This Couple Hosted a Modern Fall Wedding on the Banks of the Yellowstone River

Kim and Joe came into each other’s lives in February of 2015 and got engaged in December of 2021, so they already had a good idea of what they wanted their wedding to look and feel like by the time they started planning: It was important to both the bride and groom that they host an intimate wedding on a venue that had enough space for their family members and friends to all gather for a weekend of revelry. With that criteria in mind, they began considering wedding venues around Montana, where Joe vacationed with his family as a child and where the couple took their first trip together. Another must-have? “We also were seeking a location that struck a balance between modern and the natural elements of Montana, and was set in a stunning background,” Kim says.

In the end, they found exactly what they wanted from Sage Lodge in Pray, Montana. Kim and Joe invited 40 of their closest loved ones to join them in the Treasure State for a modern take on a fall harvest-themed event that highlighted the natural landscape. “The modern, cozy vibe of Sage was the perfect backdrop to our wedding,” the bride says. “We were able to spend high quality time with our family and friends throughout the weekend.”

With a vision in mind, Kim and Joe tapped Brit Newman from Soiree 99 Events to help them bring their ideas to life, incorporating the best of the season throughout the day’s design. The décor included deep fall colors, asymmetrical designs, and florals featuring tons of foliage. “We stayed away from most shades of brown and really leaned into the more vibrant fall palette,” Brit explains. On their wedding day—October 22—the couple exchanged vows in a ceremony overlooking Emigrant Peak and shared dinner and toasts over ikebana style centerpieces at their reception. Read on to see the details of their stunning fall day in photos by Stella K Photography.

Kim and Joe created their wedding invitation suite with Minted, which featured an illustration of the property. Upon arrival, guests were given a weekend itinerary designed to match the invites, cluing them in about each of the planned celebrations to come.

The couple hosted an on-site dinner on Thursday, a day of fly fishing and a welcome dinner on Friday, their wedding on Saturday, and a post-nuptial brunch on Sunday. While the wedding itself was undoubtably the highlight of the weekend, the bride notes that planning meaningful pre- and post-nuptial parties ensured they could connect with their loved ones. Kim cites "fly fishing with family and friends on the Yellowstone on a perfect Montana fall day [and] cozying up by campfires on cool fall evenings with craft cocktails and s’mores from the lodge" as some of her favorite moments of the entire weekend.

Kim wore a crepe Rime Arodaky wedding dress with a high-waisted fitted skirt, lace peplum overlay, and floral embroidered tulle train. And, you could say, it was love at first sight: The gown she wore on her wedding day was the very first she tried on. Sure, she did go on to slip into about 20 other looks after, Kim notes, but none compared to the first. “For me it was elegant and simple, with some modern and different access that made it subtly unique and interesting,” the bride says.

She accessorized with block sandals from Sarah Flint (a must for the venue's terrain) and pearl earrings that were a gift from her parents. Kim's vision for her beauty look on the wedding day was clean, modern, and simple; with that in mind, she styled her hair in a low bun and chose a classic French manicure for her nails.

Her bridal bouquet contained a mix of white flowers, including dahlias, scabiosa, and sweet peas, paired with autumnal foliage. The arrangement was tied and finished with a gold velvet ribbon.

Joe kept it classic in a blue suit from Suit Supply, which he paired with a sky blue tie. He finished his look with a simple boutonnière that mirrored Kim’s bridal bouquet. 

Based on a friend’s recommendation, Kim and Joe decided to enjoy a first look before the ceremony, which allowed them to have a private moment together before the celebrations began. “We wanted to have this time for ourselves,” Kim says. “We also wanted to take advantage of that golden hour, amazing light to get some amazing fall color in our wedding photos!”

After posing for photos, the couple spent some time with their close family, the best man, and the maid of honor before the ceremony.

The couple's ceremony, which was held in a open field at Sage Lodge, required few decorations—the stunning view of Emigrant Peak was backdrop enough. To ensure guests were able to enjoy the natural beauty of their surroundings, the couple and their planning team decided that a smaller floral installation was all that would be necessary. The Wild Blume created two asymmetrical grounded floral arrangements of autumnal foliage, small white flowers, and berries to frame the couple during their ceremony.

“We were extra excited that morning when we woke up to see that the mountains had been dusted with snow,” the couple’s planner, Brit, says. “We went with bench seating to keep the overall look of the ceremony site clean, and added floral aisle openers to tie everything together.” To keep guests warm, a selection of plaid blankets from Pendleton were on offer at the start of the ceremony; they doubled as favors for attendees to take home at the end of the night.

At the ceremony, Joe walked down the aisle with his mom to “Home” by Philip Phillips; Kim walked down the aisle with both of her parents to “Simply the Best” by Noah Reid from Schitt’s Creek. The couple had a family friend officiate the wedding and asked their wedding party to share readings, which included a reading from Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" and a poem by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

After exchanging vows they wrote themselves and being pronounced husband and wife, the couple celebrated back up the aisle to “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston.

At cocktail hour, Kim and Joe’s guests enjoyed a whiskey bar with three infusion options (cinnamon, orange, and marshmallow). The entrance to the reception hall led guests to a seating chart display, where they found table assignments printed on acrylic boards and displayed on modern black pillars. Loose, organic floral arrangements that mimicked the design seen at the ceremony were displayed beneath them.

The couple’s reception took place in the venue's Yellowstone Room, where cathedral ceilings, rustic wooden beams, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Paradise Valley helped reinforce the couple's cozy, modern take on an autumnal theme. To further deliver on the couple's preferred aesthetic, the design team at Soiree 99 Events focused on bringing the outside in, with extra bistro lighting overhead and seasonal branches and foliage adorning the beams. “We wanted it to feel like guests were enjoying dinner in the trees underneath the twinkling lights,” Brit says.

Guests were all seated at one long table dressed in floor-length ivory linens and decorated with Ikebana style centerpiece arrangements that incorporated varying heights, asymmetry, and texture. "The favorite floral addition was definitely the orchids," Brit notes of the centerpieces. "This ensured the design spoke to a more modern and elevated feel. In order to keep the focus on the fall shades, we made sure to keep everything else as clean as possible."

Kim and Joe served a two-tiered white wedding cake that was decorated with fresh flowers, including ranunculus, sweet peas, and tulips. As for the filling? The couple chose a seasonally-appropriate pairing of apple cider cake with toasted cinnamon icing.

Wedding cake wasn't the only dessert on offer; the couple also treated guests to an array of their sweets including pies, cookies, and brownies. Their planning team created the dessert bar, displaying the delicious options on white cake plates. Floral arrangements in keeping with the rest of the day's design kept everything looking cohesive.

If you're just starting to think about your own wedding day, Kim and Joe have a practical piece of advice: Consider hosting a smaller wedding, they say. “It allowed us to spend high quality time with all of our guests and allowed our friends to get to know one another,” the bride notes.