Like many of our couples, we LOVE nature! Surround us with mountains, the forest, or a lake, and we are happy campers. That’s a large part of the reason we made Montana our home. It’s insanely gorgeous, both sweepingly majestic and intimately peaceful, and we love nothing more than showing it off to all of our couples.
Kelly and Ben share our deep affinity for nature, which led them to have a mountain elopement in Glacier National Park with 10 family members. National parks are an integral part of their love story, so it seemed only fitting to declare their devotion to each other here. We were so lucky to not just plan their mountain elopement, but also to officiate the ceremony.
This wedding story highlights what it’s like to work with us here at An Epic Elopement both as a planner and officiant, and we can confidently tell you that you’re in for a lot of fun!
An Epic Elopement Couple:
Part of the reason why we have so much fun during the wedding planning process is because of our couples! They are everything to us and by the end of our time together, we are proud to say that many of them become our real-life friends.
Before we start working with a couple, we spend some time getting to know each other first. Since we spend so much time together throughout the planning process, it’s imperative to ensure right from the start that we’re a good match. We first learn how the couple met and how they got engaged. We spend time discussing significant parts of their love story and consider if they should invite any guests to their elopement. We then talk about the couple’s dreams, goals, and vision for their elopement or intimate wedding.
This getting-to-know-you process allows both of us to feel confident in working together. It builds mutual trust and lays the foundation for our relationship because yes, this is a relationship! And it can also be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Wondering if we’d be a good fit to work together? While every one of our couples is unique, they tend to have a few qualities in common:
They desire an unconventional wedding, opting to get married in a way that is unique and meaningful to them.
The goal of their wedding day (besides tying the knot) is to spend quality time with each other and their closest loved ones.
They go with the flow, understanding that some things are out of our control and that their big day can be perfectly imperfect.
They are always up for an adventure!
If this sounds like you and your future hubby or wifey, let’s chat! We love making new friends and can’t wait to meet you!
The Backstory on this Mountain Elopement:
From the beginning, we just knew that Kelly and Ben would be amazing to work with! When telling us about their love story, Kelly expressed that “A wedding should represent who the couple is, so it seems only fitting to get married inside of a national park, without all of the frills, but rather with the focus on our commitment to each other.” That statement right there told us everything we needed to know about this sweet couple!
Prior to getting engaged, Kelly and Ben created nearly five years of joyous and adventurous memories together. They roamed many farmer’s markets in that span, handpicking the freshest and most colorful fruits and veggies for their latest recipe. These good times all culminated in Ben’s epic proposal to Kelly at Zion National Park.
As a result, when it came time to choose a location for their wedding, it only made sense to select a mountain elopement at Big Bend within Glacier National Park. They wanted to be completely immersed in nature and surrounded by their family, and that’s certainly what they got!
Elements of a Mountain Elopement:
For her mountain elopement, Kelly wanted to keep her look very elegant, timeless, and sleek. Rare Beauty pinned her hair up in an old Hollywood kind of way, which perfectly complemented her white satin gown. The dress was a simple white number with long sleeves and a lace diamond cutout at the back, reminiscent of Bella Swan’s wedding dress in the “Twilight” series. With the boat neckline and buttons flowing down the back, it was exquisite!
Kelly’s bridal bouquet provided a beautiful pop of color against her dress! It contained blooms in varying pinks and whites with lush greenery and trailing dusty rose ribbons.
But our favorite part of any bridal look? Hiking boots! What can we say: We love this sign of adventure that’s the ultimate mark of a Montana bride! Not to mention that Kelly was extremely comfortable when she made her way to Big Bend!
The Ceremony:
On the day of the mountain elopement, Kelly, Ben, and their family caravanned up the mountains of West Glacier. When they arrived, they spent some time soaking up Big Bend’s beauty by capturing some bridal and family pictures. Mother Nature was really showing off that day! The mountains were in prime form with sunlight filtering in through the soft, hazy clouds. The light hit Kelly and Ben in just the right way to make them look almost angelic. What more can you ask for on your wedding day?
When they were ready, we started the ceremony. There was actually the perfect rock pedestal that Kelly and Ben stood on, creating a natural altar for them.
Whenever I have the immense honor of officiating a ceremony, I intentionally craft the ceremony script to incorporate the couple’s love story and personalities. If the couple is fun and silly, I infuse notes of that vibe in part of the ceremony. If they are more sentimental and romantic, I weave that into the ceremony too. Every script is personalized down to the last period, hyphen, and comma. After all, it’s YOUR wedding ceremony, not anyone else’s!
Kelly and Ben’s ceremony was sweet and simple, focusing on the tender love they have cultivated over the years. Then, before we knew it, they were husband and wife! They had their first married kiss and then threw their arms in the air! They did it!
Pop the Bubbly!
Nothing beats the feeling of having just married your best friend! You can certainly see that in Kelly and Ben’s smiles and cheers right after the ceremony. They were on top of the world, and when you’re on a mountaintop in Glacier National Park, it’s like you really are!
They celebrated their new marriage by popping the top off some champagne! They did a toast with their loved ones and then made it official by signing their marriage license.
They capped the evening off with an adventure photo session around Glacier. We have to say that the final images are impeccable! They capture the diverse beauty of the national park as well as the beauty of Kelly and Ben’s love for each other. There’s really nothing like that newlywed glow!
Final Word from Katie:
Congratulations on your epic elopement, Kelly & Ben! It was simply a joy to get to know you both and I was honored to officiate your ceremony. I wish you two a lifetime of good health and happiness!
-Katie
Venue // Glacier National Park - Big Bend
Coordinator // An Epic Elopement
Officiant // Katie Jimenez
Photographer // Amber Lynn Photography
Florist // Mum's Floral
Hair & Makeup // Rare Beauty
Let's Plan Your Mountain Elopement!
Based in Kalispell, Montana, An Epic Elopement specializes in all-inclusive elopements, micro-weddings, and intimate weddings. Here, you get the full experience of having a traditional wedding, but with a little more adventure included!
Are you ready to start your elopement journey? Send me a note describing your elopement vision and let’s make it happen!
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