Double Diamond X Ranch Styled Photoshoot
Note: There were over 7 local vendors in collaboration with this project. If you would like to learn more about each vendor, you can click the hyperlink on their name!
The Double Diamond X Ranch was my dream location for this styled shoot and they were ever so generous to welcome us with open arms. The mountainous terrain and winding river are exactly what I think of when I think of a Rocky Mountain wedding. The cabins and pavilion that are available to couples are rustic in a clean and elevated way and we wanted to continue that theme throughout the styled shoot.
A fun note about this styled shoot:
I was planning on having two models for this styled shoot and had received a Martina Liana wedding dress from Taryn of Belle in Blanc in Billings, Montana. Unfortunately, the model we had picked the dress for couldn’t make it due to some health issues, so I attempted to model the dress while my associate photographer (my fiancé who I met in photography school 3 years ago) photographed me.
My aunt and uncle were the models for the duration of the styled shoot. She is practically an older sister to me and it was really special to have her be such an integral part of this styled shoot.
Picking the Colors!
The colors for the styled shoot were partially inspired by a plate set that Jessica Sanchez of Diamond Creek Events has in her inventory. I knew as soon as I saw them, I wanted to ask for a table setting with slightly mismatched elements. The spring season was perfect for supporting these colors and we went for it!
I wrote another blog on how to pick your wedding colors!
It is a quick 2 minute read that will guide you through a few questions you can ask yourself to find colors that will work for the time of year you are getting married, your venue, and your own personal colors like hair and eye color!
Florals
Beartooth Floral and Gifts in Cody, Wyoming, brought us lots of options to play with. They created a pink look for our arch with a matching bouquet, as well as a two dry bouquets that complimented the rustic look of the venue.
The dry bouquets are my favorite for a few reasons:
Dry bouquets are already preserved and are a great option for any bride looking to enjoy their flowers for the rest of their lives.
One of the dry bouquets included pheasant feathers and it complimented the colors well while adding a fun texture and a “non-floral” element.
The “non-floral” element continued in my favorite dry bouquet. This bouquet has a mountain lion skull, mushrooms, wooden honey comb, and more feathers. This bouquet was unique and perfect for any bride who wants something no-one has ever seen before. When I had the chance to model the dress from Belle en Blanc, I immediately reached for this bouquet
Pro Tip: Bouquets as Center Pieces!
We used all of the bouquets as center pieces in our table settings. This is a great way for brides to get multiples uses out of their florals! If you have a bridal party, you can have each one place their bouquet as a centerpiece to your tables. Not only will you save money, but it will keep your brides maids’ bouquets safe and pretty for them to take home! The bride’s bouquet can also be used as a centerpiece for the sweetheart table.
Table Settings and Furniture
Jessica Sanchez of Diamond Creek Events brought some beautiful settings and furniture. The tables, chairs, linens, dishes, glasses, and silverware are all in her inventory to rent for your wedding. It was really great to see how the settings came together as her and the florists collaborated to fill the table. I especially liked the clean china look with the rustic wood and dried floral elements. As mentioned above, we did use the bouquets as center pieces and also incorporated a charcuterie board made my Emily Mundy of Blooming Boards as a center piece as well!
Pro Tip: Charcuterie Board for Two!
Not only was the charcuterie board the perfect touch for the aesthetically curated table tops, but it was also delicious! Emily does a great job pairing textures, colors, and flavors for the perfect charcuterie board. Wedding days can be hectic and food can be the last thing on your mind. You could get one of these gourmet charcuterie boards and have it ready for you back at your hotel for a private charcuterie board for two!
Getting Ready
Bridal Hair:
Cynthia Bingenheimer of Hair Love Cindy LLC was the bridal hair specialist for this photoshoot. She showcased a beautiful half-up with extensions and pearl accents. We actually were rained on twice during this shoot and the hair styles and curls amazingly made it through to the end of the night! Being that I was going to be modeling at the end of the day, I got to sit in her chair and get pampered as well! I also went with a half-up do with pearl accents. There were no extensions in my hair because we weren’t exactly planning on doing my hair as well. Cynthia colored the extensions to perfectly match the model’s hair color.
Bridal Make-up
There were two make-up artists on this project.
Nikki Hopkin was the first artist of the day. She gave us the blushy, neutral look we were looking for and was done in like 45 minutes. The make-up photographed like a dream and my model said it was very comfortable to wear.
Elva Sandoval of Bronzed and Blushed was the second artist of the day. She specializes in not only make-up but also sunless tanning (both my aunt and I had her sunless tanning services done 3 days prior to this shoot). Her make-up service includes body contour and highlight on your shoulders, collarbones, back, and arms to create an effortless glow to your look from head-to-toe.
A Moment for the Dress!
Taryn Plouffe of Belle en Blanc in Billings, MT borrowed us a Martina Liana wedding dress for this styled shoot. Let me tell you, when I realized I was going to be modeling this dress, I had butterflies in my stomach!
The dress has a beautiful plunging back with lace and appliqué details that scream elegance. The zipper in the center back is discreetly enclosed by a line of buttons. The train could make any girl’s dreams come true and the lines created by the snug fit and flare create the most flattering silhouette.
We didn’t get this altered to fit me and I would like to say that I did not model the top of the dress very well. Either due to my height (or the lack thereof) or a bust that was slightly too small, the top of the dress was a little loose. I am sure if the dress had been altered to fit me properly, the top would have looked even more fitted.
The Venue
As you could see in all of these images, the Double Diamond X Ranch is an absolutely gorgeous location to hold your wedding. They have many cabins for your guests to stay in, two locations to hold your ceremony, and the perfect pavilion to hold your reception. The venue is surrounded by mountains and has river access in the lower ceremony location next to the Shoshone Cabin.
The slideshow below shows the pavilion. The pavilion has a nearly complete wrap around porch, 3 entrances and is a short walk away from the ranche’s saloon.
It is common for the bridal party to get ready at the Shoshone Cabin. You can see images of this cabin in the slideshow below. It has three levels: upstairs, main floor, and basement. The upstairs has at least three beds; the main floor includes a kitchen, at least one bedroom, a living room with a fireplace and a giant window, access to the wrap around porch, and the stairs to go up and down; the basement has bedrooms, a living room area, and glass doors to exit toward the river.
We took these images in the yard of the Shoshone Cabin!
One of the ceremony locations is just below this cabin and is right next to the river access.
The other ceremony location is up by the pavilion. We took these images in the yard of the pavilion and in the field just outside of the fence around the pavilion.
Vendors Involved
It was a really awesome experience working with all of these talented local vendors on this project. We don’t always get to interact a lot at our customer’s weddings so this was a great opportunity for us to get together and learn more about each other and our crafts. One of my goals with this projects was to create connection and relationships between all of us in an environment that was creative and fun and I think we achieved it. It was really amazing to be working on a project with so many passionate people.
You can find more about each vendor using the hyperlinks throughout the blog, or contact them directly using these contacts below. Make sure to follow all of us on instagram and Facebook to see all of our current work!
