Complete with all the fairy lights you could possibly dream of…. Kirsten and Colin’s Alaska Winter wedding, amidst one of the darkest months of the year in Alaska, was FULL of light and love.

The Covid-19 Pandemic threw a wrench in Kirsten and Colin’s original wedding plans…so seeing this day come to fruition in 2023 was really special. I really enjoyed getting to know Kirsten and Colin over the course of the time we worked together. One of my favorite parts of being a wedding planner is simply getting to connect with my couples!!

The Venue – an Indoor Winter Wedding in Alaska

Kirsten is Alaska Native Yup’ik, so honoring that aspect of her heritage was an important part of their wedding day. The ceremony and reception were held in the Gathering Place at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is located in East Anchorage and serves as the state’s only cultural and education center dedicated to celebrating all Alaska Native cultures and heritages. In the summer, the grounds come alive with different micro-villages that honor and showcase different Alaska Native cultures, such as Iñupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Unangax̂, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Yup’ik, and Cup’ik. Inside the building, the Hall of Cultures beautifully honors these cultures through displays.

The Gathering Place, known for its central location as a place to gather and celebrate Alaska Native culture and dance, was the perfect spot to celebrate Kirsten and Colin’s union. During the design process, Kirsten said that bringing light into the space with fairy lights was a top priority for this Alaska winter wedding. I’d say we made this happen!

The Look

Having the opportunity to work closely with Kirsten the month-of, and months leading up to her wedding was truly an honor. She is so much fun, and has a smile that just lights up the whole room.

A stunning Maggie Sottero gown from Janene’s Bridal (located in California). A spaghetti-strap style dress with a sweetheart neckline and grand train, Kirsten paired this with a cape-style veil instead of a traditional headpiece. Kirsten looked stunning– an absolute winter wedding QUEEN. Her bridal bouquet was full of deep colors, rich florals and beautiful movement. She really was an icon of a winter wedding in Alaska!

Bridal Bouquet and Floral Hairpiece: Jodi Kennedy, Wild Blossom Design

The Bridesmaids and Kirsten have all been friends since they were young, which was really special. The dresses were a beautiful array of Kirsten and Colin’s wedding colors- a rose gold, burgundy and navy theme. These dresses really popped against the snowy winter wedding backdrop! Their bouquets corresponded with the brides, all done by Wild Blossom Design.

The Guys

A charismatic bunch who cannot be trusted to be serious for more than 20 seconds, and is guaranteed to make you laugh. That’s it. That’s the guys.

Okay, but seriously– when I first met Colin, he was just full of witty responses and jokes. I’m not even a little bit surprised that his groomsmen were exactly the same. I often joke with my couples that getting the groomsmen and groom ready can be like herding cattle… but…. this really was like herding cattle…. the amount of times I jokingly said “okay, guys, let’s be serious for 3 seconds”…

As for “the look”, I asked Colin several months before the wedding where he had planned on getting his suit. He gave me a confused look and said “my closet?”… he wasn’t kidding, he owns this suit. And it was fabulous.

The Details

Adding in personalized touches throughout your wedding day can really make a lasting impression on your guests. Here are a couple of ways Kirsten and Colin incorporated those personalized touches throughout their wedding day:

1. Place cards: Kirsten used corks from her own cork collection for both place cards and table number holders
2. Bubbles: Instead of flower petals for the flower girl, she carried a bubble gun down the aisle. Bonus? Bubbles make for some REALLY cool photos on the dance floor.
3. The Welcome Sign: The mirror used is one of Kirsten’s family heirlooms, and the balloons we attached were actually the same balloons Colin got the day he proposed to Kirsten.
4. Cake: Colin is a diver, so they incorporated that into their cake topper. Kirsten also surprised Colin with this stunning Star War’s Themed Groom’s cake, with a personalized cake topper.
5. A dance performance during dinner from a local Alaska Native Yu’pik Dance Group– this was really special and a great personalized touch for an indoor, winter wedding in Alaska.
6. A memorial table: both the Father of the Bride and Father of the Groom are no longer with us, so a special memorial table set up to honor them.

A Moment For the Vendors

February is generally considered the “off-season” for Alaska Wedding Vendors, but this team came together so beautifully to make this winter wedding in Alaska so special.

The vendors you choose for your wedding day each play a unique part in making the big day come together. Hiring a wedding planner or coordinator can help tie up those loose ends and keep everyone on track… but as your wedding planner, I LOVE when I have a stellar, top-notch vendor team like this to make this winter wedding dream come true:

Photographer: The Megara Collective

Venue: Alaska Native Heritage Center + Local Alaska Native Yu’pik Dance Group

Florals: Wild Blossom Design

Cake: Two Cubs Bakery

Catering: Main Event Catering

Entertainment and Uplighting: 907 Entertainment

Drapery and Rentals: Special Events Alaska

Planning/Coordination: Wild Rose Weddings and Events

Kirsten and Colin booked my Month of Coordination Package so they could truly enjoy their final month leading up to their wedding, stress-free! You can find more information about my packages and services here.