Have you ever considered getting married in a former brothel? Or on top of a mountain in the Alaskan wilderness? You can do either if you marry in Skagway, Alaska, where the PR man, a charming local character named Buckwheat Donahue, is licensed to perform weddings.

If you don't want to marry in a whorehouse, or on a mountaintop, you can still come to Skagway and have your wedding in the traditional picturesque Bridal Veil Falls. And afterwards, your dinner and reception at the best restaurant in town, the Skagway Fish Company, one of 8 restaurants and 3 bars in this delightful town of 820 people. Wedding services can be nondenominational, Mormon, Catholic, Presbyterian or Assembly of God. Buckwheat will personally arrange everything, including the license for only $60, and you only have to pay him another $50 for his services. For that he'll throw in a tuxedo -- for him to wear, not for the groom.

How do you get here since there's hardly a Skagway International Airport? Ahh, there's the best part. You come in on one of the cruise ships sailing the inside passage, and have your wedding while you're in port. (You can even decide to stay for 20 years after cruising in, as Buckwheat did.) The best large cruise ship plying the Alaskan waters is indisputably the Crystal Harmony.

If you want to know more about their Alaskan cruises, go to http://www.capecodtoday.com/features/columnists/cooper/cooper4.shtml where you can read my story about my cruise there last summer. Although Crystal doesn't do weddings on board, you can renew your vows during the cruise. For a little over $100, the Captain himself will officiate, and you'll get elegant hors d'oeuvres, romantic music, and a video to help you recall this romantic occasion. Renewals must be arranged in advance (the concierge is in charge of this area) as are weddings by Buckwheat. For the crystal, call 1-800-CRYSTAL and you can e-mail Buckwheat at infoskag@aptalaska.net.

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© Paulette Cooper
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Last Updated: February 10 2003