Our Story

We met in the spring of our junior year, in an honors class on zoom. Shoutout to Lawson (groomsman) & Halle (Rachel's freshman year roommate) for facilitating our eventual meeting in person!

Our OU/TX date party senior year - also the night Rachel decided she was in love with Brent (but didn't tell him that for another month).

Morton, Texas where Rachel's family farm is. After college graduation, we went out west & Brent shot his first gun!

Our first post-college standby trip using Brent's American Airlines employee perks. We were trying to go to Argentina, but the flight was full, so we settled for the next best thing: Brazil.

First big adventure - Chile! Rachel bought fancy beef jerky at this vineyard, which came in handy when they later arrived at their "food included" campsite, which did not in fact have any food.

Torres del Paine, Chile - we survived the night subsisting off oreos, beef jerky, and sour skittles. Spectacular views & very windy! Also when Rachel decided she might just marry Brent.

Budapest, Hungary - Part of the Payne Gang takes on Eastern Europe adventure with all the Payne siblings and plus ones. Finland, Germany, Poland, Solvakia, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic all in one week...

Our shortest standby trip - 20 hours in Barcelona! Due to some flight delays, we might have spent more time sitting on the airplanes than we did in Spain.

Bucket list trip to Turkey! Rachel has never been more emotionally disconnected from Brent than up in a hot air balloon. Brent was having the time of his life. Rachel was praying she didn't die.

Spontaneous standby trip to Portland and coastal Oregon. Bucket list item for Rachel the cheese addict!

That time Brent managed a total surprise engagement in Montenegro because he plans all of the travel logistics so Rachel thought nothing of dressing up to take a boat to an island during golden hour.

San Diego! Where Brent grew up & Rachel's family vacations every summer. A lovely evening in the Payne family backyard with great company from both families.

The origins of RWB - Brent moved to Dallas after graduation and got this prophetic license plate. Rachel with Brent + 214 (Dallas area code) + future family of 4? 4 kids? Depends on who you ask!