A Western-Inspired Wedding at Collective Yellowstone in Big Sky, Montana

“It’s the first time we got to create something so profound and intentional together,” Hope Brimelow says of her wedding to Jove Oliver. “The wedding marked the beginning of things we are building together."

To honor their new journey, Hope, a photo editor, and Jove, a communications consultant, threw a destination wedding in Big Sky, Montana, a place that was unknown to both of them. “We had no direct connection to [it] so it could hold the memories of the wedding and become special to us in its own rite,” Hope adds.The mountains, though, echoed much about the pair. Hope grew up vacationing in nearby Idaho, and Jove proposed while the couple visited the Dolomites of Italy. It was natural, then, that the Rocky Mountains would set the backdrop for the couple’s celebration at Collective Yellowstone in the Moonlight Basin, just a short drive from Yellowstone National Park. "It felt like a way to really celebrate nature and the outdoors,” Hope says. “Montana felt like the right place.”

With sweet odes to the American West—including hand-painted bison on the paper goods and a Western-themed rehearsal dinner—Hope and Jove delicately blended nature with their love of travel, family, and food. Their vows pulled from the traditions of many cultures, and they used local Montana flowers to fill the tented reception. Of course, the multi-course dinner was served family-style. “The wedding was the physical manifestation of who we are and our relationship,” explains the bride. “I feel so grateful that I got to share it with the people I love.” 

Read on for all the details on Hope and Jove's Montana wedding, as planned by Bash Bozeman and photographed by Norman & Blake.

Hope and Jove stuck to a color scheme of blue and yellow with nods to the American West. Their invitation suite featured a vintage postcard from Montana, an illustration of the scenic landscape, and a packet of wildflower seeds (for guests to have a taste of Montana at home).

At the Western-themed rehearsal dinner, Hope wore a Lein gown that she says made her “feel like an angel" while guests wore their best gingham and denim. The alfresco meal was complete with a roasted pig, beer, and live music. Not only did the event welcome their guests to Montana—it also honored the bride’s birthday!

On the big day, the couple dressed their wedding party—and officiant!—in hues inspired by nature. The women wore gowns by BHLDN while the flower girls wore white lace dresses to match the bride.

Hope's wedding dress was made by Yolan Cris. She accessorized with her grandmother’s veil and carried a bouquet of local Montana flowers, including poppies, scabiosa, and garden roses.

“Having your friends and family around you while you commit to a path is one of the most incredible things I have ever experienced,” Hope says. “I felt so present and to put [it] simply, alive.”

To create laid-back Western vibes, the couple hired a bluegrass band to perform during the ceremony.

The ceremony took place in a field with the mountains serving as a natural backdrop. Hope walked down the aisle with her father, serenaded by a bluegrass band’s rendition of “Big Country.”

Since the couple loves to travel, they pulled traditional vows from multiple cultures for their “I dos.” Hope’s best friend served as officiant and Jove’s colleague gave a non-religious “sermon” during the outdoor ceremony.

The wedding was attended by 130 guests. “We were so incredibly honored that so many of our friends and family came to Montana,” says the bride.

Hope collaborated with her planner to create the laid-back yet slightly formal dinner tables for the tented reception. They included Western touches, like leather laces on the napkins and local flowers.

Each place setting was completed with hand-painted menu by calligrapher Brooke Benjamin.

Dinner was a lively affair with plenty of toasts and a delicious menu of local-inspired dishes like elk meatballs, seared salmon, buttermilk biscuits, and s’mores. “The speeches blew me away,” Hope says “There are lines from the speeches that have stayed with me, that I return to for comfort and inspiration.”

In addition to s’mores, the couple had a series of wedding cakes with flavors such as carrot and chocolate.

Hope and Jove danced to “Long Way Home” by Norah Jones to kick off the party. “It all came together so perfectly,” she says. “I have all of these flashes of people coming up to me with the biggest smile on their faces.”