frozen at auke lake
elopement day change of plans
when juneau makes the decision.
The original plan was a romantic floatplane ride to Taku Lodge for dinner beside the glacier and a ceremony surrounded by Alaska wilderness.
But Juneau’s rainforest had other ideas.
The morning of Stony and Erica’s wedding, heavy fog rolled into Southeast Alaska, dropping visibility too low for safe seaplane flights. In Alaska, weather always has the final say — especially in spring. And honestly, that unpredictability is part of what makes weddings here such an adventure.
The day began slowly and beautifully at a cozy Airbnb in Fritz Cove where Stony and Erica got ready overlooking the water. The atmosphere was calm, emotional, and full of anticipation. One of my favorite moments from the entire day was their private first look there together — just the two of them taking in the reality that the day they had planned for so long was finally here.
Instead of forcing a backup that didn’t fit the feeling of the day, we pivoted.
As a local Juneau photographer, I knew exactly one place where the mountains would still likely be visible through the mist while also offering some protection from the harsher coastal wind and weather. We headed to the dock at Auke Lake, surrounded by icy water, soft fog, and the quiet stillness that settles over Juneau on rainy mornings.
And somehow, it ended up feeling even more intimate than the original plan.
The mountains appeared and disappeared behind layers of mist while the water stayed perfectly calm around them. The fog softened everything — the light, the colors, the atmosphere — creating images that felt cinematic and deeply Alaskan in a way that could never be replicated intentionally.
One of the things I love most about photographing weddings in Alaska is that couples are often willing to embrace the experience instead of fighting it. Stony and Erica trusted the process completely. Rather than letting the weather become disappointment, they leaned into the adventure together.
Their ceremony at the dock felt peaceful and grounding. The veil moved softly in the wind while the mountains faded in and out behind them. It was quiet except for the water and the occasional rainfall hitting the dock beneath our feet.
The ceremony was officiated by Linda Wendeborne of I Do Alaska Weddings, who helped create a warm and personal atmosphere despite the changing weather and shifting plans of the day.
After the ceremony, we made one more stop at Skaters Cabin for forest portraits and cake. The mossy trees and soft green tones created such a contrast from the icy water and fog earlier in the day. It felt like stepping into another side of Southeast Alaska entirely — dark evergreens, filtered light, and that quiet rainforest atmosphere Juneau does so well.
They cut their floral cake tucked into the forest before wandering through the trees together as the evening faded darker and moodier.
Sometimes the best Alaska wedding days are not the ones that go according to plan.
Sometimes they are the ones where the weather forces you into a moment you never could have designed yourself.
The rainforest gave us fog instead of sunshine, still water instead of glacier flights, and intimacy instead of spectacle. And honestly, it could not have suited their day more perfectly.
Rainy Day Pivot | An Intimate Alaska Wedding on Auke Lake
