A DREAM sample timeline for your Glacier National Park Elopement

Mar 1

We at Elope Montana KNOW that it is SO TOUGH for you to plan ALL THE THINGS on your big day. A lot of our couples have never even stepped foot in Montana! That is one of the reasons we started this service of bringing it to you, with no stress and no worry. Our most popular collection (& we’ve done well-over 200 elopements!) is collection 2. Collection 2 includes photographer (me, Lindsey in this case), officiant (Erin in this case), a bouquet and boutonniere, a cake or sweet treat, a bottle of the bubbly, a few surprise sprinkled in there & lastly— a CUSTOM TIMELINE.

I worked with Melissa and Elias to create a DREAM timeline for their big day in Glacier National Park! The day started by meeting in the Sun Point parking lot, for where they had attained their permit. After talking to these two for months, I was so excited to finally meet them. They were SOOOOO stoked for their day and are the absolute BEST human beings. From the parking lot, we trekked a short bit in, with Erin (the officiant) helping Melissa carry her dress. It’s just 0.6 miles into Baring Falls from the Sun Point lot. We helped her get in her dress, set her up, and wah-lah, MAGIC was made! The most romantic first look I ever did capture!

First Look at Baring Falls

There’s really nothing like stepping into your wedding dress in the woods! A once in a lifetime opportunity!

First Look

After the amazing first look we got a couple shots at the waterfall and then trekked back to get them hitched!

The Ceremony

It was a RARE windless day on St. Mary Lake. Sun Point is on a BIG ROCK and looks down on the lake. It allows for the most stunning 360 views. Towards the end of the ceremony I noticed the Glacier Park Boat Company’s tour cut its engine, and when they did their first kiss, the whole boat crew yelled- “CONGRATULATIONS!” We were ALL in tears by the humanity of the moment (and this is not the first time I’ve witnessed this…)!

The ELATION is evident! These two are SO DARLING!

Melissa and Elias had requested a first dance up on the rocks at Sun Point directly after their ceremony. It was the most intimate little moment that I will leave out of this, but highly suggest you fit in a sweet dance at some point in your timeline.

After drying our tears of joy we headed west, towards Logan’s Pass. We made a few stops before the pass at another waterfall off the side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and then at one of my favorite stops- Sunrift Gorge. Interestingly enough, Baring Falls is just below this gorge.

When Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) is fully open, and when couples have their permits on the east side, my typical “plan of attack” is to chase the sun down to the West Side. Most couples stay on the West Side while they are here in Montana. We headed to Logan Pass (the top of GTSR) and to the continental divide. I always like to take my couples up the walkway a bit because I think the lodge is so classic looking. I also love taking them on the trail to the Clements Mountain because, just look at that peak! It’s stunning! Logan Pass can be BUSY. In the evenings it gets a little less busy and there is always a good chance you may see some big horn sheep. We saw both real and fakes! Can you spot the fakes??!!

Next up- One of the most POPULAR & FAVORITE spots for couples to be photographed at:

BIG BEND

The views at Big Bend are world class. I’ve shot it at sunrise and at sunset and you just can’t beat either. There are a few little rocky trails you can walk down and take pictures at. But please stay on trail & Leave no trace! If we leave a trace, we may not get the luxury of walking down the trail anymore.

The different seasons at this spot are incredible! They were EXTREMELY lucky with not only the weather of their day, but the fact that they were in the park at peek FIREWEED season! I’m obsessed with fireweed. How could you not be!? We hit it at the ideal time as we chased that light down the road.

As sunset looms on us- this part of our timeline is what a lot of my couples look forward to most.

Any guesses?!

CAKE!

We went to one of my favorite pullovers to watch the sunset. We cut the cake and celebrated the day. Here is when I, if I haven’t already, get some detail pictures of rings and other things asked to be photographed in my questionnaire I send out while planning the timeline. Sometimes this can be the end of the night— the parting shots so to speak…

I said that SOMETIMES sunset is the parting part of the day. The part where I give them the biggest, most genuine hug and wish them soooo much happiness. Well, like I mentioned earlier, these two were VERY lucky in their day. As we were driving down to West Glacier, I saw that bad moon a 'risen! A super moon!

We of COURSE stopped and got very out of this world — parting shots.