Your Go-To Elopement Guide for Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park. Known for its scenic wildlife and mountain ranges. Known for over 300,000 acres of beauty and breathtaking blue skies. A special place that pulls people in from all around the world to fill their wanderlust with adventure, nature, and of course, romance. For all my couples out there!
Imagine choosing Grand Teton as your choice of elopement destinations. The dreamy watercolor sunrises and sunsets, the mountains that provide the perfect backdrop to any elopement. The open ranges of wildflowers and clear streams and lakes that draw the eye to the horizon.
Imagine waking up to sweet sounds of birds, and a view of light painting the sky with a blanket of warmth. A morning hike up Cascade Canyon, a homey breakfast or sleeping in; you get to decide how you spend your morning together!
On top of that, spend your time enjoying some of Wyoming’s simple pleasures like soaking in the hot springs, rafting down the Snake River, seeing the sights and ending the day at the all too famous local hub, the Cowboy Bar!
However you envision your elopement day, let’s make it happen!
Whether you picture a more traditional elopement with a handful of your closest friends and family and a simple campfire afterwards, or keeping it less traditional with an intimate vow ceremony, signing the marriage license and ending the day with a celebratory swim afterwards.
Whatever it is, I want to make your elopement dreams a reality, and this simple guide will help you do just that in a stress-free way!
When to Elope in Grand Teton National Park
What season do you want to elope in? Do you have a favorite season? What vibe do you want for your elopement and elopement photos? Do you prefer wild flowers and warm mornings? The coziness of fall leaves? The magic of winter? Or summertime adventure? What time do you want to elope during the day? You get to choose!
If you’re thinking winter sports and cozy evenings, plan your elopement between November and April. Or if you’r wanting adventure, greenery and the sun, the BEST time to elope will be between May and September.
Obviously, with winter comes snow season. Just being aware of weather conditions makes a huge difference in preparation. It’s also important to note; weekend ceremony permits are in high demand, which means having a small elopement on a weekday will most likely be calmer and less crowded.
Pick the Perfect Location at Grand Teton National Park
Where do you want to elope? Do you want to elope inside Grant Teton National Park, or would you rather elope outside the park and skip the permits altogether. Each decision can be beautiful and memorable!
INSIDE THE PARK
If you choose to elope inside Grand Teton, you can either apply for a reserved site-specific ceremony permit or a small dispersed ceremony permit.
When you choose to apply for a reserved site-specific ceremony permit, you can choose from six gorgeous, already selected sites:
Colter Bay Swim beach
Schwabacher Landing
Mountain View Turnout
Mormon Row (North or South)
Glacier View Turnout
Snack River Overlook
With a small dispersed ceremony permit, you can elope anywhere you want apart from the Park’s prohibited locations, which you can find by clicking the link below.
This permit is a great option for any couple who wants a more private, intimate gathering, as the permit restricts parties to no more than 12 close friends and family. Because guests are limited, this is a great time to start thinking about who you want to celebrate with.
For more information on the application process, check out the How to Apply Section in National Park Service’s post on Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies in Grand Teton National Park.
OUTSIDE THE PARK
If you’d rather forgo the permit process, you still have so many beautiful locations to choose from outside of Grand Teton, but still close enough to enjoy the scenic views!
Some of my favorites include:
The Wedding Tree in Bridger-Teton National Forest (this location still requires a permit.
Jackson Hole (made up of smaller towns like Wilson, Moose, Teton Village and Kelly)
Driggs Idaho
The Ucross Chapel
Star Valley Lodge
Brush Creek Ranch
Obtaining Your Marriage License
This part of the planning process is pretty straight forward. Just remember that you must have a marriage license given to you by the Clerk’s office before your elopement ceremony. Click here for more information on how to obtain your marriage license, then you’re one step closer to your day!
Choose an Officiant
To make things easy for you, below you’ll find a list of officiant services located in Wyoming and a few links to online ordination certifications if you want a friend or family member to marry you.
Services in Wyoming:
Joann McGregor Wedding Officiant
Yellowstone Secular Ceremonies
Annette Sause, Wedding Officiant
Ask a friend to officiate:
Now that we’ve covered location, when you want to elope, and logistics, like your marriage license and who will be marring you; here comes the fun part!
Choosing Your Accommodations
After you spend the day adventuring, where do you want your home base to be? Do you picture a cozy cabin? High end luxury? A ranch resort? More of a rustic experience? Don’t settle. Choose a place that feels warm, welcoming and special to you! Take a look at the curated list of some of my favorite accommodations close to Grand Teton.
Plan Some Fun Activities
Part of the excitement of eloping means you get to create memories specifically designed with your style and vision in mind. But it also means you get to spend time enjoying activities you love doing together before and afterwards!
Go canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking and river rafting in the majesty of the park. Or get creative by horseback riding and hiring a private chef to fix you up the picnic of your dreams.
If you choose to elope in the winter, book a dog-sled ride through the frosted trees and end the day soaking in soothing hot springs. (Hot Springs State Park, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Hot Springs)
What’s more? If you spend the summer dreaming of fresh powdery snow on mountain peaks, Jackson Hole is the prime place to visit to get your fill of winter sports and activities like ice skating, snow mobiling, skiing, snowboarding, etc.
And if you want to keep it more low key, visit some of Wyoming and Grand Teton’s main landmarks: Jackson Town Square, Flaming Gorge, Yellowstone, Devil’s Tower, Ayres Natural Bridge, Bridger Teton National Forest, National Elk refuge, Jenny Lake, Grand Teton, Prismatic Spring and many others.
Go to Get Your Guide and Travel Wyoming to help you book and find activity inspiration for your romantic and adventurous hearts.
Contact Me to Photograph Your Elopement
At this point, you should have a clearer vision of your elopement day. And to continue the process, I’d love to personally help you plan your elopement and capture your big day! Contact me and I can’t wait to meet you!
Check out Grand Teton Elopement Guide for further information on planning an elopement in Grand Teton National Park to keep feeding those elopement dreams of yours.
