Chelsea and Parker knew they wanted to elope in Montana from the moment they got engaged. Neither of them had ever been here before, but as avid hikers and lovers of the outdoors it just felt right. In fact, in their initial inquiry email they wrote “Montana feels like the only place to start our next chapter.”

When I pulled up to their cabin at ROAM Beyond, it was raining so hard I had to make a mad dash for the door. Chelsea and Parker were all smiles though and weren’t about to let a little rain ruin their big day. Luckily, it cleared up just before their first look so no umbrellas were necessary (although that would have been cute as heck). I’m low-key obsessed with first looks whether it’s between the bride and groom, the groom and some family members, the bride and her best friends, etc. Such a special moment to feel all the feelings in private. Just look at the excitement on Parker’s face! So much stoke.

Then we jumped in my car and drove to their ceremony location just outside of Glacier National Park where we met up with Elisheba, our Elope Montana officiant. The ceremony was so sweet and they even found a way to include their pup (who had to stay at home) by creating a stamp with his paw print so he could “sign” as a witness. Check out my Instagram post about it, here! They also planted a little Aspen, a gift from our local native plant nursery, in a pot to take home.

I always encourage my couples to think of something they would do on a fun date and try to include that in their wedding day. For Chelsea and Parker, that was hiking and cribbage. We decided the perfect hike would be Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park since it was a short drive from the ceremony spot. To our surprise, the rain kept the crowds away so we practically had the trail to ourselves — definitely a first for me on this hike! We took our time winding through the forest and chatting about their proposal story, our shared love for dogs, and the best restaurants in their cute seaside town.

When we finally made it to Avalanche Lake, our jaws hit the floor. The fall colors, low-hanging clouds, towering mountains, and raging waterfalls created a scene that took our breath away! After a few moments of complete awe, Chelsea and Parker started their suspenseful game of cribbage while sipping local beers on the shoreline. Elisheba and I watched from a ways off and reflected on life, love, and how freakin’ cool our jobs are.

It was almost dark by the time we got back to the car, but we realized we still hadn’t cut the cake! So we decided to pull over at Lake McDonald for a little dessert picnic and some flash photos to end the night. I’m so glad we did because it was such a vibe! The perfect ending to a perfect day.