The Journal

Ahwahnee Hotel wedding

Michelle and Forbes, who met in their first class on the first day of business school three years ago, traveled from the east coast to breathtaking Yosemite National Park to celebrate their wedding on the loveliest of October days. Forbes proposed to Michelle on the third day of a four-day backpacking trip the couple took in Yosemite last year, which is why getting married there was such an obvious choice for them! They had the next 24 hours to enjoy the excitement of their engagement in private, then Michelle recalls the return into civilization:

“We hiked out the next day, and after hiking about two hours, I thought I saw someone that looked like my brother sitting on a log off the side of the trail. Then that person picked up his camera and took a picture of us; it was my brother with my mom! They’d driven up from the Bay Area the day before. Forbes had coordinated with them and they’d managed to surprise us as we hiked out. The four of us were to have dinner at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel that night. When we got to the hotel for dinner, I was looking at the menu when someone tapped me on the shoulder; it was Forbes’s mom! She and his dad had flown from Nashville to Yosemite for the six of us to have dinner together. Did I mention that Forbes is the best?!”

Such a sweet way to surprise his future wife, especially since this couple loves to travel, so of course he popped the question during a special trip! Their wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel was one of our favorite celebrations of the year.

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Floral design: Natalie Galasso
Band: Cover Me Badd
Wedding dress + accessories: BHLDN

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