I will be honest, I was a little nervous when Mandy & Charlie first told me that their wedding would be at a horse arena! But as soon as I stepped foot out at Cottonwood Equine Resort I knew that it was the perfect venue for this rustic country wedding!
The couple are both from ranching communities, so they have a large circle of friends & family that they wanted to invite to their wedding. Some how they were able to narrow down the list to 450 guests, but that is still quite the party! The sun was shining the entire day which allowed us to venture around the area for photos. And the ceremony was under a giant Cottonwood tree that created the perfect backdrop for this outdoor wedding. Everyone was so accommodating and even though I had a camera in my hand, they treated me & my team like we were their guests.
The day went off without a hitch thanks to the coordinating of Charlie – that’s right, the groom! He put in countless hours of work to orchestrate the perfect day for he & his bride. I told him that he has found his new calling as a wedding planner! He just laughed and said he was thankful for all the people that helped put this party together, but he was relieved to have it over. Planning a wedding sure is hard work!!
Rustic Country Wedding at Cottonwood Equine Resort
This was a very special moment for Mandy & her father because in her family of 5 brothers, she is the only girl. And Charlie requested that his mother assist in his getting ready shots because they have such a strong bond. Plus, he is the last son to get married so there may have been some tears here. I love tight-knit families like this!!
During family photos, Mandy’s childhood friend popped out to surprise her! She had no idea that she would be attending the wedding!
Check out the details of this ceremony! The groom built the wooden arch that included their names and even had their wedding vows imprinted on it. He said they will display this back at their home in North Dakota. How cool is that?
There were so many special moments throughout the day, but this one really captured our hearts. Charlie’s grandmother had limited mobility after suffering a stroke. But her one goal was to walk him down the aisle at his wedding and she so proudly did it!
They seriously had the best wedding party!! These guys knew how to get the party going for sure!
The Reception – Time to Party!
After the main events were done at the reception, we hoped in a UTV and headed down to the river. We beat a crazy rainstorm that was about to roll in, but man, it sure made for a gorgeous & dramatic sky!
Charlie & Mandy are two of the kindest people you will ever meet! And now after being a part of their wedding I feel like they are my family! Thank you for your hospitality, big smiles, and even bigger hearts!!
A special shoutout to all the vendors who made this day so perfect for the bride & groom!
Venue: Cottonwood Equine Resort
Florist & Decorations: Moss & Floret
Rentals: Party Time Plus
Cake: Ashlee Marie Cakery
Donuts: Krispy Kreme
Bride’s Dres: Belle en Blanc
Bridesmaids Dresses: Revelry
Groom’s Suit: Lone Tree Mercantile
Wedding Rings: Tom Kohl Design by Kohl Manufacturing
Hair Stylists: Andrea Hood & Keshia Wegner
Make-up Artist: Hayley Walton
Food: Georgia John’s Southern Hospitality Catering
Bar: Fort Rockvale/HWY 212 (Hal Ward)
DJ: David Barthule
Lead Photographer: Sara Nagel Photography
Videographer: Pat Nagel with Sara Nagel Photography
2nd Shooter: Danielle Rider Photography
[…] photo by Sara Nagel Photography […]
Sara is an incredible photographer!