My wedding clients Marisa and Tyler wanted to create a special experience for their loved ones that reflected their love of Montana history and their roles as public servants in state government.

Rather than book a traditional wedding venue, they looked outside the box and chose the historic small town of Virginia City, Montana, the old territorial Capitol of Montana. The result was a authentic Montana experience for their wedding guests.

As their wedding photographer, I could not have been more thrilled.

The town is a true piece of history. In fact, it is considered a National Historic Landmark. Of the nearly three hundred structures in town (standing in their original condition), almost half were built prior to 1900.

The well preserved Victorian gold-rush era town was founded in 1863 after gold was discovered in the nearby Alder Gulch. Nowadays, it is considered a “living ghost town” with its restored buildings, boardwalks, museums, and pure rustic charm of historical sites, western shops, saloons, and restaurants. Its preservation makes it one of the best ghost town to explore in the state.

It was like stepping back in time to the Old West.

We took advantage of the amazing Old West architecture and explored the small town. Together, we creating some cool photographs of them and their fun bridal party along the way.

When the time came to head to the ceremony, we all took a ride on the Virginia City Shortline Railroad from Nevada City over to the wedding ceremony site in downtown Virginia City. 

These two Helena residents work in the state government and styled their special day with their own nod to history, to their love of politics, and to each other. Their boss just happens to be State of Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who, with humor and charm, officiated the ceremony. It was a rare cool August day, and the perfect venue to celebrate the start of their new journey together.

After these two newlyweds tied-the-knot, we walked the streets of the historic downtown over to the reception hall, where we spent the night dancing, playing in a photo booth, and celebrating these two amazing people. It was such a fun da,y and I felt so grateful to be a part of it.

These are my favorite images from the day. I wish these two all the best!