Stephanie & Maria's Vibrant National Park Elopement

A Double Rainbow on Your Elopement Day

As I look back on this gorgeous elopement day with Stephanie and Maria, I cannot get the image of the double rainbow out of my head... some back story below!!

We started their day off at their Kalispell Airbnb, the brides got ready together and their family was helping get things ready for Glacier. The vibes were fun and light hearted when I arrived. They both got dressed, and we loaded up to head to Glacier National Park. Their ceremony was at Lake McDonald Lodge Beach, this spot is perfect in the early Spring and late Fall when the water levels are lower. About half way into there ceremony when they were saying their vows to each other, the wind picked up. You could hear the storm approaching across the lake, at one point Maria turned around and said, " What the heck is happening back there?" as the storm was sweeping in from behind her. Just moments before the rain made it to us, we hid up on the shoreline in some trees to wait out the rain shower. You could see the end of the storm and figured it would take 10 or so minutes to pass. The kids and officiant, kept warm by doing jumping jacks... this caused us all to have a good laugh.

As the rain was slowing, I decided to walk out back to the shore to see how it was looking. Much to my surprise I saw two vibrant rainbows in the rays of the sun shining onto the dark cloud that had just passed over. I hollered for Stephanie and Maria to run out for some photos as we only had a few minutes to capture this once in a lifetime view! It was absolutely breathtaking!!

We continued on with their ceremony after the excitement of the rainbows and soon after departed from family to capture some more couples photos. The rain made for rich colors and moody skies. The girls changed into a second outfit, black pants and matching black leather jackets that said, "Til' Death" on the back of them. It was freaking epic, as was their entire elopement day. Still permanently engraved in my brain!!

Tips For Planning Your Elopement in a National Park

When deciding on where to elope, it's a popular decision to choose a national park as your location of choice... most are so beautiful and you can't beat skipping the costs of a venue and getting married in nature instead. Below you can find five helpful tips to planning your elopement in a national park, they might come in handy for you in you're in the middle of planning your very own elopement. Check them out:

Research National Parks and Permits: Every national park will have different requirements and options for getting married. Some require permits and have very specific rules involved, like guest count, cars, and things you're allowed to bring with you the day of. Be sure to look these over thoroughly before applying for your permit. Most often, if you book your photographer prior to picking your ceremony spot, they can help guide you through the permit process. I guide my booked couples with applying for permits and the steps to take. If you're looking for a Glacier National Park elopement photographer, I'm an expert on the area and photograph here lots.
Visit the Location in Advance: While not always possible, I do highly recommend visiting the location you choose in advance if you can to scope out the area ahead of time. This allows for you to check out specific locations, research vendors and possibly meet them ahead of time. If going to the location ahead of time isn't an option, using tools like Google Earth for looking at locations and reading reviews online can go a long way!
Hire Local Vendors: This may be a controversial topic to many in the online space, but I would always encourage hiring local vendors. It might be fun to bring along a friend from home to photograph your elopement, but choosing a local supports the local economy and also gives you a security blanket as they already know the area and are experts on the location.
Respect the Environment: A huge part of using a national park as your elopement ceremony location, is also respecting the land and leaving no trace. I will shout this from the tree tops. Part of the reason we love using these locations is because the are beautiful and majestic, so that means leaving it better than you found it for the next person. You can find more information about Leave No Trace on their website.

Hopefully these tips help you while planning your future elopement. Again, if you're planning on getting married in Glacier National Park, I'd love to help you plan out your special day!

Hire a LGBTQ+ Friendly Photographer in Glacier National Park

Hi, hello... look no further if you're in search of a same-sex/gay/lgbtq+ elopement photographer in the Glacier National Park and NW Montana areas. I'm Jenn, a local photographer with years of experience to bring you an unforgettable elopement day that will leave a smile on your face for years to come. If you're interested in working with me, just fill out the contact form on my website and expect to hear from me within 48 hours. I can't wait to hear more about your dream day, so let's get planning!!

Check out these other elopements in Glacier National Park:

Silos & Lanterns: Erin and Liams Summer Elopement in Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park Wedding at Many Glacier Hotel

The Top Glacier National Park Locations and Venues