There are so many different ways to get married. You can do a traditional large wedding with catering and tons of people. You can have a small elopement with your closest loved ones at a romantic destination. And then, there are elopements like this one – Adventure elopements where tradition is shattered, barriers are broken, and love thrives in a raw and exciting way. This adventure elopement in Alaska captures all of the beauty of love and new marriage with none of the fuss of a traditional wedding.
Kendall and Aaron dared to be different on their wedding day, which brought them to photographer Alexa of The Hitched Hiker. Lex is an experienced adventure elopement photographer based in Alaska – the perfect woman for the job of elevating Kendall and Aaron’s wedding! Lex suggested the couple be married at Hatcher Pass in the Talkeetna Mountains. The rest of their story is a beautiful, magical, amazing treat. Buckle up – it’s about to get real good.
Venturing Somewhere New
Behind every great wedding is a great venue. As the free-spirited couple they are, Kendall and Aaron put their trust in their photographer to select where they should stay when getting married. As residents of California, they needed a lot of help and guidance! Alexa suggested they stay at Hatcher Pass Cabins – the perfect location for their adventurous getaway.
To begin their adventure elopement, comfortable shoes were a must! Kendall wore chic white boots for their hike up Hatcher Pass. After all, comfortable doesn’t have to mean unflattering!
I found my dress from a styled wedding photoshoot that our wonderful photographer did. The photoshoot was in Palm Springs and the dress looked amazing there, but I thought it would also look really cool on a glacier with a helicopter in the background.
Powdered Sugar Mountains
The mountain tops were perfectly dusted with light snow on Kendall and Aaron’s wedding day. They looked so softly sprinkled, it was reminiscent of a sugary treat!
Kendall’s fluffy tulle gown was without a doubt one of the highlights of this elopement. She looks so graceful and beautiful, even while hiking!
You knew a helicopter was coming – and now here it is! Alaska Helicopter Tours specializes in memorable weddings and engagements, and wow, this fits the bill! This striking red helicopter flew Kendall and Aaron to the stunning site where they would soon exchange vows.
Vows on a Glacier
This is one of the most stunning vow exchange shots we may have ever seen. The scene truly speaks for itself.
Honestly every single second. We can't pick just one moment.
Cheers to the new husband and wife!
Think Kendall and Aaron never considered a traditional wedding? Think again!
We are both very social creatures, so we initially wanted to have a big event. We got one second into the planning and realized it was not going to be fun for either of us. We decided we wanted our wedding day to be about us and what we wanted to do with no stress.
Aaron and Kendall lost a bet back in California and had to shotgun a beer on their wedding day. There’s no better way to gracefully lose your bet than this!
Eloping is so much easier than planning and coordinating a wedding. It was amazing to be able to cherish every moment together. You can still party with everyone after - we are doing a 1-year anniversary party to celebrate with friends in a more casual way!
To finish off their dream elopement, Aaron and Kendall traveled to Katmai National Park. The Alaskan paradise is world-renowned for having one of the densest populations of brown bears on Earth. Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon!
Congratulations to Kendall and Aaron on their new marriage. The whole team here at GWS wishes you the best!
photography: The Hitched Hiker // venue name: Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska, USA // florals: The Teal Door // wedding dress: Ava Gowns // bride's shoes: Dr Martens // hair stylist: Alaska Up Styles // makeup artist: Evergreen Esthetics // videography: Alaska Wedding Video // specialty rentals: AK Happenings (picnic) // getting ready cabin: Hatcher Pass Cabins // helicopter company: Alaska Helicopter Tours
