Flathead Lake Nautical Inspiration

"Every summer, people from around the world flock to our little Flathead Valley in northern Montana. Mostly to see the majestic Glacier National Park, but also for Flathead Lake. Growing up here we were inspired by the beauty of the lake, it's crystal clear water, surrounded by towering mountains, the waving white sails. Working with Cara Finch Lard from Goldfinch EVENTS & DESIGN, we wanted to take a different approach to this shoot from the typical "Montana" inspiration. When most people think Montana, they picture rustic, cowboy, big red barns etc. But since Flathead Lake is the largest natural body of water west of the Mississippi River, for me it feels a little like living near the coast.  

There's something incredibly romantic about two people vowing their love for each other on the cliffs of Flathead Lake, watching sailboats drift in front of the mountains. We went with an underlying nautical beach theme to bring an unexpected perspective to the Flathead Valley. We were inspired by the colors of the sunset on the water in the way we chose navy, soft white, gold and blush. We kept the wardrobe modern and fresh, letting the gold sequins dazzle in the sunlight against crisp navy blue linen. The all-white floral from Mum's Flowers with garden roses and white anemones with navy blue centers kept the tablescape romantic and soft, offsetting the cragginess of the rocks. 

Tyler Thorney from One Ten and One Third illustrated the paper goods, which we then gold leafed to add the modern element. We kept the cake simple drawing inspiration from the seashell topper and gold-leafed frosting. As we shot into the last bit of sunset we toasted with our gold leafed champagne flutes to the beauty of Flathead Lake."

Huge thanks to Wedding Chicks for featuring this shoot!

Rentals: Goldfinch Events and Design www.goldfinchevents.com

Suit: JCrew

Dress: BHLDN

Paper Goods: Tyler Thorney www.onetenandonethird.com

Flowers: Mums Flowers www.mumsflowers.net

Photography: Jeremiah and Rachel Photography www.jeremiahandrachel.com

Event Design: Goldfinch Events and Design