Kincaid Outdoor Center

Welcome Party

Forget Me Not Nursery

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Cocktails and Appetizers

Reception

Turnagain View Lodge

After Party!

Our Wedding

Our Story

Photos

Katie and I became best friends on NYE 2016 while sipping sparkling cider in the NICU on night shift! We quickly bonded over our love of Alaska and experiencing it to the fullest extent! We make each other cry from laughing so hard, and our inside jokes are endless. Katie has a huge heart and I am so lucky to have found such a rare and amazing life-long friendship. 

Katie Sutton

Kirsten and I met in Colorado in 2013 through my parents! Kirsten's passion for outdoor adventures and her wild spirit pulled me out of my comfort zone. She encouraged me to try things I didn't think I was capable of; climbing four 14er's in one day, for example! Kirsten ended up living at my parents house for a few years and we became like sisters. We have partied hard, laughed until it hurt, fought like sisters, and have experienced life's ups and downs together. Though we now live 1,000 miles apart and she has three wild boys to wrangle, we still pick up where we left off when we get together! 

Kirsten Rueschhoff 

Sam and I met in the NICU when she started in 2017! When I first met her, I decided I wanted to be friends with her but had to play it cool. When I told Katie and Shelby this, they admitted they both had friend-crushes on her too. We made a plan to try to induct Sam into our friend group without coming on too strong. Luckily, we didn't scare her off and she agreed to be our friend. Over the last 8 years, we have grown so close and we have amazing memories together like slaying salmon in Kenai, wrangling tons of poodle puppies, lots of cabin trips, and Hawaii vacations. I am so glad to have her by my side at the wedding and through life! Her daughter, Maeve, is a flower girl!

Samantha Malanaphy

Shelby and I got hired together as brand new nurses in the NICU in 2015 and have been good friends ever since! We have explored Alaska together, picked blueberries until our fingers stopped working, trauma-bonded at work, and have shared much of our 20's together. Shelby is incredibly kind, gentle, loyal, and compassionate! I am so lucky to have her by my side on my wedding day! 

Shelby Bennice

Rebekah and I met through Sam in 2018. We joke that Rebekah was Sam's replacement that summer when Sam was gone a lot and couldn't hang out with us. We have been good friends ever since and share lots of wonderful memories together!

Rebekah Summer

I met Chris when I was 8 while our parents were touring our under-construction house, which was identical to Chris's house.  I asked if he played Pokemon (of course he did) and that question sealed our friendship, we've been best friends and have battled our Pokemon ever since.  Chris moved to Florida when I was 17 but we stayed connected, visiting each other every few years.  Chris is the funniest person I know and can make me laugh whether or not I know the movie/show he's quoting.  Chris is an avid lover of music, especially the punk rock variety.  He loves seeing live music and sharing craft beer with friends.  

Chris Mascaro

Elliot and I knew of each other for a few years in college but, introverted as we are, we didn't talk to each other until we were part of the same study group.  We shared many difficult civil design classes together and I credit my degree in engineering to Elliot, without whom I surely would have failed.  Elliot also encouraged me to pursue a license in engineering before and throughout the entire miserable process.  11 years after my request, Elliot finally inducted me into his moose hunting circle of trust when his dad wanted to retire from the tradition.  I've traveled to the Japan and San Fransisco to visit him while he took a sabbatical from Alaska.  He currently lives in Fairbanks with his tripod dog Roo!

Elliot Clausen

I met Grant at the Talkeetna gas station on my way to start college Fairbanks.  We toured the college that evening and have been friends ever since.  We were dry cabin neighbors for a while and spent a semester living together in a friend's cabin, heating it entirely with wood because heating oil was expensive.  Grant's passion for biking, skiing, and good beer have taken us on many adventures around the state. I was lucky to watch his relationship with his now-wife Maarit grow and bloom from our time in college, they've been a wonderful example of a long-lasting relationship!

Grant Cain

Rick and I met at in one of UAF's mountaineering classes.  We became climbing partners and found ourselves at the bottom (and sometimes the top) of various ice formations in the Alaska Range.  We've survived negative temperatures, avalanches, and learned a lot about life from each other.  My friends and I followed the trail Rick blazed to Anchorage and have been lucky to spend many bluebird days, a couple starry nights, and mostly “meh” flat light days skiing in the mountains.  He met his wife Rachel and watching their relationship form and deepen has been a joy. Rick is an avid chef and always brings an excess of delicious food on trips.  Whatever the activity, it's always a good time with Rick!

Rick Roth

I can't quite recall when Galen and I became friends or when we first met.  We started hanging out in our later college years in Fairbanks, and at some point we started climbing serious mountains together.  One memorable trip lasted 23 hours car-to-car and involved summiting a 9,800' mountain in a cloud, navigating a white-out glacier after sunset, and skiing down 5 miles of creek in the dark.  After we left Fairbanks, Galen and I lived together and would regularly go on late-night trail runs and ski night laps in Hatcher's Pass.  Galen taught me everything I know about photography and was a best friend to my old dog Kiro.  Galen has been my most regular mountain-climbing partner and we've stood on top of many peaks in the Alaska Range, as well as skied/ran endless miles of trails.

Galen Vansant

Wedding Party

Q + A

If you are making an Alaskan Vacation out of our Wedding and are overwhelmed by all the possibilities and unknowns, here a some "dream days" I've put together to inspire you!

GirdwoodGirdwood is a 45 minute drive south of Anchorage via the Seward Highway. The drive itself is an experience! On your right is the Cook Inlet where you'll see bald eagles and maybe Beluga whales cresting if you're lucky (look for little white lumps popping up). On the left are mountains/cliffs with mountain goats on them. Try to pay attention to the road though, it's curvy! A good place to pull off and take photos is Beluga Point. Continue on to the town of Indian (where the wedding is!) and stop at Birch &amp; Alder for coffee and brunch. If you want to shop for pottery, stop by Peter Brondz's shop down the road in Bird Creek. Continue on to Girdwood. If you want to do a short but gorgeous hike, go to Virgin Creek Falls. It's only 0.5 miles round-trip and its fairly flat and easy. If it's a hot day, you might want to get in the water! Head toward the hotel and get tickets for the tram and take it up to the top of the ski hill. Check out the old ski museum gift shop and have lunch at the Bore tide Deli. You can hike back down the mountain or take the tram down. If you're not in a rush to get back to Anchorage (or if you're staying in Girdwood for the night) have dinner at Jack Sprats, Spoonline, or Double Musky. The Nordic Spa offers discounted rates for half-day use, so you could do a "Twilight Soak" from 5-9pm! If you have a full day in Girdwood, the Nordic Spa is a great place to spend it starting in the morning.Other recommendations for Girdwood:-Girdwood Brewing Co has good beer and food trucks. There is outdoor seating with fire pits and big chairs-Winner Creek Trail: a popular hike right by the Hotel Alyeska. It is 8 mile round-trip but you can enjoy just part of it.-If you're still going to be in Alaska on 4th of July weekend, Forest Fair in Girdwood is July 4,5,6!-The Bake Shop in Girdwood has the best sourdough pancakes for breakfast! I would not recommend their lunches though...breakfast only! The Wildlife Conservation Center is a little past Girdwood. It's definitely worth going to, but give yourself a couple hours there.

SewardSeward is a magical place that I highly recommend! I wouldn't try to do it in a day-trip because it's about 2.5 hours from Anchorage which makes for a long day of driving. I would look into Airbnb's, hotels, or camping/RV in Seward to make it a 2 day adventure.Recommendations:1. The Sea Life Center is an amazing way to see Alaska's marine life up close. There are touch-tanks with starfish and urchins, penguins, sea lions, etc...2. Exit Glacier is a popular hike in Seward that gets you right up next to a glacier. It's about 2.2 miles to the glacier overlook (4.4 mile round trip), but you can go 4 miles to get to the Harding Ice Fields (8 mile round trip). You gain 1,000-3,000ft in elevation gain depending how far you go, so be prepared! You start at sea-level, travel through meadows, forests, and up above tree line. The Harding Ice Field is the largest existing ice field in North America. It's so cool to see little tips of mountains sticking up out of the ice.3. Kenai Fjords Tour: Take a ferry to see glaciers, whales, seals, puffins galore. Make sure to take dramamine or wear a patch, because this tour goes out of the protected bay and into open water. On a "bad weather day" it can be very rough! Tours are 6+ hours4. Miller's Landing has kayak rentals/tours, fishing charters, cabins/camping! You can also just go to Miller's Landing and walk around on the beach and take in the views of Resurrection Bay5. Resurrection Coffee House is a fun place to go for coffee and pastries. It was a little church converted into a coffee house and there is lots of cool art and things to buy6. Yukon Bar is a crusty old dive bar with dollar bills covering the walls and ceilings. Stop here for a whiskey &amp; coke, put a song on the Juke Box, do some of the best people watching of your life. If there is an Open-Mic in the evening, GO!7. Food recommendations: The Cookery, Sea Bean (For breakfast/coffee), Flamingo Lounge, Seward Brewing Company8. Mount Marathon Hike: If you need a hard workout, this hike gains 3,000ft in only 2 miles! Wayne participated in the Mount Marathon Race last summer where runners start in Downtown Seward and run straight up and down the mountain. The winner did it in 40ish minutes. The hike is 4 miles round trip.9. If you have kids, take them to Water Front Park playground! It's huge and has a gorgeous view of Resurrection Bay and the mountains

HomerHomer is one of my favorite places in Alaska. It is a good 5 hours from Anchorage so I would plan to spend at least 2 days in Homer. There are many Airbnbs and RV campgrounds. If you want to be bougie, stay at The Lands End Resort! Here are some of my favorite things to do in Homer1. Walk along the Homer "Spit" going in the little shops2. There is a big wooden swing under one of boardwalks. It's so nice to swing with a view of Kachemak Bay! Also just walking along the beach and beach combing is lovely.3. Take a Water Taxi across Kachemak bay to the Grewingk Glacier Trailhead. Hike 4.7 miles round trip and see enjoy Grewingk Glacier Lake and all the ice bergs floating in it! Get picked up by the water taxi at the trailhead4. Take the Danny J Water Taxi to Halibut Cove and have dinner at the Saltry! Best seafood of my life. I recommend the sampling platter to try all the appetizers, and the Rock Fish dinner. Walk along the boardwalks and enjoy the art and ambience of Halibut Cove5. Diamond Ridge Trail Hike: 4.2 mile (round trip) hike down to a secluded beach. Look up the tides for the day and try to time if for low-tide so you can beach comb!6. Take a nice walk at low tide on Bishop's Beach7. If you want to fish, Homer is a good place to do a Halibut Charter! Ninilchick is another town 45min from Homer that offers Halibut Charters.8. If you want to go to a weird bookstore, visit The Observance of Hermits9. Go for a Wine Tasting at Bear Creek Winery! They use Alaskan ingredients and have a beautiful garden area to explore.10. Food Recommendations: Wild Honey Bistro (amazing crepes!), Two Sisters Bakery (pastries and coffee), Sweetgale Meadworks &amp; Cider House (ciders and meads, and sometimes an oyster food truck), La Baliene (amazing food for both breakfast and lunch!). You can't go wrong though, Homer has great food!

Denali National ParkIf you want to camp or park your RV in Denali, make sure to reserve your spot ASAP! Make sure your RV is within the size limit for the campgrounds there. You could also try booking a campsite at Kesugi Ken campground (about 1.5 hours from Denali). When you get to the National Park, check in at the visitor center to learn about the area. You can do guided walks/tours, or do your own exploring. Personal vehicles are not allowed to drive past mile 15 of the Park Road, so if you want to go further into the park and possibly see more wildlife you can take the Denali Tour Bus! If you're hoping to get good views of the mountain, it's pretty hit or miss within the park. The best views are from a little further away (like Talkeetna!) If you're having dinner in Denali, I recommend 49th State Brewing or Denali Park Salmon Bake

TalkeetnaTalkeetna is a cute little town 2 hours north of Anchorage. It's a popular place to take flight seeing tours of Denali. It's worth stopping by if you are driving past it. 1. Walk around town and look in the shops2. Get a lunch and a beer at Denali Brewpub3. Have dinner at The Base Camp Bistro4. Take a flight seeing tour if it's in your budget and something you're interested in!5. Visit the Alaska Wild Harvest for a birch syrup tour and tasting! They have homemade ice creams topped with their birch syrup. The tour/tasting is only $10 for adults and kids are free6. Get breakfast and coffee at The Flying Squirrel Bakery 7. Go to Talkeetna Riverfront park and admire the Susitna River. This is also a good spot to get amazing views of Denali and the Alaska Range Mountains!8. Walk across The Railroad Bridge Trail (there's a pedestrian foot path) to the other side of the river. Enjoy hanging out in the sand on a sunny day!

Palmer/Hatcher PassPalmer is a town 45min north east of Anchorage and has a lot to do! It is a mixture of farm land and intense jagged mountains.1. Reindeer Farm: tour the farm, feed the reindeer, learn all about them.2. Musk-ox Farm: tour the farm and learn about musk-ox, buy warm, soft accessories made of their wool!3. Explore Hatcher Pass! There are some great hiking trails, such as April Bowl, Gold Cord Lakes, and Reed Lakes (would not recommend this one for inexperienced hikers).4. Have lunch at Hatcher Pass Lodge. I always get hot coco there!5. Hike the Bodenburg Butte! It's a popular hiking trail in Palmer that gives you amazing 360 degree views, including views of the Knik Glacier. It's 2.3 miles round trip and fairly tame.6. Take a Jeep/ATV tour out to Knik Glacier!7. Take a guided tour on Matanuska Glacier

HopeHope is a cute tiny town across Cook Inlet. It takes about 1.5 hours from Anchorage. Hope is bustling on summer weekends because there is live music at the Creekbend Cafe! You can tent camp off Mile 13 of the Hope Highway, or RV outside the Seaview Cafe. Porcupine campground is another option. There are also airbnbs and lodges to book. Get dinner at the Dirty Skillet and coffee/breakfast burritos at Grounds For Hope. Go White Water Rafting at Six Mile Creek, or hike Hope Point or Gull Rock. I love Hope Point Trail because just a couple miles in is the best wildflower meadow ever! Fish for salmon in Resurrection Creek behind the Seaview Cafe (get your fishing license first of course!).

Adventure Ideas!

Lakefront Anchorage

Hilton Anchorage

Alyeska Resort

Alaska RV Rentals

Great Alaskan Holidays, Inc.

Bird Creek Campground is just 3 miles from the wedding venue. There are 24 campsites for RVs or tents

Bird Creek Campground

Travel

The Wildlife Conservation Center takes in injured or orphaned Alaskan Wildlife that would not otherwise survive in the wild! Go see the Grizzly Bears up close! They are often playing in the water, or coming right up to the fence to say hello. There are also moose, caribou, elk, wolves, porcupine, musk ox, deer, etc...

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Spend a day doing "Hydrotherapy" at the Nordic Spa! It's only a couple years old, and I've been multiple times. It's nestled in the quiet forest in Girdwood (the ski town 45min from Anchorage). There are numerous different saunas, steam rooms, hot pools, cold plunges, and my favorite: the relaxation pool that is body temperature. The food and drinks are delicious! You can also book a massage there or do a yoga class.

Alyeska Nordic Spa

The museum downtown has some really cool rotating exhibits! It's great for kids and adults.

Anchorage Museum

Late June is the best time for the Botanical Garden! So many amazing flowers, plants, and art to admire. Children under 6 years old are free!

Alaska Botanical Garden

The Alaska Zoo has all the Alaskan animals, plus non-native animals. There is also a petting zoo for kids!

Alaska Zoo

Potter's Marsh has a long stretch of boardwalks over a marsh ecosystem. It's a popular place for birding, and a fun place for kids to run and stretch their legs. There are binoculars, and educational materials to learn about the wildlife and ecosystem.

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk

Located in Seward (2.5hr south of Anchorage). From large sea mammals, to touch-tanks of starfish, the Sea Life Center is a great place to check out. While in Seward, get coffee at Resurrection Coffee House, get a beer at Seward Brewing Company, take your kids to Waterfront Park (amazing castle playground with a gorgeous view of Resurrection Bay)

Alaska SeaLife Center

Book a Glacier Cruise through Phillips Cruises (26 Glacier Cruise) located in Whittier (1.5 hours from Anchorage). I like this one because it's in a protected bay with calm water. You will likely sea humpback whales, beluga whales, orcas, seals, otters, etc... There is also the Kenai Fjords Tour out of Seward (2.5 hours from Anchorage) that goes out into the open sea (take your Dramamine!)

Whittier Ferry Terminal

A tasty Cider Brewery with rotation seasonal flavors using Alaskan ingredients!

Double Shovel Cider Company

Wild Scoops has 2 locations (downtown and midtown). They have a rotating list of seasonal ice creams, using Alaskan ingredients!

Claire & Wayne