1. Real Weddings

A Rustic Wedding at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana

Between the burlap, mason jars and baby's breath, Crystal McDonald (30 and works in marketing and sales) and Nathan McDonald (32 and an engineer) had

Between the burlap, mason jars and baby's breath, Crystal McDonald (30 and works in marketing and sales) and Nathan McDonald (32 and an engineer) had the ultimate rustic mountain fete at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana. Wanting their wedding to be simple and totally them, they made a lot of the decor themselves using flowers from Budget Bouquet & More, branches from Michaels crafts stores and a wooden guest book that was cut by their friends. It definitely helped that Moonlight Basin was gorgeous on its own, and even inspired a lot of the day. "If we were going to have a wedding in Montana, we had to do it at America's biggest ski resort, right?" Crystal says. "This resort took our breath away. We were so blessed that we were able to get married there." See our favorite details from Crystal and Nathan's wedding, beautifully captured by Lauren Brown Photography, below.

Crystal chose a stunning Stella York wedding dress for her rustic nuptials. She loved the satin fabric and form-fitting silhouette. "I wanted to stick with the old saying, 'Less is more,' " Crystal says. She added a touch of bling to her look with a rhinestone bracelet and earrings.
Instead of buying a new pair of shoes for her wedding, Crystal wore an old pair of Bebe lace heels she bought several years before. "I wanted to have some shoes that were worn-in so I could dance the night away," she says.
The flower girl carried colorful rose petals in a burlap basket decorated with a raffia bow down the aisle. The rustic bucket went with the wedding's mountaintop vibe.
Crystal and Nathan exchanged vows outside on the deck of Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana. "The summers are simply heaven in Montana," she says. "It was a perfect 80 degrees with no humidity and clear blue skies."
Crystal carried a small arrangement of white roses for her bouquet. In honor of her naturally simple style, she wanted to keep the details really classic. Budget Bouquet & More nailed the look!
Moonlight Basin Rustic Mountaintop Wedding Venue
After their stunning outdoor ceremony outside on the deck, Crystal and Nathan had their reception inside the rustic ballroom. They topped the tables with baby's breath and branches and added plenty of candles to bring a little romance to the room.
The reception tables were topped with white baby's breath and rustic branches that Crystal found at Michaels. Mason jars wrapped with raffia and filled with floating candles added to the look.
For dessert, Crystal and Nathan enjoyed a two-tier white buttercream wedding cake. The bottom layer was topped with fresh strawberries for a little added freshness. The top of the cake was topped with twigs formed to create the initials for the couple with a heart in the center.
Since Crystal and Nathan really wanted to focus on the vows they were making and the intimacy of their 35-guest wedding, they kept all the details simple. Crystal absolutely loved her white satin Stella York dress, and it totally fit the aura they wanted for their day.