An Alaska Road Trip Elopement from Seward to Girdwood
Why choose just one location for your Alaska elopement when you can turn your wedding day into an unforgettable road trip through some of the most beautiful places in Alaska?
That’s exactly what Ashlea and Kevin did for their elopement day.
They called me about a week before their wedding with an idea: instead of staying in one location, why not spend the day road-tripping from Seward to Girdwood, stopping at some of their favorite scenic spots along the way? Road trips are something they love doing together in Colorado, where they live, so incorporating that same sense of adventure into their Alaska elopement felt like the perfect fit. And honestly? I loved the idea.
There are so many incredible places to stop along the drive from Seward to Girdwood, and putting together a day that felt relaxed, adventurous, and completely personal to them was so much fun.
A Slow Morning in Seward, Alaska
We started their Alaska elopement day in Seward, where Ashlea and Kevin got ready together in their cozy cabin.
Rather than rushing through the morning, they took their time. They wrote their vows, enjoyed a slow morning together, and soaked in those quiet moments before heading out for their adventure.
Ashlea and Kevin also incorporated two different wedding looks into their day. I photographed their western wedding attire as well as their Vietnamese wedding attire as a way to celebrate Kevin’s heritage and make their wedding day even more meaningful.
Of course, we had to photograph all the little details, too: their bouquet, rings, vow books, shoes, and socks.
And then an unexpected guest showed up.
A little ermine decided to make an appearance during their getting-ready photos! It was such a fun Alaska moment—and even better, the ermine happened to be one of Kevin’s favorite animals.
Beach Photos & Fireweed in Seward
After getting ready, we headed outside to explore the area around Seward and take some photos along the beach.
One of my favorite things about an Alaska elopement is how quickly the scenery can change. You can go from rocky beaches to forests, mountains, lakes, and wildflower fields in the same afternoon.
We found a beautiful field of fireweed and spent some time taking photos surrounded by Alaska’s iconic pink wildflowers.
Then we headed back toward the beach for one of the most meaningful parts of their day: Ashlea and Kevin privately reading their vows to each other.
There was no audience and no pressure—just the two of them, their vows, and the incredible Alaska landscape around them.
Packing Lunch for an Alaska Road Trip Elopement
After their private vow exchange, we went back to their cabin and packed up a little lunch for the road.
This is one of the things I loved most about their elopement. Their wedding day didn’t feel like a series of scheduled events. It felt like an adventure they were actually living together.
We grabbed our things, hopped in the car, and started our road trip from Seward toward Girdwood.
And the views only got better from there.
Primrose Campground & Kenai Lake
Our first stop was Primrose Campground, where we were greeted with incredible views of Kenai Lake and the surrounding mountains.
The scenery here is quintessential Alaska: turquoise-blue water, towering mountains, and seemingly endless wilderness.
We took some time to explore and photograph Ashlea and Kevin together before continuing along the highway.
If you’re planning a Seward elopement or an Alaska road trip elopement, this stretch of the drive is one of the reasons I always encourage couples to leave room in their timeline for spontaneous stops.
You never know what you’ll find.
Scenic Stops Along Turnagain Arm
Next, we made our way toward Turnagain Arm.
And this is where Alaska really shows off.
Sometimes the best photo locations aren’t official viewpoints or elaborate trails. Sometimes they’re simply a pull-off on the side of the road.
Turnagain Arm has some incredible scenery right from the highway, with dramatic mountains rising around the water. We pulled over, took in the views, and captured some more photos along the way.
Classic Alaska: beautiful views basically everywhere you look.
A Daisy Field in Portage
Our next stop was in Portage, at one of my favorite flower fields.
This particular spot was filled with daisies, creating such a sweet contrast to the dramatic mountains and rugged landscapes we’d seen throughout the day.
One of the best parts of planning an Alaska elopement road trip is getting a variety of landscapes throughout the same day. Instead of choosing between mountains, beaches, wildflowers, forests, and waterfalls, you can build your day around experiencing all of them.
And that’s exactly what Ashlea and Kevin did.
Ending the Day at Virgin Creek Falls in Girdwood
We finished our adventure in Girdwood, where we headed to Virgin Creek Falls for the final part of their elopement day.
After spending the day driving through some of Southcentral Alaska’s most beautiful landscapes, ending among the trees and rushing water at the falls felt like the perfect finale.
From a slow morning in Seward to a beach, a fireweed field, Kenai Lake, Turnagain Arm, a daisy-filled field, and finally a waterfall in Girdwood, their wedding day became so much more than a single-location elopement.
It became an Alaska road trip adventure.
Planning Your Own Alaska Road Trip Elopement
If you’re planning an Alaska elopement, you don’t have to choose just one location.
A road trip can be an incredible way to experience more of Alaska while creating a wedding day that feels like an actual adventure together.
The drive from Seward to Girdwood offers so many opportunities for beautiful scenery and spontaneous stops, and your day can be built around the places that feel meaningful to you—not around a traditional wedding timeline.
Maybe your perfect elopement includes:
- Getting ready together in a cozy cabin
- Writing and exchanging private vows
- Exploring the beach
- Walking through Alaska’s wildflowers
- Stopping at scenic overlooks
- Having a picnic or lunch along the way
- Hiking to a waterfall
- Exploring Kenai Lake
- Taking an epic Alaska road trip together
Your wedding day can be whatever you want it to be.
And if that means putting on your wedding clothes, grabbing some snacks, hopping in the car, and spending the day exploring Alaska together?
I’m all for it.
Seward to Girdwood, here we come.
