The weather was warm and breezy adding to the festive atmosphere of the day. The vibe was a delightful mix of elegance and playfulness, with parents and guests decked out in fancy attire. The ice carved mountains bordering Glacier National Park provided a majestic backdrop for the ceremony itself, which was held directly next to a promising and enticing set dinner table. The slippery calfskin rug added an adventurous touch, making the ceremony even more memorable and a champagne tower greeted the couple immediately following their exit.

As a Montana wedding officiant serving couples getting married in Glacier National Park. I have done ceremonies in a great variety of conditions. When it’s smoky, we welcome the diffuse light patterns that develop and the skill of our local photographers to handle the layer of haze that bring warmth and glow to images.

This early summer wedding at the end of June on the easternmost side of Glacier National Park at Sun Point provided epic conditions for a stunning Montana elopement. The wind was not only strong, it was blustery, gale force, whirlwind magic. The energy was high, the laughter came quickly and we had to literally bend our knees and brace against the forces of nature that were accentuating every word we spoke. The wind picked up even more around the time of the vow exchange, which delighted the couple, creating squeals and peals. This upbeat and playful tone continued throughout the ceremony and on into their gorgeous posed photos and license signing time. From the look of it, the rest of their park session with photographer Dina just extended the joy. The day was a true delight for all.

He may not have said the words out loud at that point but in the re-telling, a super cute smile fills his face, his whole body relaxes with contentment and you know the thought of this shared future has made him happy for a long time already.

My favorite moment was when I asked for the rings, Nicole declared she had to go get one. She buzzed through the crowd back to her bag to retrieve the ring she had for Jon, which provided a sweet moment for everyone to grab a Kleenex after the emotional exchange of vows they had just shared. The normalcy of our human behavior was punctuated and celebrated through this moment and it fit so well with their attitude of both reverence for the occasion and go with the flow approach.

My absolute favorite moment was when Kailin arrived at the front of our little makeshift walkway, Micah could barely breathe and whispered, “They didn’t tell me I was marrying an angel!” while Mary, Kailin’s mom, extended the dress train out in billowing waves around her.

Libby and Chad wanted a short and sweet ceremony with a standard Declaration of Intent and though they didn't want to create personalized vows, they did choose written vows that had special meaning to them. They spoke of not having to cherish and honor each other but “getting to”, of the privilege of being in relationship, and how they valued that as their main intention.

There was so much build-up, an entire drive across the country and early-morning preparation, in the dark, to get ready for this short, sweet ceremony and being in that space and time was truly standing on the threshold of their life together.

An elopement by the lake sets these two up for a lIfetime of love – a rock solid ceremony full of both sincerity and fun.

Jennifer and Kevin are fun and funny. They had visited Holland Lake Lodge in early June and were both smitten and charmed. They also clearly had the blessing of some Holland Lake Magic for their Montana wedding celebration. Their day came together perfectly.

This midsummer evening wedding was blessed with the bluest sky, a gentle warm sunshine, clear air, high energy, and an atmosphere of humor, glitter, and delight. Not exactly last minute, but late in their planning process, I was so honored to be brought in as the minister for a wedding of these two charmers.

The most delightful surprise (except to those of us in the know) was the arrival of the five year old nephew, in his cheetah suit, riding down the aisle on his bicycle equipped with a basket to transport the rings. Full of confidence and humor, he almost stole the show from the vibrant couple, sharing high fives and filling every one of the guests with smile.