Alicia and Jon booked my Glacier National Park All-Day All-Inclusive Elopement Package for their big day, and it was absolute magic. Glacier National Park is stunning from any vantage point, so hiking is not required to get epic wedding photos. But for couples who love to hike, or maybe just want to get away from other people and add a little extra adventure to their wedding day, Hiking in to an alpine lake or scrambling to a mountain peak is always an option (link to my amazon shop).
That is exactly what Alicia and Jon chose to do for their Glacier National Park Elopement We began the day at 3:30 am, and made it to the trailhead by 4:00 am. Per my recommendation, the couple hiked into the lake in their regular clothes and changed upon arrival. And since no one else was stirring that early, lack of privacy was not an issue. We had the most popular trail and the most popular lake in all of Glacier, to ourselves.
I cannot explain the serenity of an alpine lake at sunrise, but I’ll share some images that hopefully will communicate some of the beauty and peace we experienced that morning.
As Jon was changing clothes on the beach, I was helping Alicia into her gown in the woods. With a headlamp (link) and the help of a bobby pin, we were able to get her zipper and buttoned in no time. I’ve mentioned this in other blogs before, but it is so important to find a photographer with whom you are comfortable with. Because so often it’s me, helping brides into their gowns, or telling the groom he forgot to zip-up😂. We are constantly adjusting gown, tugging on collars, brushing away stray hairs, removing debris and so on. I guess, to put it simply, in addition to planning and documenting the day, I often find myself being a personal stylist…. In a very loose sense of the word.
Once they were both ready for the day, they shared their first look on the beach of Avalanche Lake.
We then walked down the shore a bit to find the perfect location for them to exchange vows. No officiant, no guests, no uninvited audience. Just the two of them standing alone on a big rock in the lake, while I kept my distance and gave them the privacy they wanted for their intimate ceremony, party of 2.
I often have couples who want the intimacy of it just being them to hear their vow exchange, but also want the moment documented. And that’s where I come in with my extra heavy, extra amazing zoom lens. For this part of the day, I am able to give my couples space, so that their experience doesn’t include a photographer hovering around them.
After their ceremony, of course we took more pictures, then hiked out to explore more of the park. We drove to Logan Pass (link) and then ended up doing a waterfall hike in St Mary (link). At this point it was starting to heat up so the breeze and spray from the falls were a welcomed reprieve.
By 2pm we were already done for the day, after having spent the past 10 hours adventuring through Glacier’s Mountains and taking in her sprawling visits.
I think we all went home and took a much needed nap, and they went on the celebrate with a private dinner.
It was a good day….
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