Wedding Blog

Before the dinner bell rang, we had just one more set of portraits to take with our wedding party. I won’t call these pics “formal”, because as you can see, they’re also very much in the spirit of our casual, rustic, Montana wedding.

Mr. Cherry Pie and his groomsmen were the first to organize, mason jars full of beer or “purple stuff” in hand, on the porch of the Northern Lights Saloon…

Because we didn’t want any tuxes at our wedding, and renting suits didn’t seem to be feasible, Mr. CP asked his dudetourage to purchase suits that complemented his own custom-made suit. We found them charcoal grey Pronto Uomo suits at Men’s Wearhouse, which were on sale for $250 each. While this isn’t the most affordable amount for some people, the groomsmen were happy to oblige, particularly when they heard how much bridesmaids have to spend (on dresses, hair, shoes, etc) at many weddings. And I hear they’ve gotten lots of mileage out of their suits since then!

Notice in the photo below that groomsman Mark (bottom left) is wearing black cowboy boots under his suit instead of black dress shoes. Awesome, subtle, and creative!

Very suave, guys. And here’s a rustic, sepia-tone touch. I love the antique 7-Up sign. We got more mileage out of that later…

And yes, the sign on the lower left says “unleashed dogs will be eaten”. It’s not true, though.

Don’t be afraid of non-traditional poses when planning your bridal party shots. We hadn’t actually chosen a location or poses beforehand (we didn’t for any of our pictures!) and we just let the ideas flow naturally as they came to us and our photographer.

Here, Mr. CP poses in the open door of the saloon…

After watching all their sexy posing, I had to step in there and get a piece of what’s “mine”. Giggity giggity!

Next, got everyone together for a few classic glamour shots on the porch. A more traditional pose in a non-traditional location:

I love the contrast between the flowers, dresses, and suits. I used the photo above in a recent redesign of our wedding blog.

Of course, I had to show off my cowboy boots a little bit. They were still keeping my feet warm, dry, and verrrry comfortable. They’re still my favorite shoes ever and I wear them at least three times a week.

Another, with an extra nuzzle thrown in for free, in black and white…

And a final group shot in sepia tone…

Here’s a tip: Play with your color editing. Adding contrast, sharpness, and mood to your photos can take them from mediocre to superb!

This next photo, of when my bridesmaids and I took the stage, shows that interesting color editing can definitely make interesting pictures:

I wish I knew what we were laughing at! I have a feeling that Mr. Cherry Pie did something rude.

Here, my lovely three sisters (left) and close friends (right) look wonderful in their J.Crew dresses (the Sophia short silk in vintage burgundy) and ivory pashminas ($7 each from eBay). I’ve got a whole lot of sexy goin’ on too…

Speaking of color, here’s a good example of what some variation can do to a photo. I love the bright contrast of the picture above, but I also love the version of the SAME shot below, colored in a sepia grayscale with antique light and dark vignetting. Definitely a keeper!

Then, it was time for a close-up!

But, we couldn’t stay that serious for long… I had to show off my garter flask, and the ladies followed suit by flashing their gams…

Work it, ladies, work it!!

OK, I don’t really know WHAT my youngest sister is doing with her dress in this photograph, but I love it all the same…

We had a fabulous time taking these photos with our wedding party. It was a great way to spend a few minutes goofing off together and blowing off steam before going to dinner. My only regret is that we didn’t get a shot of the groomsmen with the pocket knives given to them by Mr. Cherry Pie. Our photographer still tells me she’s sad that she missed that shot! Ah, well, I’m very pleased with what we got!

Next, join us for dinner at our tented reception. I’ll show you our delicious, local cuisine, and handcrafted details. Stay tuned…

[Credits: All images courtesy of Piknik Studios.]

Previously:
Married in Montana: The Rehearsal
Married in Montana: The Girls Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Guys Get Ready
Married in Montana: The Bus Ride to Polebridge
Married in Montana: Pre-Ceremony Preparations
Married in Montana: Staging the Ceremony
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 1 of 2)
Married in Montana: Our Wedding Ceremony (Part 2 of 2)
Married in Montana: Receiving Line & Refreshments
Married in Montana: Cocktail Hour
Married in Montana: Bride & Groom Portraits
Married in Montana: Family Photos