Úlfljótsvatn Church Wedding and Adventure Day: Bec + Leo

There are 100’s of adorable countryside churches throughout all of Iceland.  In fact, more often than not each village has at least one.  Mainly because before cars, the people living in the town needed to be able to walk to and from for weekly service and for funerals.  So if you’re a history buff and also like the idea of being shielded from the unpredictable Iceland weather conditions, then having a Iceland countryside church wedding may be ideal for you.  A fabulous couple from Sydney Australia, fell in love with having a super sweet Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding!  So come along as we describe in better detail their adventure wedding!!

Bec + Leo:

Can you imagine going to preschool with the one you will marry but not knowing it?  Decades ago, Sydney Australia couple, Bec and Leo went to the same preschool.  They weren’t friends and barely remember each other at that age (it’s more their parents reminded them).  For years they lived in the same town, ran in the same friend circles, and Leo didn’t take notice of Bec until one of her friends started dating his.  They became friends and their friendship blossomed into an adventure of its own… a relationship!

Spending their time together hiking, discovering the world together, indulging in foodie experiences, and enjoying the great outdoors it was easy to see how fast 5 and ½ years went by!  Furthermore, Bec and Leo skillfully navigated through countless journey’s together.  From hiking across South America (hello ChilePeruBolivia), to embarking on epic adventures throughout Iceland and Asia, they bonded on a whole other level!  I mean what couples have conquered 12 countries together in less than 6 weeks?!  They are so #badass!!

Volcano Proposal:

Okay okay okay, so how does a bad ass adventurous couple get engaged, you’re likely thinking?  Oh no big deal, just on top of a volcano in Hawaii at sunrise!  It may not have been a full on surprise to Bec when it happened but she gushed in excitement nonetheless!  I mean seriously who wouldn’t.  You just literally hiked or biked up a volcano to watch sunrise happen.  Seems like a perfect proposal moment to us!

When Bec and Leo began wedding planning, they initially were thinking of having a Bali adventure wedding.  But then the reality of how humid it is set in…. Gross!  Then they started Googling around about hiking elopements in beautiful places.  They found one of our previous Iceland wedding videos and was HOOKED!  Since they had traveled to Iceland before together, they realized it offered everything they wanted in a destination wedding location.  You know all the must have goodies like nature, hiking, mountains, and waterfalls!

Their inquiry to our Iceland Wedding Planner team, began with loving the idea of being married at the famous Budir Black Church.  Sadly, the Snaefellsness Peninsula has become too popular of an area for our taste.  But, Bec and Leo trusted our reasons and loved our stunning alternatives, specifically having a Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding!  Since their group of guests were not adventurous and are not fans of the cold, they did not to put them through an entire day of exploring.

For this reason, they chose to hold a countryside wedding ceremony their guests could witness and then part from them to embark on a day their way.  This meant after the Iceland lakeside church ceremony they would part from their guests and begin an adventurous elopement style of day, then meetup in the evening again with their guests.

Wedding Host Hotel: Hotel Borealis

Bringing 20 guests with them from half way around the world, Bec and Leo wanted a Iceland wedding host hotel that felt homey and was affordable on all budgets.  Our Iceland Wedding Planner team felt Hotel Borealis was the perfect fit for the vibe and adventure wedding schedule they liked the most.

The morning started around 5am with our hair, makeup, and Iceland wedding photography team arriving to the hotel.  Bec had 2 gorgeous wedding dresses.  One was for a traditional Chinese tea ceremony and the other was an Iceland adventure wedding dress!  It was super cute to see Leo and Bec get ready together.  Bec even took the time to help Leo with his tricky tie!  ADORABLE!!  After the tea ceremony, Leo helped Bec get into her Iceland wedding dress!  Then the time came for their guests to make their way to Bec and Leo’s Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding!

Úlfljótsvatn Church Wedding

You’ll often find Iceland churches easily dating back to the 1800’s or early 1900’s.  For instance, they are an iconic staple to most of the towns in Southern Iceland and beyond.  Bec and Leo held their Iceland Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding inside historical walls that were built in 1914.  Perfectly positioned lakeside and ideal for 20 guests.  Our exclusive Pastor performed an inspiring Iceland wedding ceremony. Following our Iceland wedding photography and video teams captured family photos, happy interactions, and Bec and Leo exploring inside and outside the church!

Offbeat Waterfall Adventure:

After their Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding, Bec and Leo parted from their guests and began their Iceland elopement style adventure with the photo and video team.  And the first location on the agenda was an offbeat waterfall that offers endless photo possibilities and exploration.  While they were adventuring around, our Iceland Wedding Planner team was firing up a traditional hot dog bbq to indulge in for lunch!

Southern Iceland Black Sand Beach Wedding Photos:

The variety of landscape types in Southern Iceland are countless.  One sought after one people seem to flock to are the textures of the black sand beaches.  Although they enjoyed their Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding and an offbeat waterfall, Bec and Leo embraced running around freely on a black sand beach.  There is just something so freeing about it and our Iceland wedding photographer, Jean Smith and video team Happy Together Films were thrilled to forever document the playfulness happening!

Iceland Wedding Photos at a Secret Highland Waterfall

The highlands of Iceland are full of stunning landscapes that truly leave you in awe.  Bec and Leo were enamored by one of our favorite central highland waterfalls and they savored every single second of their time there!  How crazy beautiful are these Iceland wedding photos?!

Iceland Adventure Wedding Day: Exploring a Historical Sod Farm

Grass covered houses in Iceland were how we lived in the early years as a country.  The grass insulted and provided protection against storms.  No one is living in these types of houses now, so most stand as a relic for the past for others to learn from.  It is an experience in itself to go inside one and even just walk around to see how amazing the craftsmanship was.  Also just so happens they offer an stunning backdrop for Iceland adventure wedding photos and exploration too!

Adventurous Elopement at a Mountain Waterfall in Iceland

Bec and Leo could hardly believe they were nearing their last stop during their adventurous Iceland elopement!  The 8 hours of adventure had passed so quickly!!  They were happy to see that it seemed they saved the best for last though.  A gorgeous mountain waterfall stood in front of them alongside of a powerful canyon.  The sun on that September wedding day was warm and inviting making it oh-so easy to explore around.

Iceland Barn Wedding Reception

Leo and Bec’s Iceland adventure wedding was a total dream for them to experience!  After being having a Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding to journeying to so many unique locations they were in complete BLISS!  After a little rest and refresh time they joined their guests again in a local barn for a reception that focused on food, drinks, and conversation!!  This was an opportunity for their guests to hear about the rest of the days adventures too.

The Iceland wedding reception space was decorated in a rustic earthy theme with a twist of elegance.  Wooden features, accented by moss and candles which set the ambiance of the room, it was just so inviting!  Not to mention their 4 course foodie dinner experience followed by delicious Iceland wedding cake!

Are you felt feeling inspired after witnessing Bec and Leo’s Úlfljótsvatn Church wedding and adventure day?  After all, there is no shame in having a church wedding if that is what you know your guests can handle.  And then embarking on your elopement style adventure after so you have the best of both worlds!  If interested in planning something similar, feel free to contact us to get that awesome conversation started!

© 2019, Photos by Miss Ann / Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved.

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