Love Stories
Ashley+ Tyler
Like all great modern-day love stories, ours started on a dating app… and with me turning Tyler down.
Tyler, being the confident guy that he is, decided to shoot his shot and ask me to go to a concert with him. Me, being me, I politely declined. Luckily for both of us, Tyler apparently doesn’t scare easily and he definitely doesn’t give up that easily. So we kept talking; for weeks, actually. Eventually, I decided Tyler had earned himself an in-person date and finally agreed to let him take me to dinner.
And then we talked. And talked. And talked some more. And if you know either of us, absolutely none of this should surprise you. But, during that date everything just clicked. It felt safe, comfortable, and right.
Over the next year, Tyler and I became best friends before anything else. Tyler didn't simply just fall in love with me; he opened his heart completely to the two most important people in my world, Chase and Ryley. He and his family stepped in, stepped up, and filled spaces in our lives we didn't even realize were waiting to be filled. There was no obligation and no hesitation. Just pure hearts, genuine intentions, and a whole lot of love. Somewhere along the way, "me and my kids" became “us” and “our family”.
And the rest really is history.
Tyler has become my best friend, safe place, partner, and person.
Red Lodge has always held a special place in our hearts. We go there to celebrate at times and slow down during the others, explore, and recharge together. Last November, on our way to spend Thanksgiving with Tyler’s parents in WY, Tyler suggested we spend a night in Red Lodge first.
We spent the day wandering around town and driving through the mountains, just like we’d done so many times before. When Tyler parked the truck and asked if I wanted to walk down by the creek, I didn’t think anything of it. Then he suddenly said, “What is that?!”
Naturally, I assumed he’d spotted a bear, a moose, or something equally terrifying. I yelled, “I can run faster than you!” and took off toward the truck. Meanwhile, Tyler was just trying to distract me long enough to get down on one knee. Romantic, right?
Once I realized we weren’t being chased by wildlife, I made my way back—and Tyler proposed. We laughed, we cried, and I couldn’t imagine a more us moment.
A few days later, we shared the news with Chase and Ryley. They were over the moon that Mom had a fiancé, and they’ve been talking about the wedding ever since! We took our time enjoying this sweet season with the people we love. Now, we’re ready to celebrate the next chapter together.
When we finally started planning our wedding, Red Lodge and Montana Wildflower Weddings were at the top of our list. The moment we pulled down the drive and saw the grounds, we had a feeling this could be the place. Then we sat down with Keri, and that was it. I still remember Tyler leaning over and whispering, “Book it. Now.”
We can’t wait to start our next chapter somewhere so beautiful, in a place that already means so much to us. We’re especially excited to share this little piece of heaven with our family and friends coming from out of town and out of state.
With so much available in one place, we get to spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying the celebration. Keri’s warmth and attention to detail made us feel right at home. Knowing she’ll help with setup, teardown, and all the little details in between feels like having a wedding fairy godmother and my detail-loving heart is thrilled. We are so excited to start the next chapter of lives at this amazing venue!
