-Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland)

From across the “pond” as some say, Dave (from the U.K.) found his way to meeting Alison (from the USA) through their many terrific friends.  Weeks later they were head over heels for each other and months later, Dave proposed a lifetime of adventures to Alison!  She said Yes  Iceland was the half way point for all of their friends and family to meet and celebrate!  …so then the days of awesome Iceland wedding planning began!  They craved intimacy, adventure, and wanted to take their 20+ guests on an unforgettable EXPERIENCE for their wedding day in Iceland.  So all that said, follow us today as we share with you Alison and Dave’s adventure wedding in Iceland!  ::Update:: My Hotel Wedding did a lovely feature of Allison and Dave’s wedding, HERE.

Ohhhh yes, May 4th!  Being Star Wars fans, it was only fitting they go explore some of the epic areas the movies have been filmed within Iceland!  …May the Fourth Be With You!

But first we must set the scene… Hotel Ranga, served as the groups hotel “base camp” for 2 days.  It’s a fabulous boutique hotel found in Southern Iceland that screams luxury but still designates hints of earthy rustic charm.  It also is near Hekla, one of Iceland’s most powerful volcanoes.

When you have a wedding in Iceland that has guests attending, it’s important to provide your guests with a “welcome bag.”  It adds to the excitement and also aids your guests in things they may need during the adventure.  Alison and Dave did it up right!  With lots of goodies like a timeline card, eye mask (nice to have during the months of May-August when we have TONS of daylight), bandaids, Shout Wipes, Pepto (which isn’t sold here in Iceland) Hot Hands, Hangover Kit, Pancho, etc!

With our adventure weddings in Iceland, we action pack them with little room for delay. So it’s nice to create a timeline card to give to your guests upon check in (or at a Welcome dinner the evening before) so they know when and where they have to be.  Sets everyone up for success, you know?  Our favorite timeline creator: Pixels to Paper Studio did an awesome job on Alison and Dave’s!

Alison’s Iceland wedding dress was divine!  So much gorgeous detail and sooo flowy!

Alison had some awesome blue rain-boots she wore for the majority of the day but she also had some stunning Badgley Mischka’s and Tom’s waiting for her Iceland wedding reception!  Every adventure wedding bride needs 3 pairs of shoes!

Now let’s talk about her GROOM, Dave for a sec, shall we and his dapper Iceland wedding details!

His handmade suit even came with a custom tag that featured their initials and wedding date.  From the suit to the shoes, Dave was handsome!

As I mentioned, being Star Wars fans, Alison surprised Dave with themed cuff-links.

We adored Dave’s super awesome bow tie too!

Our Iceland hair and makeup team made Alison even more beautiful then she already was!  …and proofed her against rain and wind.

Before leaving Hotel Ranga, these two loved the idea of doing a “first look” so we opted to do it behind the hotel, riverside.

The structure for this Iceland adventure wedding was a tiny bit different than we typically do, but we were happy to craft a unique option for this awesome group!  All of the guests loaded onto a bus for a 1/2 day adventure.  Read further on to see the rest of the wedding adventure flow.

Alison and Dave for months, kept the adventure wedding day secret.  So when the guests arrived and saw the setup below, they were hollering in enthusiasm!

Having a Asatru (some refer to as a traditional Norse / Pagan / Viking) ceremony was important to Dave and Alison.  It’s a super fun ceremony that has old roots in our culture here in Iceland.  Not to mention who doesn’t want to hold an oath ring and drink from a horn?!

How fantastic was this offbeat waterfall as their Iceland wedding ceremony background?!

Alison’s Iceland wedding bouquet is one of my all time favorites!

As many of you know, we do not go to the tourist locations like Reynisfjara, but for the right couple we make exceptions and these two loved the idea of a champagne toast here during their Iceland wedding day adventure!

Exploring with each other during your wedding day in Iceland, creates some magical moments!

After the 1/2 day adventure via bus was complete, we transitioned with 1/2 of their group to super jeeps for a more private adventure.

Alison, Dave, and their closest family members got to explore the private side of one of Iceland’s 13 glaciers!

The fog and the rain made for some dramatic Iceland wedding photo moments!

Their nieces and nephews all got to touch a glacier for the very first time!  Talk about unforgettable moments on your adventure wedding day!

Oh la la romantic Iceland wedding moments in front of glacier ice caves… Love!

Uniquely shaped mountains like these always make me melt!  Then add in a gorgeous Iceland wedding couple and it takes it to another level!

One of my favorite parts of their wedding day was the 3rd part… We said goodbye to two super jeeps and Alison and David continued on to a super secret canyon area with a private waterfall for some intimate adventures!

The contrast of the dark and light together is AMAZING to me in this Iceland wedding photo!  Major high-fives to Alison and Dave who went into total “mountain goat” mode to get to this spot!

Once everyone got back to Hotel Ranga after the days adventure, they had some time to rest and refresh before they were invited to a BEAUTIFUL Iceland wedding reception in River Hall.

Fun Fact: The bride’s grandmother had past away and in remembrance of her, we had lavender at each place setting.  It filled the room with a 5 sensory experience!

As a sweet little party favor to all of their guests, Dave and Alison gifted them with “Let the Adventure Begin” bottle openers!  How fun!

Following the overall theme of “Adventure” and “May 4th” they had 2 beautiful handmade cakes by the groom’s talented sister!

Iceland wedding Groom’s cake!

Can I just say, I LOVE Hotel Ranga’s food?!  Seriously folks, I often drive 1.5 hours from Reykjavik just to have their delicious Mushroom Soup and Reindeer Carpaccio (pictured below), no joke! Alison and Dave’s Iceland wedding menu was fit for the best foodies!

A lovely smoked salmon dish with rye bread served as their 2nd course!

Did you know with the rental of River Hall at Hotel Ranga, you have access to their beautiful balcony and impeccable view?!  Comes in handy for Iceland wedding photos!

When Alison and I were brainstorming about something fun to decor their Iceland wedding reception dancing space (Hekla Hall) we came up with some awesome ideas but in the end LOVE balloons and candles would win!  I think we made the right choice!!

First dance magic!

So many folks forget about a “send off” for the couple at the end of the night.  We crafted something super fun for this group… complete with sparklers and an “Adventure” marque sign!

Truly an unforgettable Iceland wedding day you shared Alison + Dave!  Keep reliving it!!

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Wedding at Hotel Ranga: Alison + Dave appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

This Elopement.

This Couple.

Their Story.

It all made my cheeks hurt from SMILING so much!

Jodi and Patrick met each other 35 years ago in college and had a “love at first sight” moment.  In the words of the bride, “After that brief but powerful initial encounter, we each went our own ways, not knowing that we each felt like we had met the love of our lives, and lost track of each other for 30 years.”

Finally, 7 years ago they found themselves reconnecting from across the USA and finally spilled the beans about how they felt about each other decades ago.  Hit the fast forward button and they make a home in NYC then find themselves seeking a unique way to elope… An adventure wedding in Iceland followed by a honeymoon which would explore the entire island was what called to both of their souls!

So come with us today as we relive their EPIC adventurous elopement in Iceland!  Side Note: Their fabulous Iceland elopement was recently featured on Offbeat Bride, check out more of their amazing love story HERE!

The action packed Iceland wedding day began at 5:30am at Hotel Grimsborgir with hair, makeup, and an exciting first look!

Jodi’s Iceland wedding bouquet was one of my all time favorites!

Ugh, and Jodi’s STUNNING Iceland wedding dress was brilliant!  I love princess gowns like this that blow so beautifully around in the Icelandic wind!

…and what adventure bride would be complete without waterproof rain boots?!  Jodi’s something “blue” were these beauties!

Patrick was head to toe handsome with his awesome gray suit!  I love gray Iceland wedding suits on our grooms!

And what adventurous groom would be without his hiking boots on his Iceland wedding day?!

Our Iceland wedding hair and makeup stylist hooked Jodi up with the perfect windproof styles!

Then our amazing super jeep team took them to their beautiful lakeside ceremony spot where after exploring commenced!

After their Iceland wedding ceremony, they had so much fun exploring the area!

A luxury picnic lunch on a private black sand beach is the BEST way to celebrate your elopement in Iceland!

Our next stop during Jodi and Patrick’s luxury elopement in Iceland had views for days…

Not to mention that the Iceland wedding photographer (Ann Peters) was also in a harness tethered to a rope tied to the super jeep to get the next few amazing shots!  True adventure wedding photographer style

Private geothermal areas are my new favorite spot!

The sun and these amazing golden cliffs for Jodi and Patrick’s amazing Iceland wedding photos!

After a glorious 12 hour adventure wedding, we found our way back to the hotel to rest and refresh before their sweet little dinner for two!

Oh la la Jodi and Patrick!  Epic day with one of the most adventurous couples EVER!  Thanks for being so unforgettable!  May these Iceland wedding portraits allow you to relive that EPIC day in your lives over and over again!

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Jaw Dropping Elopement in Iceland: Jodi + Patrick appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Although these two had been to Iceland once before, they were called back to this magical landscape to have their dreamy Iceland elopement!  Iceland is one of those countries that you can continuously visit and never see the same thing twice, forever!  Seriously folks, I live here and I am still adventuring to new places each day/week!

This winter has been one of the mildest on record for decades.  Typically in March, we have a lot more snow in the mountains and the ground, but for Stacey and Aaron, this was the PERFECT amount!  So come along with me today to witness their beautiful elopement in Iceland!

Ohhhhhhh swoon!  Look at that Iceland wedding dress!

….and Aaron’s tartan suit!

Stacey’s arrival into that sweet little black church gave me goosebumps!

Awww and Aaron’s reaction of seeing his beautiful bride was uber sweet!

Can we hit the pause button for a sec and admire Stacey’s unique Iceland wedding bouquet?!

Every Icelander will tell you that the Snaefellsnes is not only a stunning place to visit but that the peninsula is enchanted!

Don’t worry, even though it’s been a super mild winter, we found a glorious amount of snow to have for some romantic Iceland elopement photos!

Kirkjufell Mountain (and waterfall) is incredibly beautiful when it has a light dusting of snow on it… Making way for stunning elopement photos!

There are many secret places within the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to escape away from tourists… We took a little trip to one of my favorite secret waterfalls for a fun little adventure crossing rivers and such!

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is known to have an abundance of golden sand beaches ready for you to explore!

Ever think about venturing to a shipwreck beach with crazy awesome lava rock formations?!  These two ROCKED IT!

Toasting with bubbles cliffside, is a must do during your Iceland elopement!

When the weather changes in Iceland, it’s just a wonderful opportunity to HUG harder!

…and laugh harder that you have somehow experienced 4 seasons in one day

Take a page out of Stacey and Aaron’s book and make sure you take time to truly enjoy the view too!

As if their day was not adventurous enough, these two opted in on my suggestion of heading down inside of a 8,000 year old lava tube to explore it!  Special Note:  All of these images were taken in 100% darkness!  How cool, right?!

After 10+ hours of awesome adventures, it was time to rest, refresh, and get their second wind for their Iceland wedding reception for two!

It started snowing again so sadly no Northern Lights graced us, but we mocked up a super fun nighttime wedding photoshoot instead for Stacey and Aaron!

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Elopement at Hotel Budir appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

This quote very time I read it gives me goosebumps and after I read it, Crystal and Devin’s wedding day instantly comes to mind.  Why?

The love they exude.

Their endless addiction to adventure.

Their wedding ceremony.

The locations.

The ever-changing Icelandic weather.

Every single element of the day impacted them (and their guests).  The epic moments throughout their journey will forever be in their hearts for the rest of their lives.  Iceland is apart of them and their love story.

These two Florida natives found themselves searching for a unique awe-inspiring wedding location that would break the mold of the traditional American “destination wedding” experience.  I know this is how the majority of our offbeat couples find us, but this was even more critical than usual, because Devin is a fellow destination wedding industry entrepreneur (check out Swag Decor).

After indulging in photos of glaciers, volcanos, black sand beaches, hidden caves, secret waterfalls, and the greenest mountains on the planet, Devin and Crystal quickly found themselves obsessed with Iceland.  It was the answer.  So please follow us along today as we experience their incredible Iceland adventure wedding!  Then also head over to the awesome POPSUGAR / MSN to see more from their amazing day!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Adventure Wedding Planners)

How pretty are these Iceland wedding invitations?!

The adventure began where luxury meets homey-charm: Hotel Ranga.

You all know we’re a huge fan of Iceland wedding welcome bags, right?  How fantastic for your Iceland wedding guests to receive the below?!

The BEST Iceland wedding dress combo right here folks!  Long sleeve lovely elegant dress plus some warm but stylish Sorel boots!  #yesalldaylong

Serious kudos goes out to the fabulous Vault of Wonder on Etsy who created my personal and all time favorite ring box EVER, below:

I love when the bride and groom write love letters or exchange Iceland wedding day gifts before seeing each other!

Crystal’s Iceland wedding bouquet is one of my favorites because she had it made of maps of all of the areas they have explored together!

Before sunrise and we all loaded into super jeeps for the day, Crystal and Devin shared a private “first look” at the hotel.

Then we were on our way to a private side of a glacier for their unforgettable Iceland wedding ceremony!

Crossing rivers whether it be in a super jeep, by foot, or dodging glacier quicksand, our couples are the coolest!  Crystal and Devin were fearless!

The private glacier area our Iceland wedding planning team has access to, was super moody looking that gorgeous fall morning!

There are many amazing celebrants to choose from for your Iceland wedding ceremony.  In the end, Crystal and Devin chose to go the old-world Norse route and have a Asatru wedding ceremony.

It was surreal seeing these two profess their love to each other at the base of this amazing glacier side!

…and who doesn’t want to share their first drink from a horn during their Iceland wedding ceremony?!

Have you seen greener mountains for a wedding in Iceland?

Ughh, so moody and dramatic!! …an Iceland wedding photographers DREAM come true!

The shapes of the Icelandic mountains still be-still my heart years later!

Pit Stop!! Lunch in a private cave… A traditional Icelandic BBQ of Hot Dogs!

After lunch it was onto secret waterfall hunting during Crystal and Devin’s Iceland wedding day!

The variety of Iceland wedding locations during their adventure was stunning!!

More often than not, you only run into sheep during our Iceland wedding days…

Sunset on a black sand beach!  Reynisfjara is not one of our usual stops for our Iceland adventure weddings, but we are happy to oblige if a couple has it on their “must have” list.

Oh la la THAT LOVE!

Ha, typical Iceland depicted here… Downpour of rain and sun at the same time!

Misty secret canyons… a fave for Iceland wedding photos!

After relaxing and refreshing guests enjoyed a delicious meal at Hotel Ranga during Crystal and Devin’s Iceland wedding reception!

How sweet are these Iceland wedding favors?

Closing out their adventure wedding in Iceland Crystal and Devin attempted to launch chinese lanterns as a send off… Sadly the wind decided we go with “plan b!”

I always seem to have sparklers in my Iceland wedding planner “go” bag =)

Crystal + Devin,

So many epic moments that still leave me speechless months later.  Thank you for being so willing to adventure in the rain, climb, and hike!  You’re freaking amazing together, thank you for choosing our team to plan and photograph such an EPIC day in your lives!  Okay, so hurry and come back so we can go on another exploration together!!  ?

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Glacier Wedding || Devin + Crystal’s Adventure appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Matt and Elita came to us here at Iceland Wedding (Your Adventure Wedding) saying they were a 10 on our adventure scale, rain or shine.  That’s a HUGE number in our world with a lot of amazing options.  They were excited at the idea of hiking to some unforgettable spots and spending time to explore on their first day as newlyweds.  So come along with me today to see how their incredible elopement adventure day in Iceland played out!  Also feel free to checkout one of our favorite wedding blogs, Offbeat Bride where more photos from their day!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Wedding Planners + Photographers)

I love when couples choose to get ready together on their Iceland wedding day.

How pretty is this Iceland wedding bouquet?!

…and so much happening here I love!  The beard, the braid, the suit, the boutonniere!  This Iceland groom has style!

Hiking, backpacks, kisses, and ice caves, all just kinda go together during an Iceland wedding day!

Hiking to your Iceland wedding ceremony spot is a super special moment!

…and who doesn’t want to forge some rivers during your Iceland elopement!

Elita and Matthew said their vows to each other at a beautiful glacier area during their Iceland elopement adventure.

Elita forged rivers like a BOSS during her elopement in Iceland! That’s what extra boots and socks are for right?!

An elopement in Iceland goes up a notch when you partake in a traditional hot dog bbq with all the toppings for your lunch stop!

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Elopement Photographer | Matt + Elita’s Adventurous Hiking Wedding in Iceland appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

<<Insert serious cheese alert>>

As someone once said, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”   No joke folks, it rains in Iceland more often than not so if you are planning to have a wedding in Iceland you must embrace this simple fact and be excited to run around in it.  Come along with us today as Gina and Terry show you exactly how to do that!

A sunrise start in mid September began this Iceland adventure wedding day!

After crossing a few rivers via super jeep and then on foot, Gina, Terry, and their intimate wedding party made their way to their ice cave wedding ceremony spot!

The funny thing about rain on your Iceland wedding day, is that most of my couples don’t seem to notice (or care) because they are so high on adrenaline and love!

They may have been soaked and shivering at times, but they got married in front of their gorgeous ice cave in Iceland!  ….Note: Our teams always have your safety in mind so unless an ice cave is fully stable we cannot take you inside.

Gina and Terry held a traditional Asatru Ceremony in front of that ice cave in Iceland. It’s the closest thing to a Viking style wedding ceremony where you hold oath rings to say your vows and take your first drink as newlyweds out of a horn!

This ice cave was formed by snow that fell hundreds of years ago that has been traveling slowly down the glacier.  Pretty neat, huh?

Rain or Shine, this place is pretty flipping EPIC to explore!

One of my favorite moments of the day… It had rained so hard during the ceremony that the water levels were out of control making our bridge we brought useless.  Don’t worry, we always a “plan b” and  “plan c” in our pocket!  The bride and guests took “plan b” which was a piggyback ride through the river and the groom took “plan c” forging it on his own!

Sometimes we find it fun to breakup the Iceland wedding ceremony pieces.  So we continued the awesome “drink from the horn” Asatru tradition at another location.

Lunchtime brought a stop at a mountain hut to dry off and warm up during their fall Iceland wedding day!

What I enjoyed the most about Gina and Terry during their Iceland wedding day was that they genuinely loved and laughed their way through the rain savoring every silly awesome second of it! #couplesgoals

Our secret caves often provide fantastic shelter from the rain during Iceland wedding days!

Woohoo!!  A rain free moment and a rainbow!

But in Iceland they say… If you don’t like the weather, wait a few seconds, it’ll change! And change it did!

Rain is often challenging when it comes at you sideways, these two took it like seasoned champs and made it look GOOD!

Weddings and Waterfalls just go together on Iceland wedding days!

…and then sometimes you have to find your way to Mars to find some sunshine

After an action packed adventure wedding day, Gina, Terry, and their fabulous guests found their way to a delicious dinner!

© 2017, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Rainy Yet Radiant Iceland Wedding of Gina and Terry appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Their stories.

Their moments.

Their adoration for each other.

Their level of adventure.

Frankly, I’m left speechless and seriously grateful.  We have THE.BEST.CLIENTS.EVER!  To Our Clients: Thank you for choosing us, trusting us, and for having so much freaking FUN!

I haven’t even gotten around to sharing all of this past years amazingness on the blog yet, so keep stalking this space!  …and as we look ahead to this next year, um I won’t even begin to tell you about our 2017 and 2018 clients because I may dare to say some of them are our most adventurous and most unique locations yet!

Then you add into the year’s mix that we (Davíð and I) eloped in the Lofoten Islands and honeymooned in the Maldives, it took the year’s status up a notch too!  So to say it’s been a fantastic year would be an understatement.  Thank you followers for coming along with us!  Today we’re going to share a little fun flashback of our favorite moments from this past year… Enjoy!

In the meantime, I’m anxious to start with our first wedding of the year on January 3rd and days later heading back to the famed Igloo Village for another epic adventure wedding!  Cheers to this being the best year yet!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Adventure Wedding Planners)

The views during our client’s Iceland wedding day adventures left them (and us) speechless!  K+A’s thrilling elopement is one for the books!

Can you imagine proposing in Iceland with all this happening around you?! SWOON!

One of our brides this year strapped on a pair of crampons, tied up her dress, and did some hiking around one of Iceland’s 13 Glaciers for her Iceland elopement adventure! #badass

At the end of the hike, we found our way to a gorgeous ice cave for Iceland wedding photos!

Romantic Honeymoon adventures in Iceland!

Secret Caves + Nordic Wedding Days = Endless Smiles!

Rain during your Iceland wedding day creates MAGIC like THIS for your photos! #lucky

Did you see our adventurous elopement in the Lofoten Islands? If not, go back HERE.

After we eloped in the Lofoten Islands, we waited until I was done with my high wedding season (like end of November) and took a scuba diving adventure to the Maldives!  Follow us on Instagram or on our Your Adventure Wedding blog to see more!

Oh la la the dreamy season of the Icelandic lupines (which is between June 15-July 15th)!

Ever think about getting married in Iceland in April?  These two give you a ton of reasons to!

The guests that often attend our weddings in Patagonia!

How gorgeous is this Nordic adventure wedding in Norway?!

A secret waterfall wedding in Iceland, always makes my day!  Let’s flash back to Tim and Antonia’s epic Iceland wedding day, shall we?!

This shot was taken during daylight hours but it was so dark and mysterious in this deep canyon that we brought in our own love and light during this November Iceland elopement!

Did you know there are several waterfalls throughout Iceland that you can explore behind?

.

Iceland wedding portraits in a 1,500 year old lava tube, anyone?!

Rainy Iceland wedding days with us are FUN!  Remember how hardcore these two were?

So so so much about Abby and Derek’s Iceland wedding day I loved!

The Icelandic landscape can change in a blink of an eye!  One of my favorite “Mars” looking areas!

Romantic Iceland couple’s sessions are becoming a new fave too this past year!

Iceland wedding proposals in front of ice caves?! #yesplease

We love when couples embrace the idea of exploring together on their wedding day like these two did during their Iceland elopement!

This November wedding in Iceland used every second of the daylight!

Can you imagine having this entire lighthouse on the most Southern tip of Iceland ALL to yourselves?  This amazing couple did for their Iceland luxury elopement!

Interested in an intimate Iceland wedding overlooking these gorgeous sea cliffs? Cassie and Kyle held a beautiful adventure this year!

Can I even begin to talk about Christophe and Mary’s 100+ Iceland wedding day?!

Amy and Israel had such a fun wedding in Southern Iceland!

I miss Jen and Jeff, did you see their Iceland wedding?

One of my favorite “how we met” stories gets awarded to Joe and Katie!  They had SUCH a dreamy elopement in Iceland!

Super secret lava tube cave wedding in Iceland! Did you catch Sheena and Todd’s daring day?

© 2016, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Wedding Planner 2016: Year End Review appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

-F. Scott Fitzgerald

Caution: Sappy Personal Post Ahead.  The holidays always fill my heart with endless amounts of gratitude for situations that have happened, moments in time, and it’s a beautiful yet meaningful time to reflect and be with the ones you cherish most.  For those who have followed our blog since 2012, you know my history, my struggles, my growth both personally and professionally.  It’s been an incredible journey and today I can confidently say that I’m a wife to a man who is better than me and I am proud of (and love) it.

Davíð Geir Jónasson, looks at me the way all women want (and deserve) to be looked at by a man.  I’ve never laughed harder, never travelled farther around the world with anyone and still left smiling by the end of it.  To put it raw and frankly, I’m addicted to him. His energy, book to street smarts, risky wit, infinite positivity and the way he brings out the best in everyone he encounters.  He adventures at the same level as me (some might even say higher and I might agree).  Enough gush.  Go back HERE to read more about how we met (super GOOD story), our relationship and proposal.

But! Back to today’s topic: Meeting in Iceland to Having a Lofoten Islands Elopement Adventure.  We chose to elope.  Why?  It felt right for us.  Being an adventure wedding planner and photographer (and Davíð in the film industry), we look at wedding days way differently than most of the world.  Much like what my clients come to me for, we were looking for something DIFFERENT and a place that had enough beauty and adventure in it for us both.  Have you heard of the Lofoten Islands?  It’s a spectacular place in Northern Norway.

The shapes, the tones, the textures of the vivid mountains of the Lofoten Islands cannot be found anywhere else in the world.  They come chock full of mystery and unforgettable romance.  So come along with me today as I, my super talented friend (and colleague) Jean Smith and her brilliant cinematographer husband Travis Smith share with you the unbelievable documentation from our Lofoten Islands, Norway wedding day.

The winding roads of Norway, led us to one of the prettiest areas of the Lofoten Islands for our wedding adventure.

I’m a firm believer that even if you elope, you should still have gorgeous details to compliment your adventurous love story.  This also means I had to have a Norway wedding welcome bag for our photographer and cinematographer guests.  Having local treats (like chocolates, a guidebook, wool gloves, dried fish, etc) enhances the experience and makes people smile upon arrival!  Plus, um did you see the bag and the lunchbox?!  I’m still in cuteness overload!

Having an adventure wedding anywhere in the world, it’s a good idea to have two wedding dresses.  Mainly because you never know what the weather will be doing and one may look better better in rain or wind, etc.  Since I preach this every day to my adventure wedding clients, I actually planned 3 wedding dresses and 3 pairs of shoes/boots (and my husband brought two suits/shoes as well).

Fun Fact from our Lofoten Islands Elopement: Davíð handcrafted my destination wedding bouquet.  We actually filled up a suitcase full of flowers/ greens and this is in the end what my fresh flower bouquet looked like… Side Note: Having so many dresses, I actually had 3 wedding bouquets as well.  Having planned and photographed hundreds of weddings over the years, fresh flowers never withstand the adventure aspect of our weddings so it’s nice to have a backup or two that are fake, but real looking.  My favorite vendor who accomplishes this is Southern Girl Weddings.

Lofoten Islands Norway Elopement Tip: Leave superstition / tradition behind and get ready together.  It decreases the any stress you might have and gives you fun memories like these!

We scouted and chose our Lofoten Islands wedding locations very carefully because of the way the light falls on these magical mountains.  It falls fast, deep, and runs out quickly.  Each spot we chose not only had a meaning, but at each we held part of our Norway wedding ceremony.  Since we had already been “legally married” on paper in Iceland earlier, we could focus completely on each other, the meaning behind each part, and the adventure. First up was us reading our wedding vows.

We’ve moved mountains together, so naturally we have to dance around in front of them!

Entrance of dress #2: The beach was WAY too windy and the other dress would have looked lame!  Norway always provides a dreamy amount of wind for a wedding dress!

What Lofoten Islands Norway wedding would be without a token ceremony?  Davíð is not a fan of rings so we exchanged a watch (JS Watches Reykjavik) and a ring.

…and would a adventure wedding planner have a Lofoten Islands wedding ceremony without it being styled?  Nope!  Nordic Love is the inspiration on this setup.  Thousands of petals from my favorite folks at Flyboy Naturals.

We decided to incorporate our “first drink” together and have it be out of a Viking horn.  Champagne of course!

The beauty of the time of day when the light turns so quickly into darkness in the mountains is being able to have gorgeous Lofoten Norway wedding photos like these…

The day could not conclude without having a stylish dinner for two during our Lofoten Island elopement.  Our theme: Romance and Adventure Collide.

Hello Waffle Cake, You Look Delicious.  A must have for your Nordic wedding (or Lofoten Islands elopement)!

Beef filet and whale were on our Lofoten Norway wedding menu!

Words cannot properly express the emotions that stir when we watch this video (which is like everyday).  I strongly encourage you to find it in your budget to hire an adventure wedding photographer AND a cinematographer (not just a videographer) to forever document your love story.  Just do it.  It’ll pay dividends in happiness and forever newlywed status later.

Thanks for joining us on reliving our Lofoten Norway adventure wedding!  We hope it has provided you a little fun inspiration or at least made you smile!  Stay tuned next week for our Iceland Wedding Planner Best of Year End Review!

In the meantime, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Wedding Photographers + Planners)

© 2016, Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved.

The post Meeting in Iceland to Having a Lofoten Islands Elopement Adventure appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Your adventurous, avid travelers, and are seekers of moments, not things.  You yearned for an EXPERIENCE, not just a wedding day, right?

< Enter in the idea for a destination wedding >

Then the brainstorming began of where would have endless adventures, dynamic landscape for wedding photos, and be affordable for the majority of your wedding guests…

< Enter in Iceland >

Then you stumbled upon the idea of having an adventure wedding in Iceland… BRILLIANT. DONE. SOLD.  Woohoo!  Now that you’re planning a wedding in Iceland  with guests (and not eloping in Iceland), you need to devise a plan so that your Iceland wedding day is going to go down as: THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR.  So how do you do that successfully with or without an Iceland Wedding Planner?

Step 1:

Create a wedding website with useful information that makes it easy for your guests to make the decision to come (IE, Why you chose Iceland for your destination wedding location, Accommodation Room Block Information, Rental Car Info, Things to Do, How to Drive in Iceland, What to Pack, What to Wear to an Iceland Wedding Day, Best Hot Springs, Your Iceland Wedding Day Schedule, Pre/Post Wedding Itinerary, Gift Registry, etc).

Step 2: 

Get Your Guests EXCITED to come!  How?  Send a little “gift” with your invitation (like a map of the island, Icelandic candy, etc).

Step 3:

Send a newsletter update via email at the 9, 6, 3 and 1 month away marks to formally connect with your guests (also helps you track your room block information, meal choices, and reminds your guests that you care about them having an unforgettable time when they come to your Iceland wedding!).

Step 4:

Take your honeymoon 3-6 months after your wedding in Iceland so that you can design an epic pre and post wedding adventures WITH your guests in tow.  After all, you CHOSE Iceland for some fantastic reasons, so show them the best of the island (your way)!  Even if many your guests are not as adventurous as the two of you, they will live vicariously through you and feel honored to participate at different points.

Step 5:

When your guests check in to your Iceland wedding hotel, have welcome bags for them (either have the front desk give to each guest at time of check-in OR ask your fabulous Iceland Wedding Planner or Hotel if they can put them into each guests room).  Iceland Wedding Welcome Bags can have things in it like… Water, Tissues, Antacids, Tylenol/Advil, Hangover Kit, Hand Lotion (check out Soley products), Hand Sanitizer, Pepto-Bismol, Breath Mints, Shout Wipes, Chapstick, Eye Mask and Earplugs (if getting married in Iceland during summer solstice), Snacks (peanuts, cliff bars), Umbrella / Rain Poncho, Local Icelandic things like (dried fish jerky, licorice, chocolate, a wool item, map, or other awesome party favors).

Step 6:

Hold a “Welcome” Dinner or Cocktail Hour the day before your Iceland wedding day.  It gathers and focuses people.  Plus, it builds the anticipation of embarking on your adventure wedding day in Iceland!  Have a signature drink, either Icelandic (or American) appetizers OR a full sit-down 3 course meal.  If doing appetizers and drinks only, I suggest a 5-6pm timeframe.  If doing dinner, then start at 7pm (30 minutes per course).  NOTE: It’s important for people to GET SLEEP, so be mindful of this.

Step 7:

At the beginning or end of the welcome event pass out a physical Timeline Card/Schedule to each guest.  This is critical so that everyone is fully aware (no excuses) of when and where they need to be.  No one wants to be “that guy/gal” who shows up late, holds everyone up, or ruins an itinerary.  Set your guests up for success (and less stress) by communicating the schedule to them.  See here or here for an example Iceland wedding timeline card.

Step 8:

Allow us to design a full day adventure for your Iceland wedding day.  The landscape is unforgettable and being able to explore it with your guests is unlike anything they will EVER experience.  Imagine yourself saying “I do” at a private waterfall with zero tourists, discovering secret caves, marveling over massive glaciers, green mountains, trekking through canyons, and secluded black sand beaches with stunning rock formations!  Say what?!  Um yeah, seriously.  Your guests will be left speechless by the end of the day.

Step 9:

Seat your wedding guests during your Iceland wedding ceremony.  Nothing worse for a guest than having to stand through a ceremony in the cold/wind/rain, etc.  So be kind and courteous to their needs since they came all that way!  See HERE for more information on that topic.

Step 10:

Have an Unplugged Wedding Ceremony.  Why?  See our previous blog post HERE to understand better.  It encourages your guests to be PRESENT and in the moment WITH YOU.  Your guests may be miffed for a hot second but in the end, it will prove to have a larger impact on them, I promise.

 Step 11: 

Keep Guests Comfortable.  If going forward with an adventure wedding in Iceland, then you need to make sure (if you haven’t hired us as your Iceland Wedding Planner) there are scheduled bathroom breaks, a bathroom on the bus, or you have porta potties in tow.  Also be sure to have lunch and/or snacks available to your guests throughout the day (IE, fruit, snack sized chips, cliff bars, waters, sodas, etc).  This will avoid anyone getting “hangry.”

Step 12:

Have a scheduled “bail out” point if needed during the day (if your guest list includes any children under 10, over 70 years old or just in general less adventurous fair weather folks) AND a designated “rest” time between the adventure portion and the reception dinner.  At least an hour is needed for guests to be able to rest, refresh, and catch a second wind.  They will thank you later for this!

Step 13:

Introduce your Iceland wedding guests to some cultural elements!  Craft your wedding menu to have some local delicacies such as the following: Mushroom Soup, Icelandic Meat Soup, Langoustine, Scallops, Arctic Char, Reindeer, Lamb, or Skyr Cake.  Adding in an Icelandic Wedding Cake is a fun option as well!

Step 14:

Save any speeches or toasts for after the main course.  Toasts are best enjoyed by everyone on a full belly.

Step 15:

Have an open bar (unless there are sensitive circumstances as to why you cannot).  It’s not very pleasant for a guest to have travelled thousands of miles to find out their “friends” cannot buy them a glass of wine or a beer.  But know it’s okay to have curved limits like stating on the bottom of your menu “Beverages: Sodas, Coffee, Tea, Beer, and Wine” which implies cocktails or hard liquors are on the guests’ dime.  Or telling the hotel it’s okay to have an “open bar” if bottles or 30-year-old whiskies, etc are not included.  Just be tactful about it and not tacky to save a few bucks.

Step 16:

Be sure (if you have not hired us as your Iceland wedding photographer) you specifically ask your Iceland wedding photographer to take candid and posed photos (of the couples).  It’s a nice keepsake for you and the couples to have and remember later!

Step 17:

Schedule some post wedding day awesomeness for you and your Iceland wedding guests.  Maybe an activity like Inside the Volcano? Glacier Ice Climbing or Hiking? Horseback Riding? Scuba or Snorkeling between the famed tectonic plates?  Or how fun would it be for you all to caravan with walkie talkies throughout the Golden Circle and end the day in some secret hot springs?!  It would be an unforgettable end to your wedding events!

Step 18:

Send “thank you” notes to your guests regardless of them sending you a gift or not.  That simple.  If they came to your Iceland destination wedding, they deserve to be “thanked”  for coming formally.  Do it within 6 weeks after your Iceland wedding day.

Following these easy straightforward steps will ensure your guests are happy during your wedding day in Iceland and them remembering yours as THE BEST DAY EVER!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Wedding Photographers + Planners)

© 2016, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post 18 Steps to Planning an Iceland Wedding Your Guests Will Never Forget appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

This lively duo was planning a trip to Ireland to discover family roots when they got the brilliant idea of having an elopement in Iceland during their trip to Europe.  Together Marlene and Alan love the outdoors, water, nature, offbeat travel, and unique experiences.  Immediately I thought of the perfect location for them to stay during their time here in Iceland… Inside of the Dyrholaey Lighthouse.  Did you know you can rent the entire lighthouse exclusively?  You can and it’s the ultimate Iceland elopement experience!  Tag along with me today to experience their incredible Iceland wedding day hunting secret waterfalls!

As the sun rose at the start of their Iceland wedding adventure the excitement grew!  The sunrise was magical from the top of the lighthouse as Marlene and Alan got ready together.

Staying within tradition, they did not want to fully see each other until the adventure wedding was going to begin so what better way to kick it off then with a first look in front of the lighthouse!

One of my favorite things about these two was the fact they had little surprises for each other throughout the day.  The first from Alan was the Iceland wedding ceremony setup.  He thoughtfully crafted little notes for Marlene to read to put on the ceremony rug.  We took it one step further by turning the notes into an awesome aisle way and little rocks on top (to be wind proof)!

Since the theme of the day was secret waterfall hunting, we continued onto more Iceland wedding day adventures!  And to one of my favorite badass waterfalls!

You’ll find the landscape can change rather quickly here and it’s exciting to create unique Iceland wedding photos!

During the months of mid June to late September you will see a green here in Iceland that exists nowhere else in the world.  It’s vibrant, refreshing, and inspiring!  …and when the light hits it, it often changes!  So when you see it during your adventure wedding day, you must make your Iceland wedding photographer STOP!

An action packed Iceland adventure wedding with us still has time for lunch and these two opted in for a delicious bbq of Icelandic hot dogs! Mmmmm!  It just so happened to come with a lovely view too!

It was super hard for me to leave these spot… But alas, I had to because we had 2 more adventure wedding stops!

At this point I pinched myself.  Really, I did.  Having a blue sky day puffy cloud day here for your Iceland wedding day is rare.  Rare and incredibly awesome when it does happen, that’s for sure!  We savored every second and every inch of the daylight we had.  Once we had enough of waterfall hunting we moved on to black sand beach exploring!  It was fun and full of so much LOVE!

The last surprise Marlene had for Alan was having us style something super cute for their Iceland wedding reception!  I love when clients upgrade to a romantic dinner for two!

Since the day was full of so many awesome surprises between the two of them, we decided to surprise them with some sparklers for a Iceland wedding photo nighttime shot!

We hope this elopement in Iceland today has made you gush with envy!  Feel free to contact us when you’re ready to start planning your epic Iceland wedding adventure!

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Wedding Photographers + Planners)

© 2016, Iceland Wedding Planner /  Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved.

The post Iceland Elopement Photographer | Marlene + Alan’s Waterfall Adventure Wedding appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.