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.

Do you ever get those?

Living in Iceland, I get them a lot when I ice climb, hike, SUP, and of course while scouting secret Iceland wedding locations.  But on Iceland wedding days, it’s somehow amplified.  No joke!  I almost hyperventilated in excitement over the below image.  Right light, right mountain, and what an amazing couple!  When all of those elements come together my mind is blown!

Cross those fabulous things with adding in some epic Icelandic wildlife and this Iceland elopement went off the charts!  Do you see the sneaky little seal who photo-bombed the Iceland wedding ceremony?

Another thing that makes me smile during an Iceland wedding photo adventures, is surprising my clients with new super secret waterfalls.  These two didn’t even bat an eyelash when I told them the hike time!  ? ? ?

When you have an early April wedding in Iceland (which this fab couple did) you can usually expect some snow still lingering (unless we’ve had a more wet than snowy winter).  This often times adds to the dramatic landscape giving you the vibrant greens, browns, and whites like the beautiful below Iceland elopement wedding portrait!

Weddings in Iceland with us equal adventure, that simple.

Ideal for couples who love the outdoors (and will run around in them rain or shine), enjoy hiking, crave wedding photos in dynamic locations, and are wanderlust addicts.  Imagine yourself discovering uniquely shaped glaciers like this couple did!

Here at Iceland Wedding Planner, we are providers of EXPERIENCES, not just a “wedding day”  We stay away from  churches and the usually flooded tourist locations, so that there are not 100+ people Instagram-ing your wedding.

We prefer to have our clients totally immersed and connected to TRUE and PURE Iceland.  The unknown. The untouched. The places that will leave you in utter “Awe” and get you totally addicted to this island!  If adventuring to secret waterfalls, caves, cliffs, glaciers, private beaches and rock formations sound like fun to experience on your wedding day in Iceland… Contact us to get that exciting conversation started! ?

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

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

The post Iceland Elopement | Adventure Wedding Photography appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

We are thinking spring over here at Photos by Miss Ann already!  …which also means the influx of fabulous couples planning to have their wedding in Iceland is on the rise and we are really excited to be a part of this process!  One of our wonderful Iceland brides this last week inspired us to mock up some centerpiece ideas (yes, Iceland Wedding Planner can create flower arrangements too!).  So a little sneak peak of some Iceland wedding flower photos follow below… enjoy!

** Please Note: We no longer plan or photograph at the main stream locations we talk about below. We would rather take you on an adventure away from typical tourist locations via super jeep or helicopter for you Iceland Wedding Day or  intimate Iceland Elopement!  Please contact us for more details! **

Back to today’s topic- The best time to have your wedding or elopement in Iceland:

Hooray for you!  So you have chosen Iceland as your marvelous destination wedding locale and are now trying to pick your wedding date.  Your biggest question right now is when is the best time to marry in Iceland, right?  Well you have come to the right place!  As Iceland event planners and Iceland wedding photographers, we specialize in educating you to make the right choice for the type of wedding adventure you’d like to have.  There are pros and cons to planning a wedding in every season in Iceland so today’s blog post is going to help you find out so you may make the best choice as you Iceland wedding plan!

So let’s explore month by month and season and by season!

January:  Our Iceland Wedding Planner team does not plan or photograph weddings or elopements during this month.  For us, there is not enough daylight hours and the weather is too brutal.  It’s very likely the main road closes as well so ensuring our staff can travel to/from your fabulous day can be too challenging.  Our Your Adventure Wedding team is based in South America during this month planning and photographing adventure weddings and elopements in Patagonia.

Holding your wedding in January in Iceland you will find the hours of daylight fluctuate.  The beginning of the month you have about 4 hours and 20 minutes of daylight and by the end of the month you have up to 5 hours of daylight.  The average sunrise time in Iceland: 11am and sunset time in Iceland in January is 4:20pm.  Average temperatures are 35ºF / 27ºF.

Best Iceland wedding locations during this time indoors would be a country church or a Iceland cave wedding.  Make sure you can handle the possibility of walking down the aisle in snow, crazy winds, and extreme rains as this is the reality of a wedding in January in Iceland.  Special Note: The coastline of Vik Beach (Reynisfjara) can be dangerous during this time (10 foot waves or higher crash into the cave).  January also has the second highest rainfall at an average of 3.40 inches.  But the fun part is that you could easily experience all 4 seasons in one day plus the Aurora Borealis, pro or con, you decide!

February:  Oh la la February in Iceland!  It can be hit or miss with snow, but likely (and hopefully) SNOW!  This is also prime time to have an Ice Cave Elopement in Iceland!  February weddings in Iceland offer average temperatures of 37ºF / 29ºF and anywhere between 7-10 hours of daylight.  The average sunrise time in Iceland in February: 9:20am and sunset time in Iceland: 6pm in February.  Rainfall during this time averages to 2.90 inches (so it can be hit or miss with rain versus snow conditions).

During this time some possible Iceland ceremony locations could be one of the wonderful host hotels we work with or one of the gorgeous country churches if needed indoor options.  If you can brave the gorgeous outdoors and colder temps then one of our private ice caves, waterfalls, canyons, or natural caves could shield you nicely from the elements!  February is also a time in Iceland where the Northern Lights could be in full display.

March: March is still considered winter in Iceland but this is typically the time where Southern Iceland is lessening the snow fall and having more rain each day.  The Average sunrise in March is 7:46am and sunset is 7:39pm.  Iceland in March offers up  37ºF high and 29ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 3 inches.  Having your wedding at the majestic Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, Blue Lagoon, or Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon is totally doable during this time.  But if you’d rather hold your Iceland destination wedding inside at a Icelandic church or one of our stunning host hotels would all be perfect options.  Even if you choose an indoor location hopefully the Iceland wedding photographer you choose will still photograph your Iceland wedding portraits at those amazing outdoor locations (I know Photos by Miss Ann would as we have no silly rules on consecutive time limits for your wedding day)!

April: Welcome to Spring in Iceland!  The sun shines more and there is still a chance to see the splendid Northern Lights.  The average sunrise and sunset in Iceland in April is 5:56am / 9:02pm with fabulous temperatures of 41ºF high and 33ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 2.20 inches.  All of the gorgeous waterfalls, lagoons, mud pots, canyons, cliffs, and sod farms in Southern Iceland are all viable options to hold your wedding ceremony.  My husband and I held our Iceland wedding ceremony at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, led our guests to Vik Beach for a wedding champagne toast, a pit stop to the awesome Vik Beach, Icelandic Wool Factory, Skogafoss Waterfall, and back to our host hotel for a 5-course Icelandic wedding reception dinner.  We personally felt April offered us the most adventure in daylight time, least amount of tourists, a possibility to see the Northern Lights, and endless activities from ice climbing, caving, to scuba diving.

May: May is a really exciting time in Iceland especially for brides and grooms!  All of the roads to the West Fjords and the Northern Highlands are accessible.  So you can easily drive the entire country without a 4-wheel drive vehicle.  Which means all of the gorgeous spots like Lake Mvatyn, Dimmuborgir, Godafoss Waterfall, Skaftafell National Park, and the Thingvellir National Park are available for you to say “I do” at! The average daylight hours in May in Iceland is sunrise at 4:13am and sunset: 10:38pm.  You will most likely encounter  temperatures like a 47ºF high and 39ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 1.70 inches.

June: June begins the high tourist season in Iceland and the most amount of daylight.  Average sunrise is 2:57am and sunset 12am in June in Iceland.  You’ll feel temperatures like 52ºF for the high and 44ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 1.80 inches in June.  The really awesome thing about so many hours of daylight is that you can still do things!  Unlike the United States State Parks, Iceland does not close or gate entrances to their marvelous natural wonders.  So if you wanted to hold your wedding at 8pm at Seljalandsfoss waterfall you can- no questions asked!  No gates, no fees, and no security personnel rushing you off the property.  Too good to be true?  No, Iceland trusts you.  They trust you will not only have a high respect for the people and area but that you will not endanger yourself either.

July: Welcome to Iceland’s Busiest Month.  Daylight time also begins to decrease now, as the average sunrise is 3:41am and sunset: 11:24pm.  The temperatures are the highest they are all year with a dazzling  55ºF high and 47ºF as a low, with monthly rainfall being an average of 2 inches.  So whether or not you are drawn to having an indoor Iceland wedding location or you are an adventurous bride and groom and choose an outdoor Iceland ceremony location, it’s your call as all are available to you.  But do keep in mind this is still considered the high tourist season in Iceland so if you intend to plan a wedding during this month, plan early.  Hotels book up 10 months before and the gorgeous natural spots will have people flocking to them so do not expect a 100% intimate area if planning by yourself.  As Iceland Wedding Planners, we are experts in Iceland destination weddings from finding that gorgeous intimate wedding spot to finalizing all of your wedding day logistics.

August: ::Personal Favorite Month:: August is hands down our best weather month, the greenest, and most accessible!

August is still considered higher tourist season in Iceland.  August weddings in Iceland offer an average sunrise of 5:19am and sunset at 9:45pm.  Summer temperatures continue at a balmy 54ºF high and 46ºF as a low with the rainfall being an average of 2.40 inches.  During this month there are also some very high profile events going on in Reykjavik such as the Iceland Gay Pride festival, Music Festivals, Reykjavik Annual Marathon, and dance festivals.  Booking your Iceland wedding host hotel early is key (think 15-18 months before).  All of Iceland’s gorgeous areas are open from waterfalls, lagoons, and canyons they would all be a perfect choice for your Iceland wedding location.

September: September marks the start of Iceland’s “shoulder season.”  Average sunrise in Iceland in September is 6:51am and sunset 7:53pm.  You’ll experience temperatures like a 49ºF high and 41ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 3.50 inches.  So if you are getting married in September in Iceland you may want to offer umbrellas (like we did in our welcome bags) to your guests if planning an outdoor wedding at one of Iceland’s waterfalls or other remarkable natural wonders.  As you plan, keep in mind Iceland’s “big round up” happens in early September where the sheep are herded annually, plan and book early!  This is also the time the following events happen in Iceland: Annual Literally Festival, Jazz Festival (could be August too depending on the year), and the Reykjavik International Film Festival.   If you can bundle up and brave the gorgeous outdoor colder temps then Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, Hotel Budir or Hotel Laekur’s gorgeous grounds, or the Iceland Glacial Lagoon would be great choices during this time as well.

October: October in Iceland is not exactly like fall in the States if that is what you are looking for… there are not many trees but there is color changes in flowers, mountain bushes, grass color from green to yellow, etc.  The daylight hours significantly begin to become closer to winter hours now with an average sunrise time in 8:15am and sunset: 6:10pm.  The temperatures really drop this month with an average 36ºF for the high and 28ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 3.30 inches.  In many areas it begins to snow especially the Iceland Highlands and the roads become inaccessible again (and 4 wheel drive needed).  During this time some possible Iceland ceremony locations would be a country church in Iceland or one of the fabulous host hotels we partner with.  If you can brave the gorgeous outdoors and colder temps then Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, Vik Beach, Blue Lagoon, southern Iceland canyon, rivers, or the Iceland Glacial Lagoon would be great choices during this time as well.

November:  November weddings in Iceland are officially considered being in winter.  Some possible Iceland ceremony locations would be one of the hotels in the area that we partner with can accommodate larger groups for your indoor ceremony options or one of Iceland’s many country churches.  If you’re feeling adventurous and can brave the gorgeous outdoors and colder temps then Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, one of Iceland’s many glaciers, canyons, rivers or the Iceland Glacial Lagoon would be great choices during this time as well.  You’re looking at an average sunrise time being 10am and sunset in Iceland in September of 4:30pm.  The temperatures are colder so make sure you dress and pack for the conditions of a 34ºF high and 31ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 3.30 inches.

December:  The holidays in Iceland are simply inspirational.  Although December offers the least amount of daylight, it does offer up the most amount of heart.  The people in Iceland love the holidays and invite tourists to be a part of their awesome festivities.  Exciting events like the following: the lighting of the Oslo Christmas tree happens every year on December 2nd in downtown Reykjavik, Icelandic Yule Lads running around, and a spectacular fireworks display in downtown Reykjavik on New Year’s Eve!  The average sunrise is 11:15am and sunset is 3:30pm.  While you are enjoying all of the holiday lights and events you will have temperatures like a 36ºF high and 28ºF as a low with rainfall being an average of 3.30 inches.  So bring an umbrella and watch for the Northern Lights!

Iceland by Seasons:

Winter: The pros of a winter wedding in Iceland are the Northern Lights!  November-March are typically the most active months for the Aurora Borealis because of the colder clearer temperatures in the high and lowlands of Iceland.  The temperatures are lower but so is the tourist flow which translates into your first choice of wedding locations and stunning Iceland wedding portraits!

Spring:  Iceland Spring weddings are between April-May (considered Iceland’s shoulder season).  This time frame offers up warmer temperatures (a balmy 45ºF!) and typically the least amount of rainfall for the year.  In April you do still have a chance of seeing the Northern Lights too!  My husband and I were married at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall on April 14th 2012 and the Icelandic News called us brave because we had periods of rain, mist, sun, sleet, 45ºF, and somehow ended the day with gorgeously chilly, but clear star gazing night!  Although we did not have the Northern Lights appear on our wedding night, days before we were graced by them in the countryside at Hotel Ranga.  Spring was also a perfect time for everyone to travel since the snow was melting in the States and the heat is too much in the Southern Hemisphere.  We were traveling from Plymouth, Michigan and our 35+ guests from around the world.  We had guests come from all over the United States and as far as Australia, South Korea, and Europe, all for our adventurous destination wedding in Iceland!

Summer:  June-August are the peak tourist season months in Iceland and offer the highest temperatures all year at 55ºF and a low of 47ºF.  The Iceland highlands and interior are also fully accessible during this time and do not require 4 wheel drive.  Many of the arts and cultural festivals are also in full swing.  This is a beautiful time to hold a wedding in Iceland’s West Fjords or Lake Mývatn-Krafla Caldera areas.  But please keep in mind an Iceland Summer wedding can be tricky to plan because of the high volume of visitors.  If interested in this time frame make sure you plan early (at least 10-12 months before to avoid disappointment) to ensure your first pick on wedding location and host hotel for your guests. Although if planning on your own, I would not suggest planning a wedding anywhere on the ring road because although there is “enough room for everyone” you may not get the gorgeously intimate experience as you hope.  As experts in Iceland wedding planning and Iceland wedding photography, Photos by Miss Ann can help you plan your Iceland destination wedding to the level of intimacy you are looking for.  We have the contacts, the insight into the right spots and positioning to create that ambiance.

Fall: Iceland Fall weddings are between September-October (also considered Iceland’s shoulder season).  The temperatures begin to drop and the roads begin to become impassable again and 4 wheel drive is needed.  Iceland ceremony locations would be one of Iceland’s farm or country churches or one of the exceptional host hotels we partner with as indoor options (please contact us for further Iceland wedding planning details!).  Or be daring and brave the outdoors and colder temperatures for the lovely natural wonder locations such as Seljalandsfoss waterfall wedding, Skogafoss Waterfall, Vik Beach, beside one of Iceland’s amazing rivers, canyons, glaciers, the unique Blue Lagoon, or the Iceland Glacial Lagoon for your Iceland wedding ceremony location.

We hope you find this post helpful to you as you embark on your Iceland destination wedding planning experience!  We are a creative, energetic, experienced husband and wife team based in the United States but specialize in Iceland wedding planning and destination wedding photography.  We have 10 years of destination wedding photography and planning experience in all countries and environments from big cathedrals to shorelines.  In April 2012 we personally planned our own wedding in Iceland at the majestic Seljalandsfoss Waterfall and have photographed throughout the country.  We know firsthand how epic of a country Iceland is and how special it is for you to plan your wedding in Iceland!

We believe that in order to fully create and capture your wedding day vision, personalities, style, and your destination wedding properly, we need time with you!  For us, getting to know you as a couple and getting to know your wedding destination is an important base for creating truly unique Iceland events and stunning images for you and your loved ones.  Please contact us to plan or photograph your Iceland Destination Wedding!

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters

© 2002-2013, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

The post Iceland Wedding Photographer Tip: Best Time to Marry in Iceland? appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

I know you have been patiently waiting on my next post and I so appreciate it!  Life seemed to go lightening speed for us the past few weeks!  The good news is we have booked some amazing Iceland brides for 2013 and 2014 and we are super stoked to be working with them!  Their visions for their day are truly one of a kind and we are honored to be planning and photographing their adventurous weddings in the land of fire and ice!  So if you’re thinking about Iceland as your one of a kind destination wedding locale please contact us!

We helped my mum launch her new retirement venture in the last few weeks too!  Check out: Regal Baby Boutique! Glamorous handmade goods for children and awesome portrait photographers!

A couple of press spots has kept us busy bees too!  Check out The Frosted Petticoat, Baby Life Styles Magazine (our image is full page on #40), My Inspired Light, The Bridal Detective, Done Brilliantly, In Bliss Bridal Blog, Borrowed and Blue, the Budget Savvy Bride, double cuteness from the Frosted Petticoat Blog, and we are delighted by word of a printed feature in DIY Wedding Magazine and The Knot this coming Spring/Summer for several of our beautiful destination weddings.  So much positive energy buzzing around us-  we are thrilled here at Photos by Miss Ann!  Woohoo =) Thanks for being a part of our excitement!

Enough about us!  Back to our wonderful topic today: Iceland Destination Wedding Etiquette

Destination weddings are tricky and proper etiquette for all involved is important.  Today, I am going to debunk some of the most common questions surrounding destination weddings in general and specifically Iceland wedding planning etiquette as well!

1.      Save the Dates: Are they needed? When do you send?

a.      Once you are engaged, picked a wedding state/country location, and are set on a wedding date it’s time to send out “Save the Dates!”  If planning a destination wedding, these are typically sent out 8 months or more before the wedding date.  You want to give your guests as much notice as possible to begin saving or planning their destination wedding itinerary.  We were engaged in Kauai Hawaii in October 2012 and set our wedding date for April 2012.  We decided on a short window for planning because we either had to get married before our high wedding season or after because we are wedding photographers in Plymouth Michigan, in Iceland and beyond.  That left either getting married in April 2012, November 2012, or April 2013. We settled on April 2012 and planning in less than 6 months does not require formal save the dates.

2.      Do you invite the masses to your destination wedding?

a.      Personal preference.  But I will give you a fabulous example!  When planning our Iceland destination wedding my husband and I are both only children with small family’s so we decided to look at it like this… Invite all immediate and extended family, all close friends we have kept in contact with over the last 5 years, our current or previous bosses, and selective workplace friends.  We ended up sending out 100 Iceland wedding invitations and ended up with 36 RSVP’s saying yes!

3.      If you are also having a local reception who do you invite?

a.      You must extend the invite to anyone who declined your destination wedding invite.  If you choose to invite additional people you should probably have your Iceland wedding photos available for their review.  That way, they feel somewhat included in your wedding day as well.

4.      Destination Wedding Invitations: When to send?

a.      Invitations for destination weddings should be mailed at a minimum of 4 months away from the wedding date.  This provides the guests with ample time to decide, request vacation, book flights, accommodations, and plan Iceland adventures. It is also proper to give your guests 40 days to RSVP.  Another real life Iceland wedding day example: We sent our Iceland wedding invitations out on November 15^th and gave our guests until January 9^th to respond which was ~50 days to respond.

b.      Why ask guests to RSVP early?

a.      By having all of our RSVP’s back by January 9^th we could chase down any folks who did not respond.  Having our guests RSVP 3 months before allowed us to begin finalizing our counts for our wedding plans as far as Iceland wedding ceremony location, Iceland wedding transportation logistics for a group of 40, champagne toast at Vik Beach, ordering our Iceland wedding flowers, our Iceland wedding linens, Iceland wedding Welcome Dinner, Hotel Ranga Wedding 5 Course Wedding Meal, and our post wedding itinerary for our guests.

5.      Does the traditional rules of who pays for what still apply?

a.      Sometimes, if planning a destination wedding in the United States I have seen the traditional road of groom’s parents paying for the “rehearsal dinner” and the wedding day alcohol while the bride’s parents or simply the bride and groom are responsible for the rest.    But if international, more often than not, I have seen the bride and groom be responsible for the costs.  So depending on your situation it is up to you!  I strongly encourage you to contact us to help you plan your Iceland destination wedding budget.

6.      Do you pay for your guest’s accommodations?

a.      It’s interesting on how destination weddings have developed.  8 years ago when destination weddings became popular, that was the protocol.  You hosted your guests from the moment they arrived until they left.  Your guests were there for you and not so much the vacation.  But now that the industry markets dictate destination weddings as a vacation so there is less pressure financially on the bride and groom.  But, I will say, if you can afford to comp your guests the night of the wedding, then do it.  If it’s not in doable then at least take the time to negotiate a group rate with your host hotel.

7.      Should you prepare your guests on how much they may spend on your destination wedding?

a.      Yes!  …and the perfect place to do this diplomatically is on your wedding website.  Industry average says that guests should be prepared to spend between $700-1200 per person on a destination wedding.  This cost would include flight, accommodations, average of planned activities, rough estimates for food, and transportation.  Hire us as your planner and photographer to help you properly budget plan!

Photos by Miss Ann (aka, Iceland Wedding Planner) also provides this budget and activity planning piece in all of our Iceland Wedding packages so please contact us for more information!

8.      Do you create a wedding website?

a.      Yes, yes, yes!  If you have not yet do so now!  Having a wedding website for your destination wedding gives you a voice to your guests (without badgering them).  It provides them tools to RSVP, book their flight, reserve their housing accommodations, take advantage of booking discounts, review your Iceland wedding itinerary, see activity suggestions, book Iceland transportation, and understand why you chose Iceland as your destination wedding locale!

It also provides space for you to tell your love story, post engagement photos, introduce your wedding party, post information on gift registries, bridal shower, post your invitation, wedding menu, and wedding day flow.  Super awesome tool to use as you plan as well!  Photos by Miss Ann includes this service as one of the Iceland Wedding Planning agenda items too so feel free to contact us!

9.      Welcome Dinner versus Rehearsal Dinner, do you do one?  Which do you choose?

a.      Over the past few years I have been witness to the transition from traditional wedding rehearsal dinners to destination welcome dinners.  The reason: Many destination weddings have fewer people standing up in the bridal party’s which requires very little day before organization. So in this case referring to a day before dinner gathering your guests would be called a “Wedding Welcome Dinner.”

Real life wedding example:  My husband and I held our destination wedding in Iceland and decided to kick off our wedding weekend in Iceland with a welcome dinner at Hotel Ranga for our 36 guests.  We also arranged for our guests to stay 2 nights at Hotel Ranga so they could relax, enjoy the countryside, and have the opportunity to be in the midst of the Northern Lights.  Having kept our Iceland wedding ceremony location of Seljalandsfoss waterfall a complete surprise to our guests, we could not go to the site to do a “rehearsal.” So when it was time for a pre-wedding day walk through we had our official meet us at the hotel to review our wedding ceremony, did a quick walk through with our maid of honor, best man, parents, and 4 good friends that were reading “The Art of Marriage” by Wilfred A. Peterson.  7pm came and it was time to welcome our guests to begin their Iceland wedding adventure with us!  There was a delicious 3 course meal (complete with Skyr Cake!), music, toasts, speeches, tons of laughter, excitement, a birthday celebrated, and destination welcome bags passed out!

10.  Gifts for Destination Weddings?

a.      Our personal vote is no gifts for destination weddings.  You simply request the presence of your guests.  Real Life Wedding Example: We were an established couple and felt we did not need anything to “jump start our marriage” and felt it was more important to share in the adventure of Iceland with our guests so we stated a section on our website for gifts that said, “Your presence at our Iceland Wedding is the best gift you could give us.”  …and really it was.

Faux Pas: Never ever send out a registry insert to your wedding invitation (or state on the invitation) on where you are registered.  If anything state it on your wedding website (believe me word will spread) or guests will go to all the typical spots and look up your names and hope for a registry.

Alternative Destination Gift Registry Ideas: Honeymoon Wishes Registry, Wanderlust Registry, Upon Our Star, or the I Do Foundation (charity donations).

Bridal Showers and Bachelorette Parties are the exception to these rules.  So if you’re having one, register.

11.  Are Wedding Announcements Needed?

a.      Yes!  If you’re having a local reception they are absolutely needed.  It is also proper to send to any guest who was unable to attend the destination wedding.  The ideal situation is to have photos from the wedding on the card and send them out within 3 weeks of arriving home from your destination wedding. Your Iceland Destination Wedding Photographer can design gorgeous cards for you or if you have purchased your digital files you can do so on your own as well!  That way if you are also holding a local reception guests will feel more connected to your wedding day by seeing your Iceland wedding photos.

12.  Destination weddings and bridal party attendants… what to do?

a.      Don’t worry there are no hard and fast rules to this one.  Do not feel obligated to choose your sister if you’re not close or that cousin you barely talk to.  The really amazing thing about destination weddings is they are truly about the couple!  Because they are also smaller in attendance (industry average being 60 guests) the couple has the right to choose less!  We are seeing more often than not the bride & groom just choosing a maid of honor and a best man to stand calmly (lol, yes I said it!)  beside them.  Our real life Iceland destination wedding example: My husband and I are luckily only children (lol, I said that too!), have small extended families, and close-knit group of friends from around the world.  So realistically we could not honor each set of friends with being in our wedding party so we chose to honor them in other ways at the Iceland wedding ceremony and also during the wedding weekend.

13.  Do you invite your wedding photographers to your day wedding welcome dinner or wedding rehearsal festivities?

a.      Yes!  It is nice for you two, your families, and to have your guests become comfortable with them. It is also a great time for them to get acclimated to the scenery, locations, lighting, and your expectations ahead of time.

Plus, if they are rock star destination wedding photographers, chances are they will candidly photograph the event for free too in gratitude to you treating them so kindly as a guest.  Or at least that is what Photos by Miss Ann does for all of our destination couples =) Remember our key to photographing destination weddings is we need time with you!  Priceless moments should be captured professionally!

14.  Do you tip your destination wedding vendors?

a.      In Europe, it is not expected because typically the prices are higher to include, but it is still appreciated for exceptional service.  In any sort of country that is deemed developing or third world tipping is expected.  Canada and US it is not expected but if you had exceptional service the day of, feel free to!  But do be careful with vendors who still have yet to provide you a finished product to you as you may wish you hadn’t!

We had this specific experience happen to us with our hired destination photographers from Toronto, Ontario.  We felt the day of they were easy to work with and we had hoped they were behind the scenes capturing all of our details professionally- so we tipped them over $300 USD, in good faith.  We loved our Iceland engagement session but not our wedding photos. Unfortunately, we seriously regretted our generous decision as we found some serious issues upon the arrival of our high resolution images weeks later.  There were many technical flaws like blatant gear malfunctions, missed moments despite there being two of them, many of details we spent so much time planning were not captured, and we found the husband and wife duo to be very condescending in character to deal with after the fact.

Sadly, because of the negligence of our hired destination wedding photographers, my husband and I have had to spend the last year of our newly wedded bliss fixing their technical mistakes, recreating our missed wedding moments, retaking Iceland wedding portraits, and reconstructing our own Iceland wedding details professionally.   All that being said, Chris and I understand even more so how important is for you to choose the right Iceland wedding photographer who will amazing to work with from beginning to end.  So please check out Photos by Miss Ann to see how we would be an asset to your Iceland destination wedding planning!

15.  How to handle sensitive family issues:

a.      Divorced parents? Extended family not cordial to each other? A riff between in-laws? Do not fret!  Knowledge the issue before the wedding and make it clear to all involved you will accommodate to the best of your ability to ensure no awkward moments. Also make it clear the night before your wedding day everyone involved is to be as cordial to each other as possible and drama free.  Remind them the day is about you and your fiancé saying “I do” and not the ongoing family issues.  This problem could be as simply solved as having assigned seating at your dinners (name cards strategically placed can be professionally made with Pixels to Paper or personally made).

Another thought would be to brief your wedding vendors on the issue.  They may be an aid in diffusing the situation.  I know as a Iceland wedding planner and owning Photos by Miss Ann, we encounter almost 1 sensitive issue per wedding weekend.  It’s a delicate balance and the more information your wedding planner or wedding photographer has on the issue the more equipped they are to handle it and restructure the situation if needed.

Our real wedding example of this follows to provide you a better visual:  My gorgeous Hungarian Grandmother, Iren Soltesz had passed away the morning we were all flying to Iceland so it was a very emotional time for all of us before, during, and after our Aril 2012 wedding day in Iceland.  All of my family was shocked and a few were debating on whether or not to make the journey from Ohio-Toronto-Iceland.  This news also hit my mother especially hard as we were getting ready to leave that morning.  Bitter sweet that she did not have time to properly mourn her mother but had to focus on celebrating her only daughter’s wedding day.   It was tough for all involved to not have the proper time to grieve the loss of a loved one and focus on celebrate the joining of two others lives.  My Grandmother’s funeral was postponed until we all arrived home 7-10 days later which caused much angst across our family.  We maintained a positive approach every step of the way.  We also strategically placed our guests at both our Iceland wedding ceremony at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, our wedding welcome dinner and Iceland wedding reception at Hotel Ranga to ensure all negative emotions would be avoided between family members.  We also had memorial roses added to be a beautiful representation of our grandparents who passed before our special day could arrive.

Phew!  A lot of information, I know =)  Remember, this is just our two cents.  We’ve been there and this is our personal opinion on how things should work but keep in mind, we also photograph and experience weddings as our full time job so we know that side of it too!  Feel free to contact us for more information on how we can help make your day flawless in Iceland wedding planning and Iceland wedding photography!

Many smiles, Ann Peters

© 2013, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

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