Getting married on the Zugspitze

Yay, a wedding on Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. I was so excited when I got Daniela and Marc’s inquiry. It had been a longtime dream of mine. From our very first get-to-know-you call, it was clear we clicked right away, and it didn’t take long to know I’d get to be part of their special civil ceremony on the Zugspitze. What an adventure, not just for me.

A wedding in a truly special place

Daniela and Marc are from Cologne. They used parental leave to take a Europe road trip in their camper. They were on the road all summer, and at the end of their journey, their wedding on the Zugspitze was planned. It was a huge dream for them, especially because they’d already hiked up to the Zugspitze on foot before.

The wedding was planned for just the two of them, and with me, the group of three became four. None of their relatives knew. I always find that incredibly special, and it’s a huge honor to be part of a wedding that intimate.

A snowy alpine wedding

The three of them basically arrived straight from summer, dressed in warm-weather outfits, and were completely surprised that it had snowed on the Zugspitze the week before their wedding. A real winter wonderland wedding.

So they wouldn’t have to buy new winter clothes, I packed my Mini with jackets and blankets so no one would freeze. For the wedding day itself, the forecast on the Zugspitze was minus 12 degrees.

First meeting at Lake Eibsee

We met in the parking lot at Lake Eibsee and saw each other in person for the first time, after months of talking on the phone and messaging. And honestly, it felt like we’d known each other forever. Fully geared up, we hopped on the cogwheel train and headed up. The Zugspitze wedding adventure had officially begun.

Once we reached the top, we were greeted by a panorama that completely blew us away. Wow. Snow, sunshine, mountains, it was a dream. It truly couldn’t have been more beautiful. And the best part: we didn’t even need all those jackets we’d brought along. The sun warmed everything up so much.

The civil ceremony on the Zugspitze

After taking a few first photos, it was time for the civil ceremony on Germany’s highest mountain. In a sweet little ceremony room with panoramic views, the two of them said “I do.” Their little son was the witness. The wonderful registrar led a ceremony that was truly beautiful and unforgettable, and just like that, Daniela and Marc were married. And yes, a few tears were definitely shed.

And afterwards: once-in-a-lifetime wedding photos

After the ceremony, we took some beautiful wedding photos. Moments like these deserve to be captured forever, especially since they were ready to share the news with their family.

After the couple photos in the snow, I got to celebrate with the three of them, enjoy a little snack, and then they picked up a souvenir before we took the cable car back down into the valley. What a day. Unforgettable for me, and Daniela and Marc’s words reflected that, too. The message I received about the photos even brought a few tears to my eyes.

Heartfelt words from the couple

“It’s hard to put into words what your photos do to us. We could barely remember the day, and because you were with us from start to finish, everything feels so present again. Our friends and family even feel like they were there with us…

We are unbelievably happy and endlessly grateful for these dreamlike photos. We can’t stop looking at them, and we don’t even know what to do with all these beautiful images. They’re simply too good to stay on a USB stick. Your amazing surprise box is already giving us our first ideas. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’re wonderful.”