Written by our rad team member, Kiersten Roy
For their two-day glacier elopement in Alaska, Krystal and Evan envisioned a full and immersive experience with their families. The couple had gotten engaged on an Alaskan glacier and wanted to recreate a similar experience for their elopement. After lots of planning, we made it happen and brought their elopement dreams to life! The first day was packed full of adventure with their loved ones followed by their elopement ceremony on day two with even more activities. Keep scrolling to see more from this incredible Alaska glacier elopement and learn a few tips when it comes to planning your own elopement in the Alaskan wild.
Meet Krystal & Evan: The Couple of This Two-Day Alaska Glacier Elopement
When an elopement adventure starts with astro photography the night before, you know you’re in for a treat! After flying into Alaska, I met up with Krystal and Evan (and their family members that had come along to help them celebrate) at Hatcher Pass. We spent the evening hours running around in the snow and admiring the stars. It was the perfect way to kick off their epic two-day elopement adventure!
Day one of Krystal and Evan’s glacier elopement in Alaska started with snowmobile rides over some of Alaska’s frozen lakes. After a short break for lunch, we continued the fun with some true, Alaskan dog sledding!
The fun continued into day two – Krystal and Evan’s wedding day. After getting ready at their gorgeous Airbnb, the couple held their first look and exchanged private vows outside the cabin. We even held their ceremony onsite because the views outside the cabin were just as stunning as any other location.
After the couple officially said ‘I Do’ everyone got ready and headed out to Matanuska Glacier (and oh.my.gosh. we were in for the adventure of a lifetime). I had visited this glacier in the summer for Mike and Jo’s helicopter elopement, but let me tell you, witnessing the glacier in the winter was otherworldly! We had our own private tour guide who took us down into the glacier on a snowmobile sled and let us explore to our heart’s content. We wandered around the ice caves and drank clear glacier water straight from the ground (and, let me tell you, it was heavenly!).
As the evening came to a close, we headed back to Krystal and Evan’s cabin and closed out the day with a private meal.
If you want more of this glacier elopement in Alaska check out these posts on Instagram! (Post 1, Post 2, Post 3)
What You Need to Know to Plan a Matanuska Glacier Elopement
Fun Facts About Matanuska Glacier
- The Matanuska Glacier is 24 miles long and approximately 2 miles wide
- While most Alaskan glaciers hang off mountain slopes, this glacier is located on a valley floor
- It is an active glacier meaning it advances one foot PER DAY!
- The glacier (located in Matanuska Glacier Park) is privately owned and requires a pass to visit. You can obtain a pass by booking a tour with one of our favorite tour companies, Glacier Tours or MICA Guides who offer snowmobiling and hiking tours or you can visit the glacier via heli landing with Sheep Mountain Air.
Best Time of Year for a Glacier Elopement in Alaska
When it comes to deciding when to visit Alaska for your glacier elopement there truly is no right or wrong answer. The glaciers in Alaska are amazing year-round (some even have heli landings available year-round), giving you lots of availability to explore.
Late Winter
Snow in Alaska? Yes, please! If you want to experience the Alaskan glaciers in all their glory, I highly recommend planning a late winter elopement. During March, the glaciers are white and beautiful (a true winter wonderland) and temperatures range from 20-30 degrees (F). This means you’ll get to see all the beautiful snow without below-freezing temps.
Summer
If winter in Alaska sounds too intimidating, you can plan your elopement during the summer months. May through September is an amazing time to visit Alaska and is typically when most glacier tours take place. The melting snow gives way to a whole new look so instead of white as far as the eye can see, you’ll get to witness some of the brightest blue alpine lakes.
Check out the blog posts below to see what this glacier looks like in the summertime!
What You Need to Know About Packages For Your Alaska Glacier Elopement
When choosing to have a glacier elopement in Alaska, we highly recommend either our full-day or two-day elopement packages to our couples.
Our full-day Alaska glacier elopement package includes first-look photos at your cabin in the early afternoon. We will then head out to two unique locations for you and your partner to explore. After, we will head to your ceremony location, where you will elope on the glacier with the most stunning backdrop at sunset! This package is best suited for couples who do not plan to invite any guests.
If you want to see all that this beautiful area has to offer, then we recommend our two-day glacier elopement package. And, if you plan to invite guests, then you’re going to need two days. There’s just so much to do and see and having an extra day will help make sure you have time for just you two as a couple as well as time to spend with your guests. Click here to learn more about our packages for your glacier elopement in Alaska.
Meet Your Alaska Glacier Elopement Photographers
We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your Alaska glacier elopement photographers. Between the Pine was founded by Mollie in 2018 and she has hiked hundreds of miles all over the Pacific Northwest and Kauai, to capture couples during their best day ever. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and continue to hire even more incredible photographers!
Our team at Between the Pine is passionate about our jobs and adventuring to the most beautiful locations to document your best day ever. We know the Pacific Northwest like the back of our hands and are dying for a reason to head back to the mountains, forest, and everything in between! Click here to learn more about the Between the Pine team, your Alaska glacier elopement photographers!
Meet the Other Incredible Vendors From This Matanuska Glacier Elopement
Photographer: Between the Pine
Glacier Tour Guides: Glacier Tours
ATV Tour Guides: Snowhook Adventures
Venue: Chalet Above the Trees
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