Photo of the wedding on bottom of Turner Mountain. The bride, Sierra is in white and her bridesmaids are in blue. Photo courtesy of Jamie.
By Tracy McNew
If getting married on a ski hill and having it all to yourself is your dream, then Libby, Montana offers just what you need.
During the week of Feb. 18, a group of over 200 people showed up in Libby to witness the marriage of Sierra Simpson and Nate Madsen.
The happy couple are from Petrolia, California and had over a 900 mile journey to Libby. The wedding party consisted of people from Alaska to Washington D.C., and over 100 people from their rural community of Petrolia came as well, according to the bride, Sierra.
They stayed at two local hotels, the Venture Inn and the Country Inn, and on Thursday, 75 or so members of the wedding party enjoyed karaoke night. They ate at many local restaurants; a band from Petrolia even preformed at Cabinet Mountain Brewery.
The couple was married at the bottom of Turner Mountain then rode the lift up so that wedding party and attendees could make their way down the mountain.
The couple rented Turner Mountain out for a total of three days. Around 150 people from the wedding party skied on the mountain.
Members of the wedding party that didn’t want to take part spent their time in the lodge playing games and singing.
Bride, Sierra Simpson said, “Turner Mountain is so beautiful, and the weather was perfect. The people at Turner Mountain were so incredibly supportive.”
They had their reception at the Memorial Center. One of their local bands from Petrolia preformed music, they had a fun photo booth, a good dinner, and even a group skit was preformed.
According to one attendee named Jamie, “We had such an amazing time. So much hospitality from the locals. Even though Sierra, the bride, had repeatedly told every business that she encountered though the wedding process that we were coming, no one got it until we showed up. We are a tight knit community and we showed up in your tight knit community. You all hosted us with respect and good nature. It was amazing and something we will never forget. Thank you so much to the people of Libby!”
By Friday the wedding party made there long journeys home. Some drove, some took the train, some flew, and some took a tour bus home that they arrived on.
The newly married couple decided to take a tour of Montana before they returned home safe and sound almost a week afterwards.
Members of the wedding party enjoyed their stay so much, they plan to rent Turner Mountain again in the future.