Wedding vibe & inspiration
Words from my notebook: “outside. garden. villa. redwoods. bluffs. coast. cozy. whimsical. italian-esque. vineyard. flowers. rustic.”
Yes - a bit of a different vibe than the rustic, chic western wedding we ultimately had. Truth be told, we had long talked about getting married at the quaintest chapel on a bluff in a small, Italian town we visited a few years ago. It was such a magical place, one that stole our hearts. But coming out of the pandemic, travel and logistics for organizing an overseas wedding proved difficult.
So we started looking locally in CA at first. Many places were booked out far in advance due to a backlog from pandemic cancellations. They were also incredibly pricey! Above all though, nothing quite felt like “us.” I wanted someplace with meaning, that captivated us both.
When we visited Jackson for the first time in 2021, my husband joked that I’d want to get married there. I was intrigued but didn’t know what to expect.
Discovering the vast landscape, the wildlife, the picturesque downtown, I was completely enchanted. Then things started to just fall into place from there. We randomly looked up venues in the area, and came across this beautiful ranch on the way to Yellowstone. I called and couldn’t arrange a formal time to meet, so we decided to just stop in on our way back from the park one day.
I was a bit anxious being greeted by working cowboys, but an older gentleman came over and asked “so when are you two getting married?” And we felt right at ease. He turned out to the be the owner of the ranch and gave us an informal tour of the space! It was so hospitable and authentic. We fell in love with it on the spot.
After we got home, I finally connected with the event planner. It turns out she is also from South Carolina - small world! We had a lovely conversation but were quickly bummed to hear that there was only one date in 2022 available. Another couple was still deciding so they had first right of refusal...but we held out hope and thankfully, were able to secure our date.
We certainly had the rustic, cozy vibe going for us in Wyoming! Growing up in the south, I felt pretty at home around a barn, and I knew I wanted to wear cowboy boots with my dress once our venue was decided. I knew I wanted it to be warm and inviting, so my vision included lots of wood, farm tables, and neutral flowers and greenery. And we certainly played into the western theme, but without going over the top.
We both agreed we wanted a small, intimate wedding. This was honestly my number one priority. Aside from that, we wanted it to feel more like a dinner party, less like a formal wedding. So we opted out of a lot of traditional elements and kept the focus on good food, music (a band was a non-negotiable for me!), and celebrating our love.
Sometimes the unexpected turns out more beautiful than you could have imagined. Wyoming and Diamond Cross Ranch will always hold a special place in our hearts, and I can’t wait to return to it.
Images via