Alaska Wedding Adventure

Elopements

May 18

Written By Cass | Wedding & Elopement Photographer

Grace + Nick

Locations: Southern Alaska and Denali National Park

Wedding in Alaska

Their 2-Day Alaska Elopement Wedding Experience

When Grace and Nick were in the beginning stages of planning their big wedding it felt overwhelming, expensive and stressful. They’re big outdoor enthusiasts, typically spending their free time climbing, hiking, camping, kayaking and really anything to do with being outside. They knew they wanted to be surrounded by the natural world for their wedding day.

Looking into a local Wisconsin woodsy wedding venue, they came across this idea of an “adventure elopement” and both fell in love with that kind of wedding day experience. Getting married this way instantly made sense. They were stoked about their wedding day again, instead of feeling the pressures of traditional wedding planning that wasn't totally in alignment with them. Their deep desire to be among mountains and glaciers quickly turned into an Alaskan Elopement Wedding Adventure.

Knowing they wanted to include their new baby and some guests, but still wanting that “just us” experience, they decided to break the day up in a pre-wedding adventure with just the two of them, followed by a handfasting ceremony and a small dinner reception with their guests. This being their first time exploring Alaska they also wanted the quintessential Alaskan experience, so they opted for a day 2 flightseeing with glacier landing tour where they could say their private vows to each other on the Ruth Glacier with the Alaska Range as their backdrop.

Day 1 — Glacier Trekking and Ice Climbing Alaskan Wedding Adventure

They started off day 1 just the two of them at Mica Guides getting all geared up for the glacier trek and ice climbing wedding day activity. We (the photographers, couple and guides) all stuffed ourselves into the van and headed to the glacier. They trekked along the ice for awhile, taking in the views, and building stoke for when they finally arrived at the giant ice wall.

They tandem climbed the wall a few times, taking in the whole experience of being dressed up in their wedding gear, adventuring around on top of ancient ice. After they had a few climbs on the ice wall together, with nalgenes full of fresh glacier water from a nearby glacial stream, we all started our trek back towards the tongue of the glacier to their ceremony location.

Along the way, the guides stopped at a huge Crevasse and asked if they wanted to repel down into one quick — I didn’t think it was possible for these two to be more stoked than they already were, until then — both were like, “HECK YES, we want to repel into this crevasse!“

Completely awestruck as they kicked their crampons into the ice, slowly backing down into the crevasse. You can see in the photos just how intensely they felt looking over at this incredible ice formation. Seriously, what an unbelievably epic once-in-a-lifetime experience these two did to kick off their marriage!

Their Alaska Wedding Ceremony

Their handfasting ceremony was held nearby, overlooking the same glacier they were just adventuring on. With all their guests in attendance they “tied-the-knot” with tear filled eyes, as they promised to be each other's forever adventure partners. After, they made some time to chill and had a small dinner reception with their guests to celebrate and share all the happenings of the glacier climbing adventure earlier in the day.

Day 1 Timeline

8:45am Meet at Glacier Guiding Post and check in with guides
9:00am-5:00pm Glacier trekking & climbing adventure
5:30pm Hand-fasting ceremony with guests
5:45pm Ceremony wraps | family photos
6:45pm Day 1 photo coverage ends

Day 2 — Denali Flight-seeing Tour - Private Wedding Vows

Denali Flightseeing with a Glacier Landing Private Vow Ceremony

Day 2 started with a drive to Talkeetna, AK where we all hopped in a red Cessna equipped with skis to glacier land on Mount Denali’s Ruth Glacier. In the air we got to see some of the most incredible views of the Alaska Range. You could just feel the magnitude of these massive mountains and craggy peaks.

After landing, they took a couple minutes to soak in the 360 mountain views before finding the perfect spot to say their vows to each other. It was a truly surreal experience to witness these two essentially have a private wedding ceremony on a glacier in Alaska.

One of the other passengers even made them the cutest little snowman as a little wedding gift!

Day 2 Timeline

12:30pm Check-in at K2 Aviation
1:00pm-2:45pm Flight to Denali’s Ruth Glacier
1:40pm Private vows
3:00pm Day 2 photo coverage ends

First of all, how cool is it to glacier trek and ice climb in Alaska, let alone on your freaking wedding day AND in your wedding attire?! Like, seriously, dream next-level experience right there!

Then, imagine you get to wake up married to the love of your life and go on a flightseeing tour of the highest mountain peak in North America and promise yourselves to each other all over again privately allowing you both to truly open up and say everything to each other.

Grace and Nick knew they wanted mountains, adventure and climbing incorporated into their wedding day, and that is exactly what they got and a lot more! I could not imagine a more epic way to get married.

It was seriously the quintessential alaskan wedding day experience.

AK Wedding Vendors:

K2 Aviation
Mica Guides
Climbing boots: Asolo
Dress - Azazie
Suite - Calvin Klein
Ring - Alexis Russell
Flowers - flowers from a local peony farm that the bride's sister made into the bouquet.

Note: Glaciers are always changing, making them dangerous without the right gear, experience, expertise and safety equipment. The couple hired two glacier trekking and ice climbing guides to help us traverse the glacier safely while providing us with the necessary equipment to trek and climb safely. If you’re stoked to elope this way, we encourage you to hire professional guides to keep you safe, especially on your wedding day!

Leave No Trace Ethics were respected during both wedding day adventures — y’all know by now, Alaska is my favorite place on Earth and we respected the heck out of her while exploring and adventuring around!