March 10, 2023

Ammie & Blake’s Courthouse Ceremony and Glacier National Park Portraits

My friend Katie with An Epic Elopement texted me one evening as she and her husband were having dinner with one of her neighbors to see if I was interested and available for a weekday portrait session with them. They were going to be getting married at the courthouse soon and were hoping for some portraits at the courthouse, and then 'somewhere epic' later on.

Well, it doesn't get much more epic than Glacier National Park in this neck of the woods, even if it is winter and there are low clouds everywhere. We left the sunny, blue skies of downtown Kalispell to the completely socked-in winter setting of Lake McDonald and took advantage of all the beauty it has to offer.

February 17, 2023

Glacier National Park Honeymoon Portraits, Morgan & Eric

Morgan & Eric visited Montana for their honeymoon after their Florida wedding. Going from one corner of the contiguous United States to virtually the opposite corner. Trading beaches for mountains and sun and warmth for winter.

They were absolute champs though, and Morgan fully embraced the winter setting by pelting Eric with snowballs—with a little bit of warning at least—to close out the session. Because if your winter portraits don't break out in a snowball fight, did they ever happen?

October 28, 2022

West Glacier National Park Engagement Portraits, Morgan & Bryan

It's always a great idea, if the schedule works out, to do an engagement session with your photographer prior to the wedding day. For one, it insures that you've got a good rapport with them ahead of time. There's nothing better than when I roll up to a wedding day and the couple are already "old friends."

Morgan & Bryan have grown up visiting Whitefish with their families and thus are here often so it made sense to meet up for a portrait session. I loved meeting their dog Bruno—we always talk about Bruno—and wrapping up the session at the Bulldog in downtown Whitefish. I can't wait for their summer wedding at Snowline Acres this year.

October 17, 2022

West Glacier Family Photographer, The Sanders Family

Another evening of absolutely perfect Fall weather here in West Glacier and Glacier National Park. This time with the Sanders family.

October 10, 2022

Tanner’s Surprise Glacier National Park Proposal

Shout out to Tanner for all of the pre-planning on this one. Way back in June, he contacted me after booking a private tour with Whitefish Outfitters for October. Over the coming months, we touched base periodically to make sure nothing had changed, and I liaised with Whitefish Outfitters directly to be sure we were synced up on the timing when they would be arriving at Lake McDonald.

As you can see from the photos, everything worked out great, and she did in fact say yes.

October 5, 2022

Lauren & Spencer’s Glacier National Park Adventure Portrait Session

When Lauren and I first touched base they still had not nailed down all of their wedding plans. They were either going to get married here in Whitefish, or in Northern California. What they were certain about was wanting portraits in their wedding attire, in Glacier National Park. I was more than happy to oblige.

September 28, 2022

West Glacier Family Photographer, The Buescher Family

The Buescher family from Alabama! We had a fun connection when I correctly pronounced their last name thanks to it being the same as a State Park in Central Texas. We talked about the 'Bama game against The University of Texas the previous Saturday where UT almost pulled off the upset, and I enjoyed attempting to get a smile from the very serious little toddler.

September 16, 2022

Glacier National Park Senior Portraits, Alma, Class of 2023

It's always such an honor when a friend asks me to take photos for their family. No matter the type of job, and when I know they have an enormous list of other photographers they could ask who would be overjoyed to do the work.

This was especially the case when my friend Sarah asked if I was available for senior portraits for her daughter Alma. Alma wanted something outdoors, and just pretty relaxed. So that's what we did.

September 15, 2022

Glacier National Park Couples Portraits, Alison & Dylan

What's better than a perfect fall night, Glacier National Park, a lovely couple, and wrapping up with some Ice Cream at Eddie's afterward? Not a whole lot when it comes to a portrait session it would seem.

September 7, 2022

Going-to-the-Sun Road Adventure Portrait Photographer, Unique & Luke

If you've read my blog before you may recognize Unique & Luke from their spring wedding at Snowline Acres in Kalispell.

They still really wanted some epic portraits in Glacier National Park as part of a "day after" adventure portrait session. The thing about Glacier though, is that in May, not very much of the park is typically accessible. So right away we made plans to meet up later in the summer to capture the amazing mountain portraits they wanted. Thankfully, we experienced a relatively smoke-free in August, and everything from the sky to the wildlife performed beautifully for their portraits.

Editors Note: The header image above ended up on the cover of the 2023 My Montana Wedding magazine. You can read it online here, or pick it up for free at any number of locations here in the Flathead Valley.

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Matt Wetzler is an editorial, motorsport, portrait, and destination wedding photographer based in Whitefish, Montana.

Copyright ©Matthew Wetzler 2008–2024