An Alaska Float Plane Elopement on Turner Lake: Nikki + Garrett’s Juneau Adventure

Aug 20

Nikki + Garrett traded sea for land at their float plane elopement in Juneau. When they initially reached out, Nikki asked me if I’d be up for tagging along as they eloped off their cruise ship to a remote lake in the middle of the Tongass National Forest. It was the easiest yes I’ve ever given! They were docked in Juneau for just one day - 9am to 9pm - and chose to marry here for its balance of accessibility, resources and proximity to beautiful places. Who doesn’t want to say their vows surrounded by literally nothing and no one but mountains while they paddle out on a turquoise lake in a canoe? A float plane elopement in Alaska off your cruise ship might sound complicated but it’s easier than you think.

starting the day off: eloping off a cruise ship

With limited time in each port, you may think you don’t have enough time for a full on Alaskan adventure but I’m here to tell you: you do! I met Nikki + Garrett at their cruise ship dock in Downtown Juneau and we drove scenic Egan Drive to the Juneau airport. It was fun to give them a mini tour from the car of mountains, water and of course, the location of the world’s smallest Costco. We arrived at the airport, parked in short term parking and from there checked in with Alaska Seaplanes and boarded the float plane with our pilot (shoutout to Cory!). From picking them up to us taking off for Turner Lake was less than an hour to start their Alaska float plane elopement adventure.

Their wedding day was a rare, sunny day in Juneau. We walked directly on the TarMac and boarded the float plane - a max capacity of just 4. Within just an hour of picking up Nikki + Garrett, we were on our way into the Tongass heading to Turner Lake.

location, location, location

The flight to Turner Lake is just 30 minutes. The flight path actually took us back the way we drove: over the Gastineau channel parallel to Egan Drive and back past Downtown. At downtown, we flew over the “end of the road” and took a left into the remote Tongass National Forest. We were able to see hundreds of waterfalls, untouched mountains and even the Taku Glacier! The turquoise water underneath us was unbelievable; it gave Banff a run for its money! The flight was fairly smooth, though because it was a rare hot day, we hit a lot of “thermal bumps.” Nikki + Garrett got to ride side by side in the back of plane, each with a window to enjoy the view, and soak in the beauty of remote Alaska together.

The location made this day feel like an experience instead of a wedding, and I think that’s the whole idea of a float plane elopement in Alaska. Nikki + Garrett were able to see and experience Juneau in a rare way AND get married doing it. Cory (the pilot) landed us smoothly on the water of Turner Lake and we had an hour to get them married and take in the views!

cabins, bugs + views - oh my!

Turner Lake has 2 rentable cabins (through Recreation.gov) that make perfect little ceremony spots. They’re relatively cheap (~$40) to rent for the day. Nikki + Garrett rented the Turner Lake East Cabin and the float plane dropped us right at the shore. We’re greeted with a cute little cabin, an outhouse, 2 row boats/canoes with paddles and a sweet little shoreline. The first thing we all noticed? Complete and total silence. No hustle and bustle. No ambient noise. Just nature. They chose to do private vows, so after settling our feet on land a bit, they rowed out to read from their personal vow books (see below!)

It was time to make it official when they got back on land. Our pilot, Cory, served as their witness as they reaffirmed the personal vows they read to one another in a short ceremony with me officiating!

After it was official, it was photo time! We used the shoreline, the float plane itself and the dramatic backdrops of Turner Lake to turn their experience into a memory they could hold in their hand. The only downside to Turner Lake for me that day? The horse flies loved me and my camera. 😂🪰 Don’t worry - we used this situation to our advantage because it made them laugh and honestly, that’s my only goal.

Nikki + Garrett booked one hour at the destination (though you can definitely book longer) so after vows + ceremony + photos, it was time to hop back in the plane and head back to Juneau. A short + sweet, personal, private float plane elopement in Alaska!

headed home

We headed back to the airport after our hour. It’s so hard to imagine being so close to the cruise ship ports and goings on of Juneau when you’re at Turner Lake, but alas with just a 30 minute flight, we were back.

The day couldn’t possibly end here though, could it? Because I provided transportation for them, we had a bit of latitude with what comes next. I definitely could have dropped them off back at the cruise port with some recommendations and a hug. Instead, I offered to go grab a drink with them at Forbidden Peak Brewery, a local brewery in Auke Bay.

There are parts of Juneau that can be tricky to access when you arrive on a cruise ship. Downtown is walkable from all the ships, but the area by the glacier (the valley) and anything out the road a bit (Auke Bay and beyond) aren’t as easy to explore. Luckily, I’m a local! I drove them from the airport to Forbidden Peak (~10 minutes away) where we enjoyed lunch, a drink and of course, I snapped some pictures.

a sweet ending

After lunch and a cheers(!) at Forbidden Peak, we did a casual driving tour. Nikki + Garrett were actually here on the day of the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) that we have annually here in Juneau. 2026’s GLOF wasn’t destructive but there were a lot of preventative measures that went into assuring that it wasn’t. Because of this, places like the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center were closed. But because Juneau gives you more range in 20 minutes of driving than most cities give you in an hour, we were able to see things (coastline, neighborhoods, glacier views from spots not affected by the GLOF) driving around. I dropped them off downtown after our makeshift driving tour (with recommendations for food + drink!) so they could enjoy the rest of their day together.

do I really have time for this?

Um, yes. In 4 hours, we accomplished all of that. Here’s why it worked:

Cruise ship → Airport → Turner Lake → Airport → Brewery → Glacier → Cruise ship

They booked 1 hour at Turner Lake with pick up/drop off of float plane. This saved time and money. In reality, that was all the time we needed. They have a full gallery of beautiful images and got to experience the views during our flight in addition to the nature we were surrounded with at the lake.
I provided the transportation. Relying on third party transportation totally works but you’re at the mercy of when the cab/Uber shows up. By picking them up at the ship, we were able to pack in a lot of things: flight, photos, sightseeing, lunch - all without feeling rushed.

headed to juneau on a cruise?

If you're coming through on a ship and want to elope on a float plane while you're here, it is genuinely doable! It just takes a bit of planning. Juneau can be tricky to navigate if you’ve never been here but don’t worry: I’ve got boots on the ground and I’m here to help.

When you’re ready to capture the two of you together with Alaska as the backdrop, you can reach out here to get started.