Jane and Nathan
September 13, 2023
Photography: Mountain Life Photography
Officiant: Bespoke Ceremonies
Many people come to the Flathead Valley specifically to elope in Glacier National Park, however there are countless other unbelievable locations in the Valley to say I DO. Many of these locations are along the shores of Flathead Lake.
The first time you see this lake, it is certainly a sight you will never forget. When you stand along the shores of Flathead Lake it feels more like an ocean. It is the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi. The massive size and beauty of Flathead Lake literally takes my breath away every time I see it! Some days the lake has 4 foot waves crashing onto the shores and other days it's smooth as glass, both creating dramatic views.
Planning a destination elopement can be very stressful unless of course you are Jane and Nathan, quite possibly the most relaxed, go with the flow couple I have ever met.
They had plans to attend their good friends wedding in Missoula so they thought "why don't we just elope while in Montana." And that is exactly what they did!
They live in Alaska, another breathtaking state, so I knew I wanted locations that would rival the sweeping views of the Last Frontier.
They chose West Shore State Park as their ceremony spot. A small state park along the pebbled shores of Flathead Lake. The water levels are much lower in the fall than other times of the year, providing a beautiful rocky beach to exchange vows and an even more amazing place for photographs.
But first, we decided to meet before the ceremony to capture some photos around the Lake. One of the benefits of eloping outside of Glacier National Park is the lack of crowds. Stop one on my list for best spots to take photos around Flathead Lake: Somers Park.
Having lived in Alaska myself, this area was very reminiscent of the small towns that spatter the coast of the inside passage. People were in fishing boats coming and going from the small port, a rocky outcrop filled the bay, and just like Alaska, we had the place to ourselves!
A little further south along Flathead Lake you come across another little gem called Volunteer Park. It literally feels like you are in a movie set as you walk through the park and access the lake. Again, we had the park almost to ourselves. They danced their way down the sidewalk to the crystal clear waters of the lake.
These two warned me over and over of how awkward they are in front of the camera- fooled me! They are complete naturals and could have me convinced that they are actually models! The ease of the day, the lack of crowds and the relaxed vibe certainly let these two work the camera.
Volunteer Park is nestled along the shores of Flathead Lake. It offers amazing views of the Swan Crest- the mountain range framing the east side of the lake. We utilized the docks to capture these amazing photos on Flathead Lake.
Now it was time to head to West Shore State Park a gorgeous 10 minute drive from Volunteer Park. West Shore State Park is one of the many beautiful state parks Montana has to offer. It has brilliant views of both the Swan and Mission Mountains across the lake, which were made even more dramatic by the fading light.
We met Audrey with Bespoke Ceremonies at West Shore State Park. This is a wonderful location for an elopement and for photographs. The rocky shore is met by the expansive crystal clear waters of Flathead Lake. Off shore rocks and a small islands speckle the background.
Once we had the place to ourselves the ceremony began. Their moms, dads and children had written messages and had them sent to Audrey who read each heartfelt passage. It was a unique way of including and incorporating their family into the very intimate elopement. I had to stop a few times to clear my view finder on my camera from fogging up from all the tears! It literally felt like they were standing along side Jane and Nathan as Audrey read these messages.
The ceremony was filled with laughter, tears, smiles, hugs and endless love.
After the ceremony they celebrated with a 🍻 beer! My kind of couple!
We finished the evening with a breathtaking photo session at the state park while the sun set. Montana celebrated the ceremony by showing off its namesake big sky as the sun sank and painted a master piece across the sky.
They had a very simple elopement- no flowers, no cake- but the few details they had were creative. I absolutely loved the ring box. They found it at Kalispell antique market and filled with a little local flora. Just spectacular!
Kind words from the couple
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