I’d like to introduce you to Hailey and Alasdair. Classic glam and a timeless style made this elopement photoshoot, turned courthouse wedding, the most perfect winter afternoon. Join us on their journey around the infamous Anchorage Museum and see how simply gorgeous a courthouse wedding can be!
ABOUT THE COUPLE
I first met Hailey quite a while ago at her work with Revive Spa in Anchorage, where I was hired to do a set of headshots for their employees. She said they were some of the first professional photos of herself that she’d liked. Hailey knew from then that she wanted to hire me as her wedding photographer in the future. Keeping true to her word and once she and Alasdair were engaged and decided on a date, I was booked to witness and capture these special moments! I hadn’t met Alasdair until that day, but they are both incredibly laid back and down for anything.
Their big day was a mix of an elopement photoshoot at a truly iconic Anchorage location, followed by an intimate courthouse wedding. They chose this approach, like many of my elopement couples do, to have that relaxed one-on-one time to get epic photos and love on each other without the anxiety or crowds of a big traditional wedding. However, they both have special people in their lives worthy to witness their shared love and vows, and so the courthouse ceremony was an ideal addition to the elopement shoot, and wanted me to capture both!
A DAY AT THE MUSEUM
The Anchorage Museum in downtown is boasted on Alaska.org as “the state’s largest museum and a world-class experience, offering an overview of Alaskan history, art, culture, and science.” I couldn’t describe it any better other than to add it’s also a phenomenal backdrop for a classic elopement photoshoot!
Huge cathedral ceilings at every turn and dramatic modern designed architecture with large monochrome walls and intentional contrast makes this location every photographer (and artist’s) dream. We were able to turn this special day and cute young couple into art!
A notable backdrop would have to be the long black foreboding staircase and massive wood plank wall. Here we took distance shots from overhead. Up and down the stairs and playing a bit on the railings before moving to the art exhibits.
THE GREAT ONE
A museum, such a fun space to photograph an Alaskan elopement. Where metro meets the last frontier and modern art meets wilderness in a state known for the great outdoors and the world’s largest mountain, Denali.
The three of us were immediately drawn to an enormous piece highlighting our great mountain, hanging across a blank white wall and wrapped in an embellished golden baroque frame. A fun way to tie in Alaska with this elopement photoshoot; we got some amazing images of the couple around this piece.
THE ART
As we paced the different walls adorned with indigenous crafts, history, and art, we found ourselves enamored by the displays as much as we sought the perfect shot. Many of the walls and backdrops were towering and simple, allowing for dramatic contrasts and focus to be on the art piece, or in our case, the couple.
We did, however, find a maximalist gallery wall. Charcoal black and covered with paintings in golden frames arranged floor to ceiling. This space gave off an art deco meets Alaska vibe with a bride and groom to glam it up! These photos are noticeably different from all the others across broad empty walls. I enjoyed the variation in backgrounds available to us at the museum.
Exploring the art and every picture-worthy wall scape we definitely got our steps in! We went down a stark black hallway then to all-white walls, exploring huge windows, and funky wallpaper. We had a fun afternoon of viewing the art and making some of our own!
NEW EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY: CLASSIC GLAM ELOPEMENT PHOTOSHOOT
Hailey and Alasdair are young, in love, and adorable! Their style was simple elegance with pieces that are both modern and vintage. Her no-frills, classic white floor length gown with his equally casual glam vibes of no-tie under a sport jacket and classic brown leather accessories melded to make the perfect timeless wedding portraits.
We used one of the seemingly endless all-white walls and a wooden bench to take some of my favorite elopement photos to date. We put the couple on display in different poses against this wall and highlighted their love and their style. From the lens, it felt like they were the art piece on display that day! Together, Hailey and Alasdair made the Anchorage Museum a little part of their history, and I was so honored to capture it.
LET’S GET MARRIED AT THE COURTHOUSE
Down the marble stairs and outside to the cool winter air they took some time, and I took some photos, as we prepped for the scheduled courthouse wedding. With the bride now adorned in a fur jacket, we went on a walk with their puppy. Including their fur baby in the love and capturing some shots of downtown Anchorage, before entering the courthouse to a small entourage of open arms and hugs from family and friends ready to celebrate and support their nuptials.
WHAT DECADE ARE WE IN?
I captured a few shots in and out of a wood panel elevator in the courthouse. These images had such a timeless touch about them with Alasdair’s mustache and Hailey’s classic chic look. Nothing in the photos screamed 2020’s so I felt they could have been from any timeline! With the somewhat dated elevator this courthouse wedding might have been from the 1970’s or now… who knows? I loved the retro aesthetic of this small aspect of their big day!
TO COURTHOUSE OR NOT TO COURTHOUSE
This was such a beautiful January afternoon in Anchorage Courtroom #204, where Hailey and Alasdair made their love official for life! The courtroom has seats for witnesses and families and a properly ordained judge in a beautifully kept room. Behind them stood proudly an Alaskan and American flag with a clean and simply elegant wooden backdrop that worked great for photos. Contrary to what most might think when imagining a courthouse wedding, this had many traditional elements including family photos, bridal party, rings, vow, and the first kiss.
WE LOVE VARIETY
This is just a reminder that elopement photoshoots are not just for running away! Your family, friends, and fur babies can be every bit a part of the big day! For Hailey and Alasdair, we did a little mix of both, a museum elopement photoshoot and then off to a perfectly intimate courthouse wedding ceremony that was so beautifully simple and without cliché, just love and support!
Last stop, for them anyway… honeymoon! One of the benefits of doing a local Alaskan elopement or an intimate courthouse wedding is that it is often cheaper than a traditional wedding. Hailey and Alasdair saved some cash this way and spent it on an epic honeymoon afterwards.
CHELSA JAY | ALASKA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
I hope this inspires you to feel free to diverge from the traditional and plan your perfect day exactly as you want it and know that I’ll be there to capture everything! If you’d like to chat about setting up an elopement photoshoot or courthouse wedding photoshoot, or both… I’d LOVE to hear your ideas. If you want to learn more about me and what I do, click here. I look forward to hearing from you and the ideas you have for piecing together your elopement photoshoot with the possibility of “I do’s” wherever your heart desires!
Good https://lc.cx/xjXBQT