Ollivander & Malakai’s Winter Wedding at Mountain Top Resort
Ollivander and Malakai’s wedding took place on a chilly January morning at Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden, Vermont.
They held their ceremony outside on the porch overlooking the mountains, with a small group of family and friends gathered around them. Earlier in the morning they had been getting ready together inside while people drifted in and out helping with small details before the ceremony began.
The atmosphere throughout the morning felt relaxed and collaborative and so joyful. Ollie and Kai spent the time together, with their loved ones, rather than separating to get ready, which made the whole day feel more like a gathering than a formal production.
Their wedding colors were deep green and dark blue, tones that worked beautifully against the winter landscape surrounding the resort.
A Winter Ceremony Overlooking the Mountains
The ceremony took place on the porch at Mountain Top Resort, which looks out across the snowy mountains of Vermont. Even in January, the view was completely clear, with the lake and mountains stretching out in the distance.
Because the porch is relatively small, the group gathered close together for the ceremony. Siblings, best friends, and parents stood nearby while Ollie and Kai exchanged vows.
How often do you need to bribe a ring bearer with cheese?
Their wedding party wasn’t traditional. Instead, the people standing with them were siblings and closest friends, which made the ceremony feel intimate and relaxed. Their dads were the flower girls and their ring bearer was Zelda, Kai’s family dog. Zelda arrived bundled in her little pink parka looking like an absolute icon. She spent most of the ceremony and time I was there anxiously checking in with her family and making sure everyone was accounted for. It was a very honest great dane moment, in my opinion :)
the goodest ring bearer ever!
Small Moments Throughout the Day
When Ollie, Kai, and I connected before their wedding weekend, they talked about how much their relationship is shaped by small everyday habits.
That sense of quiet familiarity showed up throughout the day. The way they checked in with each other before the ceremony began, the way their friends joked with them while helping with details, and the way everyone moved easily through the space together made the whole day feel very grounded and comfortable.
After the ceremony, guests gathered together while Kai and Ollie cut the cake that Kai had baked themself!
A Split Day Wedding Celebration
One of my favorite things about Ollie and Kai’s wedding was that it took place across two days.
The ceremony itself was intentionally small and quiet, with only their closest family and friends present. The following day, they hosted a reception at Mountain Top Resort where a much larger group of people came to celebrate with them.
I absolutely love this kind of split day wedding. It gives couples the chance to have a more intimate ceremony while still celebrating with a bigger community later on. For couples who like the idea of eloping but still want elements of a traditional wedding, it’s a really wonderful middle ground.
The reception brought together a much larger group of friends and extended family. The atmosphere was relaxed and celebratory, with guests gathering in the barn space overlooking the mountains, sharing desserts, talking, and spending time together.
It felt like the natural continuation of the quieter ceremony from the day before.
A Winter Wedding at Mountain Top Resort
Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden is one of the most beautiful wedding venues in Vermont, especially during the winter. The ceremony porch overlooks the lake and mountains, and the surrounding snowy landscape makes the entire property feel peaceful and expansive.
Ollivander and Malakai’s wedding leaned into that atmosphere. The day was simple, personal, and focused on the people closest to them.
Between the quiet ceremony, the mountain views, and Zelda making sure her family stayed together, it was a celebration that felt genuine from start to finish.
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