Alaska - extraordinary landscapes, endearing companions, & an enchanted wedding
We have spent most of 2026 settling into our new home in Lisbon, Portugal, but in May we flew to Vancouver, B.C. Canada to embark on the experience of a lifetime with dear friends & family. We were most honored to be asked by our friends Julie & Pat, to celebrate their wedding on a cruise ship in Alaska. Julie is our daughter-in-law, Maggie's, mother. Meeting up in Vancouver, the six of us set sail on the Celebrity Solstice for a week.
We were flying into Vancouver from 3 different points: Julie & Pat live in Lansing, Michigan, Maggie & James live in Rio Nido, California, and we live in Lisbon, Portugal. We met up with Julie & Pat a few days early and saw some Vancouver sights. We met one of my former students at a cafe in downtown Vancouver. We spent an afternoon at Granville Island, stopping by Stanley Park on the way back to our Airbnb. And, we spent a day at Grouse Mountain. Vancouver is a vibrant city, fun to roam around in with friends.
At the Airbnb, there were blooming forget-me-nots & lillies of the valley, two of the flowers that served as the inspiration for the wedding florals, crafted in fabrics by Julie's friends & family.
James & Maggie arrived the night before the cruise, and the following day we set sail. On our second evening, Pat & Julie were married on their balcony, overlooking a stunning inside passage landscape. They said their vows before witnesses, and listened to pre-recorded music performed by family, and a live rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," Pat's favorite song about Julie. Their vows were heartfelt and brought tears to our eyes.
The decorations lovingly made by family & friends were perfect.
You could feel the love.
After, we had the ship photographer take our photos.
The rest of the week, we visited various ports of call in this stunning landscape. We visited Icy Straight Point, where we took an ocean wildlife tour.
We stopped in Skagway, where we took a scenic train up the White Pass, then later shopped in the town.
We had stunning views during evenings and days at sea, includng sailing by Dawes Glacier.
We stopped in Juneau, where we went up to see the Mendenhall Glacier and visit the information center there.
The final port of call was Ketchikan, where we walked across town to see totem poles, including Totem Heritage Center showcasing how the totem poles were made and featuring some very old ones. It was a lovely town.
On the last day & night, we enjoyed the inside passage, a wine tasting, formal dining, and Pat & Julie danced.
After the cruise was over, we caught up with some friends on the way to the airport, because we had to return to Portugal. But Pat & Julie kept celebrating. They had a beautiful reception at the VFW Post 671 in DeWitt, Michigan a couple of weeks later. A joyful end to a joyful event! We couldn't have been more proud to be a part of it.
Creating a video of the music from the wedding was challenging, because the waves were really loud, and most of the music was recorded by family & friends in advance. But, I tried. To hear excerpts of some of the music from the wedding, go to https://youtu.be/q-8AflXaVTY?si=bLnIgj7kE29vPXkg.
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