Once they contacted us here at Iceland Wedding Planner, they realized how awesome it would be to have private wedding locations and were very keen to have a “day of memory making” no matter the weather conditions.  Well, Iceland never disappoints with surprises and unpredictable weather, that’s for sure!  For 3 days straight there was a storm that hit the South and their wedding day was right between them.  They embraced the unruly weather and came prepared even with wedding attire that would stand out from the blizzard-like conditions!  Well done Angela + Shirish, I must say!

So! Come along with us today to experience their intimate winter wedding in Iceland!

Often into April we still have snow and snow capped peaks!

Okay okay so can we PAUSE for a second and enjoy the details of Angela’s Iceland wedding dress?  Did I mention she also had a blue velvet cape?! #yesplease

…and how darling were her shoes for their dinner after their Iceland wedding adventure?

Ohhhh and Shirish, he had some serious style too with his Iceland groom details!

If you have not been to Icelandair Vik before, there is usually an incredible view of the Reynisdrangar basalt stacks but they are hidden because of the blizzard-like conditions!

…and so we were off into the extremely exciting adventure wedding day trek!

There was just something so magical about the two of them smiling at each other from across the fire in front of that beautiful secret waterfall and Angela’s cape blowing!

They jointly recited their vows together to make it even more meaningful.  Notice they were laminated!  They were ready for any kind of weather Iceland decided to give them!

Exchanging tokens doesn’t always have to be “rings” you know, right?  Shirish chose to give Angela a necklace and Angela chose a watch for Shirish!

Hello Blizzard.  Biggest snowflakes I think any of us had EVER seen!

Seriously folks, the snow was PILING up on all of us!  Such an epic memory!  Endless HIGH FIVES to these two and embracing the snow storm during their elopement in Iceland!

I almost feel like they were challenging the snow, like “Is that the best you can do?”  They just adventured and laughed harder through it!

Coffee Break!

Mmm and onto the warmest and luxury part of the day… Their Iceland Luxury Picnic in a private cave!

One of my all-time favorite sayings is, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing at all!”  So very true!

Nothing more amazing than quite moments spent in secret canyons with hidden waterfalls for Iceland wedding photos!  Swoon!

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

The post Intimate Winter Wedding in Iceland appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

We headed south from Reykjavik and found our way to a secret canyon!  Even though Iceland this year has had the MILDEST winter ever on record, we were lucky enough to have a DREAMY snowy Iceland couple’s adventurous portrait session! …little did Katie know she was moments away from Dave proposing too!  Please come alongside with us today to experience their romantic marriage proposal in Iceland!

The series below of Katie’s reaction to Dave’s Iceland marriage proposal was PRICELESS!

It’s always fun to take a few minutes and admire your new Iceland wedding ring!

The Adventure and the SNOW during this Iceland proposal session was pure MAGIC!

An Iceland proposal must do: Secret Waterfall Kisses!

…and then add in some Iceland Pre-Wedding snuggles and we’re all set!

…the end of the day (actually the light for the day) started to draw to a close and I couldn’t help but have one last swoon as we headed back into the city over this beautifully lit mountain!  What a beautiful fun stop for these newly engaged couple from Chicago! ? ? ?

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

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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.

<<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.

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.

From Iceland Wedding Planning to Destination Honeymoon…. We made the decision while planning our Iceland waterfall wedding this time last year that our wedding week (before and after we said I do) would be 100% devoted to our guests who had traveled so far.  That being said, it was very important that Chris and I still planned and went on a honeymoon that was just the two of us.  Well that time is finally upon us… time to take our honeymoon to Bali Indonesia!  Woohoo!

I promise, I will come back to share our gorgeous destination honeymoon images in a few weeks!  But in the meantime, please be patient for the silence you will see for the next few weeks.  If you are planning an Iceland destination wedding and need an Iceland wedding photographer or planning please send me an email and I will answer upon our return the week of November 26th!  So in the meantime… enjoy our fun fall session we did playing in the leaves!  Happy Fall, Winter, and Happy Thanksgiving!  Be safe all as we enter in a new season.

With a smile in Iceland wedding photography and planning!  – Ann

Owner of: Photos by Miss Ann & Iceland Wedding Planner

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

The post From Iceland Wedding to Honeymoon! appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.