Backyard Brunch: Jeff Beard & Emily Miller

A SNOWY PROPOSAL: On a January day, after two years of dating, Jeff Beard and Emily Miller were taking a hike at Smith Rock when Jeff asked Emily to turn around. Emily remembers that her stomach dropped when she turned around to find Jeff kneeling knee-deep in the snow. He proposed to her that day with a ring set with a diamond from his great-great-grandmother’s ring. 

MEMORIES OLD AND NEW: While sitting in the backyard with her family, after a long search for the perfect wedding venue, the bride came to the realization that her childhood backyard was the perfect location for the big day. The Miller family spent six months preparing the yard for the wedding ceremony and reception. Emily knew that it fulfilled the couple’s wishes for a fun, down-to-earth reception venue, where the family could spend quality time together and play lawn games like cornhole and bocce. Emily notes that it was ultimately the best decision she could have made. “I made so many memories in that yard, so it was so special to get married there.”

RISE & SHINE: The brunch reception theme, suggested by the bride’s mother, included a Dutch Bros. coffee bar, an array of Voodoo doughnuts, crossword puzzles for wedding guests and even a customized “wedding day” newspaper, which featured details about the couple, the proposal and the wedding party. The theme made for a relaxed, joyful mood that perfectly complemented the backyard setting.