How To Have an Epic Elopement at Grand Teton National Park
Maybe you’ve thought about eloping somewhere magical and just didn’t know where to start. But I’m here to share how truly simple it can be!
If big beautiful mountains set your soul on fire, the Tetons are your place. I know it can be overwhelming to research all the ins and outs of planning a destination or adventure elopement. But honestly it’s not as hard as it seems and we didn’t even need a permit for this one! Just how did we do that, you might ask? We reserved The Wedding Tree in Bridger-Teton National Forest. It’s just outside the park, so no park permitting required, no competitive process for a spot, just call the rangers office and secure your date and pay $200. It’s literally THAT SIMPLE. Portraits in the park are no problem too, because you don’t need a permit if a ceremony isn’t taking place. So you’re free to go to any spot for all the epic images your heart desires. Of course priority on any popular spot goes to permitted couples/photographers, but that’s such an easy work-around because there’s so much space and you can take a pretty picture from any angle really, or wait/take turns.
Lindsay and Nick had originally planned a big wedding in Pennsylvania, but quickly realized that Grand Teton National Park was where their hearts and souls felt most drawn to. And they opted for a day that was fully theirs, done their way. They invited their closest family and friends to make the trip and spent the week horseback riding, kayaking on Jenny Lake, hiking the trails, and soaking it all in. They were so kind to invite me along on all their adventures as well, and being there for their wedding dinner as well. We did their photos over two days, getting ready at The Lodge at Jackson Hole, the ceremony at The Wedding Tree, stopping at a river Nick scoped out on the drive up to the ceremony, and then dinner. The following evening we met for evening portraits at Jenny Lake which ended up being dark and stormy and totally moody. The storm chased us around the entire time at the lake and then we drove over to Schwabacher’s Landing and found the sun again and ended the evening with the beautiful sunset glow behind the Teton range. This spot was my absolute favorite, the beauty and peace felt here is indescribable.
I still am in awe of this experience and I’m so grateful Lindsay and Nick asked me to come along for the adventure on this trip. It changed me in so many ways. If you’re looking for your photographer bestie and someone to help you plan your adventure or destination wedding or elopement, I’m your gal. Get in touch here.
