Bright Summer Wedding at Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana
Bright Summer Wedding at Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana
Jon + Taijah’s Wedding Photos and Video at Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana
Photography and Videography by Montana Diaries
Jon + Taijah
Jon and Taijah’s stunning summer wedding at Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana was a hugely joyful, wild, beautiful celebration of their relationship with their closest loved ones. This was the warmest and most FUN crowd imaginable! I adore J + T more than I can even say — they’re two hilarious teachers who are down for a good time, and my husband and I always have a blast with them.
This is super crazy: you might know that Montana Diaries didn’t actually start as a business, but as a series on my YouTube channel that I kept up with in college. I would film my life — mostly hikes around Montana, but sometimes travels and special events, and do voiceovers over the footage talking about my life. Well, I made one of those videos about a concert in Bozeman that my husband and I went to, and Jon and Taijah were IN THAT VIDEO! We stood right next to them at the concert and Jon waved to my camera. This was a couple of years before they hired me for their engagement photos and eventually their wedding! It’s such a small world.
Jon + Taijah’s Wedding Photography and Videography Timeline
Getting ready
Jon and Taijah got ready separately the day of their wedding — Taijah spent the morning with her bridesmaids in the on-site cottage at the venue, and Jon got ready with his groomsmen inside the hotel. I love that the Sacajawea Hotel has such beautiful accomodations for couples — the rooms are filled with light and decorated beautifully with vintage items, and everything is neutral and looks great for photography and videography. Click here to learn more about their rooms.
First look
J + T had their first look in front of the Sacajawea Hotel — the gorgeous restored historic building was such a lovely backdrop for the first time they saw one another on their wedding day. I’m cracking up thinking about it because Taijah accidentally told Jon to turn around too early and then they couldn’t stop laughing, ha! It was perfectly them.
Taijah’s grandma was on standby for their first look because they took the moment of calm to let her smudge them. Smudging is a sacred Native American practice “to purify, spiritually cleanse, rid physical spaces of negative energy, and bless” (powwows.com). It was such a special moment to be able to capture for them. Read more about smudging by clicking here!
Ceremony
J + T held their ceremony on the lawn at Sacajawea Hotel and it was absolutely lovely. The ceremony space was adorned with bright yellow florals and officiated by Jason Slead, a relative. It was the windiest freaking day haha but Jason handled it like a champ! T’s father walked her down the aisle and J teared up — so sweet! They did a shotski before sealing their marriage with a kiss because of course they freaking did.
Reception
The Sacajawea Hotel set up a large tent on the lawn for J + T’s reception and it was perfect for their large party, and they even had space for a bar on the patio near the lawn. This was a partyyyy! After the traditional reception events, Taijah changed into a gorgeous sequined party dress for dancing. Jon + the groomsmen’s only request for us was that we capture their celebratory cigars. DONE, haha!
It was so convenient to have space for getting ready, portraits, the ceremony, and the reception all at one venue. The day was seamless and I’d recommend the Sacajawea Hotel to any of our couples still looking for a space for their traditional Montana wedding!
Timeline
As always, we built the timeline around the ceremony time and their decision to have a first look. J + T’s priority was having a great time with their loved ones at their reception, so we knew we wanted to get the majority of their photos done before the ceremony. We always plan to be done with portraits an hour before the ceremomy to give a bit of a buffer in case things are running behind and to make sure the couple can rest, eat, drink water, and use the restroom before things get crazy.
Here is their rough timeline for reference if you need inspiration to build your own wedding timeline:
1:00ish group bridesmaids photo in matching shirts
1:15 Mom + bridesmaids dressed and ready
1:30 Mom getting Taijah into dress
*Jon be ready by your first look!
2:00 Private First Look Grandma smudging immediately after
2:15 First look w/ dad
2:30 Bridal Party portraits on front lawn
3:00 Jon + Taijah hide before ceremony — restroom, water, food!
4:00 Ceremony
Family directly after ceremony + Games set out/bar will be open
Dinner starts at 5:30
After dinner, we have a list of things that will happen at the reception but we don’t attach specific times. It’s typically up to the coordinator + DJ to keep things flowing and we just document!
Bright Yellow Summer Montana Wedding Inspiration
J + T’s summer wedding featured a ton of yellow details, bright eclectic decor, neon sign and floral accent pieces, and a ton of personal photos showcasing their lives and relationships. They kept out appetizers and a variety of desserts to serve their guests the entire night, and overall it was a lovely relaxed vibe. Other couples can bring a similar theme to life by choosing decor that not only reflects the season, but would later look great repurposed in their home — J + T’s wedding felt extremely homey, comfortable, and true to them. It was beautiful, but the opposite of stuffy — everyone was able to cut loose and have at on of fun!
Sacajawea Hotel Wedding Photographer and Videographer
If you’re having your wedding at the Sacajawea Hotel, then let’s talk about photography and videography for your big day! The Sacajawea Hotel is a beautiful, historic, classic, timeless location for weddings and it’s a joy to capture couples beginning their marriages there.
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