Lighthearted & Unforgettable

Kjera & Josh
WORDS BY JOSH GRIFFITH + PHOTOGRAPHY BY HANNAH HARDAWAY

Kjera and I met while performing together as part of Jackson’s local improv scene. We soon realized we had as much fun offstage making each other laugh as we did onstage. I proposed to Kjera at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, surrounded by family and friends, where I asked her to “saddle up for the rest of our lives” (while dressed as a red ninja, but that’s another story).

We couldn’t wait to start our life together, so we planned a January wedding despite an October engagement. Plus, the date, 1/7/17, was just too alluring to pass up! Pulling together a fun and unique wedding in three months was a real challenge, but as I always say, “Luckily, I married up!” In addition to teaching full-time, Kjera runs a successful wedding planning business, Grand Teton Weddings + Events. She helped incorporate the personal elements of “j+k” into our wedding, like my mom’s sugar cookies, a custom magic trick by Kjera’s son, Star Wars and Harry Potter photobooth props, and signature cocktails and home-brewed j+k beer.

I really wanted to have the wedding outside in Jackson’s natural beauty. Rendezvous Park turned out to be a great setting for the ceremony; it truly felt like a winter wonderland. It was 20 degrees below zero the morning of our wedding. By noon, it had warmed to a balmy 14 degrees, so we put on our boots and long underwear and decided to move ahead with the outdoor ceremony plan. Thirty minutes before my beautiful bride arrived, the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped 20 degrees to 6 degrees below zero! By that point, our families had gathered and Kjera was on her way, so we had a stunning and short ceremony surrounded by family and a beautiful blanket of snow.

After the ceremony, Kjera and I toured Jackson for some “just married!” photos. We met back with our immediate family for drinks and dinner at The Bird. About 120 friends traveled from near and far for a late-night happy hour and dance party with fresh beats by Rosie Read. Our intentional and lighthearted plan made for an unforgettable day!


wedding date
7 January 2017

ceremony location
Rendezvous Park

reception location
The Bird

officiant
Ray McDaniel,
First Baptist Church

hair & makeup
Jackson Parlour

photographer
Hannah Hardaway

florist
Floral Art

entertainment
Rosie Read

consultant
Kjera Griffith,
Grand Teton Weddings + Events

caterer
The Bird

dessert
Everything but the Dress

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