A Summertime Glacier National Park Wedding with Outdoor Reception

To me, weddings are like mountains in that I will never grow tired or bored of them! No matter how many weddings I plan or how many times I see the Glacier mountains, I will never take them for granted. Now, when you combine the two and have a spectacular Glacier National Park wedding, you have my whole heart! That must be why Savannah and Tommy’s mountain-inspired nuptials breathed so much life into me during the entire planning process and especially on the wedding day.

This sweet couple had a Glacier National Park wedding ceremony followed by an intimate reception at Glacier Raft Co. They are as completely infatuated with the Montana mountains as I am. Thus, we used them as inspiration for their overall color palette and wedding design.

If you’re dreaming of an intimate wedding but are unsure of what that can look like, this wedding story is for you! Savannah and Tommy’s summertime Glacier National Park wedding had all the elements of a traditional celebration, yet included just 10 of their closest relatives. Keep reading to learn how you too can have a smaller sized wedding without sacrificing any of the quality!

Savannah & Tommy’s Glacier National Park Wedding Site:

Savannah and Tommy selected Avalanche Creek for their ceremony, located within Glacier National Park. Situated about an hour from Whitefish, Avalanche Creek provides the best that Glacier has to offer, all in one spot! This picnic area is completely surrounded by lush pine trees and towering mountains with the creek running right through the center. The ground is covered by smooth, flat stones in various shades of white and gray. Best of all, it’s a private, less crowded area. That means you don’t have to worry about many passersby hiking near your ceremony!

There are numerous wedding sites within Glacier National Park. At first glance, it might seem overwhelming to choose your perfect one. Luckily, our sister company, An Epic Elopement broke down the different locales to help you compare and contrast! Check it all out HERE.

You can also reach out to me directly to explore all your options! 😉

Mountain-Inspired Décor Details:

Savannah and Tommy drew their inspiration for their Glacier National Park wedding color scheme from the Avalanche Creek area, and of course, the mountains themselves. Their color palette consisted of blush pink and ivory with just a hint of yellow and tons of greenery. Our goal with their wedding design was to accentuate and even enhance Montana’s natural beauty.

In Savannah’s own words, we “selected soft, natural tones to blend effortlessly with the golden hour glow and whimsical floral arrangements to capture the romantic feeling of dining surrounded by beautiful mountain views.”

Thus, both Savannah’s bridal bouquet and the reception floral included a mix of roses and what looked like natural wildflowers. We may as well have handpicked the flowers straight from a meadow within the national park!

At the reception, we laid a white table runner down the length of the wooden dining table. We then placed a garland of these florals on top of it. To give the tablescape a soft, romantic glow, we interspersed tall hurricane candles and votives amongst the blooms.

Savannah found personalized wooden name placards to set at each individual place setting, and we set mismatched crystal glassware to complement them. I would totally agree with the bride when she said, “Every piece was eclectic yet perfectly harmonized.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Glacier National Park Wedding Ceremony:

Before Savannah and Tommy’s Glacier National Park wedding ceremony, we set up two first looks; the first with Savannah and her father, and the second with Savannah and her soon-to-be husband. The bonds that Savannah has with each of these men are truly so special and it brought tears to my eyes to witness Savannah and her dad both tear up during their first look.

When it was time to tie the knot, Tommy and Savannah each walked down the aisle to the sweet tune of “Simply the Best.” The tears that started flowing during the first looks continued as Tommy saw his bride for the second time at the altar.

The ceremony was filled with raw and tender emotions, as Savannah and Tommy pledged a lifetime of love to one another through their own custom vows. By the time they were declared husband and wife, there wasn’t a dry eye among us!

After their first married kiss, the newlyweds and the group stayed in the park for photos and a champagne toast. I, however, jet-setted back over to Glacier Raft Co to put the finishing touches on the reception setup!

Dining in the Mountain Air:

Once everything was as perfect as it could be, we started the custom playlist that the bride and groom created, and the mini cocktail hour began. A personalized wooden welcome sign greeted the guests along with forest green Glacier National Park blankets and a GNP poster that served as the guest book.

There were many “oohs” and “aahs,” as everyone took in the sight of the reception table with the surrounding mountains soaring above the site. Everybody mixed and mingled with drinks in hand, relaxing on the pink and white lounge furniture we set up on the lawn.

Then, the musical stylings of the Mike Murray Duo signaled the start of dinner. The Cuisine Machine wined and dined everyone to their hearts’ content before Tommy took his new wife in his arms for their first dance. Open dancing then commenced. The rest of the evening was filled with good music, good company, and good conversation, not to mention good cake!

Before the sun set, we served the lemon cake with huckleberry compote and lavender buttercream. We love unique wedding cake flavors, and this one could not have been more perfect for the summertime!

As the night drew to a close and the setting sun cast the lavender and cotton candy pink glow that I love, I (and my wedding assistant/husband, Joe) handed out bubble guns for the grand exit. Savannah and Tommy’s family showered them in bubbles and shouts of well wishes.

And they lived happily ever after!

A Word from the Bride:

“Hire Big Day Celebrations and let Katie take care of the rest! She is always one step ahead, can translate your vision into reality with little direction, and you’ll love working with her.”

-Savannah

Final Word from Katie:

Savannah and Tommy, your wedding was an absolute fairy tale! I loved being part of the entire process with you two, and everything could not have turned out more beautifully! Thank you for inviting me into your lives for this most important day. I wish you so much happiness and love in your future together!

-Katie

Vendor Team:

Coordinator // Big Day Celebrations

Venue // Glacier Raft Co

Photographer // Studio KH

Videographer // Samuel Roland Films

Music // Mike Murray Tunes

Florist // Mum’s Flowers

Caterer // Cuisine Machine

Baker // Fleur Bake Shop

Hair & Makeup // Melanie Hobus

Rentals // Empress Tents & Events

Linen // BBJ Linen

Let’s Plan Your Glacier National Park Wedding!

Big Day Celebrations offers full-service wedding planning, coordination & design services, and micro-wedding packages, so no matter how you envision your wedding, we will make it happen and have a whole lot of fun along the way!

Ready to get started? Drop me a note below and let’s do this!