Restless Locals

Alise & Tycen
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WORDS BY ALISE BIRCH + PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABOVE THE WILDFLOWERS

Tycen set out for Jackson Hole at the age of 18 with dreams of deep Wyoming powder, flowy mountain biking trails, and plenty of trout and whitewater to satisfy his need for an epic new stage of life. 

I (Alise), the Jackson-grown girl attending college in California, was always desperate for winter break to roll around—the one month of the year I could come home, get my fix of cold weather, and max out my ten-day Jackson Hole Mountain Resort pass. 

The winter of 2019 had its way of changing many things about my future, especially when I went to my older brother’s “skid house” in Jackson for the first time to meet his new roommate. Tycen was an 18-year-old from California with shaggy brown hair who hardly took off his ski pants. (Mostly because he was chasing snow almost every hour of the day). 

Days of gondola laps together turned into dinners with our parents and conversations about the summer, when we’d see each other again.

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We were young and looking for the next best adventure, and found love by spending time together in the mountains. The seasons went on as we made more memories. And despite the distance—and my back-and-forth trips to California to finish school—we quickly realized the strength of our friendship would be hard to live without. 

As one could imagine, the dating conversations between an economics bookworm and a passionate wilderness junkie were interesting and sometimes awkward. Tycen was always teaching me how to live fearlessly and enjoy life more. And, I was constantly teaching him some calculated theory for one of his many entrepreneurial pursuits. I’m sure Tycen had thoughts like, I can’t believe I’m teaching this nerdy girl how to mountain bike. And, at the same time I was thinking, I can’t believe I’m skipping class to mountain bike with this crazy dude. We appreciated witnessing how our strengths would complement each other. 

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Tycen and I are blessed to have many marriages—new and old—to look up to, seek wisdom from, and yearn to emulate. At the ages of 21 and 22, we were eager to start our lives together, and ready to live out every adventure side by side.

In March of 2022, we started our trek to Jackson Peak’s remote ski cabin with friends. It was a bucket list trip—to spend a few days backcountry skiing right outside our door, and trade sleep for late-night talking and cooking with friends around a wood-burning stove. After a morning summit and a close-call avalanche scare, we decided a mellow sunset hike above the cabin was the best way to spend our evening. Right as the clouds turned pink, with the Tetons in the distance, Tycen pulled out a ring and I said “yes” to forever. The purest joy filled the air, and we popped champagne and celebrated with our friends back at the cabin.

Planning our big day was a bit nutty, while holding down summer jobs working as backpacking and river guides. We recruited friends and family to shape our vision: a wedding inspired by the experiences that brought Tycen and I together—the mountains, trees, skiing, traveling, and good ol’ times spent with friends and family. DIY’ing a wedding takes a tribe to pull off—and lots of effort—but we had our minds set on carefully curating our day because we knew we’d enjoy it more if we could remember the hands that made it happen. 

We created much of the wedding décor, which allowed us to repurpose discarded wood and second-hand knick-knack finds. Our family friend, Melissa at Rah!Rah Creative, gave us amazing direction to make all the parts of our dream wedding cohesive. Wildflowers and grasses decorated the wooden tables and chairs, as well as our art deco mountain altar, built by Tycen using reclaimed wood and my dad’s vintage wooden skis. My bouquet included delphinium, blue thistle, chocolate ranunculus, dahlias, and lots of wild grass. Tycen made a photo-op area, complete with an old Snow King chairlift. With the help of friends and family, we collected old trunk suitcases and vintage thermoses to add funky charm. And, Tycen’s mom painted a watercolor map of the valley that we included in our invitation suite. 

On the sunny afternoon of September 10, among views of Hoback Canyon with cows mooing in the background, cheering us on, Tycen and I exchanged vows. We experienced the best day of our lives: dancing to disco, visiting with friends, and eating tacos from a full-on taco, quesadilla, and tamale bar, courtesy of Streetfood. (Streetfood was our dream caterer because of our memories drinking beer and eating tacos at the Stagecoach after mountain biking The Pass.) We shared toasts that filled the barn with happy tears and excitement for our future. 

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To wrap up our most memorable day, we danced to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder, and drove away, as husband and wife, in my dad’s 1973 BMW 2002 Tii vintage car.

Our gratitude goes beyond words for a faith-filled community, a beautiful place we are blessed to call home, and families who support us beyond measure. 


Roll With the Punches

Be patient, and don’t be afraid to get creative when making your dreams come true. In a small town with a high demand for wedding vendors, you need to roll with the punches and remember that it’s going to be the best day ever, even if you have to change things up a bit. Lean on friends and family to help make things possible. Above all, don’t get caught up in comparing your vision to other Teton weddings—the most beautiful wedding is the one that reflects you and your spouse uniquely.

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THE DETAILS

Wedding Date: September 10, 2022

Ceremony and Reception Location: Willow Bend Ranch Officiant: Bradley Yates Photographer: Above the Wildflowers Hair and Makeup: Shara Buday at Champú (hair), and Ashley Drew Artistry (makeup) Florist: Briar Rose Music: Cole Mogan Audio Rental Equipment: Joe Rudd Guitarist: Lissa Hunter Caterer: Streetfood Dessert Chef: Paisley Cakes Rental Service: Canvas Unlimited Bartenders: Bar Sip Bar Other Specialty Vendors: Rah!Rah Creative (décor inspiration)

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