1. Real Weddings

An Upscale Mountain Wedding at the Amangani in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Texas natives Katie Molak (24 and a marketing coordinator) and Cody Courtney (25 and a commercial real estate broker) met in sixth grade but didn’t be

Texas natives Katie Molak (24 and a marketing coordinator) and Cody Courtney (25 and a commercial real estate broker) met in sixth grade but didn’t begin dating until they were sophomores in high school. Upon selecting a wedding venue, the high school sweethearts decided it was important to be in Jackson Hole on the day they exchanged vows; it was the location of the their proposal and most beloved vacation destination. The rehearsal took place at a riverfront working cattle ranch nestled cozily in a rustic red barn. “We wanted to embody the western culture, mixed with a little bit of home [Texas], without being too kitschy” Katie says. The judge who officiated the ceremony used several special verses from American Indian prose in Katie and Cody’s vows, including metaphors to the mountains, which emphasized the beautiful view of the Teton Mountains behind them. The ceremony and reception at the Amangani offered the perfect mix of upscale elegance with fire pits and a luxurious pool mixed with rustic elements like stone tables and faux-sheepskin-covered chairs. The cocktail hour after the reception featured a mariachi band and the newlyweds served spicy hibiscus margaritas, chicken flautas, and pulled-pork tacos to add a little southern Texas flair to the Wyoming setting. Cody had an idea to include their dog, Gracie, who was unable to attend the wedding: create life-size cutouts. Guests were able to use the cutouts to take pictures with "Gracie" during the reception. —Juliette Cheatham

Classic Invitations
Katie and Cody gave their guests, all of whom were from out of town, with welcome boxes upon arrival. They included customized water bottles, ChapStick, bags with Advil, Emergen-C and alka-seltzer, a slide-out box with three various types of nuts and a custom cookie the couple’s favorite bake shop Lily’s Cookies in San Antonio.
Katie wore her hair half-up, with the ends in long, lose curls, a look that was both formal yet causal.
Instead of going with a traditional heel to pair with her wedding gown, Katie sported a pair of white lace open toed booties with a wedge heel by Nicholas Kirkwood. “They sound funky, but they were perfect and so comfortable,” she says.
Cody wore a Burberry tuxedo with matching jacket, suspenders and a real bow tie. But it was the pair of moose-head cuff links crafted by Deakin & Francis U.K. that Katie surprised him with that; it gave his look a little Wyoming western flair.
Groom's Classic Black Tuxedo
Bride and Groom Photo
The Amangiri Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Keeping with a white and green theme for the florals, the bride carried a classic bouquet of all white peonies. The bridesmaid bouquets had a little more variation, and in addition to the peonies included ranunculus, sweet peas and garden roses.
The ceremony took place on one of the resort's terraces with a view of the alpine landscape in the distance.
As guests entered the upstairs lobby at the reception, they were greeted by a lavish champagne tower. In the center of the rustic mountain venue, the tower added a level of elegance and sophistication.
Custom Monogram Ring Pillow
The aisle runner was a natural linen with the couple’s wedding logo of interweaving branches embroidered into it. The aisle was lined with tall greenery that came into a U around the ceremony site, where Katie and Cody exchanged vows in order to keep the view in the background the primary focus.
Rustic stone tables were pushed together to form one long table in the middle of the reception hall with green garlands running down the middle. Each table was decorated with candles, florals, and faux sheepskin placed on the backs of the seating.
After the ceremony, guests were invited down the two cascading staircases to the pool. Situated facing the dramatic Wyoming mountains, the pool was the perfect location to place floating letters spelling “Katie + Cody.”
Neutral-colored elegant lounge furniture was placed around cozy fire pits on the porch of the venue overlooking the Teton Mountains and valley. A mariachi band played in the background as guests enjoyed a cocktail hour before the reception.
Because of a last-minute cake mishaps, Katie and Cody had to get creative. “One of our favorite bakeries in Jackson makes wonderfully delicious homemade s'mores, so we bought 100 of them and had the Amangani Resort stack them into a cake formation.”