Sara and Adam’s Intimate Wedding in Seward, Alaska

I was so excited when I first met Sara. Her smile was totally infectious, and I could already imagine the love and excitement that was to come on Sara and Adam’s wedding day. Sara and Adam booked a Month-Of Coordination package with me for their Intimate Wedding in Seward, Alaska. Neither Sara nor Adam are originally from Alaska- but their love story has flourished here, which made it the perfect place to celebrate their union. Adam is serving in Alaska as on Officer with the United States Coast Guard and Sara is a wildlife biologist, exploring and studying the animals and ecosystems of Kenai Fjords National Park.

Wedding Photography First Look in Alaska

The Wedding Planning Process

What an absolutely perfect place to celebrate their love—at the base of Exit Glacier in Seward, Alaska. However, this wasn’t always the plan. I often tell my couples that hiring a wedding planner is one of the best ways to protect the investment you’re making in your wedding. 35 days before their wedding – room blocks were confirmed, guests had booked lodging, transportation, plans were made based on the venue and so much more was set in motion. The mother of the bride calls me, to inform me that the venue had cancelled. They suffered irreparable damage from winter-thaw flooding.

Bride and Groom in front of Arbor Military Wedding

Weddings in Alaska are put on a unique timeline because of our condensed wedding season. Most people want to get married in the Summer in Alaska, not the depths of winter (though I do love a good winter wedding). This means that our venues book up, and our vendors book up a year+ in advance . We had 35 days to find not only a suitable venue, but one that offered in-house catering because all of the sufficient catering companies were also booked solid.

I immediately went to work on finding Sara and Adam a new venue – and within 24 hours, we were awaiting a contract from the Seward Windsong Lodge. This is a beautiful lodge, nestled of Herman Lierer road in Seward, Alaska, right at the base of Exit Glacier and Kenai Fjords National Park. Having booked a Month-Of Coordination wedding planning package with me, Sara and Adam + their families were able to move through this process with ease.

The Day of the Wedding Day Seward, Alaska

Being an early June wedding, the mountains were still capped with snow. StoryBook Floral Co. designed beautiful arrangements to adorn the arbor that framed the mountains behind us for this wedding in Seward, Alaska. Sara and Adam had a dramatic first look before their ceremony (see a video HERE) and spent the remaining time before the ceremony taking photos with loved ones and hanging out, joking and spending time with the friends/family in the bridal party who traveled from all over the country to celebrate them.

The Ceremony

Their ceremony was beautiful and intimate, and didn’t leave a dry eye on the lawn (yes, 100% including me). Sara and Adam chose to include a ring warming in their wedding ceremony—this is where the bridal party and immediate family all stood in a circle up front and passed the rings between them, extending their love and blessings upon their rings. It was truly so special.

Wedding Ceremony in Alaska Wedding Photography

Wedding Photography Alaska Wedding Ceremony

The Reception

The reception was a PARTY! 907 Entertainment kept the dance floor alive and moving all night long, from the youngest guest to the oldest getting out there to dance. After all of Sara + Adam’s hard work and the combined work of their families, I really enjoyed sitting back and watching them let loose on the dance floor. Their first dance was perfect. They chose When You Say Nothing At All for their first dance song. The Father Daughter Dance was emotional– Sara and her dad danced to Sweet Child O’ Mine Acoustic. Adam and his mom shared the Mother Son Dance to You Raise Me Up. As a mom myself, these always get me.

We had an assortment of delicious cakes, and Sara and Adam incorporated a special tradition- cutting the cake with Adam’s USCG sword. Talk about badass!! We ended the night on the deck, as all the guests shared cigars and exchanged memories, stories and celebrated the newlyweds. This Intimate Wedding in Seward, Alaska had so many sweet moments that created memories to last a lifetime.

This wedding reception was really everything that a couple could’ve asked for- it took their history, their love, their story and combined it all into a beautiful celebration of their love to be shared with their closest friends and family. I was honored to be a part of this Intimate Wedding in Seward, Alaska with Sara and Adam. This wedding was truly a DREAM day.