If there’s one thing you can count on for your Yellowstone National Park wedding, it’s that you can’t predict the weather. Kim and Mark learned this for themselves during their Yellowstone elopement. Almost the entire day was spent under cloudy skies and pouring rain, but they embraced the adventure and had a one-of-a-kind wedding experience!
It was such an honor to work with this sweet couple, and I’m so excited to share their story with you today!
Why They Eloped in Yellowstone
Kim actually found me from a photo I had taken from another elopement in Yellowstone in 2024. It was a wedding photo taken at Artist Point overlooking the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. On our first consultation call, she kept coming back to that image, and we knew pretty easily that was where they needed to elope.
Why this couple decided to elope, in their own words:
“We wanted this day to be focused on what we want and not about pleasing other people. We want it to be intimate and meaningful without having the pressure of making everyone else happy. We wanted to do something different and not ‘status-quo.'”
They also told me they wanted to experience wildlife during their wedding day, saying, “I would love to try and get wildlife in a picture if we can find some.” And boy did Yellowstone deliver on wildlife!
How I helped plan their Yellowstone wedding experience
During the planning process, when I asked about their vision for their wedding day, they told me they wanted the vows to be fairly traditional, but the rest of the day to be adventurous.
Early on, I sent them a handful of ceremony locations that I thought they would love, and they ended up choosing a spot in the Lamar Valley for their vows. From there, I helped them find lodging that was reasonably close (the Lamar Valley is one of the most remote areas in the park, but so worth the drive!) while also helping plan the rest of their day.
Once we figured out the main spots they wanted to hit during their wedding day, I put everything together in a timeline. I made sure to allow plenty of time for getting ready in the morning so they didn’t feel rushed, which is one of my biggest pieces of advice for eloping couples.
I also built the timeline with plenty of buffer time for driving from one spot to the next to allow for traffic jams caused by wildlife, which is a regular occurrence throughout Yellowstone, but especially in the Lamar Valley.
The day ran smoothly, aside from the rain, and these two embraced the adventure and had an incredible celebration!
Kim & Mark’s Yellowstone Elopement Story
The day began at Kim and Mark’s cabin in Canyon Village, where we met in person for the first time. Kim’s hair and makeup artists, as well as Ryan, their videographer, met here, and we all got to work. The morning was spent listening to music as Kim and Mark got ready for their day, mostly separately, while Ryan and I took getting ready and detail shots.
To keep the first look a surprise, Mark got dressed and headed out to the lodge to wait. Once Kim’s hair and makeup were perfect, she got dressed with the help of her hair and makeup team.
Kim then opened her bouquet, which had been arranged by her soon-to-be mother-in-law. It had the most beautiful details, including a portrait of Kim with her kids, whom she loves more than anything in this world. The bouquet came with a letter that left Kim crying happy tears.
We all waited about 10 minutes for the rain to die down since it was currently pouring. The moment it did, we raced to the spot we had picked out for the first look, and these two share a sweet but short moment together.
Next, we all loaded up and began the drive to the wedding ceremony location in the Lamar Valley. We passed by herds of bison and incredible mountain views along the way.
As soon as we parked at the trailhead, we were greeted by a herd of buffalo as they made their way down the mountain trail we were about to begin hiking! It was such a great start to the day to watch the herd make their way down the hillside and walk along the road.
Once the trail was clear, we began the short but steep hike up to the lake for the ceremony.
At the top of the trail was a spot with a view of the lake under the canopy of tree cover, which became the perfect location for sharing vows and staying dry.
Due to the lake’s remote location and the rainy weather, there was no one else around. Well, except for a single bison in the distance as their witness.
The two shared their heartfelt vows in one of the most peaceful spots in Yellowstone.
After the ceremony, we made our way back down to the car and did some sightseeing on our way back to Canyon. We made a few stops to take in the epic scenery of Yellowstone.
Our final stop of the day was at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It became the grand finale for a couple of reasons. The first was that Kim initially found me from another wedding I had photographed in this exact spot, and this view was the main reason they decided to elope in Yellowstone. The other reason was that this was the only time the entire day that the sun came out. It was the perfect ending to the day!
Yellowstone National Park Elopement Vendors:
- Elopement Photography & Planning: Tiana Olivia Photography
- Elopement Videography: Prisma West
- Hair & Makeup: Tayna Crocker
- Dress: David’s Bridal
- Suit: Men’s Warehouse
- Lodging: Canyon Village Lodge & Cabins
- Florals: Handmade by Mark’s mom <3
How to Plan a Yellowstone National Park Wedding
There are a handful of designated wedding ceremony locations inside of Yellowstone National Park you can choose from for sharing vows. You’ll need to apply for a permit at least two weeks in advance, but the earlier the better!
Getting married in a National Park, such as Yellowstone, is great because you have some of the most beautiful scenery in the country easily accessible. However, the drawback is that you likely won’t have much privacy on your wedding day. If you do want to have privacy, then opting for a more remote location like Kim and Mark did, or choosing to hold your ceremony around sunrise, is the best option!
Yellowstone Wedding & Elopement Packages
Have you found yourself dreaming of getting married in the epic scenery of Yellowstone National Park? This is a location I specialize in helping couples elope in by providing personalized location guidance, building a relaxing timeline, sending vendor recommendations, and more, in addition to photographing every last detail.
