The Plannerd Wedding Reveal: Inside Sarah & Trevor's Big Day!
Wildflowers, Clydesdales, a bridal fashion plot twist, and a celebration unlike any other. Plannerd's Head of Marketing is finally spilling all the details of her Montana wedding.
If you've been following Sarah and Trevor's love story, you know there's been one thing Sarah has been particularly good at keeping under wraps: the wedding details!
And for someone who spends her days sharing wedding inspiration, celebrating talented vendors, and helping couples navigate the planning process as Plannerd's Head of Marketing, keeping a secret this big was no small feat.
But the wait is officially over!
Set against the breathtaking Montana landscape at Clydesdale Outpost in Whitefish, Sarah and Trevor's celebration was anything but traditional. Picture a wildflower-filled fairy tale, a herd of horses making a surprise appearance during the ceremony, an explosion of color beneath a sailcloth tent, and enough handmade details to keep guests discovering surprises long after the celebration ended.
Behind it all was an extraordinary team of wedding professionals who took an ambitious, wildly creative vision and made it a reality.
We sat down with Sarah to finally get the full story: the secrets, the fashion emergencies, the unforgettable moments, and the vendors who made it all possible.
The Big Reveal: A Wildflower Fairy Tale in Montana
Plannerd: You've been notoriously tight-lipped about your wedding! Why all the secrecy?
Sarah: Honestly, I just wanted to spoil our guests! And to do that, I needed things to be a surprise.
I was working on so many things behind the scenes for MONTHS, and I really wanted the wedding itself to be the grand reveal.
We also did a lot of nontraditional things, like having our ceremony in the middle of cocktail hour surrounded by horses. Let's just say not everyone in our family immediately understood the vision, and I wasn't particularly interested in outside opinions after that, lol!
I wanted the entire experience to feel exclusively us. And boy, oh boy, did it.
Plannerd: Why Montana? And how did you land on Clydesdale Outpost?
Sarah: Montana summers are such an important part of my childhood, and horses were one of the first things Trevor and I bonded over early in our relationship.
So when we found Clydesdale Outpost in Whitefish, it just made sense. We genuinely couldn't have picked a better setting.
My original vision was to build a wildflower fairy tale in the middle of a field. That was the dream from day one.
Did I think about the logistics of making that happen? Absolutely not. Did we execute it anyway? You bet.
Plannerd: What was the one detail you couldn't wait for everyone to see?
Sarah: Our seating chart!
Trevor and I spent months collecting real horseshoes from my horses and turning them into custom keepsakes for our guests.
We soaked every single one, wire-brushed them, primed them, painted them, sealed them, added straps, and personalized them for each couple.
It was SO much work, but I wanted something that felt unique to our wedding and doubled as a little piece of Montana guests could take home.
And it was completely worth it.
People are still sending us pictures of where they've hung theirs! My cousin even put theirs in their new baby's nursery, which I thought was the sweetest thing.
The Fashion Files: A Couture Plot Twist
Plannerd: Okay, we HAVE to talk about the dress. Give us the full story.
Sarah: Buckle up for this one.
My gorgeous Kim Kassas couture gown... didn't get finished in time.
And I found out ONE MONTH before the wedding.
As someone who majored in fashion design and worked in designer apparel for years, you can imagine how much thought I had put into my bridal fashion.
So, naturally, we pivoted. Hard.
We had my mother's wedding gown from 1990 overnighted to me and immediately started alterations. It was finished the day before we left town!
I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason, because now I genuinely cannot imagine wearing anything else.
The dress was absolutely perfect for our setting, and the sentimental value made it even more special.
Plannerd: And you didn't exactly play by the traditional bridal fashion rules, did you?
Sarah: Not even a little!
For our welcome party, I went completely rogue. I wore a fully sequined Nadine Merabi mini dress, paired it with snakeskin boots, and topped it off with a custom Kemo Sabe hat Trevor and I had made together during a winter trip to Montana.
No white in sight, and I LOVED it.
On the wedding day, I wore my Stetson Sarah boots, which felt pretty serendipitous considering my name is Sarah. They were so comfortable that I never took them off!
I also changed into another Nadine Merabi dress later in the evening, mainly because it was HOT and I was dying in long sleeves.
Even my hair plans changed at the last minute. I'd spent months planning an elaborate half-up, half-down style with extensions, but that morning I decided I didn't want all that hair in the heat.
We went with an updo, with absolutely no game plan, and it ended up being one of my favorite decisions.
Plannerd: Trevor had some pretty incredible fashion details of his own. Tell us about those!
Sarah: Trevor's tux was custom-made by Anatoly & Sons in Oakland, and we got to choose all the fabrics.
We picked this amazing material that revealed flowers on his jacket when he turned, which was such a cool nod to our wedding design.
And here's another little secret: we actually did our legal paperwork in Vegas the November before the wedding. So yes, technically, we eloped!
We had the lining of Trevor's jacket made with a fun Vegas-print fabric as a nod to that day.
But my favorite sentimental fashion detail was my earrings.
My grandmother has passed down these beautiful vintage pearl Dior earrings for her daughters and granddaughters to wear on their wedding days.
Getting to wear them was incredibly special. And realizing I was wearing them with the exact same dress my mom wore on her wedding day? That was pretty surreal.
The Design Diaries: More Is More
Plannerd: Your wedding design was anything but minimal. What was the inspiration?
Sarah: My motto was basically, "More is more."
I wanted it to be over the top. Mixed prints, bold colors, flowers EVERYWHERE. I wanted it to feel like this colorful, whimsical wildflower fairy tale.
As a wedding photographer, I've photographed hundreds of weddings, and I see so many beautiful celebrations that stick to one or two colors.
I knew I wanted ours to feel different.
I love color, so we just let it run wild.
And my vendors absolutely understood the assignment.
Plannerd: There were so many custom details. How much did you actually make yourselves?
Sarah: Honestly? Too much to count. No, literally.
I handmade our menus, table cards, postcards, playing cards, napkins, programs, and matchboxes, along with the horseshoe seating chart.
We also worked with The Valley Girls to bring some of our bigger ideas to life, including a phone booth where guests could leave us messages and a postcard station where people could write notes and mail them off.
We even brought my family's saddles and displayed them with flowers all over them.
And Trevor and I hand-pressed 100 trucker hats with patches and hat chains so everyone could have one on the dance floor.
There were SO many hours spent on the little details.
Would I do it all again? Absolutely.
Plannerd: Let's talk about the florals, because they were a moment.
Sarah: Alpine Design absolutely knocked it out of the park.
I basically told her to go funky and have fun with it.
She brought in flowers from Hawaii and Alaska, and what makes that so special is that she didn't even realize how perfectly they told our story.
Trevor used to live in Hawaii, and peonies are my favorite flower. They're also the flowers he used to bring me when we were dating.
So having those elements come together in our wedding flowers was such a beautiful coincidence.
Everything was colorful, unexpected, and completely us.
If I could put one detail from our wedding on the cover of a magazine, it would be the flowers.
The Ceremony: Cocktail Hour, Clydesdales, and a Few Happy Tears
Plannerd: You did something pretty unconventional with your ceremony timeline. How did that work?
Sarah: I didn't want our guests to feel like they were attending a typical eight-hour wedding with a predictable timeline.
I wanted them to be surprised constantly.
So when guests got off the buses, we went straight into cocktail hour.
And Trevor and I were just... there! Mingling with everyone before the ceremony.
I think that threw people off immediately.
Then, in the middle of cocktail hour, we had our ceremony at the horse barn.
My dream was that maybe one or two horses would wander over from the pasture and entertain our guests.
Well, they DELIVERED.
Pretty much the entire herd came over, including the babies! Everyone flocked to the fence to pet them.
Trevor and I had also chosen our two favorite horses to stand with us while we said our vows.
It was so incredibly special.
Plannerd: What was the most emotional moment of the day?
Sarah: Definitely the ceremony.
Our officiant was my childhood best friend of 20 years, and she absolutely KILLED IT.
She wouldn't let us hear the ceremony beforehand, which I'm so glad about because we got to experience everything for the first time alongside our guests.
There wasn't a dry eye in the place.
And even though Trevor and I had technically already eloped, seeing each other on our wedding day brought all the emotions right back.
We both cried like babies.
The Vendor Dream Team: The People Behind the Magic
Plannerd: As someone who works in the wedding industry, how did you choose your vendors?
Sarah: I was looking for execution.
My personal style is very much "get it done, and do it well," and that's exactly what I wanted from the people bringing our wedding to life.
The very first must-have was a wedding planner.
We hired Chelsea Romero of Flawless Events By Chels almost immediately, and Chelsea was genuinely my saving grace.
When I tell you that the logistics of throwing a luxury wedding in the middle of a field are insane, BELIEVE ME.
She handled so much for us and gave me the freedom to actually enjoy being a bride.
I couldn't have done it without her.
Plannerd: Was there a moment when you realized the design had all come together?
Sarah: Walking into our reception tent.
We had this beautiful sailcloth tent set up in the fields across from the horses, and even though I had personally picked out every detail, I genuinely couldn't picture how it was all going to look together.
Chelsea made my dreams come true.
When I walked in, I SOBBED.
So did Trevor.
It was more gorgeous than I ever could have imagined.
Plannerd: Which creative partners really took your ideas to the next level?
Sarah: THE VALLEY GIRLS!
I cannot say enough good things about them.
Anything I dreamed up, they ran with.
They were building phone booths, gallery walls, seating chart walls, postcard stations, custom decals... literally everything.
I even made a last-minute request to have lattice inlaid on the bar to match the custom fabric we'd used behind it.
And they just made it happen.
They took my ideas and elevated them in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Plannerd: Was there a vendor you knew you had to have from the beginning?
Sarah: Keep Candid, our content creator!
I knew I wanted her just from scrolling through her work.
She was so good at adapting to different events and capturing the actual story unfolding.
I didn't want a one-minute highlight video that felt like it was missing all the emotion. I wanted the candid, funny, behind-the-scenes moments that would bring us right back to the day.
And she delivered tenfold.
Plannerd: What did your vendors do behind the scenes that made the biggest difference?
Sarah: Chelsea and her team were so incredibly attentive to Trevor and me.
My drink was always full. They made sure we had water and food. They drove me anywhere I needed to go.
I genuinely felt like a princess.
And that's something I think couples don't always realize about having an incredible vendor team.
When you have people you trust taking care of everything, you get to actually experience your wedding.
In all 400-plus weddings I've attended, I've never met vendors I love more.
Their attention to detail was beyond anything I could have imagined, and they're the reason we had the best day of our lives.
The Wedding Day, Unfiltered
Plannerd: What was the wedding morning actually like?
Sarah: Honestly, I was way more relaxed than I expected!
The girls all got ready in my cabin, and the horses on the property actually came right up to our deck. It felt magical.
Meanwhile, the boys were running down to the river in their boxers and jumping in.
It was the perfect Montana morning.
The only time my photographer brain really kicked in was during family photos. I immediately went into get-it-done mode and started calling out groups.
I couldn't help myself!
Plannerd: We heard your sunset portraits got a little wild?
Sarah: Oh my gosh, they were SO much fun.
We went down to the river to take photos with the horses, and Trevor ended up riding bareback on the biggest horse they have.
Meanwhile, I was being chased by the babies, who were nibbling on my dress.
It was chaotic in the absolute best way.
And the photos? Some of my favorites from the entire day.
I'd sacrifice the dress any day of the week for those shots!
Plannerd: Your own Sarah Peterson Photo Team photographed the wedding, and you edited the gallery yourself! What was it like being on the other side of the camera?
Sarah: It was honestly so exciting! I'm so comfortable with them.
Having my own team photograph our wedding was really special, and getting to edit the images myself meant I got to relive the whole day all over again.
But I definitely had to switch back into work mode pretty quickly, LOL.
I had so many requests coming in from friends and family wanting to see certain photos the next day, and I had to remind myself, "Alright, time to be the photographer."
I needed to approach our wedding gallery the same way I would any of my clients' weddings. Same editing process, same attention to detail, same standards, same turn around timeline.
It's funny because even when you're the bride, the photographer in you doesn't just disappear!
The Party: Espresso Martinis, Trucker Hats, and an Unexpected Hora
Plannerd: You clearly wanted your guests to have an experience, not just attend a wedding. What were some of your favorite surprises?
Sarah: The food and drinks were a HUGE part of it.
Kopper Kitchen went above and beyond. It was genuinely the best food I've ever had at a wedding, and considering how many weddings I've attended, that's saying something!
Our bartending team at Treasure State Hospitality was also incredible.
I had this crazy idea for a "Pony Espresso" bar, where we'd pass out espresso martinis on the dance floor.
That was a BLAST.
We also had a build-your-own mule cocktail experience, where guests could customize their drinks.
And the gorgeous glassware from The Top Rentals made everything feel that much more special.
Between the food, drinks, music, and all the little surprises throughout the evening, I really wanted guests to feel like they were part of something different.
Plannerd: Tell us about the first dance. We heard Grandma made an appearance!
Sarah: Yes!
My grandma actually taught us the line dance we incorporated into our first dance.
So we thought, what better way to open the dance floor than to bring her out at the end and have her do it with us?
It was a complete surprise, and everyone loved it.
That was one of my favorite moments.
Plannerd: Okay, what was the most unexpected party moment of the night?
Sarah: The Hora. Hands down.
We're not Jewish, LOL.
But we'd all been enjoying the espresso martinis, and my best friend, who is Jewish, suddenly decided we needed to do the Hora.
She was like, "Grab the chairs, I'm requesting the Hora!"
And everyone just went with it.
It was hilarious and SO much fun.
Honestly, that pretty much sums up the entire wedding. Nothing too serious, everyone having the best time, and a whole lot of unexpected moments.
Plannerd: After all those months of planning, what meant the most when you finally got to celebrate with everyone?
Sarah: Honestly, anytime someone noticed the little details we'd worked so hard on.
About a month after the wedding, one of our friends came up to me and said that while going through our wedding photos, they'd noticed so many more things we'd made.
That meant so much to me!
We put so much time and love into everything, and knowing people appreciated those details made it even more special.
But if I could relive one moment, it would probably be dinner.
Just sitting there, newly married, looking around at all our most important people laughing and having the best time.
That was everything.
From Plannerd to the Altar: A Full-Circle Moment
Plannerd: You've spent years helping tell other couples' wedding stories. What was it like finally being the bride?
Sarah: Overwhelming, surreal, and honestly, such a learning experience.
As a wedding photographer and Plannerd's Head of Marketing, I've spent so much time on the professional side of weddings.
But being the bride gave me a completely different perspective.
I got to experience the excitement, the stress, the decision-making, and all those little planning moments that my clients go through.
If anything, I think the experience has made me better at both of my jobs.
Plannerd: Did your industry experience make planning your own wedding easier?
Sarah: Totally!
I felt really prepared from the beginning. I knew which vendors I wanted to prioritize, who to hire first, and how to get the ball rolling.
Honestly, the majority of my wedding planning stress was self-induced from all my DIY projects!
The actual planning process was a breeze.
And I have to give Plannerd a little love here, because I genuinely scream this from the rooftops: the budgeting tools are incredible.
Being able to enter our total budget and have Plannerd break everything down for us saved me SO much time.
When you're planning a wedding with this many moving pieces, having that kind of organization makes such a difference.
Plannerd: What's the biggest lesson you're taking away from this experience?
Sarah: If your wedding day feels perfect, it's because of the people working behind the scenes. Period.
A strong vendor team is crucial to having a successful, carefree wedding.
And now that I've experienced wedding planning from both sides, I'm even more passionate about finding the pain points couples face and figuring out how to make the process easier.
That's what I want to keep bringing to Plannerd.
Better resources, better ideas, and real solutions that help couples enjoy the experience instead of feeling overwhelmed by it.
A Love Letter to the People Who Made It Happen
For Sarah and Trevor, the magic of their Montana wedding wasn't just in the beautiful setting, the colorful flowers, or the unexpected appearance of an entire herd of Clydesdales.
It was in the people.
The family members who shared meaningful traditions. The friends who brought the dance floor to life. The guests who noticed every handmade detail. And the talented wedding professionals who turned a wildly ambitious vision into an unforgettable celebration.
From Chelsea Romero and her team at Flawless Events By Chels managing the logistics of an elaborate celebration in the middle of a Montana field, to The Valley Girls bringing custom installations to life, to Alpine Design filling the entire experience with wildly beautiful flowers, every creative partner contributed something special.
The celebration came together through the work of an entire vendor community: the rentals, linens, stationery, florals, catering, bar service, desserts, entertainment, photography, content creation, and countless behind-the-scenes details.
And that's what makes a wedding like this possible.
When asked what moment she'd most like to relive, Sarah's answer wasn't a grand entrance or a perfectly styled detail.
It was dinner.
Getting to sit there, newly married, and look around at all their most important people laughing and having the best time.
After months of planning, hundreds of handmade details, and more than a few unexpected plot twists, that was the moment that mattered most.
And if there's one thing this wedding proves, it's that the most memorable celebrations aren't necessarily the ones that follow every tradition.
They're the ones that feel unmistakably like the people getting married.
For Sarah and Trevor, that meant wildflowers, horses, family heirlooms, espresso martinis, and a whole lot of color.
Fun. Creative. Unconventional in the best way.
Exactly as they'd imagined.
The Dream Team Behind Sarah & Trevor's Montana Wedding
Behind every unforgettable wedding is an incredible team of creative professionals, and Sarah and Trevor's celebration was no exception.
From the wildflower-filled reception and one-of-a-kind installations to the incredible food, entertainment, and thoughtful details woven throughout the day, each vendor played an essential role in bringing their vision to life.
As Sarah shared throughout her interview, this wedding wouldn't have been possible without the dedication, creativity, and talent of the professionals working behind the scenes.
Meet the talented team who made it all happen!
Planning & Venue
Venue: Clydesdale Outpost — @clydesdale_outpost
Wedding Planner: Flawless Events By Chels | Chelsea Romero — @flawlesseventsbychels
Photography, Film & Entertainment
Photography: Sarah Peterson Photo Team — @sarahpetersonphoto
Videography & Content Creation: Keep Candid — @keepcandid
DJ & Live Entertainment: RMF Entertainment — @rmf_entertainment | @kadinbeller
Photo Booth: ZooTown Photobooth — @zootownbooth
Florals, Design & Rentals
Floral Design: Alpine Design — @alpinedesignsweddings
Custom Rentals & Installations: The Valley Girls — @thevalleygirls.rentals
Tabletop Rentals & Barware: The Top Rentals — @thetoprentalcollection
Linens: BBJ La Tavola — @bbjlatavola
Tent & Large-Scale Rentals: Barn Door Event Rentals — @barndooreventrentals
Additional Event Rentals: The Party Store Kalispell — @thepartystoremt
Invitations: Lichen & Pines — @lichenandpines.letterpress
Food, Drinks & Desserts
Catering: The Kopper Kitchen — @thekopperkitchen
Bar Service: Treasure State Hospitality — @treasure_statehospitality
Wedding Desserts: Bakes & Cakes by Brie — @bakesandcakesbybrie
Gelato: Dave's Gelato — @davesgelato
Bridal Fashion & Beauty
Wedding Gown: Vintage 1990 bridal gown, originally worn by Sarah's mother
Welcome Party & Reception Dresses: Nadine Merabi
Bridal Boots: Stetson, Idyllwind & Ariat
Custom Western Hats: Kemo Sabe, Whitefish — @kemosabe
Bridal Makeup: Joy, Elegance by Joy Renee — @elegancebyjoyrenee
Groom's Custom Tuxedo: Anatoly & Sons
Bridal Jewelry: Vintage Dior pearl earrings, a family heirloom
A special thank-you to every talented professional who helped bring Sarah and Trevor's wedding vision to life. Your creativity, attention to detail, and dedication made this celebration truly unforgettable. We're so proud to spotlight the incredible people behind such a special day!
— The Plannerd Team
Your Wedding, Your Way — With Plannerd
Every unforgettable wedding starts with a vision, but bringing that vision to life takes thoughtful planning, the right creative partners, and the freedom to make the celebration your own.
Whether you're dreaming of a colorful Montana wedding surrounded by horses or an intimate celebration closer to home, Plannerd is here to help you organize the details, manage your budget, and make room for the moments that matter most.
Because your wedding should feel like you, not a checklist of traditions.
Explore Plannerd's wedding planning tools and start bringing your own unforgettable celebration to life.