Tethered by Trails
Tethered by Trails
Josephine & Matthew
In the Wild Heart of the Teton Backcountry …
I met Matt one night during a heavy snowfall in Driggs, Idaho, and from that moment, our story became inseparable from the mountains. I walked into the Royal Wolf bar after a day of backcountry skiing and saw Matt sitting on a barstool with the same post-powder glow. I immediately fell for him. Somehow, I knew his wild energy was the perfect match for mine. I took the barstool next to him and started a conversation, talking about how I wanted to get into snowmobiling. His offer to teach me was the beginning of our friendship. Snowmobiling together led to mountain biking together and then to falling in love.
We built our relationship deep in the backcountry, fueled by the exhilarating energy that drew us back out, day after day: snowmobiling, elk hunting, mountain biking, and fly fishing, often combining sports into a wild, wonderful blur.
Matt proposed on a remote stretch of water in Yellowstone National Park. After hours of hiking under a scorching July sun, we stripped off our sweat-damp clothes and plunged into the river. The water hit my skin — shockingly cold and electric — washing away the heat. As I waded through the rocky river bottom, Matt knelt. Before he could finish the question, the sheer, sudden joy of it spilled out of me, as I yelled, “Yes!”
We spent the next hour side-by-side, catching beautiful trout. In that moment, wet and wildly happy, I started dreaming of a wedding rooted just as deeply in Teton adventure.
Meadow of Vows …
To us, there is nothing more beautiful than the uncompromising artistry of nature. July’s peak wildflower bloom became our guiding inspiration. We used the colors of the meadows that surrounded us for our wedding palette. Matt wore the light blue of a summer sky; I was a white, buoyant cloud; my bridesmaids mirrored the rusty orange of Indian paintbrush, and our mothers embodied the delicate purples of lupine and larkspur. This was more than a color scheme; it was a way of bringing the whole landscape into our ceremony. Our florist, the brilliant Sarah Cool, wove these elements together in stunning textural bouquets that smelled exactly like the high mountain air.
Community Commitment …
When the time came for the ceremony, I heard the string quartet through the window of the bridal suite. I peeked out and saw the crowd gathered, and I remember thinking, I can’t believe this is really happening. Throughout all my years of pushing the limits in extreme sports, I have never experienced a rush that compares to those seconds before walking down the aisle. It was the culmination of a year of planning, and the thrill of a life built right here, with the right person. This profound feeling set the tone for the day.
Having both moved to Teton Valley, Idaho, from states 14 hours away (Matt from Fargo, North Dakota, and me from Marin County, California), we have no local family. Instead, we’ve been gifted a strong local community — a truer second family than we could have ever imagined. Our friends are the type of people who show up with soup when you’re sick and share those epic, sun-soaked days on the trails. We envisioned our wedding as a type of “thank you” to this support network — a collective celebration, much like the community events of generations past.
The day before our wedding was a whirl of collective effort, from the groomsmen assembling the sturdy antler arch to friends baking and delivering a beautiful cake. The entire event was a testament to our community’s love.
Freedom of Celebration …
We designed an unusual two-part schedule at Grand Targhee Resort. The day began with a formal morning ceremony and a seated lunch for our family, soundtracked by the Snake River String Quartet. Following a few large group photos, our family was then released for a generous five-hour break — the perfect window to change out of formal wear, hike through the vibrant wildflowers, or cool down by the pool.
This schedule gave us the freedom we deeply desired. I was able to see my husband at 11 a.m. instead of waiting anxiously all afternoon, and we had flexible hours for photography without inconveniencing our guests. Our incredible photographer, Jess Luce, captured us riding the chairlift to the resort’s summit for breathtaking shots with the peaks of the Tetons emerging from a dramatic cloudy sky. Friends met us with our bikes at the top, and then we shared a quick first downhill mountain biking lap together on our favorite trails.
The evening was dedicated entirely to our community. Friends, invited for the 7 p.m. party, arrived fresh from their own Saturday adventures to join our families for a lively celebration with cake, appetizers, and beer. The vibe shifted — the formal shoes came off, and we danced until 1 a.m. to the kickass OutWest country band.
Looking back, the most perfect image of our wedding day isn’t the dance floor or the formal photos; it’s the moment we shared that first lap together on our mountain bikes. It was a perfect, grounding metaphor: two partners, side-by-side, riding the challenging terrain and readying ourselves for the long trail ahead, supported by the mountains and the incredible community we’ve found here.
Advice For Couples
Pick a few wedding details to care a lot about, and then delegate as much as possible. The music was my top priority. I wanted the romantic ambience of a string quartet, and our guests loved their classical covers of modern hits. I’d always imagined our guests dancing to a live country band, and we took months of dance lessons to learn the country swing dance. We also prioritized an open invite list; our community is everything, and we wanted to invite everyone, without the hassle of RSVPs!
THE DETAILS
Wedding Date: July 5, 2025
Ceremony Location: Grand Targhee Resort Reception Location: Trap Bar at Grand Targhee Resort
Officiant: Nick Howe (bride’s cousin) Photographer: Jess Luce Hair & Makeup: Holly DuHamel & Sarah Cool (both bridesmaids) Music: Snake River String Quartet (ceremony), OutWest Country Band (reception)
Caterer: Grand Targhee Resort Dessert: Ashlyn French (friend)
