Rainy June Wedding in Swan Valley, Montana
Rainy June Wedding in the Swan Valley, Montana
Nate + Sigrid’s Rainy June Wedding in Condon, MT
Videography + Photography by Montana Diaries
WATCH NATE + SIGRID’S MONTANA WEDDING VIDEO:
Rainy June Wedding in Swan Valley, Montana
Nate + Sigrid’s Woodsy Wedding in Condon, MT
Nate and Sigrid had the most beautiful wedding in Condon, MT — it had all the woodsy Montana charm you’d expect from a NW Montana wedding, complete with cabins, horses, and plenty of swing dancing. The setting of the riverfront property in the Swan Valley combined with the rainy June atmosphere made this one of the most memorable weddings we’ve ever captured. Nate and Sigrid are two of the loveliest, warmest people we’ve ever met and it was an honor to capture their wedding — read on to see how they made it so special and get inspo for your own Montana wedding!
Nate + Sigrid’s Rainy June Wedding in Swan Valley, MT
Getting ready in NW Montana Cabins
Nate and Sigrid got ready separately in different cabins in Condon, MT with their groomsmen and bridesmaids respectively. They both enjoyed low key mornings getting ready with their loved ones and praying into their marriage.
Emotional first look in the woods
Nate and Sigrid opted for a first look in the woods above their ceremony site because they wanted to carve on intentional alone time on their wedding day. I’m so glad they decided to do a first look because their reactions when they saw each other were so emotional and I know they really cherished that alone time! It also gave us a chance to get some couples’ portraits in the woods before the ceremony, and Sigrid looked like an actual woodland fairy princess. It ended up raining HARD after their ceremony, so thank goodness we were able to get plenty of portraits before that happened!
Ceremony on gorgeous private property by Swan River
Nate and Sigrid tied the knot on Sigrid’s aunt’s gorgeous private property on the Swan River — the ceremony was held right in front of the river and you could hear the water babbling in the background. It was so special! It was lightly drizzling throughout the whole ceremony, and Nate and Sigrid’s families sat through the entire thing like champs — they all had umbrellas, don’t worry! As for the ceremony itself: Sigrid’s sister Logan is an ordained minister, and this was her first wedding officiating! She absolutely crushed it — I found myself laughing and tearing up behind the camera, it was that good. Nate and Sigrid chose to read personal vows and they both brought humor and sentimentality as well. It was seriously one of the most special wedding ceremonies we’ve ever captured. To see their joy as they walked down the aisle together after their first kiss, both just beaming while getting drenched from the rain — it was straight out of a movie.
Moody wedding portraits in the rain
We were able to get most of Nate and Sigrid’s formal portraits done before the ceremony, and managed to get most of the group photos done without their friends and family getting drenched! Everyone was such good sports despite the rain. We really like to get family and bridal party portraits done quickly, and within the same time frame if possible, so that nobody remembers the entire day as being about posing for portraits — we want that to be a small, efficient snippet of the day so that the rest of the time can be about having fun! We accomplish this by sending a family formal list that our couples can edit and add names to, so that as long as family sticks close by, we can bust through the list by calling out names and combinations quickly. As for bridal party, we have that down to a science too, getting a variety of group shots and individuals with the bride and groom within 15-20 minutes.
We had a BLAST with Nate + Sigrid’s group — their friends and family were so freaking sweet and fun all day! And on an ~aesthetic~ level, I absolutely loved that they opted for mismatched bridesmaids dresses and contrasting yellow accents for the fellas. The attire went so well with the woodsy setting!
Horse and Buggy Ride to the Reception
One of my favorite personal touches from Nate and Sigrid’s wedding was that they did a horse and buggy ride to their reception! These two are so freaking fun — they didn’t care that it was raining at all, they just slapped on their rain jackets, cracked open a couple of beers, and enjoyed the carriage ride. This was such a nice way to carve out some more intentional alone time too! They were able to chat the entire ride to their reception hall while enjoying a unique experience together.
Party at Condon Community Center
Nate and Sigrid’s friends and family were waiting for them at the entrance of the Condon Community Center when they pulled up in their horse and buggy. Upon arrival, they went immediately into their first dance as a married couple inside the reception hall — I LOVE when couples do their first dance immediately after they enter the reception. It’s such a fun way to kick things off and they already have everyone’s attention, rather than trying to get everyone to focus immediately after dinner and toasts. There’s also less pressure to officially “open up the dance floor” after toasts — the party can get started more organically!
After their formal dances, everyone headed outside for a pasta dinner and heart-felt toasts from Nate and Sigrid’s friends and family. The clouds opened up and gave us some sunshine during this time and it was such a nice evening! After cutting their cake made by their sweet aunt, we headed out for some golden hour portraits — we weren’t officially planning to do golden hour that day, I honestly just scrap it whenever the weather is gloomy so that my couples can just relax and have fun, but since we lucked out with the sun then we HAD to take advantage of the dreamy lighting! After taking some last couples’ portraits, the rest of the night was dedicated to dancing and having fun with their loved ones. It was the best day ever!
Nate and Sigrid’s Montana Wedding Timeline
Here is Nate + Sigrid’s real photo timeline to give you some inspo and to show you it doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated! We always draft up a skeleton of a timeline so we can keep things moving on the day and make sure our couples don’t have to look at a clock at all — we’ve got them:
12:00 Montana Diaries coverage starts; we get detail shots during this time and some candids of the end of getting ready!
12:30 Mom + Bridesmaids completely dressed and ready; we specify this time so hair + makeup knows when to have everyone ready, and then everyone looks cute for the photos of getting the bride into her dress!
12:45 Mom + 2 sisters will get Sigrid into dress
1:00 First look at venue; You’ll notice we don’t time out the groom’s getting ready — if there isn’t anything specific he needs to be doing, we just get candids of what’s actually happening if we’re splitting coverage. It usually takes dudes like ten minutes to get ready anyway haha!
DURING FIRST LOOK: Wedding party and family gathering at venue for photos
1:45 done with family + bridal photosDone w/ bridal photos 1:45
2:30 ceremony
3:30 Nate + Sigrid taking some alone time, and then we’ll sign the marriage license
4:00 Horse + Buggy Ride — Reception at Condon Community Hall; will be snacks + drinks for everyone while guests are waiting for us to be done with photos
MC will announce the newlyweds into the hall, go immediately into first dance, parent dances
6:00 Dinner — Once everyone has their plate, we’ll do toasts
When it’s in the flow — cake cutting if you want to but if you don’t that’s fine lol — might steal you for some extra couple photos when the light is vibey
See!? My timelines aren’t fancy or intimidating — they read like notes because they’re jotted down during my final Zoom call with my couples haha! If you have a wedding planner or coordinator, they take my photo timeline and turn it into a wayyyy more detailed plan that includes all the logistics from every vendor, but for my purposes, a simple outline is all we need!
All about hosting a Condon, MT Wedding
Why Nate and Sigrid chose Condon, MT
Nate and Sigrid chose Condon, MT because Sigrid’s aunt has a gorgeous property there, and it was the perfect spot for N + S’s loved ones to gather. Condon is a small town nestled in the scenic Swan Valley, surrounded by mountains and forests. The town offers several options for wedding venues, ranging from outdoor settings like the Swan River or Holland Lake to indoor options such as rustic barns and lodges. Whether you prefer a cozy, intimate ceremony or a larger celebration, Condon's natural beauty and welcoming community can provide the perfect backdrop for your special day.
How to get to Condon
Nearest Airports to Condon, MT
Missoula Montana Airport: 1 hr 37 min (86.2 mi) via MT-200 E and MT-83 N
Glacier International Airport: 1 hr 21 min (72.3 mi) via MT-83 S
Nearest major towns to Condon, MT
Driving Time From Kalispell, MT: 1 hr 11 min (64.1 mi) via MT-83 S
Driving Time from Missoula, MT: 1 hr 29 min (79.9 mi) via MT-200 E and MT-83 N
Driving Time from Bigfork, MT: 52 min (46.6 mi) via MT-83 S
Offline Maps + Cell Service in Condon, MT
Condon, MT and other locations in the Swan Valley are fairly remote + secluded areas of NW Montana — you probably won’t have reliable cell service, and it’s best if you download any offline maps you’ll need when you’re connected to WiFi!
Weather info + best time of year to get married in the Swan Valley
The Seeley + Swan valleys get hit hard with snow, and you can expect winter weather from late October-May. June is NW Montana’s rainy period, and the summer season is pretty reliable in July and August. September and early October bring fall colors…butttt chances of snow haha! I tell all of my couples getting hitched in Montana to be open to ANY type of weather — no matter what, it will be beautiful!
Swan Valley Wedding Photographer and Videographer
Heyyy, I’m Shay, your Seeley/Swan photographer and videographer for the adventurous and laid back. I love photographing and filming Montana weddings in Swan Lake and Condon, and really anywhere in the Seeley and Swan valleys! Couples wanting to embrace the gorgeous greens of NW Montana and enjoy the mountains, lakes, and rivers without the crowds of people in the Flathead should really consider this area for a wedding or elopement, and I’m the gal to document it all. Click here to read all about my photography and videography process + pricing!
VENDORS
PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEOGRAPHY: MONTANA DIARIES
Venue: Condon Community Center
Bridesmaid + Bridal Bouquets: Southbound Flowers
NATE + SIGRID’S MONTANA WEDDING PHOTOS:
