How the West Led Us Home
How the West Led Us Home
Johanna & David
Los Angeles, with its scattered neighborhoods and overwhelming social scene, can be a difficult place to find a meaningful romantic partner. That’s why our story began on a dating app, where we quickly hit it off over our shared love for the New York Rangers hockey team. Then, as luck would have it, David and I unintentionally met in person soon after at a local karaoke bar. Though I’ve been singing all my life, David is the one who took the stage that night, and with his very brave rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road,” earned a date.
Meeting a fellow East Coaster struggling to find a sense of belonging in this intimidating city felt kismet. Being thousands of miles away from family, we started finding comfort in each other. Soon, our relationship developed, our social circles combined, and we became dog parents to my new puppy, Skjei. David and I eventually moved in together and found in each other the sense of home we were yearning for.
However, it wasn’t until David’s birthday trip in 2021 that we discovered our sense of belonging in a place. We were both enamored with the mountains due to my upbringing in rural Vermont and David’s many cross-country road trips. Grand Teton National Park had always been a bucket-list destination for us. Before we even touched down at the airport in Jackson, we looked at each other and knew this would be more than a fleeting getaway. We rented a camper van, settled into the Gros Ventre campground, and quickly began to explore as much of the park and Jackson as we could. We hiked every day, swam in the freezing waters of Jenny Lake, and went to sleep several nights with rain falling on our van.
David and I have visited remarkable places and shared amazing adventures. We hiked up Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park and got engaged on frozen Lake Louise in Banff. During that particular winter vacation, David arranged in secret for a photographer to capture his proposal. I’m a very Type A planner, and, unbeknownst to me, I kept booking activities over his planned moment. David had to pencil in “a walk” so I’d stop overbooking us. He led me out along the lake between the massive snowy mountains and explained he had never wanted anything to last forever, until he met me. The photographer captured the entire thing, and we had an impromptu photoshoot as snow started to fall.
David and I wanted our families to experience both the awe-inspiring nature of Grand Teton National Park and the historic town of Jackson. So, we arranged for our ceremony to take place in the shadow of the mountains at Snake River Ranch, and the reception to be held at The Cloudveil, just off Town Square.
My bridal shower, planned by my amazing best friend and maid of honor, Emily, took place at the National Museum of Wildlife Art on Friday. Our “cowboy cocktail” rehearsal dinner and welcome party at StillWest Brewery on Saturday was hosted by my beloved uncle and aunt, Mark and Carolyn Galiette. Mini horseshoes held place cards, and wildflowers from the local farmers market lined the tables. Both Friday and Saturday delivered mountain storms complete with hail, but on our wedding morning, the sky was perfectly blue.
Our traditional Jewish chuppah was made from customary Swedish aspen trees (a nod to both of our individual heritages), and galloping horses greeted our guests as our families melded in a place so meaningful to us. As our dear friend and officiant, Carter Hulings, pronounced us husband and wife, a massive gust of wind blew through, almost knocking down our chuppah, and sent my veil flying. My bridesmaid, Sophie, ran out into the field and grabbed it. Barry, one of David’s family friends, said it [the wind event] was his late grandfather and grandmother, Irv and Shirley, giving their enthusiastic approval from above. At our reception, guests found their table marked with handwritten thank-you notes from David and me.
While David started our relationship behind the mic, my mom and I were the ones to sing that night (“Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks), harmonizing as we did on days she drove me to and from school back at home. After we’d danced our last line dance at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar afterparty, David and I sat in the center of the Town Square, still in our dress and tuxedo, in awe of what we had just experienced. It could not have been more perfect.
Our honeymoon this June will take place in another stunning mountain range, the Dolomites, but the Tetons are the mountains we’ll always return to, as our love is deeply intertwined with their existence. John Donne wrote how love has the power to interanimate two souls. For us, the Tetons are that interanimation — an external expression of our internal bond. We are grateful that we were able to share this with our family and friends on the greatest day of our lives.
Advice For Couples
Your vendors become your eyes and ears as you plan your day. Select ones you innately trust. You are booking them for their creativity and vision, not to micromanage them. Once you have the team in place, they will listen to you, fight for you, and dream with you to make your day flawless. I knew I could trust every single vendor I selected to make our vision come to life. I truly didn’t worry about a single thing thanks to them. Good luck! It’s going to be the best day of your lives.
Also, pack the good bug spray.
THE DETAILS
Wedding Date: July 20, 2025
Ceremony Location: Snake River Ranch Reception Location: The Cloudveil Officiant: Carter Hulings (friend) Photographer: Hannah Hardaway Welcome Party: StillWest Brewery Hair: Hair by Mollie O.
Makeup: Ashley Drew Artistry Florist: Bouquet La Vie Consultant: Destination Jackson Hole
Music: Alexa Sluder, Dan Slider Caterer: Fine Dining Restaurant Group Dessert: Bobbi Robinson
Rental Service: The White Antler, Canvas Unlimited Transportation: Summit Transportation
Stationary Design: PapyrPress Photo Booth: Capture the Tetons Dress: Arava Polak
