Emma Brumbaugh and Reid Weber’s love story began in the exact Avalon, New Jersey, bar, where her parents had met 30 years prior. After only briefly connecting at The Princeton, Reid even called his father, saying that he had met his future wife. And four years later, Emma said yes to his proposal on Pier 26 in Manhattan.
For their summer wedding, the couple booked the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, where Emma’s family has a home. “I have always wanted to get married there,” the bride-to-be admits. “I wanted the aesthetic to be effortless, elegant with a touch of western flair.” Over The Moon Top Planner Matthew Robbins Design brought that vision to life with Over The Moon Top Photographer Olivia Rae James behind the lens all weekend. Fourteen-Forty set the tone for everything with a mountain-feeling invitation suite.
“Our wedding fashion was on par with our day-to-day fashion—NYC chic with a touch of western flair,” Emma explains. “Spending so much time in Montana the past 20 years of my life, I have always been drawn to the western style.” The weekend began with a welcome party, complete with a mechanical bull. And to this, the bride wore a custom One Of skirt set with City Boots. Reid rocked a Canadian tuxedo and was gifted a brass belt buckle that his grandfather had worn every day for 30 years.
The next day’s dinner called for a silky Danielle Frankel dress with Bottega Veneta shoes. The groom worked with J. Mueser on his look featuring high-waisted white pants, a brown jacket with a cowboy peak lapel, and a custom Montana Silversmiths belt buckle with their wedding logo on it.
For Emma’s ceremony dress, she collaborated with her friend Meredith Stocklein of LEIN. “From a past season, Meredith had this beautiful soft pink gown hanging in the studio. I asked if she would make a wedding gown inspired by it,” the bride shares. The ivory drop waist dress was complemented with custom Miron Crosby boots that had Emma’s new initials and the wedding date on them. Makeup artist Diva Borelli and hairstylist Victoria Maturano provided the bridal glam.
On August 3, 2024, the ceremony was set up next to the river that the couple fish from often. “We have a tradition that the morning before we leave to go back home, we try and catch a fish,” Emma reveals. “Reid actually caught a fish that afternoon in his wedding tux.”
Emma and her father walked down the wildflower-lined aisle by The Flower Hat to meet Reid, who sported a Brackish bow tie. “Emma, I vowed to marry you after the first night I met you,” the groom began his vows to his bride. “I called my dad the next morning and told him, ‘I found her. I can’t talk about it right now, but you are going to love her.’” He launched into the epic tale of how he found Emma’s full name with only her alma mater to Google. And it only took him 15 minutes to find a tagged photo of her from a college party. “Brumbagh. It was on. Every move I made over that next year was with Brumbaugh in mind, and the strategy was simple—get as much face time with you as I possible can.”
“I learned that you would go on runs on the West Side Highway path; I got in the best shape of MY LIFE,” Reid seriously stated. “I ran morning and night for miles and hours at a time, just waiting for a chance encounter with you. I hate running.” He went on to explain that when they did finally jog into each other and he took his shot, Emma replied with, “Friends?” Which, of course, didn’t waver his respectful determination for the following five years to marry her.
Once announced as officially wed, the Webers and their guests were led by a bagpiper through the woods and over a hanging bridge to the barn reception. After a delicious meal and cutting the Elle’s Belles Bakery tiered wedding cake, Emma and Reid were glued to the dance floor with Georgia Bridgwater of Jordan Kahn Orchestra. “The photos look like we were at a concert, and that’s really what it felt like,” the bride recalls.
For the after-party in the barn, the bride changed into her One Of after-party look—a cowhide halter-neck mini dress. Guests grabbed light-up cowboy hats, participated in the occasional stage dave, and took espresso martini and red bull-vodka shots. The day ended in true western wedding fashion.
