Crystal and Joe’s Lake McDonald wedding day was one of our favorite elopements we photographed in Glacier National Park last year. They booked us with only 1 month to help them plan and organize their wedding day but it was so incredible. From their private first look next to a waterfall, to their sunset paddle around Lake McDonald in the Glacier Wedding Boat (yes, there’s a wedding boat you can rent!) It was incredible from start to finish. We’re so excited to be sharing all of the details on their day, as well as some expert tips for planning your own wedding at Lake McDonald. Let’s dive in!
Private First Look at Sacred Dancing Cascade
Crystal and Joe got ready separately but decided they didn’t want photos of that. Instead, we met them at Sacred Dancing Cascade, a beautiful waterfall on the Going-to-the-Sun road, for their first look. Brian walked Joe down to the waterfall and Crystal and I waited a few minutes before following behind them.
Crystal walked up to Joe and tapped him on the shoulder, letting him know it was time to turn around. The sight of Crystal in her wedding dress brought tears to his eyes. Even though their family members were looking on from a distance, we’re glad we encouraged them to share this in private, as it’s such a special moment for each couple.
We love photographing first looks and can always help you arrange one, even if it’s just the two of you eloping. It’s always fun to capture the real emotion that seeing each other all dressed up for the first time can bring out.
Going-to-the-Sun Road Wedding Ceremony
After their first look, we continued driving up the Going-to-the-sun road until we arrived at Big Bend. This is one of our favorite locations in Glacier for wedding photos, but if we’re being honest, it’s probably one of our least favorite locations for a Glacier wedding ceremony. The area designated for wedding ceremonies is just off the side of the road road, meaning it’s crowded and busy.
Throughout the ceremony, people were constantly honking and yelling (they were congratulating which was nice, but the timing was just a little off) which was a bit distracting. Since it’s one of the most iconic spots in the park for photos, it’s also one of the busiest. If you want wedding photos at Big Bend, we recommend having your ceremony at one of the other designated ceremony locations and then just coming up here for sunset photos instead. We will say that one of our favorite locations is in Glacier is a Many Glacier elopement.
Does the idea of a Lake McDonald wedding sound right up you alley? If so, we’d love to connect and get to know you so we can help you plan your elopement adventure.
Logan Pass Wedding Photos
If you’ve ever googled photos of Glacier National Park, chances are you saw a photo at Logan Pass or somewhere on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, and for good reason too! Driving up the Going-to-the-Sun Road is breathtaking. The views extend for as far as you can see and the mountains are huge. It made sense to take some family portraits here with Crystal and Joe following their ceremony.
Crystal was 5 months pregnant during their wedding (you can hardly tell in the photos) and together they already have 3 kiddos; 2 8-year old twin girls, and a spunky little 2 year old boy. The three of them definitely stole the show when it came time for family photos. They were so cute and the girls were so good with their little brother.
Lake McDonald Wedding Boat
We wanted to find a way to end Crystal and Joe’s wedding day with a bang. So when we saw that there is a Glacier Wedding Boat that you can rent we immediately floated the idea past them (pun intended) and they loved it. With three little kids keeping them busy and one on the way, they loved the idea of having some time alone on their wedding day. This is always something we recommend to couples, no matter what. Make sure to carve out time on your wedding day for just the two of you.
We drove back down to Lake McDonald, where the Glacier wedding boat was waiting for us. It’s a beautiful rowboat that was masterfully restored by a Montana boat maker. Crystal and Joe jumped in and started paddling, while Brian and I followed behind in our Kokopelli packrafts. Lake McDonald is a beautiful spot for sunset. The sky started changing colors, first pink and orange and then a darker purple. Crystal and Joe used lanterns to help make their way back to the dock to finish up their Lake McDonald wedding day. It really couldn’t have been better.
Lake McDonald Wedding Permit
Special Use Permit or Wedding Permit
Glacier National Park is a really beautiful location for a wedding, however, there are quite a few rules to follow if you are wanting to have your own Lake McDonald wedding. For starters, the park has a list of designated ceremony locations to choose from. Some of our favorites are the Lake McDonald wedding locations such as Lake McDonald Lodge Beach, Ryan Beach, and Sprague Creek Picnic Area. There’s a whole webpage that was built that goes through the rules and regulations for each location that is very helpful.
Once you decide on which ceremony location you are interested in, you’ll need to submit an application. The wedding permit cost $125 and can be applied for up to one year in advance. We help all of our couples fill out the wedding permit application and in doing so, also help to create a bit of a timeline for the day. The wedding permit requires you to submit your first choice ceremony location, date and time, as well as alternatives just in case your first choice isn’t available. We work with our couples to help navigate the best lighting and time of day for their elopement, as well as figuring out a good back up plan.
Entrance Pass
On top of the wedding permit, you will also need to obtain a park entrance pass for your visit. The entrance park pass is $35 per vehicle and it is valid for up to 7 days. If you plan on visiting more than one national park throughout the year, we highly recommend purchasing an American the Beautiful Pass which is $80 and is valid for all national parks in the US.
Vehicle Reservation
Glacier National Park rolled out an additional vehicle reservation a few years back and it will be in place for 2025 as well. If you want to visit Going-to-the-Sun road on the west side of the park or the North Fork area between June 13th – September 28th, you’ll need to also obtain a vehicle reservation pass. These passes are released throughout the year starting on February 12th and some are also available the day before your visit.
We’ve noticed over the last few years that having a vehicle reservation in place significantly cuts back on traffic and allows us to enjoy the park without having to sit in lines and lines of traffic. The good news is that your wedding permit acts as your vehicle reservation pass on your elopement day. We talk all about all of this in detail in our 2025 Guide to Eloping in Glacier Park as well as our favorite Glacier elopement locations.
Lake McDonald Wedding Photographers
Glacier National Park is one of our favorite national parks in all of the United States. The mountains are massive and the color of the water can only be described as Gusher Blue (can you picture it?). It is a huge park with so many different areas to explore and every time we visit we find ourselves in a new area and on a new trail.
We’ve been exploring the Glacier area for the past 5 years and love going back every time. Since we’ve been there so many times, we know the off-the-beaten path locations that get us away from the crowds so you can have privacy on your elopement day. We also know the best times to visit, where to stay, the best hair and makeup teams in the area, and where to get the most delicious wedding cake from.
When it comes to elopement packages, we offer a range of options starting at 4-hours and going up to 2-days. Whether you’re dreaming of an overlook elopement or a backpacking trip into the wilderness, we’ll be there to capture it all. On top of getting two talented photographers, Becky is also an officiant and loves creating customized ceremonies that reflect your story.
