There are so many reasons we all adore fall. The crisp breeze, colorful leaves and the feeling of relief after a hot summer. Why not add one more reason to love this season by having a fall adventure elopement in the Tetons?! That’s exactly what Dan and Sylvia did and the entire day turned into a wonderful adventure filled with candid moments and tender memories.

A Lake On Top Of The World

Early on in their dating Dan and Sylvia were visiting the Tetons. They stopped at a little coffee shop and asked the barista what he favorite hike was. Taking her advice, they went on this gorgeous hike that ended at the top of a mountain with an aqua blue lake. They both through that this was the most beautiful place in the world! So when marriage came up, they decided they would have their fall adventure elopement in the Tetons at this lake.

I too have been to this lake and absolutely adore it! So much in fact, that it is the first photo you see when you open up my home page. So when Sylvia found me on Google and saw that her lake was on my page, she knew I was their elopement photographer. And I am so grateful that the signs pointed to me, because I absolutely love this couple!

Dan & Sylvia

Dan and Sylvia are both PAs making the wild transition from living in a traditional apartment to an airstream. Their dream is to travel the country while working remotely from their computers. They both consider themselves to be spontaneous and love life on the road. So when the opportunity came to road trip out to California for a training on wilderness training, they jumped at the opportunity! And being spontaneous they decided they would stop on their way to have their fall adventure elopement in the Tetons!

While planning I mentioned I wanted to bring my husband just because of all the gear we would pack. They were similar in that way with being PAs. It was fun to be with like minded people in preparedness! I needed my husband to help carry my pack, and when mentioning he was an officiant when I sent of a list of officiants in the area, Dan and Sylvia chose to have my husband officiate.

Hiking To Elope

This hike is straight up the mountain and is extremely intense! If you are not acclimated to the altitude you can get super sick even when not hiking. But the four miles of rigorous hiking is so worth it! When you get to the top you see the most stunning aqua blue, crystal clear waters. And the most stunning views of the Tetons. This high glacier lake sits right beneath the Grand Tetons and will definitely take your breathe away.

For a legal wedding in the state of Wyoming you need to have two witnesses. And when we started this fall adventure elopement in the Tetons we only had one, that being me. Originally they thought they would bring their friend Meg, but she was recently diagnosed with cancer and wouldn’t be able to make it. Then there “back up” had car troubles and wasn’t able to be their either! We hoped and prayed that we would find a kind soul to be part of this adventure elopement while on our hike. And then came Anthony!

On the way up we met this guy on the trail and mentioned that we were needing another witness for this fall adventure elopement in the Tetons. He was so shocked and said he would love to! He actually wasn’t sure which way on this hike he would end up going and redirected his path to come help witness the wedding. We were lucky to have met Anthony, he was so nice and added to the day!

And if you are wondering about Dan and Sylvia’s friend Meg, luckily we had service up to the lake to facetime with her! Anthony held up the phone so Meg could watch the ceremony. They even took a pic with Meg on the iphone to include her in their Teton elopement.

Fall Teton Wedding Bouquet

Everything was so spontaneous and last minute with this fall adventure elopement in the Tetons! Dan and Sylvia planned everything in just 2-3 months before their wedding day. I helped them plan out the day as far as sunlight and what photos they wanted. About two week prior to there elopement date Sylvia started thinking about a bouquet. I mentioned that a lot of florists in the Grand Tetons book out far in advance, and can be expensive. I gave her options for florist in Alpine and Rexburg as well. Then I had the thought that she could use grocery store flowers! She loved it, but said she wasn’t very crafty. So I helped her create her wedding bouquet!

I went on an adventure of my own finding the perfect arrangement of florals for Sylvia! I stopped at my local post office that had a huge bush of sage, so I asked the post man if I could have some and he agree. Then I stopped at my parents and they had this beautiful bush that I took some trimmings from. I also brought sunflowers to add some more color. Finally we stopped at the grocery store and picked up some there. In the grocery store parking lot, we deconstructed the bouquet and added what I brought and made it into something wild and free, just like Dan and Sylvia’s personality as a couple and their wedding day.

I absolutely loved helping make this stunning bouquet with Sylvia! It was so fun to create and turned out beautiful. It and simple, loose and kind of wild in it’s style. When building a wedding bouquet for an adventure elopement you want to make sure it is easy to carry and sturdy. Sturdy flowers will ensure that your wedding bouquet will last the hike!

Glacier Lake Ceremony

After taking a few photos at their lodging and with their airstream, we made the hike to their fall adventure elopement in the Tetons! When we got to the top of the hike I was astonished by how well Sylvia’s hair and makeup held up. So much that I just had to mention it in this blog! Kenzie from Tanya Crocker did her hair and makeup and let me tell you, it held up after a long and sweaty hike. I was amazed!

Dan and Sylvia were married on a giant rock on the edge of the lake. It was beyond stunning! The ceremony was filled with love and adoration, which just added to the beauty of the day. Everything about those moments at that lake were tender and memorable. I am so grateful that I was able to capture those memories for Dan and Sylvia.

We left the lake as the sun was setting with gorgeous clouds rolling over us. We hiked most of the way out with head lamps because it got dark so quickly! It was honestly so much fun. Since it was a clear night, with just a few clouds, I suggested attempting astro-photography. Dan and Sylvia were totally game! Even after a long hike they didn’t mind spending an extra 30 minutes letting me play around. We got some fun shots!

This fall adventure elopement in the Tetons is probably one of my favorite weddings from this year! Dan and Sylvia will remain amazing friends of mine. I love them so much and look forward to hearing all about their life’s adventures.

Let’s chat and talk about your adventure elopement! I would love to capture your love story while exploring some of the most beautiful places in the Grand Tetons!