Mikayla and Mathew's perfect July elopement was full of simplicity, love and adventure. Photography by Marianne Wiest Photography
"Our adventure started at the age of sixteen, becoming soul mates the moment we saw each other. We matured through life together as we aged, achieving beautiful goals along the way. We bought our very first home years ago, which became the most meaningful safe place for us as a couple.
We celebrated my birthday, which was during a Valentine's Day weekend, by staying in our cozy home watching a snowstorm. Mat had saved a special birthday present for last, which was a lovely homemade video of the life we had started together. He proposed to me at the end in the peace and quiet of our living room, with our excited dog at our feet.
Our souls feel at home within the woods, in the trees and alongside the mountains. We love nature and strive to flow within in at all moments. Montana is a dream for any nature lover containing a little piece of heaven in Glacier National Park. We couldn't think of a more perfect spot to get married. We decided to create our own idea of a wedding day, not sticking to any traditional vibe. We invited our two lifelong best friends on our trip and enjoyed a summer vacation at a cabin on Flathead Lake.
On our wedding day, we spent the morning relaxing together savoring the peaceful vibes we were surrounded by. We then hopped in the car and headed to Glacier. We enjoyed a picnic lunch by the river while we waited for our photographer. We then changed in the middle of the woods, and had our first look on a quiet trail.
We then made our adventure up Going-To-The-Sun Road in our fully packed road trip car, singing catchy songs together, and taking moments of unplanned silence while staring at the beauty of the park. We jumped out of the car and hiked when we saw places that felt right to explore. We exchanged our handwritten vows surrounded by sunshine, snow, mountains, trees, flowers, animals, and the unique big sky above us.
Snow in July? Yep! We couldn't help but play in it and get dirty! We celebrated the end of our evening by popping champagne while watching the sunset along the mountains. We were awestruck by the vibrant stars that came out on our way back home and soaked up the peace and quiet that nighttime in the woods brings. Back at our cabin and underneath the beautiful star-sprayed sky, we grilled homemade burgers, shared stories about the memorable day we had just created, and couldn't help but laugh and smile. What made this day special for us: simplicity." – Mikayla, the bride
