Karlyn & Josh’s February Wedding at The Silver Knot in Ronan
Karlyn and Josh wanted a winter wedding that didn’t ask anyone to freeze through it. They found that balance at The Silver Knot in Ronan. The big picture windows put the Mission Mountains right inside the room, the indoor reception hall held the heat, and the property still gave them the outdoor ceremony they’d both pictured. February in Montana usually means snow on the ground. This one didn’t, but the mountains in the distance still wore it, and that turned out to be the whole story.
A winter wedding without the winter
The Silver Knot sits in the Mission Valley, about an hour north of Missoula. The venue’s signature is the wall of windows looking west across the valley toward the Mission Mountains, which means even an indoor day at this property feels outside. For Karlyn and Josh, who wanted a winter wedding but also outdoor scenery, that was the deciding factor. They built the day around it: getting ready inside, ceremony outside in the open, dinner and dancing back inside under the beams.
Getting ready
The bridesmaids came in burgundy plaid pajamas and the bride wore plaid too until it was time to put the dress on. Hair and makeup happened at the venue. Karlyn’s lace dress hung from a beam in the bridal suite for most of the morning, then ended up on her with white cowboy boots underneath, which is its own statement. The mood was loose. The pictures everyone has of pre-ceremony are people laughing.
The first look
They did a first look outside. Karlyn came down the path in her veil. Josh waited at the bend, hands in his pockets, and looked over his shoulder when he heard her. The reaction shot is them both laughing and a little stunned. He kissed her forehead and they stood there for a while before anyone moved.
The ceremony
The ceremony was outside in the cold. Guests had a warm beverage bar set up beforehand. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, apple cider. Anything that kept hands busy and bodies warm. Then Karlyn walked down the aisle in front of the Mission Mountains and her brother-in-law Andy officiated.
Andy was the call here. He’s funny, he knows everyone in the room, and he made the ceremony feel personal in a way an outside officiant rarely can. Karlyn and Josh did a handfasting halfway through. Hands braided together with a cord. Vows. A kiss with the guests applauding behind them.
Portraits and dinner
After the ceremony we took the couple out to the venue’s vintage red truck for portraits with the Missions behind them. Then back inside for dinner. Burns St. Bistro brought the food. Buffet-style barbecue, exactly the right call for a winter wedding where everyone’s been outside and is hungry by the time they sit down. Cookies for dessert. Full bar.
The reception
The reception is where this wedding actually became itself. Andy got the microphone again, this time for a toast. Then the dance party started, and it did not stop. Karlyn and Josh have a lot of friends, and most of them came to Ronan in February to be there. The dance floor under the beams was full from the moment the music started until the last song. Sparklers at the end.
The vendor team
- Venue: The Silver Knot
- Catering: Burns St. Bistro
- Officiant: Andy, Karlyn’s brother-in-law
Thinking about your own Silver Knot wedding?
If you’re planning a winter wedding at The Silver Knot and want documentary coverage, I’d love to hear about it.
