Kayla & Levi | Married!

Kayla and Levi came from warm and sunny Hawaii to get married in cold and snowy Talkeetna, Alaska in March! Levi is originally from Homer, Alaska, and Kayla is from Pittsburg. They both knew they wanted to get married in his home state and found this cute, little church camp to host their ceremony and reception. It was the perfect place for a destination wedding and to showcase Alaska! Bonus points because all their guests got to experience the Northern Lights later that evening after the reception!

Let’s talk about some of the things I loved about this wedding:

Hands down the tablescape that Kayla envisioned was one of my favorites of all time. From the combination of colors…hunter-green, blush, cream, and orange to the earthy, warm, woodsy vibes! Johanna with Johanna Anderson Creative incorporated dried flowers, rocks, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, moss, dried oranges, and lemons into the candle centerpieces. A velvet hunter-green runner, blush wine glasses, and hunter green napkins were also included in the tablescape, and the arbor donned strings of dried citrus to bring it all together.

I could not, not mention this, Kayla’s white booties that she wore with her wedding dress! Cuz’ you know me and shoes! Seriously, how cute are they???

In addition to a wedding cake. there was a Pittsburgh Cookie Table. This was a first for me and since I am also a lover of cookies, I am all for this tradition at every single wedding moving forward! 🙂 It is said to have started during the Great Depression. Many Pittsburghers could not afford a wedding cake for the reception. Instead, as the legend goes, the mother of the bride baked cookies for the guests. Together with other female family members – grandmothers, aunts, and sisters, they would bake batches of different types of cookies for the wedding reception. With the duties of baking split up between family members, the cost of desserts was lowered. By the time Pittsburgh recovered from the Great Depression, the cookie table had become a tradition in both Pittsburgh and throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Today, the cookie table remains the centerpiece of any wedding reception that features a Pittsburgh bride or groom.

Gateway to the Arctic is where the ceremony and reception were held. It’s a hidden gem and you can easily miss it when you are driving down the highway if you are not paying attention. The main lodge was one large open room that had wood ceiling and walls, with lots of windows that brought in natural light, and a small fireplace that heated the room. This was my first time using this space and I was very pleased with the transformation.

And last but not least, a Nacho Bar completed the evening! I remember when I first spoke with Kayla in our initial consultation, she mentioned that it was her dream to eat nachos in her wedding dress! So, we made it happen! Wes from Masters Catering put out a cheese fountain where guests could make their own nachos. It was a hit!

Vendor Credits:

Cake – The Flying Squirrel
Ceremony/Reception Location – Gateway to the Arctic, Talkeetna AK
Decor Rentals – i do Events/Partyworld
DJ – Alaska Professional Entertainment
Florals – Johanna Anderson Creative
Caterer – Masters Catering
Photographer – Chugach Peaks Photography – Monica Whitt
Planner (Wedding Management) – i do Events

Need a wedding planner for your wedding? I’d love to help, contact me so we can check your date!