Are you and your significant other thinking about eloping in Alaska? If I could go back in time, I would have totally eloped in Alaska with my husband. Alaska offers glaciers, ice, fjords, mountains, ocean, rivers, and so much more! I am happy to help you plan your Alaskan elopement.

Planning on Eloping in Alaska

In order to have a legal marriage in the state of Alaska, you will need the following:

• A marriage license. The application costs $60 and can be filled out online or in person. You will need to provide a copy of your state-issused drivers license. It does take 3 days for the license to be ready to pick up and will expire after 90 days. After the elopement, you will need to return or mail the application back to a local Vital Records Office. The formal certificate that you need for insurance and name changing reasons costs an extra $30 at this time.
• 2 witnesses. The state of Alaska requires at least 2 witnesses to be present during the ceremony. They will be required to sign the marriage license. I will gladly be one of your witnesses.
• Officiant. Your officiant can be really anyone as long as they have their certificate. When I got married, my former coworker was out officiant and she got certified online. I’m happy to send recommendations for officiants if you need one 🙂

Best Time of Year to Elope in Alaska

The best time of the year to elope in Alaska is of course the summer months. mid-June, July, and August are the best times of the year to visit and elope in Alaska. There is plenty of daylight (14+ hours to be exact!!!), sunshine, and beautiful green hills and mountains. There are also a lot more restaurants and accommodations available. The shoulder seasons are more unpredictable with lots of rain and unexpected snowy conditions. I always say that it’s more about the attitude than the weather 😉

Where to Elope in Alaska

The trickiest part about eloping in Alaska is, well, deciding where to elope in Alaska hahaha! There are so many amazing spots. It’s best to think about where you want to be based out of/which airport you’ll be flying into. The most popular airports are Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.

Anchorage

Anchorage is the most populated city in Alaska and has the most options for food and accommodations and is close to cool cities that would make great spots for elopements like Talkeetna, Palmer, Seward, Kenai, Girdwood, and Whittier. When you picture Alaska in your mind, you’ll likely find exactly what you’re wanting within a few hours of Anchorage.

Juneau

Located in southeast Alaska, Juneau is the capital city and can only be reached by plane or boat. It is a 2 hour plane ride from Seattle vs a 4 hour from Anchorage. I love Juneau so much! The weather there is a bit more unpredictable because it is more like a rainforest there. Juneau is a lot smaller, but there are still all of the accommodations you could want.

Seward

Homer is about 4 hours south of Anchorage, but the drive goes by quick. You will drive through forests, huge mountains, and past the beautiful Kenai River on your way down. There are lots of cool spots to stop at and take in the Alaskan air.

If you want to elope in the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, Homer would make a great base.

Homer

Seward is about 2 hours south of Anchorage and is one of my most favorite places in Alaska. There is the ocean, glaciers, fjords, and huge mountains surrounding the charming city. For inspiration, make sure to look at this blog post Seaside Elopement in Homer.

To dream up more ideas and locations for the Kenai Peninsula, I recommend checking out my guide Best Places to Elope in the Kenai Peninsula.

Your Alaska Elopement and Wedding Photographer

The best part about making the decision of eloping in Alaska is that you can really make your day what you want it to be. I am happy to help you plan the best day of your life while being your tour guide of sorts in The Last Frontier. If you want an unforgettable elopement day, I highly suggest Alaska. Contact me to learn more and to see how I can help you 🙂