I really believe that the heart of the entire world can be found in Iceland. The country’s landscape is alive and every region seems to be enchanted. One location in particular, Skogafoss Waterfall holds a special place in my soul. Three days before our wedding day in April 2012, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away and we still pressed on with our plans. During our Iceland wedding adventure we had made a quick stop at Skogafoss for Iceland wedding photos and had several rainbows surround us…and in that beautiful moment, I felt my grandmother there with us. So every time I am lucky enough to pay a little visit to this gorgeous Iceland waterfall, I cannot help but feel totally connected.

On Chris + Kim’s June Southern Iceland wedding itinerary, there was a choice between Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfall and I was thrilled when they chose the first as one of their stops for the day! I mean really, who doesn’t want to photograph a gorgeous bride and groom in front of this massively beautiful waterfall? It just so happens when we arrived to the waterfall, there were endless blue skies and RAINBOWS! Enough said, eh? Now without further ado, onto their gorgeous Iceland wedding photos…

In case you missed our previous posts on the beginning of their fabulous Iceland wedding day adventure feel free to head back to the links below to relive…

• Iceland Wedding Ceremony at Reynisfjara Beach Cave
• Dyrhólaey Cliffs Iceland Wedding Portraits

In the meantime, have the best week ever!

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

© 2002-2014, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

The post Skogafoss Waterfall Wedding Photos: Iceland Wedding Photographer appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Our first milestone is here… It has officially been a year since Chris and I started this Iceland Wedding Planner Blog, whoa that went fast!  Since October 11^th 2012, we have brought you 44 Iceland wedding planning blog posts.  We’re thrilled that over 100 countries have found their way to our blog and generated almost 25,000 views in just our first year!  So today, we’re celebrating our enthusiasm with a bottle of bubbles and toasting cheers to YOU!  We appreciate you as our reader, your interest in Iceland destination weddings, and all of your curious inquiries!  Thank you!  Hopefully over the past year you have fallen in love with Iceland even more through our posts, and been able to experience our passions as a husband and wife team photography team.

Now back to the anticipation of today’s post:

One of the most surprising things about Iceland to us when we first visited was the lack of fences, barriers, and restrictions they have on their natural wonders.  This is the opposite of what we were use to in the United States.  It seems like just about every natural wonder in the United States has some sort of constraint from “really” experiencing it.  For instance, if you go to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to see “Old Faithful” Geyser you can’t get very close do to fences and barriers.  In Iceland, you are almost in arm’s length of the Big/Little Geysirs and you can walk right up to the waterfalls if you choose.  Iceland offers you an up close and personal experience to all of its natural wonders.  With no restrictions, it really sets the scene to have dynamite Iceland wedding photos.

The past 2 weeks we have familiarized you to two of Iceland’s easiest waterfalls to marry at.  And by easy, we mean easy to transport your guests to/from the location, and have shortest walks from the parking lot to the falls.  In case you missed those previous posts, feel free to go back and check each of them out here:

Seljandsfoss Waterfall

Skogafoss Waterfall

::Warning::

Since this post was originally written in early 2013, tourism has grown to an unruly amount.  The space has changed and the amount of tourists coming here each hour is out of control.  We do not suggest this waterfall as an Iceland wedding location if wanting any sort of intimate feeling ceremony.

Now if you’re interested in having a more intense Iceland wedding ceremony or are looking for an overwhelmingly unique location for your Iceland elopement, then today’s post will provide you with some really striking ideas!  The reason why many of these waterfalls are not as popular for weddings with many guests is because of the location.  Several of these waterfalls require extra transport time, hiking, and in general take a lot longer and more effort to get to.

First up on our list today is Dettifoss Waterfall which is found in Northern Iceland.  This is Iceland’s version of United States’ Niagara Falls.  Dettifoss Waterfall stands at an enormous at 150 feet tall and 330 feet wide and it is deemed Europe’s largest waterfall (in mass).  If interested in visiting on your Iceland honeymoon or vacation, the Dettifoss Waterfall GPS coordinates are: 65°49?18.91?N  /  16°23?17.41?W.

This waterfall is difficult to get to from Reykjavik during Iceland’s winter months due to road closures.  But, good news, you do have the option of flying from Reykjavik to Akureyri and then renting a car.  There are 2 routes you can view this waterfall from, east and west.  Many people prefer the eastern side viewing but it will require you to drive on a pothole filled gravel road (about 45 minutes off of the main road, Route 1).  Interesting Fact: This waterfall was the setting for the opening scene in the blockbuster movie Prometheus.  Note: There are no ropes or barriers to hinder your viewing experience.  Once there, it is about a 15 minute walk from the parking lot to the falls.  Overall, this is a stunning place for Iceland summer wedding ceremonies, engagement portraits, or a spectacular place to have a private wedding elopement.  I can just imagine your show stopping Iceland wedding photos at Dettifoss, can’t you?!

The stunning Goðafoss Waterfall (or Godafoss for us North Americans) is often referred to as the “waterfall of the Gods” in Iceland.  This beautiful waterfall is found in North Central Iceland near Lake Mývatn.  The waterfall is 39 feet tall and a width of 98 feet. It’s not the biggest but is often visitors’ favorite during their trip around Iceland’s “Diamond Circle” due to the dramatic setting within a lava field and the waterfalls being 3 within one.  Goðafoss is located just off of Route 1 and very easy to find.  The GPS coordinates for Goðafoss Waterfall are:  65°40?48?N  /  17°32?24?W.

Once you arrive in the parking lot the waterfall is a short walk from the car and there are lots of rocks to climb on to get that perfect view and photo.  This waterfall is a May-September only visit if driving from Reykjavik, as many of the roads from are impassible in the winter months due to snow and ice.  But, if you’re really interested in getting there during the winter, one option to get to this remote location is to take a short plane ride from Reykjavik to Akureyri and then renting a vehicle.  This is a tranquil spot to hold an intimate Iceland summer marriage ceremony, elopement or a sweet stop for romantic Iceland wedding photos.  There are also really unique views if you are adventurous enough to climb further down in front of the falls.

Next up on our favorite list is Gullfoss Waterfall, which is found in southwest Iceland along the “Golden Circle” and commonly referred to as the “Golden Falls.”

This was actually our first stop on our post wedding itinerary we planned for our Iceland wedding guests in April of 2012.  I remember getting out of the car, hearing the waterfall roar, leaving my husband behind and racing down to it because I was so eager to see it!  It’s truly striking even from the parking lot.  A short walk (less than 1/4 mile) down to a viewing point will yield gorgeous views directly into the side of the falls, the steep drop below, and the canyon walls that house the waterfall’s flow.  There is also a higher level viewing point in which you can take stairs up to a boardwalk and walk out to view the waterfalls top.  It is possible to hold your wedding ceremony here and stop to have your Iceland wedding photos taken here but it is less intimate due to the larger volume of tourists visiting (because of the proximity to Reykjavik).  The Gullfoss GPS coordinates are: 64°19?34?N  / 20°07?16?W.  Imagine having romantic Iceland couples portraits or Iceland engagement photos taken here… I swoon just thinking about it!

The last waterfall today on our favorites list is Svartifoss.  The name is denoted as the Black Falls because of the basalt lava rock formations it springs from.  Svartifoss Waterfall is found in the Skaftafell National Park.  It is about a 45 minute hike one way from the visitor’s center to get to the waterfall.  The hike to Svartifoss is a little bit of a rocky path at times (especially as you venture closer to the waterfall), so make sure you have some good hiking shoes.  GPS coordinates for Svartifoss are 64.023°N  /  16.975°W.  From an Iceland wedding photographer’s perspective, Svartifoss would be a gorgeous and remote location to hold a small Iceland summer wedding or elopement under the midnight sun.  It is so secluded and distinctively different!  Now the question is, are you adventurous enough to wed here?   I get super excited thinking about its gorgeous Iceland wedding photo possibilities!

A couple of Iceland Wedding Planning Tips as you plan your ceremony at any of these waterfall locations:

• The noise from these waterfalls is extraordinary. It is a powerful rumble.  You will need some sort of microphone and speaker system (Iceland DJ) if you want guests to be able to hear your wedding vows.
• Safety Notes: Wear good walking shoes and/or hiking boots to ensure firm footing.  Many times the spray from the waterfalls saturates the rocks and lets be honest…there are no barriers between you and the waterfalls/rivers.  Be careful!  Some may even find bringing a collapsible walking stick helpful in maneuvering around.
• If planning to hold your ceremony at one of these locations make certain your Iceland wedding officiate will travel there and check if there is any additional fees so there are no last minute surprises.
• Very few of these locations have a café and washrooms in the parking lot area.  Most of the remote ones do not (Svartifoss, Seljandsfoss Waterfall or Skogafoss Waterfall) so remember to be prepared with water and snacks for you and your Iceland wedding guests.
• We also suggest wearing a good coat or having an umbrella on hand to protect yourself from the waterfall spray.  If not, bring a small towel and make up to dry off and touch up with before your wedding photos in Iceland.

We hope you enjoyed today’s post!  This series of waterfall posts is nowhere near a comprehensive list of waterfalls you can marry at in Iceland, just a few we are highlighting.  The options are truly endless as Iceland is abundantly full of waterfalls in every region.  One Iceland hotel we’ll be reviewing in a future blog post in January even has a waterfall onsite, imagine getting married there!  Stay tuned for details!

In the meantime, if you’re interested in having your Iceland destination wedding at a waterfall feel free to contact us to be your wedding planners and/or Iceland wedding photographers!  We’re so excited to learn more about your Iceland dream wedding!

With a smile, Ann Peters

Expert in Iceland Weddings

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

The post Waterfalls, Weddings, and Iceland (Part 3 of 3) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Welcome to part 2 of 3 of our installment on Iceland waterfall weddings locations this is an expansion of our previous post on Iceland Wedding Venues.  Last week we blogged about Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, if you missed it feel free to head back here to enjoy that post.

::Warning::

Since this post was originally written in early 2013, tourism has grown to an unruly amount.  The space has changed and the amount of tourists coming here each hour is out of control.  We do not suggest this waterfall as an Iceland wedding location if wanting any sort of intimate feeling ceremony.

Skogafoss Waterfall is a massive beautiful waterfall in Southern Iceland.  It is located off of Route 1 between the cities of Selfoss and Vik (about two hours from Reykjavik).

Here are GPS Coordinates for your reference: 63°31?47?N 19°30?50?W

Skogafoss is one of Iceland’s biggest and fullest waterfalls.  The cliffs that make up the waterfall are actually a recessed seashore.  Skogafoss stands at a glorious 200 feet tall and 82 feet wide.  There is a runoff on the left side that creates a dreamy mist that cascades over the country side.  There is a small stream that  runs out of the base of the waterfall offering some really amazing wedding photography opportunities.  Embedded further back into the cliffs the power of the waterfall spray also sets the scene for possible rainbow wedding photos. How romantic, right?

The walk from the parking lot to the waterfall starts grassy but quickly turns to lava rock and black sand.  This waterfall would also be a superb spot to have as a stop for your Iceland wedding day portraits or Iceland engagement photos.

Here are the benefits of getting married at Skogafoss Waterfall:

• Powerful sound and awe-inspiring scenery.
• The misty side of the mountains to the left of the waterfall sets a dynamic scene.
• Chance of rainbow wedding photos!
• You can take stairs to the top of Skogafoss to see incredible views.
• There is an Icelandic horse pasture to the right of the waterfall and they are usually quite friendly!  Great photo opportunity!

The downside of getting married at Skogafoss:

• It’s a public place so depending on the time of day you may have visitors there to enjoy the scenery .
• In order to compete with the sound of the waterfall, you will want to invest in having a sound system so your guests can hear your ceremony.
• If you take the stairs to the midway point of the waterfall, be very careful as it is not a paved path and there are no ropes.
• You also may end up getting wet or dirty during your visit (lots of black sand and lava rocks).

Hopefully today you have fallen in love with this magnificent waterfall!  We look forward to you visiting us here again next week for our final post in this Iceland waterfall wedding series.

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters

Husband & Wife Iceland Wedding Photography and Planning Team

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

The post Iceland Waterfall Weddings: Skogafoss Waterfall appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.