Elopements

Evan and Trey’s Misty and Magical Adventure at Glacier

Evan and Trey wanted the best of both worlds, an intimate wedding ceremony with family and an elopement adventure with just the two of them. They both settled on having a gorgeous ceremony in Polebridge, MT with their loved ones and later took elopement portraits at gorgeous Glacier National Park. Get all the details from their day, including the details and obstacles they encountered along the way.

Are you thinking about eloping in Montana? Check out our Montana elopement packages.

About This Elopement Adventure in Glacier and Ceremony in Polebridge, MT

Photography by Jacilyn M Photography

“No one could have prepared us for the misty, magical day Evan and Trey would have on their Glacier National Park intimate wedding day. I always tell my couples, ‘we don’t worry about the weather around here’ and their elopement gallery is the perfect example why. But this particular wedding takes it one step further with an added obstacle and last minute changes of plan because of surprise construction. Just another reason why elopements are made for going with the flow and soaking in the unexpected beauty of an unconventional wedding day!

When it came to planning a wedding, they never felt drawn to the conventional ceremonies or timelines. With Glacier being their favorite national park, Montana was an easy decision. While they loved the idea of eloping just the two of them, they knew their close knit family would want to come along as well (including her grandmother in a wheelchair). So they created the best of both worlds – an intimate ceremony with a handful of guests in Polebridge followed by elopement-style photos in the park – proving you can make your wedding day look however you want.” [Jacilyn, the photographer]

Overcoming Obstacles During Your Wedding Adventure

“When we arrived at their first look and ceremony location, everywhere you turned was construction. Too far into the wilderness to change plans, Evan and Trey decided to make the best of what they had and celebrated through every twist and turn the day threw at them. They shared moments on the lake shore, tiptoed along flowing riverbeds, ran through tunnels, and ended with those quintessentially Glacier epic mountain views at Big Bend, catching the last of the wildflowers in bloom.

Low lying clouds made for moody backdrops to compliment his deep red suit and the wind kept her classic white dress flowing in photos. The stormy sky over their ceremony, the wind in her bouquet ribbon, their pups running around, the dirt on her dress, the warmth their smiles bring to an otherwise eerie view – all of the vibes you could want for a fall wedding in the mountains.” [Jacilyn, the photographer]

Permits and Leave No Trace During This GNP Wedding

“This couple opted to have their ceremony outside the boundaries of Glacier National Park primarily because in order to keep our National Parks in beautiful condition sizing of ceremonies is limited. Even though they only had family with them, they didn’t want to have to leave out any family members. There are locations in the park they could have permitted, but those areas aren’t not always the most scenic. For the ceremony they had planned to use a dispersed camping area, but just a couple days prior, construction started early on the road near it. The construction equipment was all parked in that area. So I asked a local property owner nearby if they minded if we use the walking trail through their property and they said of course!

For portraits in the park no permit is needed in Glacier National Park, but we always want to leave it as we found it and stick to trails an developed areas. As a photographer, I find this to be fun! The areas and angles we can use. At the end of their session we shot in a field of wild flowers. They were further down the trail standing on a rock, that shows sometimes but I was up the trail around a little bend, so just by dipping down and letting the flowers pop in front of me you don’t notice we’re on a trail and boulder. It’s a beautiful thing to use nature so creatively, but yet leave it in perfect condition.” [Jacilyn, the photographer]

Check out our Glacier National Park guide.

Top Tips For Couples From The Photographer

“Always always always be open-minded. The mountains are stunning and they definitely call people in but everything from construction to tourist busy-ness to weather can throw curveballs. Keeping an open mind and being available to what it naturally offers you will give you the greatest experience and photos. They dealt with construction, roaring storms that were unexpected and more… They ended with a day they loved and could never have exactly planned.” [Jacilyn, the photographer]

Memorable Moments During This Wedding Adventure

From the photographer:

“So much laughter. Everything became a joke. They were unphased by not having a ceremony spot, storms that hid the mountains, rain through her hair. It didn’t matter. They were together and able to find something to laugh about at every turn. And it shows in their photos. The joy and love.”

From the couple:

“Driving from one backdrop to another in Glacier National Park for our photoshoot was the most memorable. We shared lots of laughs, munched on a charcuterie board, and just enjoyed having fun with each other as if nobody was around.

As far as eloping…We highly suggest it. It’s laid back, the trip to and from is memorable, and you can escape from the stress of having to entertain. You can just let your party entertain themselves when you go somewhere as beautiful as Glacier.”

Vendors

Photography | Jacilyn M Photography

Officiant | Raul – Best Day Officiants

Hair & Makeup | Sieh Beauty

Florist | Mum’s Flowers

Suit Shop | William & Lauren

Dress Shop | Chantilly Bridal Studio