Kim & Greg
It’s not unusual for couples to change their wedding plans partway through. Some couples start planning a wedding and decide they want to elope instead. Others plan an elopement, but later expand their guest list to include more of the people who matter most.
Kim and Greg’s Alaska glacier elopement didn’t start out as a two-person celebration. They had initially planned a micro wedding with family and friends, but when Kim’s dad needed surgery, they made a choice to celebrate just the two of them in Alaska now and celebrate with family in New York later.
What they created instead was something I can only describe as…beyond what any of us imagined. From landing on an ever-changing glacier via helicopter to dancing in refrigerator light while waiting for Alaska’s sun to set, their day was wild and intimate all at the same time.
And yes, one of their glacier photos won Junebug Weddings’ 2024 Best of The Best Wedding Photos award, but that’s not what made this Alaska glacier elopement so special.
It was the couple and the way they held space for each other when their plans fell apart. It’s the way they said yes to the unknown and trusted me and each other so together, we could create art.
The Couple and Their Decision to Plan an Alaska Glacier Elopement
Kim and Greg had never been to Alaska before. They’d never ridden in a helicopter or stood on a glacier or watched the sun go down at midnight (because that’s what happens in Alaska during the summertime).
Everything about their Alaska glacier elopement was completely new to them. But instead of letting that scare them, they were excited about sharing in a new experience together.
They leaned into it and trusted me to guide them through where to stay, where to exchange vows, how to structure their day even after everything changed and family could no longer be there.
From Helicopter Adventures to Dancing in the Kitchen: How Kim & Greg Celebrated Their Glacier Elopement in Alaska
Quiet Getting-Ready Moments
Kim and Greg’s glacier elopement in Alaska started with some of my favorite wedding day moments – details and candid getting ready photos in their A-frame cabin. There’s something about the hours before you say your vows…the anticipation and the exciting realization of these being the last moments of being engaged before you’re married.
Kim and Greg savored those moments in their A-frame cabin, choosing to get ready separately so they could keep their wedding attire a surprise from each other. Once they each had gotten ready, they shared their first look out on the lawn in front of their Airbnb, with Alaska’s beautiful landscape spreading out behind them.
Before we left for their helicopter adventure, the couple paused for a video call to say hello to loved ones who couldn’t be there.
The Helicopter Adventure
Then came the helicopter portion of their day. I’ve photographed glacier elopements in Alaska before, but there’s something about that moment when the helicopter lifts off that never gets old. Watching couples experience it for the first time and seeing the way their faces change as the ground falls away and the ice fields spread out below is one of my favorite things to witness.
For Kim and Greg, this was their first helicopter ride ever, and flying over Alaska’s massive ice fields felt like stepping into another world.
Once the helicopter landed, we found a spot for their ceremony beside a blue ice pool with water so clear you could see straight to the bottom.
After they exchanged vows, the helicopter took us around to a few other locations so Kim and Greg could explore even more of Alaska’s beautiful landscapes.
Dancing in the Kitchen
One of the things about summer elopements in Alaska is that the sunset doesn’t happen until around 11:30 pm, which means we have lots of daylight for photos and adventure time.
However, Kim and Greg didn’t want to spend their entire day running from one activity to the next. They also wanted time to relax and have fun with each other like how they normally do.
So, after their helicopter adventure, we headed back to their Airbnb where they played card games, lounged, and spent intimate, quality time together while waiting for the sun to go down.
It was during this portion of the day that one of my favorite moments took place. Kim had been inspired by the Taylor Swift lyric: “dancing in the kitchen in the refrigerator light.”, so we created it together.
They pulled their cake from the refrigerator and danced in the kitchen light. This moment was originally unplanned, but it ended up being one of the highlights of the day.
It was a reminder that intimate elopements aren’t just about grand landscapes, glaciers, or epic views. At the end of the day, you need to come home to yourself and your partner. And wherever that home is, whether it’s an A-frame cabin in Alaska or your kitchen back home, finding each other there is just as important as any mountain moment.
Why Glacier Elopements in Alaska Are Unlike Anything Else
Something most couples don’t know about Alaska glacier elopements is that glaciers are constantly changing.
The exact spot where you stand to exchange vows might not exist in the same way even two days later. Ice pools shift, melt, and reform so helicopters can’t always land in the same coordinates again.
This means that the spot where you say your vows truly becomes yours. Not just metaphorically, but also literally. No one else will stand in that exact place under those exact conditions ever again, so it truly becomes yours.
Besides his amazing ability to capture and create art he provides a meaningful presence for your special day.
I originally started following Henry on Instagram quite a few years ago. I knew I wanted him to capture my wedding day before I even knew who I was going to marry! 😂 Luckily Greg fell in love with Henry’s work and it was not hard to convince him once we were engaged. The process of working with Henry was seamless, organized and most of all memorable. His knowledge and experience helped us decide to scratch Yosemite NP and opt for a more private remote location which ended up being Alaska. Besides his amazing ability to capture and create art he provides a meaningful presence for your special day. In our case it was just the two of us. Before the day we were nervous that we would be awkward in front of the camera (we are inexperienced models lol) on the actual day I never felt awkward at all. Henry gently directed some posing but overall it was all very natural and organic moments. His energy and genuine excitement for us throughout the whole day means the world to us. We can’t imagine our day without him being a part of it. Henry is flexible and truly there for you throughout the whole process. We originally planned to have some family at our day but due to a family member needing surgery we switched gears. At one point we talked about changing dates which Henry was agreeable to. He really was willing to help us out in anyway that he could. We can’t thank him enough for that. Overall our experience blew my expectations out of the water and my expectations were already pretty high lol. It was the best day of our lives and I am so grateful to Henry for capturing those moments for us to look back on for the rest of our lives. Working with Henry is worth every penny & I highly recommended him!!
Thank you Henry!! ❤️
Meet the couple & the best Alaska Glacier Elopement Photographer everrrr!!! 🙂
Meet The Best Alaska Glacier Elopement Vendors:
Photographer: Henry Tieu Photography
Airbnb: A-Frame Cabin
Helicopter: Outbound Heli Adventures
Florist: Paper Peony
Cake: Arctic Moon Bakery
Hair & Makeup: Tiffanee Beazer
Wedding Dress: Blue Sky Bridal Portland
Ready to plan your own glacier elopement in Alaska?
From helicopter landings on glaciers to late night sunset celebrations, Alaska offers something unlike any other destination. Whether you’re dreaming of exchanging vows next to a crystal clear glacier pool or dancing in kitchen refrigerator light while waiting for the late summer sun to go down, we’re here to help you plan an intentional Alaska adventure that reflects your unique love story.
Contact us to start planning your Alaska glacier elopement, or explore more Alaska elopements on our blog.
More Alaska Elopement Inspiration
Meet Your Intimate Wedding & Elopement Photographers
We’re Henry, Sergio, and Nick, the faces behind these honest, meaningful, and artful photographs of couples eloping in the most beautiful places. Since 2018, we’ve photographed more than 200+ intimate weddings and elopements all over the world and on 6 different continents. Our work has been published on Junebug Weddings, Green Wedding Shoes, Brides, Dancing With Her, etc…We’ve won international awards for best wedding photos but what’s most important to us is actually winning our clients’ hearts with our art.
With 15 years of combined photography experience, we’ve learned that the only way to a beautiful wedding experience & photos is through intentionality.
We’re here for you and with you from “let’s do this” to “I do”, one step at a time, each step of the way. We’re in this together
