Hiking Elopement at Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park

elopements

Mar 8

Written By Shayna Lloyd

Hiking Elopement at Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park

Andrew + Tatiana’s Adventurous Elopement

Videography + Photography by Montana Diaries

Bride and groom looking at Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park (black and white)

check out the elopement video:

Andrew + Tatiana eloped to Glacier National Park in September — it was a lovely, crisp morning for hiking and Glacier showed up. I love the hike to Avalanche because it’s easy enough for couples to be able to trek in their wedding clothes, you’re enveloped by the sound of rushing water for much of the hike, and the combination of cedars and moss make for a vibey PNW dream.

I hybrid shot this sweet elopement by myself, meaning I filmed their highlight film and took their photos alone. I use similar storytelling techniques for both photo and video — I like to let setting be a character in couples’ stories. It’s important to me that when clients view their photos and videos, they remember their experience as it happened — from the lush green of individual leaves to the sweeping landscapes.

I tend to pull way back during the reading of vows and love letters so that couples can feel completely alone together while saying their most intimate thoughts out loud. During this time, I take plenty of landscape shots and come in on details once they are completely done. Of course, I hear their vows later when I’m editing their film, but the actual moment in time is sacred and just for the couple!

After Andrew and Tatiana finished their own love letters, we shot a few portraits and enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of Avalanche Lake before making the hike back down. These two are fairly shy, but they were such good sports when everyyyy single person hiking up congratulated them as we hiked down!

We ended the morning with a picnic brunch on Lake Mcdonald with donuts from a local Missoula staple, Veera Donuts, and charcuterie from Grazen Boards.