At first, she and her partner Max Bochman were thinking of just getting married before the concert, but then a friend suggested that they should do it during the show. The couple was convinced, and on March 18, 2023, René and Max said their vows right in the front row of Taylor Swift’s second Eras tour concert. René was wearing a beautiful white dress from Anthropologie, and Max was looking sharp in a black tuxedo from Indochino. They said their “I dos” during Taylor’s song “Seven” and had their first kiss as a married couple. The next song, “Invisible String,” was extra special for them.

René’s bestie was the one who made it all official, making the wedding feel super personal. They dropped a grand on those front-row tickets, but it was totally worth it. René said they had the best seats ever, and everyone around them was super supportive and nice as they became husband and wife.

After the Eras wedding, René shared the whole crazy story on TikTok in five parts, and people went nuts for it, watching it like crazy. In the first video, she talked about how her husband, Max, isn’t really into being the center of attention, and she had to help him chill while she was all hyped up.

Someone from Taylor Swift’s crew came up to them after the wedding and gave them a guitar pick! Plus, Taylor Swift herself noticed them and liked a video René posted about getting engaged a year and a half ago. René was so grateful, saying Taylor Swift’s music is like the soundtrack to her life, and having her as part of their wedding was a big deal.

Some 80 sculptures in Ketchikan, Alaska tell the ancestral stories of Indigenous clans. These represent the world’s largest collection of standing totems and they tell different stories. Indigenous peoples have been carving totem poles in the area for thousands of years, and those standing now are preserved and watched over by an organization dedicated to sharing Southeast Alaskan Native culture.

Standing Totem Poles Tell Stories

According to the mythology of the Tlingit people, long ago a Raven wanted to marry Fog Woman, who was the daughter of Chief Fog-Over-The-Salmon. After the chief granted his permission, the Fog Woman and Raven lived happily for the next two seasons. However, in the winter, a food shortage tested the couple with hunger. Raven struggled to find food, so Fog Woman wove a basket and filled it with water. When she washed her hands in the basket, Raven saw salmon swimming inside, and that was the first salmon ever created.

Still Visiting the Ketchikan Community

Fog Woman kept producing salmon this way, and for a time, she and Raven lived happily once again. Eventually, the two began to fight. One time, Raven got angry and he hit Fog Woman’s shoulder with dried salmon. Fog Woman would not stand the disrespect and left with Raven chasing after her. However, every time Raven tried to grab her, his hands would go through her, as if she was made of fog. Finally, she reached the water and all the salmon she had dried went with her. While Raven never saw Fog Woman again, salmon comes rushing back every year to feed the community of Ketchikan.

The Ancestral Traditions of the Tlingit

Today, the legend of Raven and Fog Woman is memorialized in one of the most prominent totem poles in Ketchikan, Alaska. It’s a 55-foot-tall Chief Johnson pole. The current iteration is a replica built in 1989 by Tongass Tlingit carver Israel Shotridge. It sits outside the former home of Chief George Johnson, next to Ketchikan Creek, which is their ancestral fishing grounds. The original pole was carved by an unknown person and is currently held in storage at the Totem Heritage Center. It was raised in 1901 and stood until 1982. It was then removed and replaced for the replica.

Chief Johnson’s totem pole is just one of more than 80 standing totem poles scattered around Ketchikan in southeastern Alaska. More are carved and erected every year as artists honor respected community members. Totem poles are part of a rich tradition in Ketchikan and an important part of Tlingit culture. They represent the ancestral traditions of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people, and Chief Johnson’s pole is made from one single western red cedar log.