After our cocktail hour it was time to head to the tent for dinner: a Polebridge-catered buffet of baked ruby trout, buffalo tri-tip, grilled veggies, herbed potatoes, fresh-baked bread, garlic noodles, and organic salad greens. YEEEE-HAW!!

Our guests were getting restless, hungry, and probably a bit drunk off the “purple stuff,” so our coordinators led them back to the tent when the buffet was ready. But we were so engrossed in taking photos that we didn’t notice our allotted hour had passed! Everyone had been helping themselves to the buffet for more than a few minutes when one of the team though to come get us. Oops!

We took a few more pics, and might have been tempted to use up the last of the waning light, when it started to rain. The timing was perfect. The rain forced us into the tent and the tent walls were closed behind us, just as it started to ABSOLUTELY POUR.

Fortunately, we had warm food and heaters in place, so no-one’s spirits were dampened in spite of the downpour…

Our tent was much smaller than the original rental we had planned on using, but as our guest list and budget shrank, we decided to downsize. The end result was a perfect fit, but a bit too cramped for a social walkabout (especially in an unbustled wedding dress). Honestly, I was a bit relieved because it meant Justin and I could actually eat dinner and allow guests to come socialize with us, rather than vice versa.

(I’m not sure what was happening when this picture was taken, but I think Justin is doing “Blue Steel” and I am trying my hardest to smile big without letting on that I have food crammed into my mouth.)

Justin gave a short speech welcoming our guests and thanking them for their presence, and everyone who hadn’t already started eating got down to the chowing. And the glass dinging…

You know, I had completely forgotten about this tradition and I was really surprised when people started chiming their glasses for us to kiss. Not that either of us were complaining. I think the laughing and smooching helped us relax a lot, if just for a few minutes…

I had changed out of my veil and into my floral headpiece (a random last-minute purchase at La Belle Elaine’s Bridal) but hadn’t yet put on my necklace.

As we enjoyed dinner, the guests mingled and the Polebridge dogs said some very well-mannered hellos while looking for handouts. This guy’s name is “Mud Puppy”…

And that rain I told you about? It fell steadily for about an hour and a half. Justin was stressing that we’d hired a band for nothing because we’d chosen to use the uncovered dancing area. Our guests ran back and forth from the restrooms (the closest was an outhouse) to the tent, and we narrowly avoided being hit by water draining off the roof of the tent onto our sweetheart table. I tried to take it in good humor that at least we were all warm and safe inside our tent and we’d made it through most of the evening unscathed, even if dancing was out.

But! As soon as we were done with dinner… the rain stopped. And not just a little; the sun came out, and there was a rainbow, just as we were set to cut the cake!

We were able to open all the tent walls to make a beautiful backdrop as we cut the tasty huckleberry-infused, buttercream-frosted cake and huckleberry/cherry tartlets that the Polebridge bakery had made for us. Mmmm, those desserts were good!

So, whaddayaknow, we were able to get on the dance floor after all. I’ll get to that posthaste in the next recap, but first, a shoutout to the girls at Katalin Green Design without whose help and patience our day would not have been possible…

Thanks, ladies, for being fabulous coordinators and letting this headstrong, detail-obsessed blogger boss you around without complaining! You rule!

Next up: Good Wood rocks the house with some serious Montana bluegrass

Filed under: Cake, Food & Drink, Photos, Recap, Weather on November 25th, 2008