A Guide To Planning Your Wedding In Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Scwabacher Landing, Grand Teton National Park
The ultimate guide to getting married in The Grand Teton National Park and surrounding Areas | 2023
“I tried to write about the mountains and the sea but they twisted into metaphors for you and me” - NI
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole has quickly become one of my favorite places in the country to visit. The Tetons may not be as aggressive as the Colorado Rockies, but there’s something so nostalgic feeling and magical about them every time you see them. Firstly, congratulations on your engagement! You won’t regret what so ever choosing Jackson Hole to be your wedding destination!
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Best Time Of The Year To Get Married
I’m not normally a snowy kind of person, so my favorite time of the year in Jackson is anywhere between June to September. It’s warm and sunny, the wildflowers populate the open fields in front of the Tetons and there’s always a cool breeze in the evenings. I was in Jackson for an elopement in July and think that’s the best month out of all of them. There were days with slight chances of rain and when it did rain, it rained for 30 minutes! It brought in a dramatic sky with dark clouds, a quick rain that followed suit with the most beautiful double rainbow and sunset that made the mountains look like they were on fire! January and February are typically blanketed with snow for a snowy wonderland wedding, while March though May is brisk with moody days (good for lighting in photos)
Legal Stuff
A special wedding permit is required for all weddings inside the park and can be obtained through an application on their website here. You will also want to make sure that you schedule time to get your marriage license before your ceremony from the county clerks office. Both partners must be there to retrieve the license and does not require you to be a resident. The license is $30, and you will need at least two witnesses to sign. You must return the license to the country clerk’s office within a year of getting married. If you have more than 12 people, you’re limited to the six ceremony sites listed below.
Schwabacher’s Landing
Colter Bay Swim Beach
Mormon Row
Mountain View Turnout
Glacier View Turnout
Snake River Overlook
If you have less than 12 people, you can elope anywhere in the park aside from the locations listed below. Location is not scheduled or reserved and may be used on an ad hoc basis. Prohibited locations include:
Reserved Site-Specific Ceremony locations
The paved trails within and surrounding the Jenny Lake visitor plaza at South Jenny Lake
Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point
String Lake and Jenny Lake overlook on the one-way road from May 15 to October 15
Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve (LSR)
Concessioner land assignments (exception for weddings sold/catered by Concessioners in assigned facilities in accordance with their contract)
Park partner facilities (e.g., Murie Ranch, Teton Science School)
Within proximity of places where weddings are being managed by a chapel or concessioner (e.g., the Chapel of the Transfiguration)
Park cemeteries
If a location is behind a gated road, the permittee may have walking access but not vehicle access.
How to Apply
Applications must be received a minimum of 30 days prior to the requested permitted activity date in order to fully process a basic permit request.
Starting February 1, 2022 at 8:00 am MT, applications may be submitted for Reserved Site-Specific Ceremony Permits occurring May 13 – October 16, 2022 and for Small Dispersed Ceremony Permits occurring March 1 – December 31, 2022.
1. Determine the type of wedding permit you are applying for and preferred location(s).
2. Complete the Special Use Application. The following information MUST be included in the application or it will not be processed:
Application Information: Enter applicant information.
Description of Proposed Activity section: Enter which type of permit you are applying for either Reserved Site-Specific Ceremony Permits or Small Dispersed Ceremony Permit.
Date, Location and Time: Enter your preferred date, location and requested ceremony time in the first row. In order to process your application in a timely manner, enter up to five (5) alternate date(s) and location(s) and identify what is your priority order (i.e. is the date or location more important).
When your application is reviewed, we will hold what is available based on the order of preference indicated. This is important as it may take several days to fully draft your permit and send it to you for review. If you do not indicate an alternative, we cannot proceed with processing your application.
Participants, Vehicles, Equipment: Enter the (best estimate) of the number of people to attend event including children, officiant, photographers, planners and children and the number of vehicles.
List of Equipment section: If professional photographer and/or wedding planner is being used and are known upon application, enter their contact information (i.e., name, email, website, phone number) here. If/when they are known, you may email this information to grte_visitor_services@nps.gov. Reminder—commercial wedding services such photographers and planners may not be used for Small Dispersed Weddings.
3. Email the completed application to grte_visitor_services@nps.gov no less than 30 days prior to the event.
4. Pay application fee electronically by visiting www.pay.gov. The requested primary or alternative location and/or date a Reserved Site-Specific Ceremony permit will NOT be held until the payment is received.
Be Sure Too…
Fill out all fields in Permitee Information section, the Business/Event name should be the name of the permit applicant.
Use the check box for Permit Fee and enter $200.
Click the Continue text to enter your payment information and finalize the transaction.
You will receive a confirmation email from Pay.gov, retain this for your records. The Visitor Services office automatically receives confirmation/receipt of the payment.
5. Once your application has been reviewed and payment confirmed, a Grand Teton employee will email you a preliminary permit from the grte_visitor_services@nps.gov email address.
Please be patient, allow 7-10 days to process your request.
6, You will have seven (7) calendar days to review, sign, and return the draft permit to the email address grte_visitor_services@nps.govfor review. By signing the permit, you are certifying that you will abide by all of the conditions of the permit (see regulations and permit conditions listed above).
7. A copy of the fully executed permit with the authorizing official’s signature will be returned via email from the grte_visitor_services@nps.gov email address.
8. A printed copy of the fully executed permit must be on site during the event.
Grand Teton National Park
Best Places To Get Married In Jackson Hole
From their website “when western beauty meets modern elegance” Diamond Cross Ranch is one of the last historic family owned ranches in Jackson Hole. This venue offers indoor and outdoor venue spaces. The outdoor setting has the most beautiful backdrop of the Tetons and magestic horses roaming the pastures. They even do a signature Horse release during the first kiss at the ceremony. You can even have your sunset portraits done with the horses on the ranch. See video here. Diamond Cross is located near the Bridger Teton National Forest. Diamond cross ranch reaches capacity at 300 guests. You can bring in your own catering, bring your pets, and your own vendors, but you will have to bring your own alcohol as they are not licensed to provide alcohol service. They provide tables and chairs, dance floor, and a heated barn for chilly nights. Sparklers are not allowed here. I am so grateful I was able to experience this stunning venue and the incredible team that works there. Check out Veronica and Kaylor’s Diamond Cross Ranch wedding here!
Diamond Cross Ranch in Jackson Hole
National Museum of Wildlife Art
I have not photographed a wedding here, but I drove past this place a handful of times while out in Jackson! It is across from the national Elk Refuge (a stunning place to have sunset portraits) click here to see Andrea and Terence’s sunset portraits (scroll to bottom) There’s something so romantic and beautiful about having your wedding at a museum surrounded by artwork, life-size sculptures and the incredible views of the pastures surrounding the Tetons. I thought this place was so unique and would be something different for Jackson Hole weddings. Capacity ranges from 120-400 depending on which rooms you reserve. This is also an incredible wedding venue for micro weddings. The terrace is probably my favorite part about this place. The restaurant on site, Palate is required to cater all events there. You can choose between a cash bar or hosted bar. You can not provide your own alcohol here. Candles, confetti and rice are not allowed here. Check out the beautiful photos of the National Museum of Wildlife Art Weddings here.
Bride and Groom Portraits at Elk Refuge across from National Museum of Wildlife Art
Amangani, Jackson Hole, is settled within the foothills of the Grand Tetons. Amangani is a luxurious upscale boutique hotel with contemporary Japanese rustic architecture that features cozy fire pits, a beautiful swimming pool to jump in at the end of the night for fun flash photos, and mountain valley views of the Tetons. They offer indoor and outdoor venue spaces, catering must be used by the venue, as well as alcohol, (or you can bring your own for a fee). There are 40 guest suites, and can seat 130 guests.
Best Places To Elope In Jackson Hole
Located in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, this beautiful tree is the perfect place to have your elopement. It has a stunning overlook view of the Grand Tetons underneath a grand tree. This is a very raw location, no chairs or props are to be brought in. “The parking lot is located off of Gros Ventre Road, past the Gros Ventre River Ranch and before reaching Lower Slide Lake, on the right-hand side. Follow the trail from the parking lot, heading back the way you came, for about 5 minutes to reach the Wedding Tree” You do need a permit to get married here if you have a group of 75 people or more, but there is no fee involved unlike the National Park. You must contact the Forest service so they can add your elopement or micro wedding to the Calendar. Click here for more info. Check out Andrea and Terence’s ceremony under the wedding tree here. This could also be a great place to have your intimate ceremony and then have a big reception party at one of the venues listed above!
Jenny Lake is settled right at the base of the Teton Range and offers a wide range of activities. There is also a venue at the Jenny Lake Lodge after having your ceremony. You can take the ferry across the lake to hike to Hidden falls waterfall and Inspiration point and see wildlife in the morning hours. Bring plenty of water and good walking or hiking shoes! I took the ferry across the water and did both of these hikes and it’s certainly something you do not want to miss if you are in Jackson.
Mormon row is one of the most iconic historic places in the Grand Teton National Park. It has wide open views of the pastures and plains in front of the Teton Mountain range. Sunrise is the best time of the day to get married here before tourists visit.
This stunning place is best at sunrise! I did some sunrise landscape photography here one morning and it quite literally took my breath away. You can also spot wildlife there early in the morning walking along the snake river. The water reflects the Teton Range, while wildflowers are sprinkled around the banks of the river. This is in the Grand Teton National Park so you will need to acquire a permit here. You must have this application done 30 days prior to your wedding but would recommend way earlier than that due to many others eloping within the park. Ceremonies are limited to 2 hours max. For more info on National Park permits and where to fill one out click here.
Need a Photographer?
LAURA POWERS specializes in modern, untraditional wedding photography and intimate weddings. Her photographs imbue a timeless, romantic and chic feel, capturing honest, organic candid moments. A destination traveling wedding photographer, Laura is available worldwide
Visit www.laurapowersphoto.com and Instagram @laurapowersphoto
Need a Photographer? Fill out the form here to get in touch!
