These Summer Camp Sweethearts Said “I Do” on a Wyoming Ranch

Hutton and Bobby’s “how we met” story reads like a classic film script: The two first found each other as kids when they were both attending the same summer camp in Maine in 2008. “The boys and girls camps were a few miles away and over the course of the summer, in between visits and co-ed dances, we wrote each other love notes through the ‘Pony Express,’” says Hutton, remembering a system of clothespin notes the campers could leave for each other. “We reconnected in Chicago in 2013, picking up as if no time had passed, and have been together ever since.”

In December 2020, Bobby surprised Hutton with a proposal in Aspen, Colorado. “We went on a snowmobile tour to Maroon Bells, and Bobby proposed against the stunning backdrop of the Bells,” she says. “I was shaking so hard we had to put the ring back in the box for the ride home! We returned to the house to yet another surprise with my family and friends, and had a special and intimate celebration with our nearest and dearest.”

After two years of planning with Lauryn Prattes Events—and a mid-engagement venue switch—Hutton and Bobby exchanged vows at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming, on August 27, 2022, surrounded by 175 guests. “We wanted somewhere our family and friends could have a weekend-long experience and be able to get to know one another, and Brush Creek was perfect for that,” says Hutton.

The ranch also provided a perfect backdrop for the couple’s summer camp-inspired details, Western-luxury aesthetic, and relaxed wedding day attitude. “After falling in love with Brush Creek Ranch, it seemed only fitting to brand the wedding ‘Camp Cooney’ and bring in touches of the special place where we met,” says Hutton. “We knew traveling to Wyoming was a task, so we wanted guests to be fully immersed in all that the ranch offered as soon as they drove in under the Camp Cooney sign!”

The couple allowed themselves to become immersed in their wedding weekend, too, calling the Tuesday before their event the official end of the planning phase. “I got a relaxing massage and from that point forward, deferred any and all questions to the wedding planning team or my bridesmaids,” says Hutton. “I barely had my phone the entire weekend and was able to be completely and totally present to enjoy every moment. There was a massive storm before our ceremony, a truck ran over my rehearsal dinner heels, my veil was missing—but I was able to completely let go because I knew we had done everything we could to prepare.”

Hutton and Bobby began their wedding day with a yoga session for the bridal party, and then found themselves alone for an unexpected glass of Champagne together when a hail storm interrupted their pre-ceremony portraits. “It ended up being a really special time for us to be alone before the wedding festivities, and I truly feel like the morning meditation put me in the perfect mindset to enjoy that moment rather than stress about the weather!” says Hutton. 

As the couple shared their welcome party, outdoor ceremony, seated dinner reception, and pajama-party late-night celebration with their guests, every moment called back to one of the most memorable elements of the couple’s summer camp: A sign, visible as campers leave, that reads “You’ll Be Back.” “It’s a reminder that time and distance are no match for the place, or people, you hold closest to your heart,” says Hutton.

The couple chose a color palette grounded in shades of cream, tan, and rich brown, with jewel-toned and light blue accents. “Working with TPD Design House on the stationary and day of paper was my favorite part of planning,” says Hutton. “The design for the wedding day was inspired by a Ralph Lauren residential aesthetic: We wanted everything to have that classic and timeless Ralph Lauren feel, while still being modern and unique—something you haven’t seen before.” 

Leather invitation accents, tasseled detail cards, a modern monogram, and a graphic floral print set the tone for the event. “From the moment that guests received our save-the-date, we wanted to tell a cohesive story that we carried throughout the weekend with custom touches, from luggage tags when the ‘counselors’ met them at the airport to iron-branded slider buns at the Americana Welcome Party,” says Hutton. 

Hutton chose her Monique Lhullier gown for its “romantic silhouette” and lily-of-the-valley embellishment.  “The second I tried it on, I fell in love with the tiny pops of color and could envision this feminine dress against the beautiful, masculine Western landscapes of Wyoming,” says Hutton. “I wore beautiful emerald earrings borrowed from my mother-in-law to play off the pops of green in my dress, and went with the classic Loeffler Randall heels, as they are truly the only shoes comfortable enough to dance all night in!” 

At the very last minute, Hutton realized the veil she planned to wear wasn’t with her gown. “We had a massive miscommunication and somehow my matching veil was never officially ordered,” she says. “My team drove to a Wyoming bridal studio the morning of the wedding to find a veil! Everyone was amazing and we were able to laugh about it, but take my advice and when the dress comes, double check that the veil is in there!”

On the inside of her gown’s hem, Hutton attached a handwritten note from her late father. “I wanted to find a way for him to be with me on my wedding day as my brother walked me down the aisle,” she says. “My mom also gifted me a beautiful Tiffany’s locket with a photo of my dad and I dancing at my grandmother’s wedding, and I carried that and my dad’s ring tied to my bouquet.”

Hutton kept her beauty choices natural and unfussy, opting to highlight her “blushed and glowy” skin—a result of pre-wedding PRX treatments, laser genesis, a hydra-facial with dermaplaning, and Botox. “I am constantly switching up my skincare routine because I love trying new products!” she says. “I was religious about using my tretinoin before the wedding, and sunscreen.” 

With her hair and makeup artists, she designed a look that was familiar, but elevated. “I wanted to look like myself on my wedding day,” says Hutton. “Makeup by Shirin truly made me feel the most beautiful without anything being overdone—it was a glowing, romantic, and timeless look. For my hair, Makeup by Ana B and I went with a loose curl, half-up look that kept the focus on my face and was perfect for the windy day.”

Bobby adhered closely to the wedding aesthetic by donning a Ralph Lauren tuxedo with a white dinner jacket; he added a guinea feather bow tie and pocket square from Brackish, Del Toro velvet slippers, and Cartier cufflinks. He kept his grooming routine simple—”A shower and a shave!” says Hutton—and decided against copying Hutton’s pre-wedding skincare regimen. “Bobby washes his face in the shower with shampoo,” says Hutton, “which I can’t recommend.”

Hutton and Bobby planned a private first look before their ceremony. “We wanted to have that moment be between us and not feel performative!” she says. “It was surreal to know that after months of planning and the most fun weekend, the reason for it all was finally here!”

Hutton’s bridesmaids wore cream-colored Line and Dot satin dresses, while Bobby’s groomsmen donned tuxedos from The Black Tux with custom bow ties from Brackish. “We wanted them to feel classic, timeless, and confident,” says Hutton. “Our ring bearers, Mac and Moses, wore the cutest linen suits from Noralee with cowboy hats and boots. Mila, our flower girl, was there when we got engaged at only 10 days old; It was so special to have her walk down the aisle, wearing the sweetest floral dress from Bebe Theory with a matching bow.”

Tulipina created unpretentious green-and-white bouquets for the bridesmaids—inspired by the the detailing on the bride’s gown—and a “whimsical, colorful bouquet” that Hutton held for photos but swapped out before the ceremony. “I walked down the aisle with a perfectly simple white and green bouquet,” she says. 

Hutton and Bobby planned their outdoor space with the surrounding views in mind, building a platform in a sagebrush field where they said their vows. “We wanted the focus of the ceremony to be on the beautiful Wyoming landscape,” says Hutton. “Despite the storms leading up to the ceremony, Tulipina covered the aisle and chuppah in greenery and florals that wouldn’t compete with the stunning views surrounding us. It truly felt like we were in a painting.”

Hutton and Bobby invited all three of her brothers to participate in the ceremony, honoring the memory of her father. “Before my dad passed away, he talked about the pain he felt not having the opportunity to walk me down the aisle, and on that day he promised that one day my brothers would,” she says. “Instead of having all three brothers walk me down and steal the show, I had my brother, Tyler, walk me down the aisle, my brother, Dean, officiate, and my twin brother, Jay, was a groomsman.” 

The ring bearers and flower girl ran down the aisle, encouraged by rock candy that Bobby had waiting for them, and the bride and groom exchanged traditional vows. “We elected to write each other letters the morning of the wedding in lieu of personal vows,” says Hutton. “It was much more intimate and raw, and ended up being used for our wedding video! Taking the time to write and read them that morning was really moving and allowed us to remember what the day and commitment was really about...everything else was just for fun!”

For their escort display, Hutton and Bobby called up memories of the letters they shared at camp by recreating the clothespin system they relied on during the summer. Leather pouches included individual notes from the newlyweds to each guest at their reception. “Our escort display was a labor of love, and brought in a truly personal and heartfelt element to our wedding day that our guests still talk about,” they say.

During the cocktail hour, guests played bocce, enjoyed the sweeping views, and explored the venue while sipping two signature cocktails: a rhubarb-and-honey-pisco sour and a spicy margarita. “The food at the ranch was one of our main draws,” says Hutton. “We served lamb chops that continue to make me salivate just thinking about them. Guests also were able to sample the goat cheese from the creamery and do whiskey tastings at the Brush Creek Distillery.”

Inside the ballroom, the same plaid Ralph Lauren fabric that inspired the paper goods lined the long head table. “We included fringed napkins with our monogram and leather placemats that TPD created with the floral design from our invitation suite,” says Hutton. “We accented the place settings with horn flatware, adding to the Western flare. For florals, no color was off limits—other than peach.”

A “simple and clean” cake design included fresh floral accents that matched the centerpieces. “Bobby took cake tasting very seriously!” says Hutton. “We ultimately decided to serve a choice of tiramisu cake—a vanilla butter cake with espresso, mascarpone mouse, and mocha buttercream, or a Parisienne cake—a vanilla butter cake with Grand Marnier, strawberries, and chocolate ganache.”

During the reception, Hutton changed into a feather-trimmed mini dress and cowboy boots, trading her half-up hairstyle for a high ponytail before hitting the dance floor. “Georgia Bridgewater Orchestra  was absolutely spectacular! She had us on the dance floor all night long and quite literally had to dance us out of the reception to the shuttles to get us to the after party,” says the bride. “One of our favorite memories from the entire weekend is the room spontaneously erupting into song, joining Georgia in singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion.”

After finally closing down the reception, the couple joined their guest at a “Cozy Up with the Cooneys” after-party. “I had one dream for our after party, and it was pajamas: I knew I wanted everyone to fully let loose and be as comfortable as humanly possible,” says Hutton. “We had all of our guests change into pajamas and custom slippers to dance the night away in the cowboy chapel.” 

Late-night snacks included flown-in Chicago deep dish pizza and 5-8 Club burgers from Minneapolis, while DJ Natty Rico kept everyone dancing. “It was beyond my wildest dreams, and felt like a cross between a chic club and a giant living room dance party with our closest friends,” says Hutton. “It was the perfect way to end the night and we never wanted it to end!”