Full Guide to Having Your Wedding at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Full Guide to Having Your Wedding at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
As a NW Montana + Glacier National Park photographer and videographer that captures both traditional weddings AND adventure elopements, I oftennnnn get asked how couples can combine the two styles of wedding to start off their marriages in a way that feels completely true to them. I get it! You’re adventurous, you love nature, you feel most like yourselves when you’re exploring together, you LOVE the stunning elopement photos + videos you see on social media…buttttt, you just can’t imagine getting hitched without your friends and family there to celebrate with you. TOTALLY understandable — soooo let me tell you about the perfect venue that will give you the best of both worlds: Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events by Glacier Raft Company, which is a beautiful venue located RIGHT outside of West Glacier National Park. This venue has freaking everything you could want — a park-view pavilion with stunning mountain views for your ceremony, a covered area for your reception, rooms for getting ready, on-site lodging, multiple package options to suit your needs, and a location that can’t be beat. In this blog post, I’ll break it alllll down for you.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Glacier Raft Co. Wedding
The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Where to Stay Near Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Fun Activities to Plan for Your Glacier Outdoor Wedding
Hiring Your Glacier Outdoor Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Glacier Raft Co. Wedding Inspiration / More Glacier Outdoor Wedding Planning Resources
About Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Where is Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events?
Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events is located in West Glacier, Montana RIGHT outside the entrance to Glacier National Park.
Closest Major Cities/Towns:
Driving Time From Kalispell, MT: 46 min (32.3 mi) via Montana Hwy 206 and US-2
Driving Time From Columbia Falls, MT: 20 min (16.3 mi) via US-2 E
Driving Time From Whitefish, MT: 34 min (25.1 mi) via MT-40 E and US-2 E
Driving Time From Bigfork, MT: 47 min (38.0 mi) via Montana Hwy 35 W, Montana Hwy 206 and US-2
Distance from Glacier National Park:
One of the major pros of getting hitched at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events is its proximity to the park — this allows your guests to enjoy one of the most beautiful National parks in the world, and makes the logistics of scheduling an adventure session SUPER easy.
How to Get to Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Closest Major Airports:
Glacier Park International Airport: 30 min (23.2 mi) via US-2 W
Missoula Montana Airport: 2 hr 36 min (130.8 mi) via Montana Hwy 35 E and US-93 S
Spokane International Airport: 4 hr 48 min (276.5 mi) via I-90 W
How to Drive to Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events is often called “Glacier Raft Co” because that is their parent company, but don’t plug “Glacier Raft Co” into your maps because it will take you to their rafting company location right inside West Glacier. Instead, go to Glacier Outdoor Center — the venue is located up the hill behind the store!
Why Have Your Wedding at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events?
The venue is right outside the west entrance to Glacier National Park
The option to have an elopement ceremony or adventure inside the park and then come back to the venue for a party with your closest loved ones
Recreation options through Glacier Raft Company!
Multiple packages to suit your needs/helpful staff
Convenient
Vibes: rustic montana/cabin vibes, forest, meadow, mountain views
FAQ’s About Glacier Raft Co. Weddings
Planning Your Glacier Raft Co. Wedding
Top Venue Features
2 night stay at the Ridgetop Retreat
Getting ready locations for both partners
Balcony with mountain views for ceremony
Park view pavilion for reception
Cabins/lodging for guests
Activities through Glacier Raft Co.
Up to 25 round tables and chairs to seat 160 guests, (10) 6ft banquet tables, Decorative lights, 4 Propane Heaters, Power, Water, 2 Restrooms, Garbage Cans
Ceremony Site Options
One of the main benefits of getting hitched at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events is you can decide whether or not your ceremony is best suited for the venue or if you’d prefer to get married in the park before partying at Glacier Outdoor.
Ceremony at the Park View Pavilion at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events:
Can seat up to 160 guests
Ceremony site included in all packages
RIGHT next to reception area, so easy flow right to party!
Ceremony in Glacier National Park:
Get married with epic views in Glacier National Park before your Glacier Outdoor reception
Special use permit required
Small groups! Most ceremony sites can only accommodate less than 15 people!
Let’s adventure w/ just the two of you — either self-solemnize/read personal love letters together or break off from the group for that intimate elopement feel before meeting up with your party again later! (We’re easy, though — we can always plan your adventure session for the day before or after your wedding!)
Reception Site
Parkview Pavilion
Covered + can accommodate up to 160 guests
Overlooks the Livingston Range in Glacier National Park
Comes with tables, chairs, heaters, bathrooms, etc.
The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events is available from May-October, which closely follows the main wedding + elopement season in NW Montana. Within that range of time, consider your goals for the experience you want to have in Glacier National Park. If you’re hoping to thoroughly explore the park, then keep in mind that most of Going to the Sun Road is typically closed until early July. Snow can play a factor as early as late September-July, as well as May- early June. June is considered our rainy season, but weather is unpredictable in NW Montana year-round. We’re hugggeeee proponents of just rolling with whatever weather comes your way — your dress will get dirty, the photos will be dope, and we’ll have a blast — BUT it’s always good to prepare however you can!
Where to Stay Near Glacier Outdoor Weddings & Events
Glacier Outdoor On-Site Lodging
Just for convenience’s sake, I’d highly recommend starting out by looking into Glacier Outdoor’s on-site lodging options for your guests! Below, you’ll find some more recs in the area.
Airbnbs/VRBOs
Hotels, Lodges, & Resorts
Campgrounds
Fun Activities to Plan for Your Glacier Outdoor Wedding
Glacier Raft Co. Wedding Package(s)
Glacier Outdoor Weddings offers three packages to suit your needs — the two-night wedding package, the Intimate wedding package, and the Ceremony package. Be sure to read through the “packages” page on their website to learn more!
Glacier Raft Co. Wedding Vendors
Planners/Coordinators
Hair/Makeup
Florists
DJ’s
Caterers
Other
Hiring Your Glacier Outdoor Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Heyyyy, it’s me, Shayna! I’m your NW Montana & Glacier National Park videographer and photographer, and the owner of Montana Diaries. I curate the most badass, story-driven photo & video teams that over-serve adventurous couples who love nature and each other. You’re gonna want Montana Diaries capturing your wedding at Glacier Outdoor because we make a plan unique to YOU — I want you to remember how your experience truly FELT, so I want to follow you into the park for your adventure AND capture your time at the venue. We’re not planning weird, stiff photo-ops here…we’re documenting the beginning of your marriage + a kickass time.
YOU FOUND ME!
YOUR NW MONTANA + GLACIER NATIONAL PARK PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER
Glacier Raft Co. Wedding Inspiration / More Glacier Outdoor Wedding Planning Resources
Aannndddd, there you have it friend — I can’t wait to see how your wedding at Glacier Outdoor comes together, complete with the most memorable experience inside the park itself. Be sure to check out our blog fulllll of Glacier National Park adventure sessions and elopements for inspo on how you can craft your perfect NW Montana wedding experience. I want to leave you with the encouragement to think outside the box and plan for how you want to FEEL — straight up, this area is ridiculously gorgeous, the photos + videos will look amazing. You just worry about what sounds like the most fun and most like YOU.
