Come to the mountains, my love, and I will meet you there.
Oh by the stars, this is one for the books. I cannot tell you how much my heart sings for the wedding we are pleased to feature on this fine Monday! It is a rare thing indeed to find two souls in such blissful communion, and even rarer still to see them united in such blessed surroundings as these.
And so, I give you magic!
A word from photographer Susan Adams:
“They were in the throws of wedding planning when Tai and Tony realized a traditional wedding just didn’t feel like the best option for them. The once lofty ideas of eloping and only bringing along their immediate families soon turned into booking flights and securing tents at Collective Retreats Yellowstone. Turning the focus from bridesmaid dresses to vows was the key.
Beautiful Big Sky, Montana is home to Collective Retreats Yellowstone, and the property couldn’t be a more stunning or humbling place to commit your life to someone. Tai and Tony decided to share a first look just before the ceremony, a moment to themselves where they could take it all in, let it all out, and wipe each other’s tears.
The pair chose to plant a tree to symbolize their unity but asked that each family member water the tree in support. The feelings of love, commitment, and peace were seen and felt all around — from the sound of Tai’s laugh to the tears streaming down Tony’s face.
After hugs and exclamations of congratulations, the intimate party moved to the tent patio where they enjoyed an exquisite farm to table dinner followed by heart-felt toasts which were true tributes to this genuine duo. Late night s’mores and stories shared fire side closed out their wedding day.
The way these two looked at each other was real marvel. I wouldn’t be surprised if their biggest argument is a battle between who thinks their luckiest to have the other in their life. And that’s what this commitment is all about — recognizing how lucky you are when you’ve found a true love.”
Love notes from the couple. Tony & Tai:
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
Tai: “We actually met online. My friends signed me up for Match to go on a ‘practice’ date. I responded to a couple of messages but Tony was the first guy I went on a date with and we had an instant connection.
We were both a little nervous about going on a date but immediately connected. Even though we’re different we had the same values and life aspirations. We recognized very early on how compatible we are. We even found out we live only a couple of blocks away from each other!”
Describe a hurdle you had to overcome during your wedding planning.
Tai: “I think the biggest hurdle during wedding planning is managing all of the different and competing wedding pressures. There are lots of social expectations and traditions that pushed in many different directions.
In the end, we came back to what was important to us and refocused on our special day. We wanted a very intimate ceremony that was meaningful to us. We ended up having just our immediate family attend our destination elopement and it was perfect. We got to spend all weekend together — with both families coming together for the first time. It was so special.”
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
Tai: “One of the best parts of our wedding was our tree. We picked out a small blue spruce the day before the wedding. Blue Spruces can live over one hundred years and are known for being hearty and resiliant. During the ceremony we both watered our tree and then asked each of our family members to also water the tree. It was our way of pouring our love together.
The next day, Tony and I planted the tree in the same spot we said our vows. It was so special and we can’t wait to visit our tree during our 10 year anniversary.”
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
“Our favorite part about planning the wedding was the love and support from our families and friends. Everyone was so supportive of our elopement and sent so many kind words, cards and gifts. It made us feel very loved.
We were also so lucky that we worked with great people. Our planner, florist, photographer and venue were all so lovely and wonderful to work with. It was great getting to know them and we’re a little sad we don’t have an excuse to work with them any the near future.”
photographer: Susan K Adams Photography / venue: Collective Yellowstone / stylist & designer & dinner: Jordan Bibeau for Collective Retreats / floral designer: Darcee the Flower Lady / dress boutique: BHLDN/ makeup artist: Big Sky Resort Solace Spa / men’s formalwear: J.Crew / film lab: The Find Lab
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