Fish Creek Amphitheater Wedding in Glacier National Park | Maddy & Matt

As Montana elopement photographers we often get to welcome couples to gorgeous Glacier National Park ceremony locations, but this Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding tops the charts for most meaningful & fun!

When Maddy & Matt found us their heads were spinning a bit: how could they bring guests along to their elopement, spend adequate time with everyone, and still get that quality alone time they needed in Montana?  The key was strategic planning as it often is!

Peacefulness was top priority–stress was not an option. 1/2 of this couple (we won’t share who) didn’t super love crowds or attention, so over the course of 8 months we worked with them to help choose the perfect location for their guest count as well as create a timeline that let everyone have fun without feeling like the limelight was on them the entire time.

Spoiler alert: Maddy & Matt first booked us for one day, but a week away from their wedding they determined 1 day wouldn’t satisfy all of their Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding needs… so here are the events of their gorgeous September wedding!

Follow their story below!  And don’t forget to check out their day 2 Two Medicine & St. Mary Adventure Session to see their solo adventure in Glacier!

Related: Eloping in Montana | The Ultimate How-to and Location Guide

Shaking off the nerves with a first look

Maddy & Matt chose a gorgeous Airbnb in Whitefish, Montana for the two of them and a few friends!  When we arrived that morning, everyone was busy running around and getting ready–except for Matt.  Matt was as cool as a cucumber while everyone bounced around to gather everything for the day’s festivities.  

They were going to use their Airbnb for their relaxed campfire lit dinner later, so both families also arrived that morning to help prepare the space before leaving for the ceremony.

We took some time to gather important details, photos of their puppy, an important keychain, vow books, rings, and more to be sure those details were documented for them.

Once Maddy & Matt were both ready we set them up in the garden for a first look.  Organizing them and moving everyone around took some time and strategy so everyone would be ready!

Matt seemed fine on the outside, but on the inside he was nervous as he waited for Maddy to come around–so much so he texted his friend to bring a mimosa to him while he waited!

Once the two had finally seen each other, they both felt much more comfortable and ready for the day!  Maddy helped Matt prep for their Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding by placing his boutonniere on him and putting final touches on his hair.  After a few more intimate portraits at their lodging we were on the way to their ceremony!

Related: Glacier National Park Wedding Ceremony Locations

“We absolutely loved working with Destinie and Dan! Everything about our experience was great. From day one she did a great job at being our personal guide on everything we needed to know and do for our elopement. Whether it was finding good vendors, picking our location or even helping us decide on an evening hike after our ceremony!”

-K & R

A charmingly peaceful ceremony

We took our 45 minute commute from Whitefish to Glacier National Park enjoying the scenery along the way!  Long commutes in Montana never feel as long as they are courtesy of mountain views in every direction!

Once we all arrived at the amphitheater parking, we were met with a surprise–the gate was closed. 🙂

Their Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding was behind a locked gate as the park decided to close the Fish Creek campground for the season.  We quickly sent Dan to scout the quickest way for everyone to get there on foot, and he routed everyone to the amphitheater with a quick 10 minute walk.

Maddy, Matt, & myself stayed behind so they could get some alone time before their ceremony while everyone got ready for the ceremony.  We slowly made our way down to Maddy & Matt’s Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding, and the two were starting to get antsy again. <3

Their ceremony included a very traditional, faith filled ceremony with Matt’s brother in law officiating.  Vows, rings, readings, & prayers each had their place as their guests looked on with a quiet stream and gentle wind filling their ears.

You could instantly see the comfort take over Maddy & Matt when they were officially wed!  We encouraged them to take some time nearby to soak in a moment together and feel the excitement!

We gathered everyone for group photos, and we were surprisingly ahead of schedule!  This meant we got to take Maddy, Matt, & their guests to one of our favorite river overlooks. 

After they got that quality time with everyone we sent guests ahead of us to prepare the campfire-lit celebration dinner while we stayed behind to get some solo portrait time.  Then we were on our way!

“We love how you captured the day and told our story. When people saw our sneaks they were like “that could be in a magazine”, and they’re right. Des and Dan got some amazing shots of the people we love that I know we will cherish for years. Des & Dan were so supportive throughout the whole planning process.”

-K & R

A chillaxed picnic style celebration

When we arrived back at their lodging after their Fish Creek amphitheater wedding, busy bees were working to get the dinner ready!  Maddy & Matt had time to relax and get some more quality time with folks before everyone helped themselves to a gorgeously curated charcuterie and picnic style table.

At the request of 1/2 of Maddy & Matt, no speeches were made, and the cake was cut almost in secret!  They did hesitantly oblige to do one kiss in front of everyone for a photo.  Not to mention, they had a few funny photos in mind they wanted to capture. 🙂

Once the dinner was finished and the cake was cut, Maddy’s dad began building a fire for everyone to enjoy as the night began to get crisp.  Everyone gathered around and had drinks while the night winded down.  Maddy & Matt hung out for a while, but they needed rest for their epic day 2!  See their day 1 images continue below, but stick around to see their experience as they took on Glacier National Park solo the next day!

Related: Montana Destination Wedding Guide with help finding locations, venues, and things to do

One mo time!

Here’s what eloping folks are saying about hiring us:

We don’t even know where to begin – Our elopement wouldn’t have been possible without Des and Dan. We had a vision for our wedding, but we had no idea where to start. Des helped us every step of the way, from finding stunning locations, giving great recommendations for vendors, and suggestions for activities on non-wedding days, we felt so supported! No only were Des and Dan amazing at their job, but we genuinely enjoyed spending time with them! They were so much fun, but also such a calming presence. And, to top it all off, we love love LOVE our photos!

-Maddy & Matt

Who made this Fish Creek Amphitheater wedding possible?

Bridal Dress | Vowed Weddings

Groom’s Attire | Mainstream Duluth

Lodging | Airbnb in Whitefish

Florals | Forage and Floral

Cake | The Cake Girl

Hair and Makeup | In Justina’s Chair

Jewelry | Schmidt’s Jewelry

Photography | Destinie Fouche Photography

Yo.  You need a hiking wedding guide and photographer.

Imma be so honest.  We love hiking weddings, and we love helping couples plan their elopement days to be full of meaning and intention.  Kick that tradition crap outta here, and let’s plan something magical together!

You deserve for your wedding day to bring you peace in the great outdoors, and this is only a taste of how we help our couples.

All of our elopement packages come with professional elopement photography, two photographers, and unlimited planning assistance.  We think this is the best way to serve eloping couples, and we can’t wait to chat!

Contact us about photographing your elopement!