This Canadian country wedding with a Western saloon & buffalo skulls is epic

“Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam…” We can’t help but hum country classics (hey, I’m always and forever a PNW horsey girl) while gushing over this Canadian farm wedding featuring Western-style & and epic countryside views.

Alberta, Canada is without a doubt cowboy (& girl!) country so it’s no surprise that Amy always planned to marry at the farm she grew up around. Celebrating the great buffalo herds of the West – which were also present for their Wyoming engagement – the couple incorporated oodles of personal details by way of buffalo skulls, both as decor & as a guestbook.

The proper country flair was seen also through the old-timey saloon equipped with whiskey and beer – so perfect for their first look photos with photographer Janine Deanna – and the homestyle cinnamon roll dessert bar.

Another new idea Amy has so graciously inspired us by is the floral belts she requested from her incredibly talented florists. Each bridesmaid had a freshly crafted belt of greenery that we expect to soon be all-the-rage.

The Proposal

We were on a big road trip up to Montana from California for a friend’s wedding. On our way home we stopped in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a few days.

While there we took the Harley out for a ride through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. Amy wanted to stop and take pictures of an old historic barn on the way back to town, unfortunately, so did a huge tour bus full of people! Zach urged Amy to follow him behind the barn (and out of sight of all the tourists) where he got down on one knee! It was the most beautiful sight with the Grand Teton mountains in the background and a herd of wild buffalo in the distance.

The Dress & Attire

Amy fell in love with this Rue de Seine gown before she had even tried it on. It was just totally her style. When she slipped it on for the first time it fit like a glove and hardly needed any alterations. The sleeves were just so playful and pretty.

The groom kept it pretty simple with dark wash jeans, a white button down long sleeve shirt and opted for a vest as it was a late August summer wedding.

The bridesmaids wore a taupe gown with a floral belt as opposed to carrying a bouquet and it came together so beautifully. The groomsmen wore the same dark wash jeans as the groom and paired it with a plaid button down shirt, belt and boots.

The Venue & Vibes

Amy grew up spending most of her childhood days at The Saskatoon Farm where her mother still currently works. It was the place she always knew she would get married, and she couldn’t wait to show Zach around the farm.

Our vision was to keep it as outdoorsy and untouched as possible. We wanted neutral colors and simple touches throughout, most of which we already had – like the buffalo skulls.

The Florals

Fall For Florals did an AMAZING job, I could hardly wait to see what they were going to come up with for the big day and I was blown away. I wanted to keep it simple, just lots of greenery with some white roses. I challenged them a little bit with the flower belt idea for the bridesmaids and they nailed it! The men’s boutonnieres were simple yet unique with a just touch of wheat. We ran simple, yet pretty greenery along our tables for the reception. Fall For Florals also made beautiful floral pieces for each of our buffalo skulls.

My mother passed down a beautiful pearl necklace from my grandmother that I wrapped around the stem of my bouquet.

Favorite Moments

One of our favorite parts of the day was our first look. We chose to write out personal vows and exchange them at our first look where we could have the moment to ourselves-uninterrupted, without being rushed or whisked away. We had so much fun taking pictures with our (huge!) bridal party before the ceremony which helped ease the ceremony nervousness away!

DIY Details

We added a lot of personal details and DIY projects to our big day. For example, the bar menus were hand written out by the bride onto old antique jugs that the bride’s mother had found years ago. They are now displayed as decoration in both houses.

The buffalo skulls were all from the pre-existing herd of buffalo that used to roam the farm, some of which the bride’s family used to own. Along with the beautiful herd that was present during our engagement we wanted to make the buffalo apart of our big day in some way. We used decorated skulls throughout the venue for our big day, as well as one for our guest book in which guests signed or “branded” with a sharpie. That skull has been hung up in our house now, with the dried florals still on the horns.

We had custom matchbooks that said, “The Perfect Match” made up four our guests. Amy’s parents had done the same at their wedding and it makes her smile as she still sometimes comes across an old matchbook from their big day back in 1988.

The Desserts

We opted out of a wedding cake. Instead, we chose to do a cinnamon bun bar and it was a hit! The pastry chef at The Saskatoon Farm made his special cinnamon buns (Zach’s all-time favorite) for us, frosted and un-frosted were offered, along with nuts, white chocolate chips and maple syrup for additional toppings.

Advice to Other Couples

Don’t get too overwhelmed or go “Pinteresting” crazy! Remember that this day is about you two as a couple, stay true to your personal style and keep it simple! At the end of the day, your family and friends are going to remember the good times, good food and dance moves, not the cutlery you spent three hours selecting.