Alaska

Alaska conjures up images of ice and snow, wild animals, deep river fjords, wilderness and the last frontier and that is just about what it is. Juneau, built between Mt. Juneau and the Gastineau channel, is Alaska’s largest city in southeast Alaska and the capital and offers some of the best glacier viewing in the world. Fairbanks is Alaska’s second largest city and was founded due to gold discovered near there which led to the ensuing gold rush of 1903-4 and Anchorage started out because of the need for a railroad to the interior of Alaska and is named after the first Post Office opened there in 1915. As Alaska’s largest city it is has the highest population with nearly half of all Alaskans living there.

Weather

Southern Alaska (Average Maximum)

Northern Alaska

Fight time: 10
GMT + or -: -8
Visa: No

Documents and legal requirements
Residency: There are no residency requirements and you can avoid the three working day waiting period before a marriage licence is granted by applying by post in advance.
Proof of ID: You will be required to appear in person at one of the marriage bureaus with your passports. (See Further Information for addresses).
Divorced: A certified copy of your decree absolute will be required if your previous marriage ended within sixty days of your application.
Widowed: If you are widowed you will be required to produce the death certificate of your former spouse.
Age restriction: You must both be eighteen years old or over. If either of you are below age eighteen you should contact a bureau office for additional instructions.

Ceremonies
You can have your wedding ceremony anywhere on land so you can choose anything from a glacier field (via helicopter) to a chapel on a lake or at one of the many spectacular glacier gardens. If you want a religious service you should contact the church of your choice direct. Details of churches are obtainable from Alaska Tourism (se Further Information).

Obtaining a marriage licence
There is a three-day waiting period before a licence can be granted. Application can be made in person, by phone, fax or letter. The waiting period begins once the necessary information is received. If your application is made by phone or fax a hard copy of the information must follow by mail. You must provide the following:
Both of your names, address and telephone number plus all the appropriate documents listed above. Once your licence has been issued it is valid for ninety days. You can also fill in the application form on line from www.dced.state.ak.us and fax it to the relevant marriage bureau.

Further information

Always check with local authorities as this information may be subject to change.