My Favorite Montana Wedding Venue - Hardscrabble Ranch - Bozeman, MT

September 23, 2023

Earlier this Fall, I had the opportunity to photograph Callin and Juel Bos's wedding ceremony and reception at Hardscrabble Ranch, just outside of Bozeman in the Bridger Mountains. Trees change color more quickly in the mountains and after turning onto lonely Brackett Creek Road I was soon surrounded by nothing but mountains, yellow leaves, and gorgeous views. For a full 30 minutes I drove and passed only three other cars. At the end of this 30 minute drive I pulled into the driveway of Hardscrabble ranch, immediately I could tell that the views from Hardscrabble were nothing short of jaw-dropping.

As a photographer, I really appreciated that Hardscrabble ranch kept everything exceptionally clean and offered plenty of space to their guests. Juel and her bridesmaids had a giant living room, kitchen and several bedrooms to get ready in. For photography purposes, this is a dream come true, it allowed me to capture the girls getting ready from multiple angles, with multiple light sources, and allowed me to move any distracting objects into different rooms. The space allowed everyone to feel at home and relaxed. The groomsmen also had a living room, kitchen and bedrooms at their disposal.

With Fall weddings, the sun sets earlier than in the Summer, so by Callin and Juel's 6:00 ceremony, the sun was low enough to cast a golden glow over the entire valley. Hardscrabble wisely chose their ceremony location in a field with spectacular views of Ross Peak. By the time the ceremony and family photos were over, golden hour was in all of it's glory, so we went off in a field to take some of my favorite photos of this entire year.

What I really loved most about the Bos's wedding was how they incorporated their love of Jesus into their wedding. From their private vows to their ceremony, it was evident that they are building their marriage on Jesus.

Article by: Jessie Haidle / Wander + Winsome / Montana Wedding Photographer