Today I want to highlight and tell you all about an amazingly beautiful and unique wedding I was honored to be a part of! I always love when the wedding couple does something different and that hasn’t been done too much before for their ceremony. I think a lot of people search for unique and unpopular ideas to do for their ceremony/wedding but never really know what to search for or can’t find anything they really love. SO, I wanted to share what this beautiful couple, Alzada and Chris, decided to do for theirs to give you all an idea of what is possible and what you could do as well!
They had their ceremony in an old schoolhouse called Bear Creek Schoolhouse in Cameron, Montana. It’s one room, has no running water and hasn’t held a class or students in over 70 years! But is still held up, painted and gorgeous!
They invited all of their guests to come into the schoolhouse to mingle, talk, and find their seat. It was almost like the time during a church service when there’s time to turn around to your neighbor, say hi and shake their hand. This moment helped Chris and Alzada sneak in to the schoolhouse and say hi to all of their guests so they wouldn’t have to walk down the aisle and be the center of attention! What a great idea and option for those not wanting to walk down the aisle!
After a bit of time of mingling, Alzada’s mom rang this gorgeous vintage singing bowl to have everyone sit down. They also had Chris’s sister to marry them which was really meaningful to them both. They were so happy to have her be part of their day!
They had so many people there who loved them, and who all wanted to share how much they cared for Alzada and Chris. They had their parents get up during the ceremony to speak any advice, love, and words of support to the couple which had everyone, I mean EVERYONE teary-eyed. What a meaningful and wonderful idea!
Chris’s parents got up first to speak to the couple. They started off quoting some of their favorite verses from the Bible and then of course told some stories of Chris growing up! After that, Alzada’s mom and her partner came up to speak to the couple. It was so cute, Alzada’s mom made them a wedding broom to jump over at the end of the ceremony! I loved that! She also told some really cute stories about Alzada growing up, and then her partner spoke about how much the whole family loves to garden. He had re-potted and gifted them a piece of their favorite succulent so Chris and Alzada could always have it as a reminder. He got a little choked up because his family actually grew up a little down the road from this schoolhouse, so it felt like they were getting married in his backyard. Not a dry eye in the house y’all. Then Alzada’s dad and partner came up to give really sweet advice and read something that meant something to everyone in their family. What a great idea to have your parents come up and make such a wonderful moment for you during this day! I absolutely loved it!!
After all the family spoke, Alzada and Chris were invited to share their personal vows to each other. BOY the tears just kept coming. They were beautiful!! And then, with a quick exchange of rings, they were married!! Their guests followed them out to the front of the church and we did a big group picture!
One thing I really really loved about this ceremony was that Alzada and Chris trusted and invited their family to give advice, share memories and give their love to their relationship. It was filled with so much joy and love from their family and friends. It almost felt like if a potluck had a feeling. You know??
This is just one idea I’ve seen for a different and unique ceremony flow. Remember, the moment you choose someone to marry you who doesn’t have an affiliation to a church script, you can do whatever you want for your ceremony!! So, take time to talk with your partner about what you really want to do. Sit down and go over any weddings you’ve seen in the past together, talk about what you loved, and what you want to pass on. Talk about things that might make you nervous about the ceremony and see if you can remedy them with any little fixes that feel more like you two. It is YOUR day! If people don’t like it, that’s their problem.
I hope this story and wedding give you an idea of what options are out there! If you have been to or also had a wedding with a bit more unique ceremony, please share! I would love to hear about more!
Some links for where they got ready, and for the Schoolhouse:
They got ready at the cabins in the Ennis Homestead property which was so beautiful and accommodating. They have three cabins total, and are rented out for vacations, wedding parties and more! If you want to check them out click here! https://ennishomestead.com
Also, here’s the link for more information on the Schoolhouse for people interested in booking: https://www.facebook.com/Bearcreekschoolhouse
Testimonial from Alzada: “We loved working with Leanna! She was so fun to have at the wedding- great at reading the vibe and making everyone comfortable. She was efficient at getting the shots we wanted and coached us without making us feel rushed or awkward. The photos turned out beautifully and we had a fun time. We are so grateful to have made the right choice!”
