Knik Glacier is such a beautiful backdrop to get married. I was so happy to be with Guanye and Wen on this perfect day for them. As an Alaska elopement photographer, it was an incredible experience. We had three heli landings and lots of photos of the landscape as well as gorgeous couples shots. Therefore, this elopement photoshoot really highlights some of Alaska’s most beautiful scenery.
LET ME TAG ALONG
This couple was so incredibly relaxed. Their vision was to fly to a glacier, get married, and walk around exploring for themselves to be able to take in the scenery. They wanted minimal prompting, posing, or instruction. I simply got to capture them soaking in the phenomenal Alaskan scapes while tagging along and walking around with them. We did three helicopter touch-downs to really explore the area and get a wide variety of backgrounds. At each stop, they simply hung out and enjoyed Alaska. Therefore, I was able to follow them and capture the beauty and chill vibes of it all.
READY TO ROLL
We met when they were already dressed and ready to go, no frills! They were eager for adventure. My part of the day was, in contrast to some events or elopements, to capture them in, and also to focus on, Alaskan landscapes. As an Alaska elopement photographer, I excluded photos of them getting ready or detail shots. Instead, I focused our time more on what they came here for… Knik Glacier and Alaska in all its beauty, and a stunning couple as well.
DESTINATION PERFECTION
These two, wowed by the Alaskan sights, came all the way here to get married in the heart of it. I was so honored to capture their elopement photos. Additionally, I made sure to give them memories not just as husband and wife, but of the big trip. It’s always so fun to see people experience these majestic views for the first time. This is where bridal photography turned to landscape photos. Since Alaska is my home, I loved offering so many shots of nature for them!
I DO – WITH ICY BLUE
We went out to Knik Glacier in the Matanuska Valley via helicopter. This is a huge adventure for any destination explorer, let alone bride and groom! Knik is an area where the glacier is actively melting so there are huge caverns, icy blue ponds, and as pieces of this ancient masterpiece moves and expands, cracks and recedes, large chunks of ice break free and jet up to form huge towers toward the sky. We were able to find both, a massive iceberg tower as a backdrop just in front of a blue pond and the photos were perfect of their intimate elopement ceremony. As iconic as the glacier itself, we were able to capture exactly the vision of getting married on a glacial ice with the vivid contrast of colors and idyllic imagery.
CONTRAST FROM THE WHITE
It is always good to have a variety of backdrops when getting married on a glacier. The bright white, although striking, becomes overwhelming if their portfolio is only white. So, I make it a point to move around a bit and let the couple get shots with more of the Alaskan peaks and sweeping landscapes. This breaks up the monochrome background and allows us to explore a bit more of the area as well. The second of three heli-landings, we took a quick hop off the glacier onto solid ground with a huge mountain peak in the far distance and the glacier between us. There were wildflowers in bloom and dramatic rocks ripped out from the tundra moss, the type of Alaskan wedding photos any traveler, and photographer dreams of. In fact, being an Alaska elopement photographer means experiencing these unique natural moments and documenting them for couples.
BEACH LANDING
This gallery has a ton of landscape shots while on the third heli-trip over the iceberg filled Knik River until we landed on its rocky river bank to see these icy waters up close. This is not the kind of beach most people would think of for destination weddings. But fortune favors the bold and these Alaskan elopement photos along the twisting waters are superb. By the way, hiring an Alaska elopement photographer ensures every special adventure is captured beautifully.
FIREWEED
The theme of this shoot was to capture the couple, the I do’s, their love, and of course the gorgeous Alaskan landscape. My job as a wedding photographer is to create a balanced portfolio. Once we touched land for good we had an iconic couple’s shoot over an iron bridge, got creative veil shots, and then of course found another Alaskan icon – a field of fireweed in full bloom. Having this gorgeous fuchsia color, contrasting the white and grey of the bride and groom, we wrapped up the day with a few classic staged and posed photos to round out the perfect elopement photoshoot in some of Alaska’s best, most beautiful, and wilde spaces for a once in a life time destination elopement!
MORE THAN JUST A PHOTOGRAPHER
Have you ever dreamed about a destination elopement and thought about taking a helicopter out to a glacier in Alaska? Sounds magical, is magical… and I can help set this up for you! If these photos inspired you to want to capture the awe inspiring views of Alaska and also your special day, have a look at my blog (or reach out) to see how I can help you plan your Alaskan glacier landing elopement or photoshoot just like this. I have dozens of guides, recommendations, and amazingly photogenic natural spaces where I suggest we can go. Let’s find the perfect spot for your adventure destination elopement together!
CHELSA JAY | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
I am always so happy when a vision becomes more than the couple dreamed of and would love to make this happen for you, anywhere. As an Alaska, Arizona, and destination wedding photographer, let’s go on an adventure together! I would be honored to follow you around capturing your vision of the perfect elopement or wedding. If you would like to learn more about me and what I do, click here. I can’t wait to hear your ideas, and help you plan the perfect photoshoot for your special day.
