A bagpiper in the Tennessee woods, tartan layered throughout the celebration, and a custom saddle waiting for guests’ signatures gave Belle and Johnny’s wedding a character that could only have belonged to them.
Their celebration at RT Lodge photographed by Abigail Malone drew deeply from the couple’s Scottish and Irish heritage, bringing claddagh symbols, Scottish thistles, tartan patterns, and family traditions into a setting surrounded by lush Tennessee greenery. But their connection to the outdoors began long before the wedding day.
A horseback proposal in the Colorado mountains
Belle and Johnny first met as friends during their undergraduate years. On New Year’s Eve in 2021, a playful dare led to their first kiss, and the two went on to date for the next four years.
Cherokee Park Ranch in Northern Colorado had become an important place in Belle’s life after years spent visiting the dude ranch. She even worked there as a wrangler in 2023.
In 2024, Belle and Johnny returned to the ranch with their families. During a quiet lunch ride together, Johnny proposed beside the still waters of a mountain pond.
When they rode back to the ranch, their families were waiting to celebrate with them, turning a private proposal into a shared beginning to their engagement.
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Tartan brought their Scottish heritage into the Tennessee woods
For the wedding, Belle and Johnny traded the Colorado mountains for the quiet woodlands of Tennessee.
RT Lodge’s greenery provided a natural backdrop for a celebration inspired by their Scottish and Irish roots. Tartan became one of the most visible threads connecting that heritage to the design, appearing throughout the decor and on seating name tags.
Johnny took the pattern a step further with a tartan suit jacket, turning one of the wedding’s central design motifs into part of his own look.
A bagpiper joined their woodland ceremony
Music brought another Celtic influence into Belle and Johnny’s ceremony.
A string quartet – Dogwood Strings – played among the trees, creating a soft soundtrack for the woodland setting, while a bagpiper – John Rose – accompanied the ceremony and brought a distinctly Scottish tradition into the moment.
The couple exchanged vows in front of a cross crafted by a dear family friend. Flowers and organic branches were arranged along its wooden beams, allowing the altar to feel naturally connected to the forest around it.
Family played an equally important role in the ceremony. Both Belle’s and Johnny’s grandfathers read scripture aloud, adding another layer of personal history to the vows.
Claddaghs and Scottish thistles added quieter Celtic details
Not every nod to heritage needed to make a dramatic statement.
Claddagh symbols appeared on the table cards, while Scottish thistles were incorporated into the floral arrangements by Wither and Bloom Designs. The smaller details allowed Belle and Johnny to carry their heritage throughout the celebration rather than confining it to a single moment.
The florals themselves remained connected to the Tennessee setting. Local foliage, soft ferns, and tones drawn from the surrounding woods gave the arrangements an organic quality that complemented the more symbolic elements.
Woodland foliage inspired the reception tables
Inside the reception, the natural setting continued to guide the design.
Wooden elements were paired with minimalist details, while ferns and locally inspired foliage carried the surrounding landscape onto the tables. Each menu was finished with a single feather, adding texture without distracting from the understated place settings.
The restrained styling also provided a balance to the more recognizable tartan, claddagh, and thistle motifs appearing elsewhere throughout the day.
A custom saddle became the wedding guestbook
One of the celebration’s most personal details brought Belle’s connection to ranch life into the wedding.
Instead of signing a traditional guestbook, friends and family left their names and messages on a custom saddle. After the wedding, the piece was intended to become a permanent feature in Belle and Johnny’s home.
It was a fitting detail for a love story that included years at a Colorado dude ranch, a horseback proposal beside a mountain pond, and a bride who once worked as a wrangler.
Belle’s floral ballgown gave way to her mother’s wedding dress
Belle chose two bridal looks for the celebration, and the second came with its own family history. For the ceremony, she wore a romantic floral Calla Blanche ballgown that felt at home against the woodland setting.
Later, she changed into her mother’s wedding dress for the reception.
Rather than wearing the heirloom exactly as it had originally appeared, Belle had the dress altered and shortened into a playful bubble-skirt silhouette. Many of its original details remained intact, including the bow at the back and a horseshoe embroidered detail. The transformation allowed Belle to preserve the history of her mother’s gown while making it feel entirely her own.
From the bagpiper and tartan to Scottish thistles and claddagh symbols, Belle and Johnny’s heritage was visible throughout their Tennessee celebration. But family history was just as present in quieter ways, through scripture read by their grandfathers, a cross built by a family friend, and the wedding dress Belle’s mother had once worn herself.
Together with woodland foliage, a custom saddle, and the natural beauty of RT Lodge, those details created something more personal than a themed celebration. They brought the couple’s heritage, families, favorite places, and shared history together beneath the Tennessee trees.
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