Kristen & Dan's Avalanche Lake Elopement | Glacier National Park Photographer
Kristen & Dan
A hiking-trail wedding through old-growth cedars, vows whispered at a glacial lake, and a backyard reception in Columbia Falls. Kristen and Dan's Glacier National Park elopement was the kind of day you build slowly and remember forever.
When Kristen and Dan first reached out, they had been through it. Another photographer out of East Glacier had taken their deposit and disappeared, and both of them were in the middle of intensive training programs with almost no time left to plan their elopement. By the time we connected, they needed someone to take the wheel, not just show up on the day.
That's the part of being a Glacier National Park elopement photographer that doesn't really show up on Instagram. Permits, vehicle reservations, marriage license logistics, trailhead timing, weather backup plans. It's a lot. So we got on a call, mapped the whole day out, and I walked them through every park policy that was going to affect their elopement. From there it was a steady stream of check-ins until the morning of the wedding.
The PlanAvalanche Lake Trail, in Wedding Clothes
Kristen and Dan had one strong instinct. They didn't want a static ceremony. They wanted to hike. Avalanche Lake was the right call for that.
The trail is about three miles round trip and it's one of the most beloved hikes in Glacier National Park. It starts on the Trail of the Cedars boardwalk, dips into old-growth cedar and hemlock forest, then opens up at the end into a glacial lake ringed by waterfalls pouring down the Sperry Glacier headwall. It's the kind of trail that feels much wilder than its mileage suggests: dark, mossy, closed-in forest the whole way until the reveal at the lake. If you've ever wanted that deep PNW forest aesthetic for your elopement, Avalanche delivers it in spades.
It's also one of the more accessible trails in the park, which means it gets busy. But honestly? That worked in their favor.
The OutfitHiking Boots Under the Dress, Backpack Over the Suit
Kristen wore hiking boots under her wedding dress and threw a jacket over the top for the cooler stretches of forest. Dan hiked the whole trail with a backpack on his back. They didn't try to make it look effortless. They made it look real, which is so much better.
We took photos all the way up the trail. Every time we passed a big fallen cedar, a patch of moss, a creek crossing, a shaft of light coming through the canopy, we stopped, shot a few frames, and kept moving.
The other hikers were the unexpected gift of the day. We got applause. Multiple times. Strangers cheering for two people who had decided to get married on a trail. That energy carried us all the way to the lake.
The CeremonyVows at Avalanche Lake
When we reached the lake, we found a quiet spot off to the side, away from the main viewing area where most hikers stop for photos. That's where they said their vows. Just the two of them, with the waterfalls behind, and me a respectful distance away letting it happen.
One of the things Kristen mentioned afterward was that she was worried they'd feel awkward in front of a camera since they'd never had professional photos taken. That worry vanished almost immediately on the trail. Hiking together loosens people up in a way that posing never does. By the time we got to their vows, they were fully in it.
The ReceptionA Backyard in Columbia Falls
After Glacier, we drove back to their Airbnb in Columbia Falls. Kristen changed into a second dress and we spent the rest of the afternoon with their family in the backyard: food, drinks, toasts, all of it. It was the kind of reception I love documenting: small, loud in the best way, no formal program, just people who actually wanted to be there.
And then there was their dog. A sweet, high-energy hound who was very much part of the celebration, and who, by the end of the day, was completely tapped out. Some of my favorite frames from the entire day came from that backyard.
A Few NotesOn Hiking Elopements in Glacier
If you're considering an Avalanche Lake elopement, or any hiking elopement in Glacier National Park, a few things worth knowing:
- Footwear matters more than the dress. Hiking boots under a gown is the move. Save the pretty shoes for the reception.
- Layer up. Even in summer, the forest along Avalanche Creek stays cool. A jacket that complements your outfit, not fights it, saves the photos.
- Timing the crowds. Avalanche is a popular trail. Going early in the morning or later in the afternoon gives you fewer people in the background and softer light.
- Pack light, but pack smart. Water, snacks, your marriage license, a small touch-up kit. That's about it. The lake will give you everything else.
- Have a plan B. Weather in Glacier flips fast. A good elopement photographer should already have backup locations mapped before the day starts.
This is the kind of day I built my photography around: a couple who wanted something specific, who trusted the process, and who let the park be a real character in their wedding instead of just a backdrop.
Stan took control of things while taking care to listen to our requests and let us feel at ease that everything would work out perfectly. And it did. He was so warm, friendly, and professional that he made the entire elopement process feel like a breeze.
We had such a great time hiking in Glacier National Park with Stan, with breaks to take photos and then a longer stop at Avalanche Lake in a quiet spot to have an intimate moment to say our vows. He fit right in with our family at the reception, which made it hard for him to leave because everyone adored him. It was such a perfect day, and I am so thankful to Stan for documenting it with such gorgeous photos.
More from Kristen & Dan's Day
Planning your own Glacier National Park elopement?
Whether it's a quiet hike to a lake, a sunrise on Logan Pass, or a full day in the park with family and friends afterward. I'd love to hear about it.
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