Laila and Colten

Laila and I met when we were teenagers in high school through mutual friends. We knew we had a connection and started dating soon after. It didn't take long for us to fall in love. It's hard to define our love story because, with true love, there is no definition or explanation. When you find your soul mate, the process of falling in love is almost like your companion becomes part of you. I guess that's why they call them your second half. And that's what we knew we had.

Our wedding was unique because most of our vendors were family and friends. Our very close family friend became an ordained minister just so he could marry us, Laila's grandmother performed the unity candle ceremony, our close family friend took our beautiful photos, and another created our delicious deserts. Our wedding definitely was specific to us because we really made it fit our lifestyle. We are very outdoorsy Montanans and love where we live. We got married right on the flathead river, with the Rocky Mountains in the background, we even had elk sheds on our archway, which Colten's two older brothers had on their archway before him.

If you're planning a wedding, give yourself as much time as possible and try not to do everything on your own. Accept all the help you can get. Have fun and don't stress.