-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.

<<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.

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Allow me to introduce you to Sheena and Todd.  They rock!

Although these two hail from Seattle, Washington, they are beautiful old souls from the Norse era.  So it was only a matter of time before they found their way to the land of fire and ice, and get married in Iceland.  Everything screamed nontraditional about this gorgeous wedding from start to finish.  Todd and Sheena spent the morning together quietly getting ready before the hustle and bustle of the adventure began.

Once 8am came the everyone gathered in the hotel lobby anxiously awaiting where they were going and what they would see and do for their adventure wedding in Iceland…

Sheena and Todd held firm on the surprise and didn’t let on until we arrived at each location.  A rare lava tube cave awaited them for their Asatru wedding ceremony spot!  This specific lava tube is over 4600 years old and currently holds the record of being Iceland’s fourth longest.  To say guests were impressed would be a simple understatement.  As they took steps down into the cave and made their way to the beautiful holed platform it was like we were all transferred back in time, it was magical.

Between the setting within the cave, the fire, the words of the Norse celebrant, the oath rings, Viking horn, thoughtful vows, and the fact the groom not only presented the bride with a sword as a gift but that he read his vows from it (the bride read hers from an Emily Dickinson book of poems), I’m not sure which part blew my mind more!

As if it would be possible to top their ceremony spot, we tried!  A private black sand beach was luckily our next stop where Sheena and Todd ran around hand in hand in the sand.

We found our way to our lunch stop in one of the oldest villages in Iceland where a traditional old turf house still lives.  Everyone sat down and had a picnic, it was fantastic!

The groom adores lighthouses so of course one was next on the agenda!

A wedding in Iceland, would not be complete without a stunning waterfall to swoon over.  The one Sheena and Todd loved the most was in Thingvellir National Park, Oxararfoss Waterfall.  The guests were happy to toast well wishes to the couple and explore the waterfall and also all around the famed tectonic plates throughout this beautiful UNESCO site!

An awesome dinner complete with red velvet cupcakes was a perfect ending to this intimate destination wedding in Iceland!

Sheena + Todd, You two and the magical energy between you makes me smile!  Thank you for choosing us to plan and photography such an unforgettable Iceland wedding day!  We urge you to come back to Iceland again sooner than later for another epic adventure! ? ? ?

See more from their wedding featured on our favorite wedding blog… Offbeat Bride!

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

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

The post Iceland Wedding in a Lava Tube Cave | Sheena + Todd appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

So when Tim and Antonia from New Jersey were looking for destination wedding options, they wanted to go somewhere that they had never been (or their guests) and a place that would have awe-inspiring shock value.  Iceland was easily the answer.  Nowhere else can you experience fire, ice, raging waterfalls, canyons, and endless cliff lines all in one day.

Upon arrival, their 50+ wedding guests were greeted with a 3 course Icelandic meal and a welcome wedding bag which had must have necessities like a horn, a cheat sheet of Icelandic terms, a rain poncho, wedding logo tattoos, and a Viking rubber ducky!

Their guests were told at dinner they were to be ready to leave for the day at 8:30am, completely unaware of where they were going or what they would see.  Just that Antonia + Tim would be getting married at some point and they needed to be dressed for wind, rain, and hiking!  To the guests delight, they arrived atop of one of the most spectacular mountains in Iceland.

They held a traditional Viking Asatru wedding ceremony where they held oath rings as they professed their vows and even drank out of an ancient horn to seal the deal!  Everyone loaded back into the super jeeps anxious to see where they were going next. To their surprise they found themselves in the midst of the area of where Game of Thrones and Star Wars was filmed and all were loving the fact they could explore it first hand!

Shortly after, they embarked on a hike to a secret waterfall and ventured through a canyon where they stopped to have a delicious picnic lunch.

Just when you started to think that Tim and Antonia’s wedding adventure could not get any better the guests found themselves at the last stop… At the door step of one of Iceland’s most dangerous subglacial volcanos.  The crew laughed, explored, and even found a beautiful little ice cave!

It seemed each location one upped the other and everyone had a fantastic day throughout the Iceland adventure wedding!  Everyone was given a short 1 hour break to rest and catch their second wind and then it was on to the fabulous Iceland wedding reception where they delighted in a traditional 4 course Icelandic meal.

If you’re interested in seeing more from this amazing adventurous wedding in Iceland, check out the gorgeous images below!  Also, be sure to check out Offbeat Bride as their fab wedding is featured there too! ?

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

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

The post Iceland Wedding Photography: Antonia + Tim’s Adventure Wedding appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.