Happy Memories
Jessica & Aaron
Aaron and I met through a mutual friend and dated long-distance between Chicago and Milwaukee for three years. Aaron grew up in Wisconsin, often camping at his grandparents’ lakefront property or with friends at one of the many state parks. I grew up in New Jersey, where I spent family vacations along the eastern seaboard. We both shared an appreciation for exploring the outdoors and trying new things.
On one of our first vacations, we car camped through Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. To say we weren’t prepared for camping in the mountains would be an understatement. We were equipped for a nice summer vacation and were totally surprised when nighttime temperatures dipped to near freezing. We crammed into a single-person sleeping bag and toughed out the cold and stormy nights in a tent that was not waterproof. Despite all of this, we loved our Teton vacation and knew that some day we would share this newfound magical place with our friends and family members.
Years later, on a rainy spring day in Wisconsin, Aaron convinced me to leave the comforts of the warm couch and living room to hike through a state park to a waterfall to get some cool portraits. It looked like Aaron was having some problems with the light settings on the camera. He asked me to review the photos. While I was sufficiently distracted, he fished through his camera bag for something. He pulled out an illustration of us and said, “Oh, I was supposed to give this to you.” It was part of a series of “Happy Memories” illustrations he gifted to me for Valentine’s Day. But, this one was new and titled “The Day Aaron Proposed to Jessica.” He dug the ring out of the camera bag and got on one knee.
A few months later, I finished my full-time MBA program and we prepared to move to Seattle together. As we wrapped up our Wisconsin chapter, we told our families and friends to save the date in 2018. After 1,261 days engaged, Aaron and I brought our families and friends together in Jackson Hole. We planned a whole weekend of events to help our guests explore the region. To kick off the celebration, we went on a scenic luncheon float trip down the Snake River with Barker-Ewing. Our private group was lucky to spy two bull moose and several bald eagles. Then, in the evening, the mezzanine of Hand Fired Pizza hosted our welcome party, which Aaron dubbed “Hugs and Chugs.” The pizzas and beers seemed endless as we caught up with our guests. Thankfully, the restaurant was able to accommodate our large party—twice as many people showed up than expected!
We chose not to have a bridal party, which helped keep preparations and portrait logistics easy. We did our “first look” in front of the beautiful Teton mural in Snow King’s lobby entrance before dashing to the park for pre-wedding portraits with our talented photographer, Cassie Molyneux.
Nearly 100 family members and friends joined us at Spring Creek Ranch for a lovely ceremony, where we exchanged Tetons-inspired, locally made wedding bands before moving onto the reception. When we scoped out venues the year before, we knew it was important to have Teton views during our special day, and the Vista Overlook delivered just that. The venue truly helped our vision come to life with the amazing help of our day-of coordinator Kjera Griffith from Grand Teton Weddings. The reception was defined by an electrifying dance party, a delicious family-style dinner, and a roaring bonfire with s’mores at sunset.
From the lucky moose sightings on the Snake River float to the beautiful weather that complemented the phenomenal scenery, everyone truly experienced the magic of Jackson!
wedding date
1 September 2018
ceremony & reception location
Spring Creek Ranch
officiant
Mr. Hiep Phung, Esquire
hair & makeup
Brooke Christie, Balance Salon
photographer
Cassie Molyneux, Cassie’s Camera
florist
Gild the Lily Too
entertainment
Rosie Read, R Squared Entertainment
consultant
Kjera Griffith, Grand Teton Weddings
dessert chef
Albertsons
rental service
Canvas Unlimited
transportation service
Jackson Hole Shuttle
stationery design
Aaron Bowersock, groom
other specialty vendors
Hines Goldsmith
