A Romantic Backyard Wedding at a Private Residence in Missoula, Montana

Morgan Braby (22 and a student) and Brandon Smith (24 and in marketing) met at a church cleanup (their pastor introduced them). After making it clear Morgan wanted Brandon to ask her out, he suggested they go on a hike over spring break. They hiked Mount Sentinel in Missoula, Montana, and “any and all awkwardness we felt evaporated after about three minutes,” Morgan says. “We hiked for almost three hours, talked the entire time and laughed the whole way down.” They fell fast and hard for each other. In four months they were ring shopping. Three months later they were engaged. They got married at Morgan’s parents’ property outside Missoula, keeping the decor simple, natural, romantic and “classic with a modern twist.” The wedding colors of white, cream, green and gold played directly into the strengths of the natural surroundings. Growing up in that home helped influence Morgan's tastes and style, “so it was no surprise that the house and the yard matched the theme and colors I wanted,” she says. Her favorite ceremony decor was the pampas grass lining the aisle—a grass shipped into Montana just for the occasion. The couple share a love of camping, adventure, movie nights, pizza, family and most of all, their strong faith. “It’s what we bonded over, it keeps us centered, and it’s something we’re both deeply committed to, just like we are to each other,” Morgan says. —Chrissy Sorenson