Lake McDonald + Logan Pass Elopement in Glacier National Park

This beautiful hiking adventure elopement began with a dream to get married in a national park! L & J love the outdoors and anything adventurous; hiking, running, mountain biking, etc. Each milestone in their relationship started in a beautiful park, so naturally, they wanted to get married in one as well.

When they first reached out to us, they knew that Glacier was the place for them! And after a zoom call, they knew that we were the team for them (: Keep reading for more about all of the adventures and intentionality behind their private Glacier National Park elopement.

Cute Tiny Homes In The Woods

We started their day at a cute Airbnb about 20 minutes outside of the West Glacier entrance. This particular rental had two cabins, making it a perfect getting ready space to still preserve a first look! 

L got ready in the main cabin with Liza from Covet Beauty doing her hair and makeup! Meanwhile, J was getting his suit, shoes, and accessories on in the other tiny cabin. 

Capturing getting ready moments really helps to tell the story of L & J’s slow morning. It shows the details they carefully crafted, the accessories they chose to wear, and gives them each the opportunity to have some private time before seeing each other all dressed up!

Planning A Forest First Look

Outside of their Airbnb rental was a nice gravel path with tons of trees surrounding the space. We brought J out onto the gravel path and set up the first look. Usually, we do this by telling each of them what to expect. In this case, we told J to stay facing away until L touched him or asked him to turn around. The second that we brought L out onto the deck, Adam and I took a step back and became flies on the wall. 

It’s super important to find a good balance between prepping a couple for a moment and just letting them live it! We think it’s helpful to offer suggestions or set up the couple for the best lighting/scenery, but for moments like a first look, we want to give our couples space to have the moment unfold naturally. 

L walked down the path, tapped J’s shoulder, and the moment was completely theirs. We captured J’s awe as he took in how stunning L was, the dress twirls, and all of the little kisses, touches, and hugs. First looks will always be some of my favorite moments to capture!

Columbia Falls Airbnb Wedding Portraits

After their first look, we spent a little bit of time on the rental’s property! The light was shining through the trees beautifully, so we walked around, twirled in the light, and spent time just letting L & J be together before we started all of their adventures!

Lake McDonald Elopement Ceremony at 10-Mile Pullout

One of our absolute FAVORITE locations along Lake McDonald for a designated ceremony in Glacier Park is 10-mile pullout or Jackson Bay. This spot has maybe a dozen parking spots, so it can tend to fill up sometimes, but there’s a big beach area, making it easy to find a bit of privacy. 

We walked along the beach until we found a spot where no one was, and set up our things! It was a super hot day, so we opted for a shaded ceremony spot. L & J hired Angie from Best Day Officiants, and she was so lovely! Her ceremony was thoughtful, intentional, and really told the story of L & J’s relationship.

Montana Marriage License For Glacier Elopements

After getting married, these two signed their marriage license! We often get asked how to apply for a marriage license when getting married in Glacier Park, and it’s actually pretty easy. 

First, we recommend applying online in advance on the Flathead County website. There are instructions for doing this, and you can apply up to 180 days before your elopement date. 

After you’ve applied, you’ll need to go pick up your license in person at the Clerk of Court in Kalipsell, MT. Kalispell is about 30 minutes from West Glacier, and if you’re flying to KSO, you’ll land in Kalipsell. We always recommend having at least one whole day before your elopement to give you time to pick up your marriage license and anything else you may need (florals, cake, groceries, etc.). There is a $53 fee for your marriage license that can be paid via cash, check, money order, or credit card. 

Then, you’ll get married, have your officiant and 2 witnesses sign the license (hey, that can be us!) and return it to the same office. We recommend getting at least 1-2 extra copies of your official license when you go to the office!

For more help with planning your Glacier Park elopement, check out our updated guide: Ultimate Glacier National Park Elopement Planning Guide!

Lake McDonald Elopement Picnic

On our way to Lake McDonald, we were planning on stopping at a local deli in Columbia Falls to pick up sandwiches, but it ended up being closed! So, instead, we got Subway sandwiches to go (haha).

Having time built into your day for lunch or snacks is always a great idea! We set up a picnic blanket, enjoyed lunch together, and Angie even brought a huckleberry cake for L & J to eat!

10-Mile Pullout Elopement Photos

Lake McDonald is absolutely gorgeous and one of the most iconic Glacier National Park locations! So, of course we had to take a few quick photos here before we continued on our adventures. It was a super hot day, so dipping our hands into the glacial water felt really good!

Logan Pass Hiking Wedding Adventure

The drive up to Logan Pass is our favorite stretch of the Going-to-the-Sun Road! The views as you climb the mountain are incredible, and while they can be a little scary, too, it’s just unreal.

A few things to note when traveling up to Logan Pass:

1. The parking lot fills up extremely quickly in the morning and stays pretty full until the evening. Add a little bit of extra time to circle and find a spot. We recommend starting here before sunrise if Logan Pass is a huge priority for your elopement experience!
2. There is a resident herd of big horn sheep and lots of mountain goats in this area. They like to wander the trails and end up in the parking lot often. Please keep your distance! Neither are known to be exceptionally aggressive, but it’s important to always give any wildlife some space. Be respectful. It’s their home that we’re visiting. 
3. Trails can often close due to grizzly bear activity. Even if the bear was spotted days ago, sometimes the trails will remain closed. So, it’s a great idea to have some additional locations in your back pocket, just in case! 
4. It’s 10-15 degrees cooler up at Logan Pass than it is down in West Glacier. And once the sun disappears, it gets exponentially chillier. Always pack layers and be prepared for quickly changing mountain weather no matter what! 

Update for 2026: There is a 3-hour time limit for parking at Logan Pass to help mitigate the parking issues! Hikers need to reserve shuttle rides instead of leaving their vehicles. 

Leave No Trace: Please make sure to stay on trail up at Logan Pass! There are paved trails and a wooden boardwalk up to Hidden Lake. You are not allowed to step off the paved or dirt trails, or the boardwalk, at all. The grassy meadows are a fragile alpine landscape and any travel on them is prohibited. 

Just know that we always inform our couples about proper Leave No Trace principles ahead of time, and still get epic photos, even on trail!

Sunset Portraits at Paradise Meadow

After we hiked around at Logan Pass with L & J, we went to Paradise Meadow for some sunset portraits! Paradise Meadow is probably one of, if not THE MOST iconic location in Glacier National Park for portraits. It’s a very accessible roadside pull-off that offers incredible views of the bend in Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Weeping Wall, Continental Divide Peaks, and the expansive valley below. 

If you’re going to Glacier, and want epic mountain portraits, this is the place to go! It’s super busy, though, due to its popularity and accessibility. So, we recommend going after sunrise or just before sunset for fewer visitors. Late July to September is the best time of year to visit this spot, too!

Blue Hour Elopement Photos

Give yourself an extra 15 minutes or so for some blue hour moments after the sun has gone down for the evening! You truly won’t regret it.

Enjoy This Glacier Park Elopement Gallery!

Enjoy the rest of this all day adventure elopement in Glacier! It was truly an incredible day. And if you’re looking to celebrate your love in Glacier, make sure to reach out to us here!

“Hannah and Adam were so incredible!! They were (thankfully) this first vendor we booked for our elopement which made everything so easy! They helped us with so many things that they didn’t have to ( including vendor recs, putting together the schedule for day of, permitting and marriage license, etc) and also delivered INCREDIBLE photos and videos. These two are the friendliest most helpful team and helped us create the perfect elopement day. If I could give them 1,000 stars I would.” – L & J