INUVIK
Sometimes strange and impulsive things happen under the midnight sun.

Katharina Querner, left, was married to Mickael Rueprich by marriage commissioner Eugene Rees on June 27 at the Western Arctic Regional Visitor Centre. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Katharina Querner and Mickael Rueprich of Germany are going to have one tall tale to tell when they return to Frankfurt, Germany, from their vacation to the Arctic.

The couple, who have lived together for more than 10 years, made a spur-of-the-moment decision to get married in Inuvik June 27 on their first full day in town.

They've known each other for more than 20 years, they said. They first met while working and living at a farm in the German countryside.

Years later, they met again and began dating.

Rueprich was raised in Germany, while Querner spent part of her childhood in Squamish, British Columbia.

Luckily for them, when they began asking around on how they could get married in Inuvik, they were soon directed to Eugene Reese, who is the local marriage commissioner.

He's been on the job for several years, performing ceremonies for people like the couple who don't necessarily want a religious service.

"There's really no qualifications to do the job," he said with a wink.

Two staff members from Parks Canada were asked to fill in as witnesses, and the ceremony was soon on as the tears began flowing from spectators.

"It was a special thing for us," said Querner after the service. "First, we arranged a vacation here in Canada, and then we thought it would be a very wonderful happening to get married here in Inuvik."

She laughed heartily when asked how she finally managed to convince him to take the big step and make it official, after she quickly translated "how did you pin him down after 10 years of living together" into German.

Her English is a little rusty, she said with a grin.

"There's no rush," he said with a smile. "We are young yet. For us, that piece of paper, it's not that important."

Querner shot him a rather pointed look at that point, which he was oblivious to.

"We planned this holiday and so we decided to get married here in Inuvik."

The location was chosen simply by looking at a map, he said.

"I looked at the map and said it was a place I have to go," Rueprich said. "It's a lovely place."

The couple drove the Dempster Highway to Inuvik and enjoyed the scenery. They're spending some of their honeymoon here, camping at Jak Park.

"It was a very conscious decision," said Querner.

Interestingly, Reese said it's hardly the first time a couple has made a spontaneous decision to hire him to perform a wedding after arriving in Inuvik.

"It happens more than you think," he said, as he made sure all the paperwork was signed and in order.