Summer Camp Destination Wedding at Flathead Lake Lodge in Montana | Sam + Troy — Wildly Collective | Joshua Tree and Palm Springs Wedding and Elopement Planner

Romantic and rustic wedding at flathead lake lodge in Big Fork, Montana | Modern Montana Wedding Weekend | Timeless Big Fork Lake Wedding | Classic Rustic Wedding Design | Camp-Inspired Wedding Weekend Planning + Coordination | Dina Remi Photography|

Before we get into Sam and Troy’s gorgeous wedding on Flathead Lake in Montana, we’ll start with some major build up!

Sam and Troy invited their guests to a weekend that felt more like summer camp than a wedding. And we were more than game for it! The couple hosted their wedding at the iconic Flathead Lake Lodge— a Montana dude ranch with onsite cabins for all of their guests and plenty of activities to fill more than just a weekend.

The day before their wedding, the couple hosted a field day where each guest received a Camp A-OK (their last name initials) t-shirt, bandana and a team assignment. They competed in all sort of games — from tug of war to paddle boarding, from slip-n'-sliding to volleyball.

After all the games were played and Sam and Troy’s teams took first and second place, everyone headed off to a barn dance and a steak fry! A local band played music deep into the night — this group had energy for days! The next evening, on the night of the wedding, they would dance even more.

Now, Let’s get to their wedding day.

The morning of the wedding Sam and Troy got ready with their loved ones inside their warm cabins while the wind whipped the lake and window panes.

By the time their first look came around, the wind cleared and brought with it gorgeous weather for the rest of the evening.

For Sam’s bouquet and the floral arrangements we sourced lush dahlias from a local farm — Flathead Farmworks. It’s important to us that we pull in as many local elements into our designs as we’re able to. This does take more labor, but brings so much more meaning to a wedding day and to the sustainability of events.

Throughout Sam and Troy’s design we used natural textures like wood and clear glass to pair with the elements of the lodge nestled on a lake. We focused on neutral tones, like ivory and sage, in most of the design to pair with Sam and Troy’s classy style. We dabbled burnt peach tones in select areas to create a cohesive story of summer transitioning into fall— their wedding took place in early September.

The couple had their first look just outside the horse stables. Of course, they couldn’t resist getting cozy with the horses for some epic portraits!

Sam and Troy’s ceremony was unique and so incredibly special. Troy’s side of the family is Quaker. For a Quaker ceremony, the couple sits or stands at the front the ceremony and their guests take turns standing up and sharing toasts, memories and well wishes. We arranged the seating at their ceremony to cater specifically to these interactions: the chairs were arranged in a semi-circle to feel more intimate for sharing.

A Quaker ceremony also includes a specially made certificate in which the couple signs, as well as ALL of their guests. Yes, even the kids are meant to sign it!

Another meaningful element of their ceremony — Troy’s sister wrote an original song just for them and performed it live.

Their Reception unfolded in a sailcloth tent just steps from the lake.

Our team installed hanging greenery and vines around the edges and ceiling of the tent. We dressed up picnic tables with bistro chairs, linen sage-toned napkins, candles floating in water (a nod to the lake) and name cards on clear acrylic semi-circles.

Sam and Troy designed an app specifically for their wedding (they work in tech)! We designed a flag with a QR code where guests could use their phones to pull up the app and find their seat.

The couple planned two dances to perform for their guests! One involved lifts, spins and twirls! One of Sam and Troy’s priority for their wedding was to have one hell of dance party and a stellar band. We flew in the band AMFM of Downbeat Agency from Los Angeles to play the night away.