Shawn and Jessica travelled all the way from Oklahoma for their Alaska Glacier wedding and brought their best friends and Jessica’s parents with them. They travelled up to Alaska on a cruise ship with the intention of eloping on a glacier and taking a sweet vacation at the same time.
The day was absolutely perfect with blue skies above, blue ice below, and blue mountain views everywhere in between. It was a warm 70 degrees in town, and a cool 60 degrees on the glacier. Luckily for the couple and their wedding party, they had all packed their sunglasses because it was a BRIGHT sunny day.
Helicopter Ride with Coastal Helicopters.
Before the Helicopter Ride
We started the day at Coastal Helicopters, one of the best helicopter charter companies in Juneau. What a lot of my clients don’t realize is that before you can step foot on the glacier, you needed to be fitted with glacier boots that go over your shoes. So everybody strapped themselves into their glacier boots, watched the safety briefing video, and loaded into the helicopter.
During the Helicopter Ride
Every time I ride with Coastal Helicopters I am blown away by just how smooth the ride is. During our flight, the pilot flew over Juneau and the surrounding area, pointing out landmarks and making sure to give us incredible views. To top it off, the officiant, Tom Stewart of Alaska Weddings, added to the commentary with very interesting bits of knowledge and history of the area.
The Herbert Glacier
The Herbert Glacier is 8 miles long and sits at a 2851 ft elevation. The Herbert Glacier is just one of 38 glaciers in the Juneau Icefield, which is estimated to be about 3000 years old. The Mendenhall Glacier is the most popular glacier in the Juneau vicinity for Alaska glacier weddings and sightseeing. However, the Herbert Glacier is more remote and therefore more private, so you are less likely to have other helicopters land near you during your ceremony. And frankly, the views are better too.
A Beautiful Glacier Wedding Ceremony
Shawn and Jessica’s ceremony was just your regular wedding ceremony with handwritten vows and a ring exhange. Except for the part where they were wearing ice boots and fur coats and standing on an ancient glacier with views of snow-capped Alaskan mountains. Present were Jessica’s mother and father, as well as their best friends Jamie and Danny, all from Oklahoma.
An Epic Alaska Glacier Wedding Reception
Have you ever drank champagne chilled in glacier ice? If not, you’re missing out! For Shawn and Jessica’s reception, they toasted with ice cold champagne. Then, they drank water scooped directly from a glacier stream. Finally, they cut the cake and explored the area, soaking up the gorgeous of the Gastineau Channel.
Shawn and Jessica’s Story
How They Met
Shawn and Jessica met 2011 at his oldest daughter’s 16th birthday. The theme was Cirque du Freak. He was trying to hang a disco ball, but he fell and bloodied up his lip (and still has the scar to prove it). When they started talking, there was obvious chemistry, however Jessica was in a relationship and Shawn was fresh out of a divorce. Fast forward 11 years, Jessica had just started working at a title company and did the closing title work on his house. This time, Jessica was single, so she asked him on a date. In Jessica’s words “I knew shortly after that first date that he was the one, he was always the one.” The rest was history.
How They Ended up on a Glacier
Shawn had once told Jessica that going to Alaska and drinking glacier water was on the top of his bucket list. So, they booked an Alaskan cruise. Shortly after, Shawn proposed to Jessica on a gold course in Florida and she jokingly suggested getting married on the glacier. His eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store and she didn’t have the heart to tell him she was kidding. So, they drug Jessica’s parents and their best friends along for their wild ride and got married on Herbert Glacier in Juneau, Alaska.
Vendors
Officiant and Elopement Planner: Alaska Weddings
Helicopter Charter: Coastal Helicopters
