2 Lovers + an Alaskan Fishing Town.
Where the salt of the sea meets the glow of the midnight sun - Don + Mary said I-Do.
Alaska is known for her harsh winters, epic nature and iconic fishing. People come to Alaska from all over the world to experience her beauty in person every year from June - October. And while tourists get excited at a moose or occasional bear, Alaskans are excited to play with all their toys and leave the ice roads behind us. Homer, Alaska is a hot spot during the warm months, where fishermen flock to take out their boats and try their luck in the halibut capital of the world. Others, come for the camping on the beach, dive bars and excitement of "the spit'' where you can find colorful people, live music, freshly caught food and eclectic shops. Homer makes you feel like you can finally breathe and be a human again - where its okay to let go, turn off your phone and take in all this little town has to offer, with a little wind, and a lot of beauty.
Ketchikan Engagement to Homer Wedding: M + D
My couples take me all over the world. from Hawaii to Australia to Germany - and yet some of those flights across continents were almost as long of a journey as it was to travel within my own state of Alaska from one end to the other.
Mary and Don reached out in 2023 to inquire about an engagement session in this little town in Alaska. I had just moved and had no idea getting to Ketchikan, Alaska from Anchorage meant 3 flights and 5 hours of travel as well as a ferry ride. And that flights alone would cost over $1000 - so we made a deal. I will shoot your engagement for just the travel costs to get there and back, if you book my wedding package (which already includes a complimentary engagement session) - and so, I booked my flights and found myself in the world's tiniest airport a year later. We walked all over the town taking photos in cute diners, cuddling in gardens and daydreaming in the boatyard and ending at the Ketchikan Alaska coast, where Don proposed to Mary.
Where to stay in Homer, AK
Like most popular destinations in Alaska in peak season, accomodations fill up quickly. and they get more expensive the closer to your arrival.
I recommend securing an Airbnb for maximum comfort at least 6 months ahead of time to make sure you have the opportunity to snag an epic view. The SeaFarers Beach House is located overlooking the spit below. offering private beach access, a spacious and well decorated home and doubles as an intimate wedding ceremony location! Otherwise - you can do what I did and try your luck at the Kings Landing for a mattress that came original with the building. at resort pricing.
Reeling in a New Era
Homer is impossible not to love, just 5 hours of driving through rolling hills lines with wildflowers, Historic towns and tall mountains - the view on the way will tempt you to make pit stops around every corner.
In the summer, Alaska comes alive with activity and you may find yourself driving among boats, kayaks, atvs, folded up bush planes and camper vans galore. Everyone eager to get to their location and appreciate what we suffer all winter for. Once you get to Homer, you can simply follow the road all the way to the end of the line.
I found Mary and Dons Air Bnb easily and got to work capturing all the details as everyone was busy prepping the ceremony spot, buttoning up dress shirts and getting makeup done.
Instead of doing a first look - they opted for a "First Touch" before the ceremony. Taking a moment to connect with a simple pass of the hand, right before the guests arrive and you get to promise forever to each other.
The I-DO Moment
In front of their closest family members and officiated by Marys Daughter, and complete with a hand fast - M + D chose each other under a perfect Homer, Alaska sky. For a moment it felt like time stopped, the seabreeze ;) enveloping them in a blessing you can only get on a coast. With a photographer choking back tears behind a camera capturing it all trying to give the moment its justice.
I like to hang back and allow couples to mingle with their guests for a bit before I whisk them away for photos - so once everyone got their hugs in order, tears wiped, and laughs out, we headed down to the beach and got very Alaska coded family photos. Extra Tuffs and all. Both myself and Mary were raised in Hawaii, and I love that both Hawaii and Alaska have similar mindsets, rich in experience of nature, community oriented and not scared to get a little muddy (or sandy).
For the last bit of photos, they took me to a secret swing underneath one of the Homer Spit shoreline buildings.
The Tide was already coming in, and these two were slipping and sliding all over the swings trying to avoid falling into the water before the reception - Worth it in my opinion. The rest of the evening was spent at the Lands End Hotel enjoying good food, good company and a few loud crows.
M + D are coming up on their first anniversary as I write this, and I am so happy to report they are just as in love and obsessed with each other as this day.
It is my honor to travel to my clients favorite, sentimental places and have the chance to capture that for them and memorialize it forever. These photos become heirlooms - irreplaceable time capsules. That is why you want to invest in someone who is committed to telling your story - Your way.
Love Letter from M + D
" My June wedding was so magical and beautiful and Jazmine made it even more special with her incredible talent. I am in awe of every single picture she has taken. I can't recommend anyone better. You have to book her! You will not be disappointed."
Take me on your Biggest Adventure Yet!
Alaska Adventure Elopements are iconic for a reason - Let me help you plan your ultimate adventure elopement package, There is no limit to what is possible, reach out to get started, Booking 2027 Couples now!
