Best Places to Get Married in Glacier National Park in 2024
Posted October 2019, Updated December 2023
So, you’ve got the easy part down – you’ve made the decision to have a Glacier National Park wedding and you’re stuck on what’s next in the planning process. Good news though – whether you’re choosing to have an intimate Glacier Park wedding with 20 of your favorite people or eloping alone with your partner – there are countless wedding locations in Glacier to choose from!
While I will always recommend reaching out to a resourceful Glacier National Park intimate wedding and elopement photographer first as they’ll know the park (and all of the best spots to say “I do”) like the back of their hand.
My Favorite Wedding Ceremony Locations in Glacier National Park for the 2024 wedding season
There are honestly so many amazing approved locations for ceremonies in Glacier but below is the Jessica Puckette Photography official ranking of my favorites! You can find all of the approved Glacier wedding locations on the national park website, so be sure to check them out for as you get excited for your upcoming wedding day.
Jesse and Joey during their Glacier Park wedding day along the shore of Lake McDonald.
1. Shore of Lake McDonald
Chances are that if you’ve looked up anything about visiting Glacier National Park, you’ve stumbled across photos of beautiful rainbow-covered rocks along the shore of a crystal clear lake – there’s a good chance that’s Lake McDonald. While the color of the rocks isn’t quite as in-your-face vibrant as some of the edited photos you’ll see online, they’re still 100% worth the hype they get.
Some perks of getting married or spending your Glacier elopement day in the Lake McDonald region are…
- Watching sunsets and stargazing while sitting on the shore of Lake McDonald is such an amazing and serene experience. I’ve never seen as many stars as I see while in Glacier National Park. Fun fact – it’s actually designated as an International Dark Sky Park, which means they have a commitment to preserving dark skies. (Read more about that here!)
- Of all of the spots that I mention, West Glacier definitely has the least amount of driving from common areas to stay like Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, which is great if you’re not looking to spend much time in the car.
- Wheelchair accessibility is a big one for this area. There are numerous spots to choose from that are accessible, such as the Trail of the Cedars and Apgar Ampitheater!
- West Glacier has spots to visit nearly year-round, so if you’re planning to have your elopement in the winter, fall, or spring there’s a really good chance there’s a location here in Glacier National Park that we can access for your elopement day.
Kelsey and Weston at Lake McDonald in West Glacier during their moody, fall elopement day.
2. Saint Mary Lake
If you’re daydreaming of wind-blown hair and feeling surrounded by towering mountains, you’ve found the spot! Even when it’s less windy in this area… it’s still pretty dang windy. But as you can see from Abby and Beau’s wedding photo, it makes for some really dramatic photos – especially on moodier, cloud-covered days.
Some perks of choosing to have your elopement / intimate wedding in the Saint Mary region:
- It’s a super central location! You could easily spend a portion of your elopement day in the Saint Mary region of the park and then finish off the day checking out Logan Pass, Two Medicine, or Many Glacier with only an hour or so drive.
- The hike to Saint Mary Falls and Virginia Falls begins in this area and both are relatively easy hikes that would be perfect to incorporate into your elopement day!
- Spots like Wild Goose Overlook and Sun Point make for absolutely stunning photos. Although these are both relatively popular stopping points, I know some secret spots to help us escape from the crowd.
Abby and Beau on day one of their multi-day Glacier wedding adventure at Sun Point overlooking Saint Mary Lake.
3. Many Glacier Hotel
The most breathtaking, out-of-this world alpenglow that I’ve ever seen has taken place at sunrise in the Many Glacier region which is why it’s definitely a top reccomended spot for those willing to wake up way before the sun to say “I do”!
Some perks of choosing to have your wedding day in Many Glacier:
- Many iconic Glacier National Park trails begin in this area, including my personal favorite hike to Grinnell Glacier. If you choose to have an adventurous elopement day there won’t be a shortage of amazing trails to choose from for all levels of difficulty that you might be comfortable with.
- So much wildlife! Just about every time I’ve visited this area, I’ve seen either a moose or a bear (among other animals).
- Three words: beyond epic sunrises. The early bird catches the worm… or finds a parking lot at the trailhead! Luckily the sunrises in Many Glacier are some of the most epic and beautiful that I’ve witnessed which makes the early morning alarm so worth it. As you can see in Huck and Kate’s sunrise elopement in Many Glacier, it’s unreal how the sun lights up these mountains in the morning. Pro tip: If you’re not up for being an early bird on your elopement day, at some point during your trip, grab a cup of coffee, a blanket, and go onto the deck of the Many Glacier Hotel for a cozy sunrise experience.
Darcie and Jackson enjoying eachother’s company after their elopement ceremony in Many Glacier
4. Lake in Two Medicine Region
The Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park lends itself to have a little more wild vibe due to the close sweeping mountain peaks and (almost always) windy conditions. But speaking from a photographer’s perspective, wind can lend itself to some pretty epic photos with wind blown-hair and dresses moving beautifully in the wind!
Some perks of choosing to have your elopement in Two Medicine:
- Adventurous waterfall photos… without the big hike in your wedding attire. If you want an adventurous vibe for your photos without exerting all of the energy to hike in your wedding attire, Two Medicine is the home of the breathtaking Running Eagle Falls. This waterfall is only a .25 mile walk from the parking lot!
- Although it’s hard to find many places in Glacier National Park that are truly away from the crowds, I feel like locations like Two Medicine and Many Glacier are a little more off the beaten path, which makes it easier to escape the people and have moments to yourselves.
- One of my favorite lodging and dining spots, Summit Mountain Lodge, is located nearby! It feels like such a tranquil escape even though it’s located right off the highway.
Running Eagle Falls located in the Two Medicine region of Glacier National Park
Wedding Venues near Glacier National Park
If you’re looking to have over 15-20 people present on your wedding day, it is most advisable for you to reconsider getting married within Glacier National Park and start looking at local wedding venues. When you reserve a ceremony site in Glacier, it ensures that no one else gets married at that time but it does not prevent other park visitors from being in that area – so a huge plus of a venue is being able to truly reserve it for you only. Choosing a wedding venue near Glacier (rather than in the park) will also prevent you having to worry about everyone being able to find parking.
Glacier Raft Company in West Glacier, Montana
Located just 5 minutes from the west glacier entrance of Glacier National Park, this West Glacier wedding venue has a variety of packages whether you’re looking for something short and sweet or the full wedding and reception of your dreams!
For Taylor and Matthew’s West Glacier wedding, they began with a ceremony and toasts at Glacier Raft company and then adventured into the park for wedding photos near Logan Pass. It was the perfect combination of a celebration with loved ones and getting those epic, dreamy photos in Glacier National Park!
Glacier Raft Company’s website: https://glacieroutdoorweddings.com/
Summit Mountain Lodge & Steakhouse in East Glacier Park Village, Montana
One of the biggest challenges that couples can face when planning a destination wedding in Glacier National Park is being sure that all of their guests secure lodging and rental cars early (and if they don’t, there’s the struggle of finding something that isn’t astronomically priced). I love that Summit Mountain Lodge has room for 40+ guests on-site in their cozy cabins as well as an outdoor pavilion that can comfortably fit 100 guests for your wedding celebration. And don’t even get me started on how good the food is! When speaking to the owners, they even noted that it’s common to spot moose on the property.
Lodge at Whitefish Lake in Whitefish, Montana
As you can see from the above photo of Alissa and Seamus’ breathtaking Lodge at Whitefish Lake wedding, there’s the really fun option of adding on a private boat ride around Whitefish Lake for your wedding day.
They even offer micro-wedding and elopement packages for couples who are drawn to the views and experiences that you can have on the water here, which I think is an awesome in-between if you’re having something super intimate with family!
https://lodgeatwhitefishlake.com/weddings
Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier Park Village, Montana
Glacier Park Lodge and Glacier Raft Company are the best venues that are in close proximity to the park but what I especially love about this lodge is all of the history and beautiful interior architecture. It’s also really close to the Two Medicine region, so we could even sneak out during your wedding Glacier Park Lodge to get some sunset photos in the park at some. of the spots you may have seen above.
https://www.glacierparkcollection.com/lodging/glacier-park-lodge/weddings/
Star Meadows Ranch
The best thing about renting out an entire property like Star Meadows Ranch (or Amen Ranch near Flathead Lake) is that you have the entire space to yourself and you can combine having a wedding celebration with enjoying a vacation with all of your favorite people!
Check out the blog post with a gallery from Juliette and Kade’s wedding at Star Meadows Ranch!
Planning Your Wedding near Glacier National Park
If you’re looking for a photographer who is experienced in capturing all of the beauty that Glacier Park and the surrounding areas have to offer… hey, I’m Jess! But really, I’d love to help you have the most wonderful experience getting married in the most breathtaking region of Montana!