A PROFESSIONAL GUIDE ON PLANNING YOUR

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK WEDDING!

Created By: Aundrea Eaton, Owner & Photographer of Aundrea Marie Photography

Updated June 2024

Hi, I’m Aundrea! Owner and photographer of Aundrea Marie Photography. I’m going to share with you, step-by-step, professional advice on how to get married in Glacier National park from a local photographer. This is not a copy and pasted, generic guide you’ll find on multiple sites across google, and because I’m a local you can guarantee this information is correct and up to date!

ARE YOU READY? LET’S GET STARTED!

STEP #1

BOOK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

I'm not just saying this because I'm a photographer—it's an essential next step for the planning. When applying for a Glacier wedding permit, you need the exact location, ceremony time, and your photographer's contact information.

Your photographer should document your day and guide you to accurate information, the best places, superb lighting, and secret treasures within Glacier National Park.

STEP #2

CHOOSE THE SEASON

Now that you’ve hired your photographer, it’s time to choose which season you’d like to visit and the date of your wedding!

SPRING IN GLACIER PARK

MAY & JUNE

Greens, Blues, and Pinks are the colors of Springtime in Glacier National Park. This time of year is a serene period with its perfect lighting and mild temperatures. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. The best time to explore spring in Glacier Park is mid-May and June. During this time, wildflowers are in full bloom, and the days start to get longer, with daylight lasting as late as 9:30 pm. Everything is re-energized, and the water is at its highest; cascades are flowing, there is minimal traffic, and temps are around ’ the 60s-’70s during the day and 40-50s in the evenings. It’s a very tranquil time of the year in the park.

May in Glacier National Park is a unique chance to witness the beauty of snowcapped mountains without the need to voyage through the snow. Despite the Going To The Sun Road being closed, you can still access 3/4 of the park, including favored spots like Lake McDonald, Trail of The Cedars, Avalanche, St. Marys Lake, Swift Current Lake, and Two Medicine. This increased accessibility makes the end of May a superior time to plan your visit.

SUMMER IN GLACIER PARK

JULY & AUGUST

Glacier National Park is a sight to behold during its peak tourist season in July and August. This is a time when you can marvel at the park's beauty, with the possibility of clear views or a touch of mystery with the hot and hazy atmosphere from yearly wildfires. It's a time of opportunity, with the entire park open for exploration, including the historical Going to The Sun Road. These months are the busiest for Glacier, creating a bustling atmosphere, and offer the warmest temperatures of the year. The snow has melted, and all roads inside and outside of the park are open, with daylight extending as late as 10:30 p.m.

FALL IN GLACIER PARK

SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER

Mid-September through the end of October is the best time for a fall wedding in Glacier National Park. Everything becomes quiet this time of year as tourist season slows down. The weather begins to cool down, similar temps to spring, and the colors are stunning! Copper, Browns, Orange, & Yellow are the colors of Fall in Glacier.

It’s not uncommon to get snow above 5,000ft elevation at this time of year, and the Going To The Sun Road will typically be closed by mid-October. Like May, most Glacier National Park roads will still be accessible until late October.

For couples planning a fall wedding in Glacier National Park, mid-September is the ideal time to visit. This period not only offers the best weather conditions but also ensures access to the full Going to the Sun Road, a key feature of the park.

PRO TIP:

If you want to see everything Glacier offers, including the entire Going to the Sun Road, plan for July - September.

WINTER IN GLACIER PARK

NOVEMBER - APRIL

Suppose you want a winter wedding with more locations and snow-capped mountains with purple and pink sunsets. If you don’t mind the cold and want privacy, November through April are the perfect months to visit Glacier National Park. Typically, you can drive to the Trail of Cedars for the first two weeks of November.

Yes, it can get quite chilly in Glacier during the peak of winter, with daytime lows averaging 10 degrees and the occasional cold snap as low as -25 in January. But suppose you’re dreaming of a truly exquisite winter wedding, with frozen lakes and a blanket of snow covering every inch of the ground. In that case, Glacier Park in January & February is the perfect time to make your dream a reality.

STEP #3

CHOOSE YOUR CEREMONY LOCATION!

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

WEDDING LOCATIONS

Before selecting the location where you’d like to say your vows, you must choose a primary area where your day will take place.

There are 6 Main Locations within Glacier National Park.

West Glacier (Lake McDonald)

PERMITTED WEDDING LOCATIONS

WEST GLACIER

Ryans Beach
Lake McDonald Lodge Beach
Sprague Picnic Area Shoreline
10-Mile Pullout (Jackson Bay)
7-Mile Pullout (Sandy Point)
Avalanche Picnic Area Shoreline
Fish Creek Picnic Area Shoreline
Apgar Picnic Area Shoreline
Big Bend (Near Logan Pass)

NORTH FORK

Juniper River Access
Bowman Lake Day Use Area

TWO MEDICINE

Running Eagle Falls
Pray Lake Shoreline
Two Medicine Picnic Area Shoreline

ST MARY’S

Rising Sun Picnic Area Shoreline
Sun Point
Red Eagle Trailhead
Cutbank Field
1913 Ranger Station

MANY GLACIER

Lake Josephine Shoreline
Many Glacier Hotel Green
(behind main Lodge)
Many Glacier Hotel–SW Beach
Many Glacier Hotel Beach

VIEW GLACIER PARK’S PERMITTED CEREMONY LOCATION INFORMATION

LAKE MCDONALD LODGE

Lake McDonald Lodge Beach is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony. It is located in West Glacier. This location is available year-round. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 30 during Non-Peak Season. Pets Allowed
JACKSON BAY (10 MILE PULLOUT)

Jackson Bay (10 mile pullout) is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony. Jackson Bay is located in West Glacier. This location is available year-round. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 20 during Non-Peak Season.
SANDY POINT (7 MILE PULLOUT)

Sandy Beach (7 mile pullout) is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony. Sandy Beach is located in West Glacier. This location is available year-round Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 20 during Non-Peak Season.
FISH CREEK SHORELINE

Fish Creek Picnic Area Shoreline is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony and is located in West Glacier. This location is available late April - December. Permitted guest count is 20 during Peak Season and 25 during Non-Peak Season. Pets Allowed
APGAR SHORELINE

Apgar Picnic Area Shoreline is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony and is located in West Glacier. This location is available year-round. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 20 during Non-Peak Season. Pets Allowed
BIG BEND

Big Bend (Paradise Meadow) is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony and is located 15 min from Logan Pass on the West side. This location is available early July - September. Permitted guest count is 10 during Peak Season and 10 during Non-Peak Season.
BOWMAN LAKE

Bowman Lake is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony and is located in the Polebridge, up the North Fork. This location is available mid-May – mid-October. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 24 during Non-Peak Season.
PRAY LAKE SHORELINE

Pray Lake Shoreline is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony and located in the Two Medicine. This location is available last week of May – mid October. Permitted guest count is 30 during Peak Season and 30 during Non-Peak Season.
SUN POINT

Sun Point is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony located in St Mary’s. This location is available last week of May – mid October. Permitted guest count is 20 during Peak Season and 20 during Non-Peak Season.
LAKE JOSEPHINE

Lake Josephine Shoreline is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony located in Many Glacier. This location is available last week of May – mid October. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 15 during Non-Peak Season. Hiking Location
MANY GLACIER BEACH

Many Glacier Beach is a permitted wedding location for your ceremony located in Many Glacier. This location is available last week of May – mid October. Permitted guest count is 15 during Peak Season and 15 during Non-Peak Season.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

DRIVE TIMES

Glacier National Park is enormous, and depending on where your lodging and ceremony are located, certain parts of it can take 3 hours of driving one way. Your entire day revolves around planning the ceremony location and calculating the travel time.

St. Mary to Many Glacier Valley: 20 miles, 30-40 minutes
St. Mary to Two Medicine Valley: 34 miles, 1 hour
West Glacier to East Glacier: 56 miles, 1 hour
West Glacier to St. Mary (Going-to-the-Sun Road): 50 miles, 2 to 2.5 hours
West Glacier to St. Mary (US Hwy 2 to Hwy 89): 90 miles, 2 to 2.5 hours
West Glacier to Many Glacier: 70 miles, 2.5 to 3 hours
West Glacier to Polebridge: 28 miles, 1 hour

Whitefish to Many Glacier (Hwy 40, US Hwy 2 to Hwy 89): 140 miles, 2.5 to 3 hours

VIEW DRIVE TIMES HERE OR VIEW MAPS, TIMES & DIRECTIONS HERE

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

ROAD STATUS

ROADS INSIDE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK: Many roads within Glacier National Park are seasonal. Check the road status before planning your wedding day route.

CHECK ROAD STATUS HERE

ROADS OUTSIDE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK: If you're considering a wedding during the off-season, it's important to be aware of alternative routes to access different parts of the park while the full Going to the Sun Road is closed. Remember, some roads outside the park are also seasonal (parts of U.S. Hwy 89). For detailed information, it's advisable to check the Montana Department of Transportation's road map.

MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAP

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Glacier Park has many road construction projects that might extend travel to different locations for your wedding. Construction projects also affect which ceremony locations and areas will be available.

VIEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HERE

GETTING MARRIED IN GLACIER PARK AND HAVING GUESTS ATTEND?

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK'S VEHICLE AND GUEST INFORMATION

Glacier Park has a set number of vehicles and guests for each location. It's crucial to plan your ceremony location based on the number of guests and vehicles you have.

In most locations, the maximum number of guests (including yourselves and vendors) is 15. If you decide to have family and friends accompany you, it's best to have a limited number when getting married in the park.

The permitted number of vehicles per number of participants is as follows:

Up to 20 participants: 4 vehicles
21–60 participants: 6 vehicles
61–100 participants: 10 vehicles
100–250 participants: 15 vehicles

If you have more than 30 people, you will be limited to the park's less scenic amphitheaters.

PRO TIPS

Keeping your guest count of 15 people or fewer for flexibility and variety will provide you with the most authentic Glacier Park wedding.
Check the guest counts for each location during off season. Several places offer additional guests when the park slows down.

HAVING MORE THAN 30 GUESTS?

RENT A WEDDING VENUE

If you have more than 30 guests, I recommend skipping a Glacier Park ceremony and renting a venue just outside the Glacier entrance.

PERKS WHEN RENTING A WEDDING VENUE NEAR GLACIER PARK

Attendees and vehicles will not be restricted.
The venues have better scenic views than Glacier Park amphitheaters.
You can skip the Glacier Park wedding permit.
You can go to Glacier after your ceremony for the photographs.

SUNSET ELOPEMENTS IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

June and July sunsets are between 9:15- 9:30 pm, and daylight lasts until 10:30 pm. If you’re interested in sunset for your wedding, expect to be in the park until 11:00 pm. The sunset plays a significant part in your day, along with planning, driving times, and celebrating with guests.

VIEW SUNSET TIMES HERE

THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR SUNSET

To capture a stunning sunset in Glacier National Park, plan to stay in the park until around 11:00 pm during the summer. It's best to schedule your dinner and celebration with guests for a different evening.

Now That You’ve Picked The Season

STEP #4

IT’S TIME TO CHOOSE THE DATE!

The Best Days To Get Married In Glacier National Park

Monday-Thursday

Due to the high number of tourists, I recommend picking a weekday for an evening wedding ceremony in Glacier National Park. Saturdays can be incredibly hectic in the park, and even with a permit, you may be unable to access certain parts of the park during the day. For example, Many Glacier is a popular destination during the busy season. If you don’t get there early enough, the parking lot gets full, and you must turn around. Doing this will only problematize your day. You’ll be a lot happier, and your ceremony will be more intimate with minimal chance of disruption.

OTHER GREAT REASONS TO GET MARRIED IN GLACIER PARK ON A WEEKDAY..

Availability is better! Most vendors in the area reserve weekends for bigger events or avoid working on weekends altogether.

Another factor to consider when scheduling elopements is the convenience of business hours. It can be quite challenging to arrange the necessary items from vendors when most are closed on weekends. You can avoid this by considering weekday scheduling, which offers more flexibility regarding vendor accessibility. Having your wedding on the weekend will also cause you to work around the courthouse'scourthouse's hours of operation. If you have your wedding on the weekend, you must pick up the license two days before the ceremony and/or return it to the courthouse two days later. This has been shown to cause itinerary complications. Getting married on a weekday, you can pick up and drop off anytime (I will talk more about the license later).

WHAT ABOUT HOLIDAYS?

In addition to a Monday - Thursday, I would stay away from significant vacation holidays (Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July) in Glacier National Park. These dates are busy times of the year. If you'll be traveling to the area around those dates, I recommend having your ceremony at least three days before or a few days after. This advice may not apply if you are okay with crowds and waiting.

UNSURE OF WHICH DATE YOU WANT?

If you do not know your date and want to check availability before making things official, please contact me with your top three date choices, and I'll let you know which ones are available.

STEP #5

APPLY FOR YOUR GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

WEDDING PERMIT

A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET STARTED…

DO YOU EVEN NEED A PERMIT?

You'll want answers to two frequently asked questions regarding permits before continuing.

Do we need a permit if it's just the two of us?

Yes. As of October 2023, all vow exchanges, elopements, ceremonies, weddings, or special events require a Special Use Permit through Glacier National Park. Individuals must acquire a permit, regardless of the size of the group, whether it is "officiated," or if papers are signed.

Do we need a permit to take photographs?

No. As of October 2023, current regulations are such that you do not need a permit to take pictures in the park. If you have a permit to hold your wedding inside the park, you may take as much time as you want for pictures before and after your permitted time, and you may go anywhere in the park open to the public.

IF YOU STILL NEED A PERMIT, I’VE PROVIDED THE INFORMATION BELOW.

BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR YOUR GLACIER PARK WEDDING PERMIT…

You’ll need to discuss things with your photographer before applying for your permit. You’ll want to plan your day, narrow down the location and choose the best time for the ceremony with your plans and the lighting in mind. This will be the first thing we do after booking your date!

YOU CANNOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO YOUR WEDDING PLANS ONCE YOU SUBMIT THE APPLICATION!

THINGS TO HAVE CONFIRMED BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION FOR YOUR PERMIT:

Know your exact ceremony location.
Make sure the location you’ve chosen is from the list of pre approved spots.
Know the date and exact time you want to conduct your ceremony.
Some locations are not accessible during certain times of the year. Make sure the date and time you’ve picked aligns with your location and your other vendors.