So you’ve decided to plan a destination elopement in Glacier National Park, and you heard sunrise is the best time to do it. While planning from out of state can seem daunting, I promise you can do it! As a photographer with years of experience in GNP, I’ve put together this list of steps to help you simplify your planning process for your sunrise elopement!

These steps have been arranged in the logical pathway I use when helping my clients plan their wedding day, but are in no way linear. You may find your lodging first; you may be limited by the permit office or seasonal operations on your location; or you may experience significant weather that changes things for you. But either way, these six steps will guide you through the nuance of planning an intimate elopement in Glacier National Park.

When to hire your wedding photographer?

Before we get into it, I want to address the most common question I get by curious couples: When to hire a photographer. Honestly, and I might be biased here, but I truly believe that as soon as you commit to the idea of eloping in Glacier, your entire experience will be so much easier, more stress-free, and joyful the sooner you hire your photographer. Choosing the right photographer for you is crucial to having a seamless sunrise elopement as they will serve as your guide throughout the entire planning process. Their experience and recommendations are key to helping you bring your elopement vision to life. Learn more about my process here!

Immediate Must-Do’s (>6mo out):

1. Choose a Location that faces the Sunrise.

While many places in Glacier are stunning, some approved Wedding Locations are better suited for sunrise ceremonies simply based on topography, infrastructure, and popularity. East side of the park is my favorite for Alpenglow, but nearby lodging is limited to official park lodging or rustic camping. Not sure where to pick? Your photographer is your key resource to help select a location that’s perfectly suited for your vision, your abilities, and your guests (if you have any).

2. Pick a Date and Submit your Wedding Permit Request.

As soon as you and your partner decide on a date and location, submit your permit ASAP. The permit office reviews locations on a first-come-first-serve basis and can take weeks or even months in high season to get back to you. The sooner you fire that bad boy off into the interweb, the more likely you are to get your top choice. More on permits below.

3. Book your Lodging with travel time in mind.

Are you in love with a cozy treehouse cabin in Whitefish you plan to stay in? Do you want to tent-camp in GNP? Do you have a friend or family member helping you get dressed or will it be just you and your partner? Are you thinking of hiring a Hair & Make-up Artist? How far (in miles AND minutes) is your lodging from your chosen site? Do you want to remember these aspects of the morning? Once you’re booked, find a rental car and lock that in too. Rental cars sell out in high season!

Less-Urgent Must-Do’s (1-4mo out):

4. Design your sunrise elopement timeline.

This is usually done in tandem with your photographer, but should be comprehensive of your entire trip to Montana. Key things to consider: What time is the sunrise that day? How long is the walk/hike from the car? If the weather is bad, how will that impact the timeline? When can we pick up our marriage license, florals, and cake? What are our dining plans for the day and when do those restaurants close? What other activities may you want to do on your wedding day? Float the Flathead River? Canoe in Lake McDonald?

5. Anticipate the weather and build a precipitation-proof packing list.

What does the weather historically look like in your chosen site at that time of day? Time of year? Keep the possibility of all kinds of weather in your mind when making your packing list, timeline, and hiring other vendors.

6. Hire other wedding vendors and make plans for the details.

Are you thinking of hiring a Hair & Make-up Artist at 3am? Will you have fresh florals, and can you pick them up the day before? Are you ordering a mini-wedding cake from a local confectionary? Do you want customized inclusions like a “We Eloped” sign off Etsy or a monogrammed Pendleton Glacier blanket? Are you planning a picnic lunch, catered brunch, or having pizza by the slice? Does your BnB have a steamer, curling iron, or do you need these kinds of items? Make sure to book all reservations you will need, from canoe rentals to guided tours to red-bus-tours.

What Else?

That’s really it! As soon as you make the decision that Glacier is the place you want to marry your best friend, your top priority needs to be getting your permit application submitted. Before you can do that, you have to figure out your date & location. And then because lodging can become equally as sparse, book that. Then take a big breath! Hire a photographer if you haven’t already, and relax. Daydream of your day for the next few weeks until you’re ready to approach the rest of your planning journey.

Special Use Permits in Glacier National Park

Special Use Permits are essential (and required) for wedding ceremonies in the park to ensure safe and sustainable use of popular park areas. The fee is minimal and simply covers the processing and support you get from the permit office. Once coordinated with the permit office and approved, your permit authorizes you to have your ceremony within a chosen 2-hour window in that location. Please note, any changes, including guest count, must go through the permit office.

Will my wedding ceremony be private in GNP?

The permit does not grant you exclusive access to your ceremony location, for any amount of time. Other park users have every right to experience the majesty of the park just like you, but that doesn’t mean your ceremony will be terribly crowded. Most visitors are extremely receptive to a friendly conversation and want to respect your privacy. You may even find other wedding couples and photographers playing musical-chairs with you in popular locations like Big Bend and Sun Point later in the day.

How to have a truly Private GNP Elopement Ceremony

The most sure-fire way to ensure a private ceremony is truly the sunrise hike. The vast majority of park users are not as dedicated as you to get up at 3am. While there may still be a sleepy landscape or wildlife photographer posted up, there won’t be any other special events as long as you have your permit. You may have the site completely to yourself. But you bet by 730am, parking lots on Going to the Sun Road are filling up. Check out the live webcams here.

Stay Flexible! Chasing Sunrises can be full of surprises!

No two sunrises in Glacier are ever the same! Weather changes so rapidly in alpine locations that you may not get the epic alpenglow landscape sunrise you planned for. You might get lucky with a periwinkle blanket cloud and light rain, which is still very special because it will be yours. Even a “bad day” in Glacier is still magical. Plan ahead so it’s 100% fun and 0% “oops I should have brought a jacket”, and go with the flow. At the end of the day, you will be marrying your life partner and best friend in one of the most marvelous, majestic places on Earth.