We were all watching the weather forecast and the skies leading up to Kelsey and Sam’s Moon Randolph Homestead wedding because a winter storm was brewing (in September of all things!), and no one quite knew what Mother Nature would surprise us with. Thankfully we managed to avoid the snow until later in the evening, but Kelsey and Sam’s wedding has got to go down in history as one of the coldest weddings I’ve ever photographed in September! (If I recall correctly, I think the windchill had the temps feeling like the teens to low 20’s! Brrr!)

Despite the chill, Kelsey and Sam absolutely made the most of their day (and the lack of snow!), and decided to brave an outdoor ceremony at the Moon Randolph Homestead.

Kelsey and Sam originally met in Missoula when they lived here while attending the University of Montana (they used to be neighbors!). Kelsey’s cat was very adventuresome and, as Kelsey put it, decided that she and Sam needed to be friends and took an impromptu visit into Sam’s apartment. And the rest is history!

Kelsey shared with me that they’re through-and-through nerds – they both love books, Sam’s a huge agriculture nerd and she’s a huge history nerd – that’s how they decided on Moon Randolph for their venue.

Fast forward to their wedding day, and as Kelsey and Sam enjoyed their first look amidst a stiff, chilly breeze, the homestead’s chickens clucked, and pigs joyfully ran through the nearby fields.

Soon it was time for guests to arrive, and everyone was greeted with warm apple cider, Fireball and plenty of handwarmers to keep fingers toasty during the outdoor ceremony.

They kept their ceremony short and sweet (and even had a hawk swing on by for good measure), shared vows with one another as well as rings made from wood from the Homestead’s apple orchard (how cool!), and then sealed it all with a kiss, which was cheered on by everyone in attendance.

We quickly made some portraits and then off everyone dashed to the Missoula Children’s Theatre, where folks dined on tasty tapas and tacos, and had a great time mingling with one another and playing board games.

Toasts to the newlyweds had everyone laughing and smiling, and before long people decided to kick up their heels on the dance floor, aided by a few celebratory shots as well as some Big Dipper Ice Cream for good measure.

Kelsey and Sam! Thank you so much for inviting me to capture your beautiful, fun wedding day! You two are absolute rockstars for braving that cold and wind, and I loved getting to finally meet you both as well as your sweeter-than-sweet friends and family! Here’s to the two of you and all of your adventures going forward (hopefully with plenty of Montana visits in the future!). Congratulations again!

Vendor Information for Kelsey and Sam’s Moon Randolph Homestead Wedding:

Ceremony Venue: Moon Randolph Homestead, Missoula, Montana
Reception Venue: Missoula Children’s Theatre, Missoula, Montana
Coordinator: Erika with Plum Tree Events, Missoula, Montana
Florist: Agile Goat Flower Farm, Missoula, Montana
Hair Artist: Fabrik Salon, Missoula, Montana
Caterer: Marisa Crerar (acquaintance of the bride and groom), and Two Crows Taco Truck, Missoula, Montana
Ice Cream: Big Dipper Ice Cream Truck, Missoula, Montana
Wedding Dress: a Madi Lane design from LUV Bridal in Phoenix, Arizona
Groom’s Suit: Indochino

On the Docket:

Elopements and portraits! Stay posted!

Cheers,

-Kristine