After meeting in a little pizza shop they both worked at in college, Nick Kordiak and Inside Weddings’ senior editor Kelcy Christy were smitten from the start. “When I first met Kelcy, I immediately noticed her eyes and how they were extremely beautiful and striking,” shares Nick of the first impressions of his future wife. 

A few months later, Nick asked Kelcy for her number after their restaurant’s holiday after-party and planned for their first date. “We were supposed to have our first date in February, but the Minnesota Vikings lost the NFC Championship that day, so Nick wasn’t feeling it,” laughs Kelcy. “Thankfully, I gave him a second chance, and we hit it off at Dave & Busters – the rest is history!” 

Years later, the couple planned a trip to Los Cabos, and Kelcy had her suspicions that Nick would pop the big question. As they relished in a romantic private dinner on the beach, Kelcy grew less and less suspicious with each passing course, until they reached dessert and Nick proposed. “We celebrated with lots of Mexican food and margaritas – my dream,” notes Kelcy. 

As they began planning their wedding day, the bride and groom weren’t sure what the future of travel would look like for the destination wedding they were hoping to plan. Taking Covid restrictions into consideration, as well as Kelcy and Nick’s divergent family locations, the couple elected a “middle point” in the beautiful state of Montana to host their wedding weekend. 

Due to their love of spending time outdoors, Kelcy and Nick knew an outdoor wedding was a must. Electing the help of Lauren Schoenborn of Beautifully Born Events and taking inspiration from the brides featured in Inside Weddings, the next year and a half was spent bringing their Montana wedding dream to life at 320 Guest Ranch in Big Sky. 

“We chose our location for its mountain and river views – and due to the fact that all of our guests could stay on the property if they wanted to,” notes Kelcy of the “summer-camp” vibe they hoped for, with loved ones staying in on-site cabins and enjoying activities such as horseback riding, fly fishing, and hiking, as well as off-site excursions around Yellowstone National Park. 

“We chose our location for its mountain and river views – and due to the fact that all of our guests could stay on the property if they wanted to.”

The bride had an organic and romantic concept in mind for the special day. Without going too rustic, the couple desired a color palette that complemented and blended in with the natural surroundings of the landscape. Their floral designer Hannah Ohman of Rowan and Larch best described the look as an elegant Montana-modern design, as they focused on incorporating ranunculuses, a variety of roses, sweet peas, carnations, mums, and tweedia in blush, peach, and ivory tones that were highlighted with hints of sage greens, ivories, and antique hues. 

Despite the initial panic that set in as rain began to fall harder and harder leading up to the ceremony, the couple was thrilled to be able to have the outdoor ceremony they envisioned once the clouds parted. “I just remember sitting there with our families watching the rain coming down and checking the weather radar every two minutes,” stresses the bride. “Thankfully, the rain stopped, and we were able to have our dream outdoor wedding ceremony.” 

The bride was gorgeous in an ivory satin sheath gown from The White Dress featuring a notched square neckline and open-back detailing as she was escorted down the aisle by her mother, since her father had sadly passed away years prior, to the acoustic version of “Latch” by Sam Smith. Bridesmaids wore mismatched dresses of varying patterns and tones to stand out against the wow-worthy view of the mountains, which set a natural backdrop for the “I dos.” 

Following the heartfelt alfresco service, loved ones moved inside a white tent adorned with greenery for a night of revelry. Although the weather called for a tighter squeeze inside since the cocktail hour and lounge area couldn’t be placed on the surrounding lawn and deck overlooking the river, the rain did not impede on the excitement for celebrating the new Mr. and Mrs. The bride and groom shared their first dance to “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley before friends and family joined them on the dance floor to celebrate until midnight. 

The bride offers her advice for future couples: “Go with the flow! Even though I still think about everything that went wrong, it’s important to remember what went right: marrying the love of your life and best friend.” She also shares that the setting made the day even more special. 

“So many of our friends and family had never been to Montana, so it was awesome to see everyone having a great time and planning their trips before and after the wedding to explore such a beautiful state,” she affirms. “We can’t wait to make it our special place and go back every few years around our anniversary!”

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