We love having a hand in life-changing moments – whether it’s riding a horse for the first time or saying, “I do” surrounded by falling aspen leaves. This past holiday season, we had a chance to welcome two incredible people to our banks and get to know them during an important time in their relationship. Katie and Erik were kind enough to share their story with us and our community. We are honored to be a part of their very special “cowboy Christmas.” Join us for our Big Sky Love Celebration this Valentine’s/President’s Weekend.
A Match Made in Miami
We met about a year ago. It was Christmas 2017 and we attended a mutual friend’s wedding in Miami. Erik is a Miami born and raised man and I’m an NYC girl. We met and danced the night away. While we both were there to celebrate the love of a friend, we had no idea what an impact that night would have on our lives…
Though we sent a few messages after the wedding and discussed a possible meeting in the spring, as often happens, our lives got busy over the holidays. It wasn’t until two months later that Erik reached out to me. It was a simple text about an amazing grilled cheese sandwich he’d just had. He remembered I love grilled cheese sandwiches and he thought of me and wanted to say, “Hi.”
A grilled cheese in the Granite Lodge. We always knew that cheese had the power to bring people closer together!
That simple message sparked everything to proceed. We couldn’t talk enough, and I never wanted our conversations to end. Over the phone, we solidified our love for each other. Though we’d only shared a few dances in a room full of people, we took the time to get to know, understand and love each other. It was like being “pen pals,” an old school term, but very powerful in today’s modern world. It’s amazing to have the chance to get to know someone from afar.
A Long Distance Love Story
After a few conversation about seeing each other, I just knew I couldn’t wait to see him and booked a trip to Miami in March. From that trip on, we had to be together. Though long distance is hard, we didn’t care. We were going to make it work.
We promised to be very present in each other’s lives even from a far. We also agreed to see each other about every two weeks and we did. There wasn’t anything that could stop us. I’m not sure either of us believed in the adage, “once you know, you know,” but we were both so sure this was IT.
Fast forward – In September, I moved to Miami. The first challenge was blending our fur baby family. I had one dog and he had three dogs and a cat. We ended up getting a new puppy together, as well. All of a sudden we became a family of 8! There were definitely times of adjustment, but nothing we couldn’t conquer with love.
We decided pretty early on in the relationship that we wanted to have a Cowboy Christmas, and that’s where The Ranch comes into play. We researched A LOT of places and this one seemed the best and something we had to do. Needless to say, we were beyond impressed and in love with The Ranch at Rock Creek. Little did I know how much The Ranch would become a part of our love story.
A Mile-High Milestone
It was our fourth day there and we went on our second horseback ride of the week. Chelsea took us out again and all seemed ‘typical’ until we walked up to a very romantic setting on the creek. It was a fire pit, wooden benches, blankets, flowers and champagne. Chelsea sold it to us as a new romance package they were testing out. (Those who know me know I’m so gullible.)
I started to take video/photos of the beautiful set up and as I turned around, my life forever changed. He was telling me how much I meant to him and how much he loved me as he was bending down on one knee. I kind of froze in excitement and said, “YES!” The easiest ‘yes’ I’ve ever said in my life.
We enjoyed the champagne and went back to the Granite Lodge to celebrate. The staff had turned the Great Room into a beautiful setting for two where we could enjoy our engagement and each other. The rest of the night was a wonderful blur. Wine/bourbon tasting, chef’s tasting menu, bowling, and we were able to share our joy with some of our favorite staff.
We will forever and always love The Ranch at Rock Creek. It’s was the perfect place to begin our engagement and we couldn’t be happier with where life has taken us. Onto the next adventure! We just closed on our first house and I started a new job. So many things are ahead of us and we are beyond excited. One thing we know is that we will be back and can’t wait to visit our spot on the creek.
Much love-
Katie and Erik
See how we plan weddings, elopements and other milestones in our unique setting and with Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star service. Get inspired for Valentine’s Day with a sample romantic itinerary.