Jess & Jared’s Yurt Wedding in Bigfork, Montana

How did Jess & Jared end up eloping in Glacier National Park?

When we started talking with Jess & Jared about a year away from their September yurt wedding we asked, “What lead to you two eloping?”  Jess’s quick response was, “Because f*ck weddings!”  We all giggled a bit but dug a little deeper into why this was the perfect decision for them.  According to Jess & Jared having folks dish out advice on what was good for them was just something they didn’t really care for.  They wanted a wedding day they could do on their own terms.  Jess even said, “What we are doing is my dream wedding and I didn’t even know I had a dream wedding until now.”

Those are the words we get real hype on!  

How did planning go?

When it came to planning out their actual day with us, we had originally planned a big hike in the Jewel Basin so they could work up a sweat and have more potential for privacy during their ceremony.  However, summer smoke kept rolling in from wildfires in Idaho.  We had to help them pivot literally two days before their date so they could still have potential for a more private ceremony and get in a good hike!  We called them up to let them know our thoughts, and Jess & Jared made the best call possible by being flexible and swapping those plans around!  This story is what ensued.

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

Getting Ready in Their Yurt

Jess & Jared wanted something lowkey & unique for their lodging and the site of their getting ready and first look.  We helped them find this adorable yurt in Bigfork–an adorable town about 40 minutes from Glacier National Park.  When we arrived, Jess & Jared were having a slow morning and soaking in the quiet as their yurt was surrounded by woods and the softest morning light.  

After Jess & Jared finished getting ready separately, they opted to do a first look using their gorgeous yurt as the background.  The first look was simple and sweet!  And then Jess & Jared hopped into their blue Subaru to ride off to their public land ceremony site.

“Can I leave more than 5 stars?? LOL Des is a rockstar! The work her and Dan put into our elopement was more than we could ever imagine. My husband and I had literally no idea where to start wedding planning when we first got engaged. We were actually going to go the traditional route and then said “hard pass, lets elope,” which was the BEST idea ever! – J+J”

“For Jess & Jaredddddddd”

Jess & Jared chose a ceremony site that didn’t require a permit as their backup option, so when we arrived we could do their ceremony whenever and wherever they felt moved.  We let them explore the area a bit and see which spot called to them!  As Jess & Jared found their spot, they saw a guy hanging off the side of the bridge over the Flathead River and noticed he was about to jump!  This is something that happens pretty regularly here, but we’ve never seen it be a part of anyone’s ceremony.

Jess & Jared asked the jumper if he would mind being the official kickoff to their ceremony.  He obliged and jumped off the bridge yelling, “For Jess & Jareddddddddd!”  He swam over to them, gave them a high five, and they began their ceremony in the space that felt the most beautiful and coziest to them!

After their ceremony, we hopped around this location some more to explore a few vantage points.  Jess & Jared explored the landscape like a couple of cozy mountain goats and soaked in the silence.  For a while, the 4 of us were the only folks around even on a gorgeous September date (another perk of choosing a ceremony location outside of the park).  Jess & Jared had big plans to hike though, and we were happy to oblige.  We traveled together up to Logan Pass so they could do an epic sunset hike!  We made sure to stop along the way to get pics at some of the most scenic and easy to access spots in the park, which Jess & Jared thought was a great way to break up the driving.

“Her [Des] and Dan make such an amazing team and we would not have wanted to share our elopement experience with anyone else. Des will also be your certified hype girl. She made me feel amazing!” – J+J

A Sunset Hike for Serious Hikers

Once we all arrived at Logan Pass and found parking (which is not for the faint of heart), we slowly made our way up along one of our favorite sunset hikes in the park.  Jess and Jared made themselves a little comfort with some hat changes, cold weather gear, and different footwear.  After that we were off on our hike!  Jess & Jared frequently stopped to take in the big views of Logan Pass as we made our way up to the overlook.  We passed runoff streams, smaller ponds, alpine meadows, and various vermin.  The wildflowers even seemed to be exploding in color for them!

Jess & Jared decided not only to hike to an overlook but to continue their hike down to the lake.  It’s pretty easy going down, but going back up is another animal entirely!  They bravely made that decision even after hearing that several hikers had recently seen a momma bear and her cubs in the area.  We ensured our bear sprays were in quick reach, and ooo’ed and ah’ed at Glacier’s beauty until the sun finally set.

Once we arrived back at our cars after hiking through the dark, we realized the marriage license had not been finalized!  We all laughed and got out their marriage license so I could sign and Dan could sign as the witness.  The only hard surface we saw was a tampon box, and it was real life so we used it!  There will forever be photo evidence of that unique detail! 😀

Related: St. Mary Lake Elopement at Sunrise in Glacier National Park

One mo time!

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

“Can I leave more than 5 stars?? LOL Des is a rockstar! The work her and Dan put into our elopement was more than we could ever imagine. My husband and I had literally no idea where to start wedding planning when we first got engaged. We were actually going to go the traditional route and then said “hard pass, lets elope,” which was the BEST idea ever! He stumbled upon Destinie Fouche Photography and without a doubt it was an immediate yes! Des was so so so helpful! She provided us with so much information and made the experience & planning so effortless for us. Des is so much more than a photographer and planner, she is a friend. She makes you feel so comfortable and like you have known her for years. The phone call conversations felt for effortless and when we officially met in person it was like seeing a long time friend. Her and Dan make such an amazing team and we would not have wanted to share our elopement experience with anyone else. Des will also be your certified hype girl. She made me feel amazing! She cheers you on and she may even try to get you to dive into a lake as well haha! Not one second did they disappoint. Expectations were everything and so much more!! Des & Dan are the only photographers to hire, don’t even consider anyone else! Our day would not have been possible without them. Unfortunately, due to smoke from wild fires, our original spot to elope was out of the question, so we had to last minute change it. Thankfully, these two know all the ins and outs of Glacier National Park and made our day perfect because of their plan B options they had for us. In all honesty, I am so happy we went with plan B and wouldn’t want it any other way. Thanks to these two my husband and I have the most perfect memories to look back on for a lifetime! <3″

– J+J

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!