A Rustic Wedding at Custer State Park in Custer, South Dakota

Dallas-based couple Rachel (32 and a voice instructor) and Justin (37 and an English professor) tied the knot in the hills of South Dakota -- a location close to Justin's family. "We still spend time there in the summer, so it just felt like a natural spot for us," Rachel explains. "For his family and friends, the location was a reunion spot, while my side viewed it as a destination wedding." The to-be-weds planned the day without any professional help -- instead opting for DIY touches crafted by family and friends, including rustic centerpieces created by Rachel's bridesmaids. When choosing a color scheme, the couple ultimately decided on variations of pink and shades of gray. "We laughed about whether we were using all 50 of them!" Rachel laughs. "We just picked out colors we actually liked." As for the guest list, the couple made sure to make everyone who made the trip feel welcome. "We spent a lot of time in the few days prior to the wedding visiting with people," Rachel says. "Weddings are so much about spending crazy amounts of cash and we really tried to resist that -- both for the sake of our bank account and because it didn't reflect our values. Being inclusive and going on hikes with friends does -- so that's what we did."