Thoughtful sunrise ceremony by Glacier National Park
A key important feature for John and Julia was to be married at a meaningful and significant time of day. Sunrise has symbolized for them “new beginnings” and represents having the power to make what you want out of each new day. This was a perfect anchor for their ceremony in which they are choosing each other as partners to create what they want out of life together each day going forward. Coming from the East Coast, they drove across the entire country to get to Northwest Montana having targeted only one stay in a cabin near Glacier National Park. When they contacted me they shared that they were so happy for me to perform their ceremony and that they did not have a location selected. They were happy to use their cabin as base if needed. Because I'm familiar with this area, I suggested a unique beautiful meadow setting with mountain views that was around the corner from their lodging. Knowing the unpredictable nature of Montana weather, we made a plan to be at the meadow, and if it became dangerous because of hail, lightning or grizzly bear encounters, we had a plan B of returning quickly to their cabin mere minutes away.
John and Julia visited my website after searching google for a wedding officiant in Montana and felt my style really resonated with what they were looking for and who they are as a couple. They approached me with a set ceremony timeline which aligned perfectly with my usual sequencing and which made our planning smooth and easy.
Julia and John had a friendship that had deepened over more than 10 years, gradually surfacing as something more, with both delight and surprise. In their vow exchange both referenced the safety and security they find in the other and the pleasure they take in simple sweet interactions that have become part of their daily rhythm.
When they each shared their initial vow draft, I was touched by their similarity and sincerity. Matching their personalities, the length of one far exceeded the word count of the other. With some behind-the-scenes feedback, tweaking and guidance , we worked to align the vows as a secret surprise set, maintaining the tone and bringing the speaking time into closer proximity.
The ceremony featured their favorite poem, personal vows with inside jokes and sweet accounts of shared experiences with an anchor of ritual through both a hand fasting and the traditional ring exchange. While eloping in a remote meadow of Northwest Montana by themselves at sunrise, they were able to capture and later share their ceremony with family and friends with a simple tripod set up in a clearing.
This mid-August wedding was scheduled for sunrise which was predicted for 6:36 a.m. We met in the dark parking lot of their nearby cabin rental, at Great Northern Resort, just outside Glacier National Park, and double checked all the preparations before leaving for the mystery meadow; marriage license, handfasting cord, rings for the bride and groom, Kleenex, physical copies of the vows – oops!, no worries I had printed one for each, Pee check, bear spray – oops! Forgot that in my rush to leave at 5 am– we made a plan to return to the cars if we spotted any Grizzlies.
The sky was clear – no haze, no smoke, a stunning bright round moon, the air was crisp and our emotions were high with excitement, buzz, and for myself- coffee.
In the poem used in their service, “The Gift'' by Pam Brown, there is a line that says “I love you today, dressed in glory.” They chose to play this out in their private intimate elopement by choosing traditional ceremonial garb of a rented tuxedo and a full length white satin dress. John added personal details of a keepsake handkerchief, sunglasses hanging from his pocket and some sporty sneakers. Julia shared the casual footwear approach with her own treads, adding beautiful sparkle to her hair, ears and neck line with coordinated jewels. I wore a forest green v-neck long sleeve dress with dark pants and cowgirl boots below, knowing we would be standing in wet grass in the early morning hour. Two out of the three of us were chilly, but it was so worth it.
My favorite special moment of this day, which continues to stand out in my memory, is the true feeling of occupying a liminal space. Together we had created a ceremony that was lush and full with meaning and reverence. The depth of their love and the ways they chose to express that love felt overwhelming and overflowing in a way that spilled into the space we shared with laughter and happy tears. 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. I felt deeply honored that they trusted me to be their witness and to hold that space safely for them to express their full range of emotions.
“Audrey helped make our elopement absolutely perfect! She walked us through every step of planning our dream ceremony, writing our vows, and even finding our perfect location. She took the time to get to know us; to help create an incredibly personal ceremony and to accommodate every detail we wanted to include. Our wedding day was perfect, and we couldn’t have done it without her. Thank you so much, Audrey!”
Lodging: Great Northern Resort
Officiant: Audrey Hyvonen of Bespoke Ceremonies Montana
Photography: Audrey on her iphone, NOT a professional, but happy to capture the scene :)
Are you looking for someone to hold the space for your transition through a liminal space at the threshold of your journey stating together? Or just need someone to sign you paperwork before you drive across the country- now married? Be in touch!
