Laura and Jordan aimed to make every aspect of their big day a reflection of who they are as a couple and the breathtaking place they call home.  The goal of their Matanuska Glacier wedding was clear: to capture the essence of Alaska in an elegant, romantic, and timeless manner, whether through the glacier, helicopter ride, airplane hangar, flowers, dress, or any other detail. With the help of Junebug planner AKHappenings, they achieved their vision and surpassed it with flying colors!

The day started with a delightful surprise—an intimate glacier ceremony surrounded by snowy white landscapes adorned with ground arrangements. It set the perfect tone for the day. The journey continued with a second meadow ceremony, where a floral arch framed the majestic mountain backdrop, and benches provided a cozy spot for the celebration. The all-white hangar reception stole the spotlight, showcasing a stunning floral and draping installation. However, the night’s highlight was the all-out dance party that lasted until the early hours. Colorful wigs and LED foam sticks added excitement, making it a memorable celebration.

While we could share more details, we’ll let these incredible images, captured by the talented Megan Freeman, do the talking. 

The Couple:

Laura and Jordan

The Wedding:

Matanuska Glacier, Alaska, United States

Bridging Tradition and Personal Style Through Wedding Fashion

I had a vision from the start. I wanted options. But I wanted to buy only one dress. Something romantic yet flowy and sexy. I love sleeves but wanted the ability to take them off.  And a fitted and flowy skirt.  I tried to make all my wedding memories in one dress. My vision was a fitted dress with a detachable skirt and sleeves. I needed a dress that fit the “Alaskan” adventure bride I was going for yet had my favorite aspects in a dress. My jewelry was a classic pearl set of earrings and a necklace my father gave my mother on their wedding day. It was only fitting to wear them on our wedding day.

Starting Their Matanuska Glacier Wedding Day With a Surprise First Look

Laura: Walking up to Jordan for our first look at Matanuska Glacier was my most memorable moment. I hadn’t told him nor showed him my dress. It was one of the hardest things not to share with him through the wedding planning process. It was custom that took many fittings and was ready at 11:30 pm the night before the wedding and it felt like a major weight was finally lifted. We were finally doing it, and it was very real.
Jordan: My most memorable moment was when we had our first look, and I saw Laura for the first time in her gorgeous dress. It was a surreal moment, and it all finally came together at that moment. We also shared our vows before our wedding party while standing on the glacier with the most fantastic backdrop imaginable.

Letting Loose on the Dance Floor and Surprises During Their Matanuska Glacier Wedding Reception

Laura: I loved cutting loose with our people on the dance floor, busting out all the props, and kicking off the fun night we have waited six years for. We also snuck away to sign our marriage certificate on the tail of Jordan’s airplane.
Jordan: Dancing and partying the night away with our closest people was unforgettable. We were so skeptical about the wigs at first, but they were one of the funniest and best parts of the day. We also accidentally cut ourselves while attempting to cut our ice cream wedding cake, too.

Advice: Focus on the Marriage Over the Wedding

Never lose sight of the fact that the marriage, not the wedding, is the reason behind your big day. Decision fatigue is a real thing. Take it easy on yourself and always lean into your partner, because it’s your partner and you at the end of the day. Never lose sight of the fact that anything is possible to achieve as a team. Also, this process will teach you so much about each other, family, and friends. The people who care for and love you will show up. Try to hold space, be patient, and know it takes work. It’ll be worth it.

Choosing a Venue With Future Ties and a Personal Connection

We chose our wedding venue for a couple of reasons. For one, it’s in the neighborhood where we will soon build our “forever home.” We wanted to share a part of our future with the people closest to us. Additionally, the airplane hanger is owned by our good friends, and Jordan helped them build it a couple of summers back. They were both members of our wedding party! The insane view was hard to pass up, as well as the ability to let the party go on as late as we wanted.

Photobooth Polaroids and Koozies as Thoughtful Keepsakes for Their Matanuska Glacier Wedding

We ensured that we provided a fun photo booth for our guests to cut loose and have fun and take a memory to keep after. The koozies are a nod to the Wallace family. They have the most extensive koozie collection, so it was only fitting for all guests to take a piece of our wedding home. We opted to ensure that they kept in theme with the rest of the wedding and were not overly done with our names or wedding details.

Custom Cricut Wedding Invites and Personalized Wedding Signage

Special shout out to one of my bridesmaids, Emily Holman. She is a saint for hearing my vision and making it a reality for me. I will forever be in debt to her patience and efforts to ensure my vision came to life. The first significant project was our custom Cricut wedding invites that feature cutouts of the two of us and our two Australian Shepherds, the background of mountains that double as the information cards. We then wrapped the invite and wax sealed them shut with a custom wax seal. All envelopes were addressed with the Cricut. This project was a LOT and so worth it. They were 100% us and truly fit our wedding vibe. All the signage for the wedding: welcome sign, seating chart, bar menu sign, audible guest book, table numbers, thank you note from us to our guests, instructions for our online wedding photo album, disposable camera instructions signs, custom menu for the evening with wax sealed names for each guest, was a labor of love.

Handcrafted Birch Log Benches and Budget-Friendly Touches

Jordan wanted to contribute to the wedding with his skilled craft and built us a custom rolling bar from which the bartender served drinks. In addition, he made the wedding sign stands and birch log benches for the ceremony, which we later used for seats around the fire, as well as the frame for the arch. We rented some more oversized items (tables, chairs, linens, outdoor tent), but otherwise, we bought most of our plates, cups, silverware, cookware, candles, vases, etc. It ended up being less expensive at the end of the day. We didn’t have to rush to get them cleaned for pickup the next day. We also borrowed several outdoor decor pieces from friends, such as fire pits, outdoor furniture, and propane heaters.

A Floral Labor of Love by the Bride’s Mom

My mother, Colleen, did all the florals for our wedding with one of her lifelong best friends, Gail Gibson. They have done florals together for forty-plus years and truly knocked it out of the park. As we referenced throughout the wedding planning, this was “Colleen’s Super Bowl.” If you ask us, they knocked it out of the park by going above and beyond. Our wedding party and I did all the decor inside and outside the hangar, and then Colleen did the finishing touches with flowers.

A Homemade Wedding Spread Put Together by Their Loved Ones

Catering was done with our very close friends, Kevin and Kimberly Burgess, along with a core group of close friends that we consider a part of our Alaska family. We shopped for all food items in advance from Costco. They set up a cooking tent at the hangar and prepped and cooked all the food on site. Shout out to Jaclyn Hernandez–she put together the most beautiful charcuterie board, even creating a meat “W” to honor our last name. It was incredible. For dessert, we had close friends make brownies and cookies. 

Personalized Wedding Beer at Their Matanuska Glacier Wedding

Through a friend, we connected with a local beer enthusiast. Jason was so fun to chat and connect about learning the types of beer we liked. He took our flavor pallets and created the two most fantastic wedding beers to serve at the wedding. It was even entered into the state fair and won several categories. We are savoring the last few bottles. Incredible, and it was less expensive than getting a local craft beer option. Jason even bartended for us at the wedding, which was also excellent.

Congratulations to Laura and Jordan for pulling off a Matanuska Glacier wedding featuring two ceremonies and many personal touches. Thank you to Megan Freeman for capturing all the lovely details and memorable moments. And lastly, a special shout-out goes to Junebug member AKHappenings for planning the entire event. To see more celebrations they’ve planned, check out their profile in our directory of the world’s best wedding planners.

This wedding teaches us that incorporating personal touches, collaborating with friends and family, and being mindful of practicality can result in a memorable and meaningful celebration. From custom decor to unique beer brewing, the couple’s choices reflected their values, making the event special and cost-effective.