Maryam and Adam brought their love of music festivals to their wedding at Venture Retreat Center. Inspired by Lightning in a Bottle, the festival where they first met, the couple invited 115 guests to celebrate among towering redwoods, with woodland camping, fairy-tale costumes, and plenty of DIY details. They put up a Moroccan tent, brought in colorful flags from Thailand, collected vintage furniture, and made wooden signs with help from Adam’s parents.
The couple exchanged vows beneath the trees, with oversized white flowers lining an aisle covered in patterned rugs. Adam’s college roommate officiated dressed as a wizard, casting playful bonding spells over the couple. For the reception, guests gathered beneath sprawling trees and string lights at tables dressed in green floral linens, mismatched glassware, brass candlesticks, and colorful flower arrangements. Hand-lettered rocks helped guests find their seats, while a vintage dresser displayed a flower-covered wedding cake, rows of pastel macarons, and an ornate mirror framed with pink roses. Whimsical touches were scattered throughout the venue, including a pink velvet sofa beneath hanging picture frames that made for another beautiful photo spot.
The celebration was a group effort, with friends and family helping set up tables and chairs. One of the most memorable moments came when the couple’s nine-year-old son, Isaac, delivered an improvised speech that stole the show. Even the location had a personal connection. Adam had grown up visiting Pescadero for its famous artichoke bread, which Maryam had been wanting to try for years. They finally got to enjoy it together at their wedding. From the handmade decorations to the woodland ceremony and festival-inspired celebration, every part of the day reflected what Maryam and Adam loved.
Guests at Madison and Justin’s Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding took a chairlift to their mountaintop ceremony, then had the option of riding an alpine slide down to cocktail hour. The newlyweds were the last to take the slide, making their entrance before heading straight into their first dance on the outdoor patio. With 113 of their 115 guests traveling from out of town, the couple also planned a weekend of activities, including a Montana rodeo and a brewery welcome party.
Montana was already a familiar place for Madison, whose family has a home in Whitefish. After getting engaged in February 2025, the couple remembered visiting the resort and thought it would be a fun place to get married. There was just one date left for 2026: June 13, opening weekend. Madison was nervous about the unpredictable early summer weather, but they decided to go for it. Fortunately, the weather cooperated, giving them blue skies, beautiful mountain views, and the outdoor wedding they had hoped for.
What We Love About This Whitefish Mountain Resort Wedding
A mountaintop ceremony reached by chairlift, followed by an alpine slide ride to cocktail hour
A ceremony officiated by the friend whose wedding was where the couple first said “I love you”
More than 80 pairs of funky sunglasses inspired by Justin’s signature party trick
Extra Time With Guests Before the Mountaintop Wedding
Madison and Justin met on Hinge while living in Los Angeles after the pandemic. When they started planning their wedding, they turned to local contacts in Whitefish for recommendations, eventually finding photographer Stan Todorov and planner Sam of Emery Peak Events.
With nearly everyone traveling to Montana, they wanted more opportunities to spend time with their guests. On Thursday, they invited everyone to the Columbia Falls rodeo, which nearly all their guests attended. The following evening, they hosted a welcome party at Blackstar Brewery and Restaurant, with simple arrangements of Costco flowers put together by Madison’s mother’s best friend. “I cannot recommend a welcome party more,” Madison shares. “It allowed us so much more time to actually hang out and talk with our guests.”
Madison’s Floral Lace Gown and Mismatched Pastel Bridesmaid Dresses
For their Whitefish Mountain Resort wedding, Madison and Justin chose a spring-inspired color palette of light pink, blue, green, and peach, with wood and lace details that suited the Montana setting.
Madison wore a strapless A-line gown with a sweetheart neckline and floral detailing, which she found at a boutique in Los Angeles’ Fashion District. She assigned each bridesmaid a color and let them choose their own dress, resulting in a mix of prints, fabrics, and shades. Justin wore a medium-blue suit he found during a Black Friday sale, while his groomsmen wore navy.
Personal Vows, Last-Minute Wardrobe Fixes, and a Mountaintop Ceremony
The couple couldn’t have asked for better weather, with blue skies and picturesque clouds above the mountains. Their first look, however, didn’t go quite as planned. Madison had arranged a reverse first look, but Justin ended up walking backward down a long dirt path to reach her, leaving him flustered by the time they saw each other.
There were also last-minute wardrobe emergencies. Madison’s uncle Denny’s suit had been left in California, requiring a wedding-morning shopping trip. The groomsmen also wore the wrong ties for their pre-ceremony photos, though the correct ones arrived before the ceremony.
One of Justin’s closest friends officiated the wedding. The couple had first exchanged “I love yous” at his wedding, making his role particularly fitting. They wrote personal vows that balanced humor and sentiment, with several guests later telling them how emotional the ceremony had been.
An Alpine Slide Entrance and a First Dance on the Patio
After the ceremony, guests could choose between the chairlift and the alpine slide for their trip down the mountain. Madison and Justin waited until everyone else had descended before taking their turn.
They arrived at cocktail hour on the slide and went straight into their first dance on the patio. Guests enjoyed two Montana-inspired signature drinks: Justin’s huckleberry margarita and Madison’s huckleberry spritz. Later, Madison shared a mother-daughter dance with her mom, who had also walked her down the aisle.
Funky Sunglasses and a Dance Floor That Stayed Packed
The reception tables featured light blue lace runners, bud vases filled with colorful flowers, taper candles, gold flatware, and mismatched vintage Depression glass water glasses. The couple saved on rentals by using the venue’s white linens and served Costco sheet cakes alongside a small cutting cake.
On the dance floor, guests had their pick of more than 80 pairs of funky sunglasses inspired by one of Justin’s favorite jokes. He loves stacking several pairs on his face and removing them one by one, a trick he even featured on his Hinge profile that Madison found hilarious.
Along with the sunglasses, guests waved light-up batons while the DJ kept the music going all night. Friends jokingly complained that she played too many great songs in a row for anyone to take a break.
The couple also used a mail-in camcorder service, The Wedding Weekender, to capture candid footage of their celebration. They later received the raw clips and a four-minute edited wedding video.
Their Advice: Prioritize What Matters, Trust Your Team, and Make the Wedding Yours
Madison and Justin were happy they prioritized good food, drinks, and flowers while trusting their vendors to handle the details. “Focus on the few details that matter to you and trust that your team will make it all happen. Vendors are experts in what they do and I just leaned into trusting them and not stressing about the small stuff.”
She also encourages couples to plan an additional gathering if possible, especially when guests are traveling. Their rodeo outing and welcome party gave them more time with friends and family before the wedding day.
And after a night of nonstop dancing, Madison has one last piece of advice: drink plenty of water, unless you want to wake up with leg cramps the next morning.
Hundreds of carnations, jewel-toned flowers, and towering glass candleholders filled Philadelphia’s historic Mütter Museum for Hannah and Alex’s winter wedding. With its grand marble staircase, dark wood-paneled ballroom, and unusual history, the museum was a fitting choice for their celebration inspired by old Hollywood glamour and vintage elegance.
But getting married in Philadelphia took some convincing. Hannah, an event manager with a love for history, discovered the venue while searching along the East Coast. Alex, a doctor and devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, initially refused to consider Philadelphia because of his rivalry with the Eagles. After two months of unsuccessful venue hunting, Hannah showed him the space again. This time, his response was, “Wow! This is perfect.”
What We Love About This Mütter Museum Wedding
A historic medical museum that brought together Alex’s profession and Hannah’s love of unusual history
Hundreds of carnations arranged in a five-foot-tall cascading floral installation
A hand-painted turtle dove welcome sign inspired by the couple’s original Pinterest mood board
A secret recording of Hannah singing their first dance song
A Victorian-style confetti cake and a beignet bar instead of traditional desserts
A Historic Philadelphia Venue Worth Breaking a Football Rivalry For
The couple started planning their wedding before they were officially engaged. In January, Alex told Hannah he wanted them to be married by December, giving them less than a year to organize everything. Hannah found their initial design inspiration in a Pinterest image of two turtle doves surrounded by jewel-toned flowers. Deep plums, olive greens, and dusty blues soon became their wedding colors.
Finding the right location proved more difficult. With family members spread across different states, Hannah searched along the East Coast before discovering the museum. Its marble staircase, grand fireplaces, and collection of medical oddities immediately caught her attention. “Alex is a doctor, and Hannah loves history. Getting married in the historic College of Physicians/Mütter Museum of Philadelphia felt like merging ourselves into a building,” the couple shares.
Junebug vendor Chrissy Canitano was just as excited about the location. “The venue was SO unique and regal,” she shares. Having never photographed a wedding there before, she particularly loved its European-inspired architecture and the opportunity to photograph Hannah and Alex throughout its historic interiors.
Because they were organizing the wedding from another state, Hannah and Alex relied heavily on online reviews when choosing their vendors. Their rule was simple: if a vendor had fewer than five stars, they weren’t booking them.
Pearls, Lace, and a Family Heirloom
Their wedding fashion was all about personal style and confidence. Hannah chose a lace A-line gown accessorized with pearls for a look inspired by the 1930s. She also attached an antique cameo locket containing a photograph of her grandfather to her bouquet.
Alex wore Louboutin shoes, an ivory tie, and a matching ivory carnation boutonniere. The bridesmaids dressed in different shades of plum, burgundy, olive, and mauve, while the groomsmen wore classic black suits.
Old Hollywood Glamour, Jewel Tones, and Hundreds of Carnations
Hannah and Alex envisioned a wedding that was “glamorous without being gaudy; moody and romantic without it feeling like a Christmas wedding.” They introduced the old Hollywood theme at their welcome party at the Four Seasons, where guests gathered beneath a glass rooftop with views of the stars. The dress code encouraged velvet, fur, glitter, feathers, and anything reminiscent of 1920s glamour.
For the wedding, carnations took center stage. Hannah’s favorite flowers appeared in arrangements alongside pomegranates and bunches of grapes. The most elaborate display was a five-foot-tall installation made with hundreds of carnations, arranged to look as though they were growing and cascading from the structure. Positioned near the place card station, it was one of the first floral displays guests encountered.
One of Hannah’s bridesmaids also recreated the turtle dove painting that had inspired the wedding’s original design. She painted the birds in the couple’s chosen colors and added the words “the world was made for two” along the bottom. The finished piece served as their welcome sign and now hangs in their living room.
A Family-Led Ceremony and a 35-Minute Shuttle Delay
The ceremony included several family members in important roles. Alex’s oldest brother, James, officiated, bringing his personal knowledge of the couple into the service. Their nephews served as ring bearers, making their way down the aisle toward their father, who was also the best man. Before the ceremony could begin, however, the couple encountered an unexpected problem. One of their two guest shuttles was delayed by a road accident, leaving nearly an entire hotel block of guests running 35 minutes behind schedule.
Instead of rushing, Hannah and Alex shortened their cocktail hour. They spent the extra time sitting with their families and talking about the evening ahead. “There was no point in panicking, it couldn’t be helped!” they recall.
For their photographer, one of the sweetest moments happened when Hannah reached Alex at the altar. “I loved how he kissed her hand once she got to him during the ceremony,” she recalls. The couple had chosen not to have a first look, so this was also the first time they saw each other that day.
A Candlelit Reception With Victorian Details and a Packed Dance Floor
Food and atmosphere had been the couple’s biggest budget priorities from the beginning. The ballroom glowed with candlelight, with red flowers and towering glass candelabras decorating the tables. “I couldn’t stop photographing them!” Chrissy shares. Her advice for couples drawn to a similar atmosphere? “The candlelight is so worth it. Spend the money on the candles and ambiance over florals any day.”
Hannah and Alex chose a small, elaborately decorated cake just for the two of them. The six-inch ivory cake featured intricate Victorian-style piping and sugared fruit, but inside was a playful surprise: confetti cake. They also skipped a traditional dessert spread in favor of a beignet bar, which proved especially popular with their guests and the children.
A First Dance Surprise That Alex Didn’t See Coming
Hannah had secretly recorded herself singing their first dance song. Alex knew they had choreography to perform, but he had no idea that the voice on the recording would be hers. Before the reception, Hannah began getting nervous about dancing and hearing her own singing in front of 120 guests. Alex, unaware of the second part, took her into a side room to practice.
“It was almost pitch black, but we did our dance together in the dark, with no music,” the couple recalls. “It felt like we sealed our marriage then. Alone, in the dark, dancing and laughing and calming each other down.” When the couple finally performed their choreographed first dance, Alex was concentrating so hard on the steps that he didn’t recognize Hannah’s voice until halfway through the song.
Their One Wedding Regret and Advice for Other Couples
Hannah and Alex say there’s only one thing they would change: hiring a videographer. They hadn’t considered one necessary during planning, but afterward wished they had more footage of the celebration.
Their advice for other couples is to focus on what matters to them and not let other people’s preferences dictate their decisions. “This is your wedding, no one else’s! Don’t feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to, and don’t let someone tell you not to do something just because they wouldn’t. If you’ve told yourself it’s important, then make it happen!”
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