning the trade, I stepped out on my own and have been successfully documenting wedding stories ever since! I love my job, I love the people I get to meet, and I love getting to document my client’s wedding day stories through photography!
