Inside Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard's Winter Wyoming Wedding: 'I Knew That He Was My Person'

The couple, who got engaged in October 2020, tied the knot in a snowy ceremony over the weekend

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Photo: Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Jenny Tolman and Grammy-nominated producer Dave Brainard long prayed for a picture-perfect setting for their outdoor wedding.

And this past Saturday, March 19, that's exactly what God gave them.

"The weather was absolutely perfect," raved Tolman, 26, in an interview with PEOPLE following her Jackson, Wyoming wedding to Brainard. "The sun was out and there were no clouds covering the Tetons. The day before, it snowed in Jackson, so we had a beautiful fresh layer of snow. It was the most perfect weather you could ask for!"

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

"Perfect is an understatement," added Brainard, 47.

Their wedding serves as yet another stunning chapter in a love story that was forever cemented back in September of 2015, when Brainard was brutally attacked and left for dead on the streets of Nashville. As Brainard recuperated from a broken jaw, a mouth full of shattered teeth and multiple facial lacerations, he and Tolman discovered that they were destined to become more than friends.

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

"I think we both knew for a while that we had very intense feelings for each other, but we never expressed them," remembers Tolman. "But, as soon as I found out about Dave's attack, I knew that he was my person. It really was that indescribable moment of just knowing. I felt the overwhelming need to be near him and make sure he was OK."

"And from the very first kiss, it was obvious to me that we were inseparable," remembers Brainard, who proposed to Tolman last October after six years of dating.

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

The wedding ceremony took place at the stunning Split Creek Ranch with the grandiose Teton Range serving as the perfect backdrop for the beaming couple, who were transported to the picturesque site in an array of classic cars provided by Mountain Resort Services.

"I rode in on an emerald green Cadillac with longhorns on the front," laughs Tolman of her own set of wheels. "It was even warm enough outside to put the top down. I rode in sitting on top of the backseat with my veil and train draped over the entire back of the car."

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

Indeed, the Martina Liana dress that Tolman wore was the one that she picked out when she was featured on TLC's Say Yes to the Dress.

"I absolutely loved the high neckline detail on this dress," says Tolman, who worked alongside wedding planner Morgan Edge from Lisa Mack Events to create her dream day. "This dress is never something I would've pictured going for, but I just felt so regal and special in it."

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

Tolman also donned a borrowed white mink coat from a family friend, new earrings from David's Bridal and her grandmother's earrings tucked into her bouquet as she walked down the aisle to music provided by the Snake River Strings quartet, ultimately reaching her future husband and comedian/family friend/officiant Dick Hardwick at the altar.

"I really like tradition when it comes to such meaningful events as this, so we have the classic bridal march and wedding march being played for the ceremony," said Tolman, whose flowers were from Shania Jensen from Historia Florals. "I just think it makes the event feel so classy and elegant, and something about real strings playing those traditional pieces makes it feel like we are in a historical moment that much more."

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

After the ceremony, guests were invited to The Silver Dollar Bar & Grill in the historical Wort Hotel for "Toddies, Coffee, and Cocoa" with whiskey provided by Wyoming Whiskey before they headed to the National Museum of Wildlife Art for the wedding reception.

Once there, guests enjoyed a reception filled with a wide array of foods from Palate catering, including Korean beef bulgogi in honor of Brainard's late mother. For dessert, guests enjoyed a gluten-free cake created by baker Lauren Estay Langer from Seven Confections in Teton Valley.

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

But soon, it was time to work off some of that yummy wedding food on the dance floor, with Brainard and Tolman taking a moment in the spotlight via their choreographed first dance to Amy Winehouse's "(There Is) No Greater Love." And as DJ Wante from Level Up Entertainment provided the tunes, Tolman got ready for the traditional garter toss.

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

There was just one problem.

"I had forgotten to even put the garter on," recalled Tolman with a laugh. "So, I decided to have one of my bridesmaids cut the ribbon from my bouquet and tie it around my thigh for a makeshift garter. It worked perfectly."

Following the reception, guests were treated to an afterparty at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, the exact location where Tolman played a sold-out show just two nights before.

"I changed into a white jumpsuit and Dave and I put on our cowboy hats and took pictures in front of the bar with it all lit up," says Tolman, who recently released her sophomore album Married in a Honky Tonk and shot the video for the namesake single in the bar.

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

Following the wedding, the happy couple jetted off to Costa Rica for a much-deserved honeymoon.

"I'm excited to have a partner for life to do everything with," said Tolman. "Not only have my best friend by my side, but also my favorite creative brain in the whole world to make music with forever!"

Dave Brainard & Jenny Tolman’s Wedding Photos
Jenny Tolman and Dave Brainard Wedding Photos. Molly Stevens of For the West and Wild Photography

And yes, there may be babies on the way very soon.

"More than anything, I'm excited about having a family, especially knowing the kind of person who their mother is going to be," Brainard said.

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