Postmortem

June 22: For this story we actually need to start before the wedding day. Consider it the final test. We packed up our bags and headed to San Francisco International Airport, Anchorage bound! Between regular travel supplies, wedding attire, and outdoors gear (we were planning on doing some extra hiking) we had quite the haul. But luckily my soon to be wife plays the credit card game so free checked bags made things manageable. We arrived in Anchorage, had food, and got some sleep.

June 23: This was our second time in Alaska so we already had our bearings. We planned the trip with extra time before and after the wedding day. There is plenty to see and do right out of Anchorage but we did not have a ton of time so we hit Flattop Mountain, hiked Far North Bicentennial Park (where we found a bunch of moose!), and walked the wildlife viewing boardwalk (where we saw an eagles nest!). All awesome. Then we proceeded south towards Homer which is where we were going to fly out of for the wedding day.

June 24 - 25: One of our stops along the way was the fishing town of Whittier. I have got to say, this is kind of a strange place. Interesting history, crazy weather, and not a ton to do if you live there. But it is a pretty sweet stop for a day or two if you are traveling by. The weather during our visit was dreadful - pouring rain and howling winds. The locals say "it's always shittier in Whittier". We attempted a hike on our first day but up around the halfway point it was becoming too much. We were soaked and getting pretty cold so turned around. I would like to come back someday to finish that hike. We dried off and got burgers at Wild Catch Cafe (I recommend). The next morning we woke up to the same weather. So what did we do? We went for a glacier jet ski tour! Rad. There was supposed to be a group of 8 but everyone else backed out. Not going to lie, it was pretty gnarly. We had never done this before and the ocean swell was easily 4 or 5 feet in spots. But our guides took us out and we made it happen.

June 25-26: After leaving Whittier we moved to Cooper Landing and finally the Homer area. We checked out the local fishing scene at the Russian River, and the beautiful glaciers in Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park which is only accessible by ferry. The next day was the big day! June 27, 2023...Taco Tuesday! Originally, Magdalena proposed Monday the 26th but I insisted on Taco Tuesday. If you have not figured out already, the date marked at the top of this page is June 29th. We got a call from our pilot Zack that weather was looking 50/50 for tomorrow. You can probably guess where this is going.

June 27, 8:30AM: Sadly, Zack had to inform us that low visibility and high winds would prohibit us from flying today. We were totally bummed but it was the right call. It would not have been safe, nor fun. But we planned ahead for this and built in extra days in case weather struck. The next weather window looked to be Thursday the 29th. Both Zack and Nick would be ready. We understood the risk going in - this is Alaska. We spent the next 2 days exploring the surrounding Homer area at a leisurely pace which was still great. We found more moose! I definitely enjoyed our time but always had this worrisome thought in the back of my head. We sat down the night of the 27th and agreed that we would proceed with the wedding on the 29th no matter what.

June 29, 8:00AM: The weather had cleared, blue skies were in the forecast - we were a go! We spent the morning getting ready and at about 1PM did a first look shoot with our photographer Nick. A little after 2PM we drove over to Sasquatch Adventures to meet Zack. Right from the moment I saw Zack I could tell he was a proper local Alaskan - he practically howled at me. I knew we were in the right place. He was taken aback by our full wedding attire, saying it was a first for him. He asked if we were still planning on doing the full bear tour to which we said, "of course!" We suited up and boarded the plane. Magdalena had purchased some cute rain boots with antlers printed on them but they were too short for the river crossings. Zack insisted she trade them in for full length wader boots. Bummer. Maybe next time. Note the wooden bowtie.

June 29, 2:46PM: We were officially airborne and on our way to the wedding spot! Zack took us along a more scenic route, showcasing stunning coastal and mountain formations. One of our favorites was a glacier lake that sat on the top of a volcano. Nick continually captured the moment through some fantastic aerial footage. I think I remember him saying that by the time we landed he had already taken close to the normal amount of photos he takes at "normal" weddings.

June 29, 3:45PM: The eagle has landed. Out of respect for Zack and Sasquatch Adventures I cannot specify the exact location.

After a brief safety lesson we headed out on a search for some bears! It was not long before our first sighting. Lets pause here for a moment. This was not some #instagram influencer nonsense. This was the real deal. We have experience in bear country and are educated in the fundamental rules you must abide by when you are in their home. If you do not respect the wild then the wild will not respect you. But given what we were trying to achieve, we hired an experienced professional guide who has literally developed relationships with these bears and still carries protection in case something goes wrong. But for over a decade he has never needed to fire the gun. Always be open to talking with professional guides and national park staff when in doubt.

As we moved along we appreciated how diverse the terrain was. We traversed meadows with vibrant green grass and blooming flowers, shifted to sandy beaches, and navigated through deep, muddy glacial streams. Snow-capped mountains encircled us in the distance, adding to the inspiring scenery. Luckily Magdalena had thought ahead and found a special lifting skirt to hold the dress in place above her knees when we were moving around. One slip and that would have been game over! No issues to report and remarkably that white dress stayed clean the whole day.

June 29, 5:18PM: After exploring for a bit we found a location to conduct our ceremony. It was the perfect Alaskan mountain backdrop against a lush grass meadow, and of course...alot of bears! I think we counted ten at one point. The following photos capture a special moment: Zack, ever vigilant, kept a watchful eye on the bears, ensuring our safety as we exchanged vows. It allowed us to stay calm and focused on each other in the moment.

June 29, 5:43PM: We had finished exchanging our vows and were married! Bears everywhere! It was a magical moment, captured perfectly by Nick.

June 29, 6:51PM: We made a loop back in the direction of our airplane, following along a river to watch some more bears this time. One particular bear said hello and got within 30 feet of us. The bears in this area are pretty relaxed because there are abundant resources and land. There is not much competition and the bears know it is in their best interest to eat the grass or fish rather than use a lot of energy taking on something else (like a human). It was far more interested in fishing.

June 29, 8:03PM: It was time to say goodbye and board the plane. Our visit to this incredible place went by so fast. We were genuinely sad to be leaving, but are determined to return someday! We took a more direct shot back to Homer. It was getting darker and cooler but still no rain. The marriage license was signed upon arrival and we were eating celebratory cake by 9PM.

June 29, 10:15PM: Nick needed some food for dinner so we all stopped by the local Safeway grocery store. It was late and everything else was closed. Magda only got some berries because we had steaks waiting for us back at the Airbnb. We received some looks and congratulations which was fun - sometimes you cannot be too serious.

July 1, 4:46PM: We summited our first mountain (Hope Point) as Mr & Mrs! The journey continues - keep moving, keep exploring. Thank you great state of Alaska for always humbling us. You truly are next level and we hope to be back soon!