Bridger Foothills Fire Wedding of Raven and Jordan
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of photographing the Bridger Foothills Fire Wedding weekend of Raven and Jordan outside Bozeman, Montana.
In all of my years of photographing events, there was nothing quite like documenting the Bridger Foothills Fire wedding of Raven and Jordan. It was an experience I was proud to be a part of.
For so many recent brides and grooms, 2020 has been a year of pivoting with the continuation of the Covid-19 virus. This past year its has been a source of disruption for countless wedding day plans.
Raven and Jordan’s wedding day was originally planned for an earlier Spring date. Unfortunately, the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything for them. They decided to delay their wedding celebration to a time when their loved ones could safely be in attendance.
Undeterred, this Arizona couple decided to postpone their destination wedding plans to a later summer date and a familiar venue, her parents Bozeman, Montana home. Their extended families arrived for a three-day event at her family’s 140-acre property set against the beautiful Bridger Mountains backdrop.
It was a magical setting orchestrated by the fabulous team from Imoni Events. The rustic setting was complete with huge Under Canvas teepee tents and a wall tent city for their guest to comfortably “glamp” in during their Montana stay. The first two evenings were causal and laid back. Raven and Jordan spent the time reconnecting and celebrating with their family and guests. I was happy to document their Welcome Party and a Nike/Harry Potter themed Groom’s Party photographs.
It’s not every day that wedding couples have all the most important people in their world surrounding and celebrating them. It was a gift this family took full advantage of throughout the weekend.
After social distancing this past year, you could feel the high energy from everyone in attendance. Everyone was thrilled to be amongst friendly, loving faces again.
My role was to document and photograph all of the candid fun while creating special memories of the weekend celebration. It was all leading up to the main event, their outdoor wedding day celebration.
Fire on Wedding Mountain
Staying true to the theme of uncertainty in 2020, Raven and Jordan’s wedding day turned out to be quite a surprise adventure.
On the evening of the Groom’s Party, a lightning strike created a small, wildland fire began near a hiking trail ten miles south of the wedding site. Small at first, by midafternoon on their wedding day, strong winds and very dry conditions made things worse. The dry winds fueled the blaze into an 8,000-acre raging fire and was heading in the immediate direction of the Raven and Jordan’s wedding celebration.
About an hour prior to the start to their wedding day ceremony, a call came in from the local fire marshall. The news traveled fast. We were ordered to emergency evacuate the area due to the fast encroaching Bridger Foothills Fire in Bridger Canyon.
In a state of emergency, where does a couple uproot and move their entire wedding?
Without warning, Raven and Jordan’s meticulously planned wedding, constructed over the past two months, suddenly needed to be torn down, relocated 100 miles, and put back together in under three hours.
Thankfully, their wedding caterer Ashley Gutmann, of Cinnamon and Sage Catering came to the rescue. She offered her ace-in-the-hole (last-minute) venue alternative at Headwaters Ranch in Logan, Montana.
First, it was the pandemic that delayed their wedding. Now, it was a fast approaching wildland fire messing up their plans. Once again, Raven and Jordan were forced to alter their wedding plans, yet again, and move their entire operation away from danger. Thankfully, this was a resourceful group. Through creative, emergency carpooling, the guests were able to make their way around roadblocks and away from thick smoke to the new wedding venue an hour and a half away. The lovely Headwaters Ranch outside of Logan, Montana was our new safe haven.
Sometimes in life, there are forces we can’t control. With focus and the summoning of positive attitudes, wedding vendors and guests alike, snapped into action.
Under the professional orchestration of Raven and Jordan’s wedding planner Jenni, of Imoni Events, we were able to pivot as a working group of professionals and pull off a wedding feat for the books.
Raven and Jordan’s Bridger Foothills Fire wedding wasn’t the event originally envisioned. But considering the circumstances, things worked out rather well.
It was a remarkable effort by every single guest and wedding vendor. Everyone rallied together to make Raven and Jordan’s wedding day a success.
In the end, it was completely worth it to witness the moment when these newlyweds kissed and walked hand in hand back down the aisle. Confetti rained from the sky. The enthusiastice cheers of their loved ones congratulated them just as the sun setting below the horizon.
There was a sense of victory and tears of joy in all of us. Raven and Jordan, along with their friends and family, danced the night away.
I could not be happier for Raven and Jordan. It was an honor to be apart of their wedding celebration. What a wild day! I wish them both a lifetime of happiness. -M
To view all of their fun wedding weekend photos, click here.
FEATURING:
Event Planning and Design: Imoni Events
Floral Designer: Carte Blanche Design
Photography: Greener Visuals Photography
Videography: Moshunal Videography
Entertainment: Joe’s DJ Service
Desert and Cake: Elle’s Belles Bakery
Paper Stuff: Freed Hands
Hair & Makeup: Indulgence
Rentals: Montana Party Rentals
Draping and Lighting: The Party Store MT
Linens: La Tavola Linen & BBJ Linen Rental
Glamping: Under Canvas
Host Hotel: Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman
