VOW RENEWAL INSPIRATION | GLACIER NATIONAL PARK • Xsperience Photography

What better way to say “I still choose you” then a vow renewal while camping in Glacier National Park, Montana?! Just the two of you surrounded by nature at its finest. The sound of birds chirping. Fresh glacier lake water splashing over colorful rocks. The sun beaming over the rugged mountain peaks. Sipping coffee as the sun rises over the mountains with a curious deer wondering if she can have a taste of your blueberry muffin (real story!!). I’ll share the video at the end

WHAT IS A VOW RENEWAL

A vow renewal is a celebratory ceremony for a married couple to reaffirm their love and commitment to each other.

WHY DO COUPLES RENEW THEIR VOWS

Tradition got the best of them. Couples who settled for a traditional wedding, but deep down wanted to elope, often find themselves regretting their decision. A vow renewal is a great way to satisfy that desire. It’s an excuse to have the wedding of their dreams without feeling like they disappointed their family or friends. Often times this is done on their one year anniversary.

COVID – ugh the dreaded C word. But yes, covid ruined a lot of couple’s wedding plans. Many had to make it official in a courthouse or even in their living-room over zoom. While they are happy they are officially husband and wife, they long for something more. A fun adventure with epic photos in their wedding attire is the perfect way to make it feel special and more real.

Money. Some couples get married young so money is an issue. They didn’t get the photographer they wanted so their tangible memories are not a beautiful representation of their day. They probably didn’t invest in a scenic destination or venue to host their wedding, nor could they afford the dress/suit or florals they truly wanted. So a vow renewal celebration at year 5, 10 or 20 when they’re financially stable gives them a second chance to have the wedding of their dreams!

Hardship. Marriage is what so many young people strive for. Sometimes it even trumps career and personal growth. It’s like it was engrained in our brains, “you must get married to be happy”. However, marriage does not solve problems that are already rooted. And Sometimes it even creates problems. Running a house, meshing two personalities, and raising children is no easy task, and often times that is what initially follows the wedding. If it takes its toll on the marriage, hardship is inevitable. But if you’re one of those couples who worked hard, stayed strong, grew on a personal level and is proud of how far you’ve come, then this may be the time to celebrate that!! I mean THAT is more worth celebrating than the wedding day. It’s a chance to say, “I’m sorry for giving you the naive youth side of me. I’m grateful you chose to grow with me. Thank you for choosing me again.” Not many can say those words so if you can, acknowledge how truly amazing that is and CELEBRATE it!!

TELL US ABOUT THIS GLACIER NATIONAL PARK VOW RENEWAL

It was a dream. Truly an inspirational moment I’m proud to have experienced as a photographer. We started early in the morning with blueberry muffins and coffee on the shore of Bowman Lake. When the sun started to peak over the mountains, Emily and Jonah exchanged words reminding each other of the growth they shared over the past years and the things they love most about each other. Then we headed out on a hike taking in some of Montana’s incredible mountain and lake views. Since we broke a sweat hiking, they bathed in the cold glacier lake, napped in the hammock and ate lunch before getting ready once again. After putting their wedding attire back on, we headed back to Bowman Lake for some fishing and beer. We ended the evening with a slow dance in the rain and champagne.

WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE XSPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY TO CAPTURE YOUR ELOPEMENT OR VOW RENEWAL

Who better to answer this question than the beautiful bride featured in this vow renewal story…

“I have no idea where to start because I really could write a novel about the expertise, dedication and quality Trisha is able to capture within her work. Trisha is such a bright light and brings so much enthusiasm and energy with her, and it really makes for the perfect experience while taking photos. My husband and I recently got to work with her in Glacier National Park. We were amazed at how welcoming of an atmosphere Trisha made for us, and how easy it was for us to be in front of a camera. Trisha is able to capture such a genuine and warm feeling and it shows in her work. She goes over and beyond the limits to make her clients happy. I highly recommend Xsperience photography for all of your wedding and elopement dreams.
~Emily

WHO DID THE PLANNING AND STYLING FOR THIS GLACIER NATIONAL PARK VOW RENEWAL AND DO THEY OFFER ELOPEMENT PACKAGES?

Go team ELOPE WEST!! Elope West is an elopement or small destination wedding planning team. It consists of a professional fine art wedding photographer with an unobtrusive documentary style (Trisha of XSPERIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY) and a professional wedding planner who creates the beautiful story to be shared (Kari of WHITE LOON EVENTS). As a team, Trisha and Kari of ELOPE WEST are able to handle ALL of the details from beginning to end. They start with a questionnaire to learn about the couple since it’s important to them that the couple truly enjoys the experience. Then they team up to create a suitable adventure with a timeline that allows for fun, natural, photogenic moments to occur.

In this camping adventure they supplied the food, beverages, styling, canvas tent, bug spray, bear spray, you name it and they took care of it! They also secured the campsite at Bowman Lake Campground. This is a first-come-first-serve campground so it is necessary to plan ahead. Not to mention the large canvas tent requires a larger site. The team arrives a day or two ahead of the scheduled event to secure a site and have it ready upon arrival.

BEST MORNING EVER!