#1: Experience the World’s First & Only Glacier Zip Line

Freaking for real!  It’s possible with our friends at Ice Pic Journeys!  And they even pair their tours with professional photos, so it’s a non brainer to book!

#2: Canyoneering in Iceland

Imagine yourself rappelling through a waterfall or down into a deep canyon! Hello adrenaline rush!  Canyoneering for some will be a unforgettable lifetime moment!

#3: The Inside the Volcano Experience

A true “Journey to the Center of the Earth!” (hands down one of the most amazing tours I have ever been on).

#4: Snorkeling or Scuba Diving 

Through the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in the famed waters of Silfra (which is within the Thingvellir National Park, UNESCO site).

#5: Paragliding

 See Iceland from a breathtaking viewpoint by booking a paragliding or zip-line adventure!  The folks at Zip-Line Iceland would love to show you the view from their unique world!

#6: River Rafting 

Rafting in Iceland is a daring experience! Imagine yourself battling the rapids of Gullfoss or on the many glacial rivers throughout Iceland!

#7: Surfing or Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Here in Iceland, believe it or not we have some of the BEST and most challenging surfing in the world!  …and if you wish for a bit less of an adventure on water then try SUP boarding in some of the amazing glacier lakes!

#8: Hiking the famed the Laugavegur Trek

This amazing piece of landscape is open June to mid Sept. and is an awesome 3-5 day hike.

#9: Glaciers and Ice Caves

Are you game for daring expedition instead of just a tour?  Maybe abseiling down into an ice cave or something more daring?  Try our friends at Vik Expeditions, if so!

#10: Horseback Riding 

Imagine yourself trailing through remote areas of Iceland with this talented animal friend!

#11: Snowmobiling (Winter) or ATV Adventures (Summer)

In winter one of the best ways to explore the dynamic landscape first hand is to do it via snowmobile.  Then in summer connect with how green the landscape becomes by zipping along in an ATV!

#12: Caving

Iceland is home to countless lava tubes that are just begging for you to explore!  Sometimes you go so deep into a cave that you find icicles coming up from the ground!  Soooo cool, right?! Check out the below image we did during a couple’s post wedding session in Iceland (photographed in 100% darkness)!

No matter how you like to plan your adventure in Iceland pre or post wedding, make sure you walk away with no regrets, lots of photos and memories!  Lastly, we hope you enjoyed reading about the top 12 adventurous things to do in Iceland today!!

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

The post 12 Adventurous Things to Do After Your Iceland Wedding Day appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

During their last few days of their journey through the land of fire and ice, they spent a day with us exploring the dynamic and colorful Icelandic wintry landscape!

They hiked.  They climbed.  They even said “yes” to my request for them to repel down into cave through a snow tunnel!

True adventurers who were after an unforgettable honeymoon!  …and they got it! ?

Thank you Maegan and Jesse for choosing us and Your Adventure Wedding to plan and photograph such a gorgeous honeymoon session in Iceland!

With a smile, Ann Peters (Iceland Wedding and Honeymoon Photography)

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

The post Iceland Honeymoon Adventure | Maegan + Jesse appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

You could spend days driving through these magical fjords adventuring!  Very easily, you could spend a day discovering the beautiful beaches within the Westfjords such as the beautiful Rauðisandur golden sand beach.  Waterfall hunting as an additional day is so much fun!  Then heading to the High North area of the fjords hiking and bird watching around the cliffs of Bolafjall.

Hot spring and warm geothermal pools are throughout the Western Fjords as well, ready to be discovered by you!  Yet another day, can be spent exploring the many fishing villages throughout the area such as the Djupavik herring factory ruins or the famed village of Ísafjörður!  Do you remember the amazing hotel we featured a few years ago that is tucked within that amazing little town?  If you cannot recall, feel free to back here to explore that Iceland wedding post!

One of the many waterfalls found within Iceland’s Westfjords is the famed, Dynjandi Waterfall.  There are many levels of the waterfall you can explore so take your time to discover every inch!  Maybe even plan a picnic?  The view from the midpoint and the top of the waterfall is quite unforgettable too!

The days I have spent running around the Westfjords, I have been lucky enough to stumble upon several secret waterfalls we would love to share with you as a possible Iceland wedding locations!  …Think: Just the two of you and countless sheep as your audience as you say your memorable Iceland wedding vows to each other! <3

I usually get an email every month from a couple wondering if they can hold their Iceland wedding or elopement in a castle… I sadly always have to respond letting them know there are no castles in Iceland (and maybe they should try Scotland).  But!  There is a gorgeous ruin of an old farm house that resembles the closest thing to a “Castle” in Iceland.

We would love the opportunity to plan your Iceland Adventure Wedding here in the Westfjords.  Feel free to contact us for more information on making that idea your reality!  In the meantime, enjoy a few photos of the fabulous Icelandic Westfjords below.

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 Wedding Locations | West Fjords appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Six things that keep me always coming back is the following:

The quality of food.

The flavor ingenuity.

Presentation: How it’s plated.

The vibe and atmosphere.

The drink options.

The service of the staff.

That being said, I would love to share with you my favorite restaurants in Reykjavik today!

1. Snaps
2. Fiskmarkaðurinn (Fish Market)
3. Grillmarkaðurinn (Grill Market)
4. Matarkjallarinn (Food Cellar)
5. Public House Gastro Pub
6. Slippbarinn
7. Dill
8. Fjallkonan
9. Mathús Garðabæjar
10. Apotek
11. Kol Restaurant
12. Duck & Rose

Note: If interested in dinning at any of them, I strongly encourage you to make in advance reservations, especially on the weekends or high season summer days.

With a smile, Ann Peters (Iceland Wedding Photographer & Iceland Adventure Wedding Planner)

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

The post Iceland Honeymooning | Top 12 Restaurants in Reykjavik appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Best Iceland Hot Springs

Everyone has a different definition of what the “best” means.  After all, it can vary depending on your situation and location.  Therefore, we will share with you the best Iceland hot springs by each region of Iceland for better planning as you embark on your Iceland self-drive honeymoon itinerary…

Near to Reykjavik:

• Sky Lagoon: My personal favorite! Plus you can purchase beer, juices, wine, and decent champagne to enjoy too! Worth every penny of the admission fee, I promise!
• Hvammsvik: This place is magical!

Reykjanes Peninsula:

• Skatalaug

South Iceland:

• Want something now and near the area to you? Iceland has over 100+ country-wide public Swimming Pools (Note: They have seriously strict rules like showering naked before and after your swim, so don’t be modest and follow/respect the rules)!
• The Secret Lagoon in Fludir
• Reykjadalur River (45-90 minute hike depending on weather/snow level. It’s super close to the quaint of town Hveragerdi).
• Fontana
• Seljavallalaug (Southern Iceland -Man made but a super cool mountain pool 20 minute hike and the water is from a natural mountain source).

Iceland Highland Hot Springs:

• Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring
• Landmannalaugar (within the Icelandic Highlands)
• Hveravellir Highland Hot Spring

East Iceland:

• Vök Baths: Floating Pools!

North Iceland:

• Grettislaug Hot Spring
• Forest Lagoon
• Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths
• Fosslaug Hot Springs
• Grjótagjá (Northern Iceland – Be careful the rocks have been shifting and the water is hotter than a typical hot tub)

West Iceland:

• Landbrotalaug (Snaefellsness Peninsula)

Meanwhile, there are many other super secret ones too, we’d love to share but those are reserved for our hardcore super cool clients!  <3  Note: The Blue Lagoon and the Myvatn Nature Baths did not make our list for 3 Reasons: A.) It’s man made.  B.) The water that fills it is runoff from the nearby power treatment plant.  C.) It can be very touristy.  But it can be a must see for many so please don’t let us deter you as this is just our offbeat opinion.

Anyhow, we’d love to put together an unforgettable Iceland honeymoon or self-drive adventure for you, so please contact us for more information!  Also if you seek other super cool adventures, checkout our hand picked Iceland experiences page.

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

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

The post Iceland Honeymoon Adventures: Best Iceland Hot Springs (Updated for 2024) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Choosing Iceland as your honeymoon location is a really special decision.  Iceland is not the “typical” honeymoon spot filled with relaxation, palm trees, 80 degree temperatures and white sand beaches.  Quite the opposite for temperature and terrain.  But for adventure seekers, our cup runneth over! A place that is epically pure, beautiful, unforgettable, offers unique activities, and is unlike anywhere else on the planet.  Iceland truly offers you another world experience.

Southeast Iceland houses one of the country’s most beautiful natural wonders, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (pronunciation found here).  A receding glacier created this gorgeous sight of multicolored icebergs within a lake.  But, as many of you will find out as you start planning your trip to Iceland, the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon is ­­more than 5 hours one way from downtown Reykjavík.  Driving there and back in one day can take its toll and bus tours out of Reykjavík just isn’t for everyone.  Staying the night at Hali Country Hotel in Hofn is a great escape from the long drive.  Hali Country Hotel is only a few miles from this spectacular glacier lagoon.

Hali Country Hotel made our favorites list this year for so many reasons!  They are a year round boutique hotel that can easily accommodate Iceland honeymooners and elopements. They also have a historical exhibit onsite to the great writer Þórbergur Þórðarson (1888 – 1974), and a dynamite restaurant on the property that serves the traditional Arctic Char.   You get a private experience especially if you are lucky enough to book one of their newly built stand alone condos.

This country escape was built in 2005 and has continued to expand over the years as it grows in popularity.  Currently Hali has 23 double bed hotel rooms, a guesthouse with 6 double beds, and 2 condos with 2 double beds in each.  They book 1 year in advance, so make your plans early.

Iceland Wedding Planner’s Visit to Hali Country Hotel:

The evening before, we had stayed at Hotel Laekur in Hella, Iceland.  We had an action packed schedule for our 5 hours of daylight that day.  We explored off the beaten paths from Hella to Kirkjubæjarklaustur in daylight.  Once dusk settles, the road can be tough to drive in the rain and in the dark so be careful!  After many twists, turns, and one way bridges you’ll find Hali Country Hotel nestled between the Vatnajökull Glacier and the Atlantic Ocean, slightly off of Route 1.  We arrived around 6:30pm that November evening and the outside of the main building looked beautiful lit up.

Our fabulous hosts Torbjörg Arnórsdóttir and Fjölnir Torfason, gave us the opportunity to try out their newest addition to the property, their yellow honeymoon cottage.  We stayed in the upper portion of the cottage and it was beautiful.  As soon as you go up the stairs and enter in to the main floor, there is a large living room, fully furnished kitchen with all new appliances, coffee machine, pots, pans, glasses, etc.  The owners have not left out one detail.  On the other side of the cottage there are 2 bedrooms with double size beds that are lush and comfortable.  The bathroom just outside of both rooms is well done and offers a view of the coastline.

Once we settled in to our Icelandic honeymoon cottage, we took a short walk back to the main building to grab some dinner.  All of the staff at Hali Country Hotel, were professional, and offered us very quick service.  The dining area is delightfully simple offering a nice space for their guests to dine.  The walls are adorned with photographs from some really amazing Icelandic landscape photographers and really adds to the overall ambience.  At this point, we had not been able to visit the glacial lagoon and seeing those photos throughout really added to our excitement.

Hali Country Hotel Restaurant is well-known for their Arctic Char and lamb raised at the Hali Farm.  Have you heard of Arctic Char before?  It is a delicious cold water fish that is most often found in the Nordic countries.  The fish tastes like a mix between salmon and trout (smooth taste, not fishy at all).  All of their ingredients for their menu are sourced locally, were incredibly fresh and scrumptious.  We delighted the following items during our stay at Hali:

• Traditional Icelandic Meat Soup (1,250 ISK / $11 USD)
• Artic Char with salad, and roasted potatoes in a garlic dill sauce (3,500 ISK / $31 USD)
• Grilled Lamb, vegetables, potatoes and homemade gravy (4,400 ISK / $39 USD)
• Traditional Icelandic Skyr with ice cream and whipped cream (900 ISK / $8 USD)

A traditional European breakfast is served to all guests in the morning.  It was a very nice spread filled with lots of cereals, meats, cheeses, coffee, and juices.  One thing we did find very surprising during our stay at Hali was the wind, it was incredibly fierce and just reminded us of nature’s power in Iceland.  Even our host at Hali Country Hotel, Torbjörg says that her favorite thing about Iceland is that, “The magnificent nature is totally different from other parts of Europe. The power of nature and weather which you cannot control, but must adjust to.”  And adjust we did.

In the same building as the Hali restaurant, the museum and heritage centre offers opportunity to learn more about the famous writer Þorbergur Þorðarson and a chance to learn more about the difficult lives Icelandic farmers lived during that era.  We found the museum gave a great illustration on how local life was during that time.

In speaking with one of the owners, Torbjörg about weddings she boasted the following advice, “Expect Icelandic weather to be unpredictable and not always possible to be outdoors. Not even in the summer time.”  Although there is no indoor wedding ceremony option onsite at Hali Country Hotel, Kálfafell Church is within 10km and a perfect “plan b” option.  If you had good weather for your Iceland wedding day, the Skaftafell National Park, Vatnajökull Glacier, Jökúlsárlón Glacier Lagoon are all within minutes of this serene country escape.

Hali welcomes Iceland destination weddings for groups less than 40 people in the off season months.  If you have a group, are a couple on your Iceland honeymoon, or it is just the two of you eloping, feel free to reach out to the Hali team to see if they have availability for your stay.

Hali Country Hotel’s Information:

Website: http://hali.is/
Hali Hotel GPS Coordinates: 64.129671 N” -16.017823 W”
Address:  781 Höfn í Hornafirði, Iceland ?
Phone: +354-478 1073 / 867 2900
Email: hali@hali.is

We hope today you have enjoyed our feature on Hali Country Hotel and will consider them as you plan your trip to Iceland.  If you are interested in having your wedding in Iceland at the Jökúlsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, or on top of the Vatnajökull Glacier we would love to help you plan and photograph your dream wedding!  Please feel free to contact us directly here for more information on making that happen.  In the meantime, Happy New Year and we hope 2014 proves to be your best year yet!

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters (Iceland Wedding Photographers)

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

The post Iceland Honeymoon: Hali Country Hotel appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

There comes a point in your wedding planning where you hit a roadblock.  Whether it is with finding the right vendors or trying to get detail/design inspiration, either way it can be very frustrating.  But don’t fret!  At any point in time if you get overwhelmed, you can consult with a professional wedding planner like us who can help you unblock!  If you’re planning a crazy awesome destination wedding in Iceland at Seljalandsfoss, Vik Beach, or the stunning Faroe Islands, please contact us to see how we can help you make your day flawless.

Your wedding details are the little snippets that warm your guest’s heart, blow them away, really enhance the overall vibe and experience for all involved.  And they especially make your Iceland wedding portraits unlike anyone else’s!  Even if you are on a budget there are ways to make high-end niceties that go that extra mile.  It may be as simple as finding or creating an awesome template, buying fun metallic paper and printing yourself (DIY Iceland wedding details, ta-da!).  In our styled photo session we present to you this week, we combined some easy-to-do affordable details that can really make your Iceland wedding a show-stopper.

• Freeze Dried Petals!  …for your Iceland wedding ceremony aisle way, ceremony chairs, as décor for your reception, for playful wedding photos, or to have your guests throw in celebration of your newly wedded bliss.  One of our favorite vendors, Flyboy Naturals is the #1 company for destination wedding rose petals.  Mainly because their customer service and attention to detail is first-class.  But, the selection, the variety of colors, types of flower blends, prices, and the fact that they are 100% eco-friendly makes them unbeatable in the wedding industry.

As an Iceland wedding planner, I exclusively use their freeze dried rose petals for destination weddings because of the endless benefits.  For one, you can order 1-cup samples in every color they offer.  That way, you can trial ahead of time to ensure your color combinations go along with your design vision- my destination brides really love this feature!  Personally, I know because I have been in your shoes and planned my own Iceland destination wedding.  We held our wedding at Seljalandsfoss waterfall in April 2012, and I ordered at least 10 different samples trying to find that exact shades of pink I needed <bridezilla crisis aborted, lol>.

Second, they ship to Iceland and other obscure wedding locations- believe me not all industry vendors will (Note: You will need to pay import duties).  The really good news… Flyboy will also save your wedding budget.  Real life example: I was quoted over $2,000 USD for rose petals by an Iceland florist for 500 cups of petals (~30,000 petals) and they could not even guarantee me a shade of pink (only white petals).  But by ordering from Flyboy Naturals, I not only previewed my shades of pink but I happily saved $1,000 in my wedding budget (Hello more Bali honeymoon adventures!).  See how our Iceland wedding ceremony aisle way looked, here (we used Kara’s Blend).

Third, their petals are extremely vibrant, fragrant, and are light weight (regular rose petals are very dense in comparison) which create some super cute photo opportunities!  Finally, Jami Brown and the awesome team at Flyboy Naturals, care.  They care about you, your special event, and the colorful role their freeze dried petals will play in your Iceland destination wedding photos.

• End of Aisle Tie: This is one of my favorite details many brides planning forget!  Having a flower tie, a “love sign,” or simplistic ribbon tie closing the end of your ceremony aisle adds a very elegant detail and also adds to the anticipation of the bride’s arrival.  The bonus: It looks amazing in setup/detail photos and also keeps your petal walkway 100% intact!  Initially, you may think it is a inconvenience to your guests having to enter their seats from the outside but for a wedding less than 80 people it really isn’t.  We used 2 colored ribbons to tie the end of our aisle, see our ceremony Seljalandsfoss wedding ceremony here.

• Chair Sashes:  These add a striking splash of color to your outdoor ceremony or Iceland wedding reception setup.  Even if you do not want to have for every chair, at least have for the last row and the row of honor (parents), it will make a giant aesthetic difference in most cases!  In our photo examples below, we used coral for our Iceland wedding ceremony and reception chair mock up.  Another affordable suggestion for you to add to your Iceland reception decor would be to have Mr. & Mrs. (or Bride & Groom) signs on your chairs.  Our Amazon Storefront sells all sorts of unique ones from banner ties to antique styled, super neat to have for your reception candid photographs!  See one of my favorite examples of this DIY Iceland detail from a stunning October wedding I photographed, here.

• Umbrellas: If you are holding your ceremony outside or are planning your Iceland wedding at Seljalandsfoss or Skogafoss waterfalls, I highly suggest you provide umbrellas for your guests, just in case!  You can easily put them into your guests welcome bags or place one on each chair at the ceremony.  Real life example: For our wedding at Seljalandsfoss, we had purchased black umbrellas, tied a pretty fuchsia and silver ribbon on it with a metallic card that said, “In Case You Encounter April Showers!” Super cute, right?  That additional detail is still something our guests talk about.

• Rosette Table Cloths: As Iceland destination wedding photographers, we love seeing and photographing lots of different textures at weddings from rosette accents to earthy burlap table runners.  It adds a unique depth to your table designs and really adds a gorgeous touch of elegance.  In our Iceland inspired photo session you can see an example here.

• Satin/Pintuck Napkins:  I love napkins, totally nerdy I know!  I adore matching colors, different textures, and folding them is uber relaxing!  One of my favorite websites that feature different kind of wedding napkin folds is found, here.  For our wedding weekend we had the following: Silver pintuck placemats and white canvas napkins (starch folded as bird of paradise) for our Iceland wedding welcome dinner table design.  Our Iceland wedding reception design featured, brown rosette table runners and matching brown pintuck napkins folded in a downward boat fan held together by engraved “Iceland 2012” luggage tag favors.

• Charger Plate: Having decorative charger plates as part of the table design boosts the first impression your guests will have entering into your reception.  Recall the weddings you have attended, one that has had a buffet station setup and one that you had a plated meal.  Which had a bigger impact on you?  Hands down, you’re probably thinking the overall detail of experience of the latter one left more of an impression for you long term.  Same theory here.  Having charger plates imply there will be many courses to your meal which truly goes with the theme of “Eat, Drink, & Be Married” rather than the “get in line” feeling.

• MENU’s:  This classy little detail is a very easy do-it-yourself trick.  How to create your own wedding menus: I purchased 2 types of paper, rose petal embedded cardstock and metallic cardstock, found my desired templates, mocked up course driven menus and printed 2 per sheet (5×7 finished size) and voila, DIY Iceland wedding menus!  If you’re not having a charger plate for your reception tables this might be a nice alternative as it can easily add a splash of color and sophistication to the detail of your tables.

• Rose Favors:  Having rose favors is a fabulous alternative if you are considering opting out of providing traditional favors for your Iceland destination wedding.  A very pretty alternative could be a mini flower in the center of your menu/charger plate.  It adds a dreamy softness to your reception tables especially when you incorporate your wedding colors in the ribbon tie or flower colors.

• DIY Iceland Wedding Flowers:  Your wedding bouquet is important to your Iceland wedding portraits.  In a country where much of the terrain is barren for most of the year, your wedding bouquet and boutonniere will add a very fun splash of color and amplify your wedding day attire.  I always suggest colored flowers because you never know if it will rain, snow, be foggy, or abundant sunny on your wedding day in Iceland (Famous saying in Iceland, is to wait 15 minutes for new weather to roll in off the coast).  I think we had all of those elements during our April wedding day at Seljalandsfoss, champagne toast at Vik Beach, and Iceland wedding portraits at Skogafoss waterfall.  I will say, also that my fresh flower fushia bridal bouquet was stunning against every scene even to the end of our Hella, Iceland wedding reception at Hotel Ranga.  For this styled photo shoot, we DIY our Iceland wedding bouquets and centerpieces.  Out of this entire Iceland inspired shoot this by far was my fave to do as prep.  I love playing with roses!  I used ~100 roses total (2 shades of peach, ivory, and dark orange), 1 bunch of greens, rhinestone floral picks, silver and peach ribbon to create the following: 1 bridal bouquet, 1 bridesmaid bouquet, 2 round centerpieces, 2 vased centerpieces, and 6 flower favors.  If you have the time and patience, it is quite fun to create your own Iceland wedding flowers.  We had a great bridal bouquet post a few weeks ago that may help you determine what kind may be perfect for you, here.

• Cupcake Banners: One of my super fun 2014 bride and grooms said it best when I asked them “what is most important” to them in their Iceland wedding planning: They “wanted their guests to Eat, Drink, and be Merry” in an amazing locale.  <3 On that note, I thought how fun would it be to include cupcake banners that express just that, as a DIY Iceland wedding detail.  Although the cupcakes scream delicious butter-cream beauty, the banners also add a whimsical element that will make your guests giggle.  The cupcake wedding banners how to is as simple as typing up some playful wedding terms, printing on metallic paper, gathering up toothpicks, a glue stick, fancy scissors, and assembling!

Putting your own hallmark on your wedding day details is a fantastic way to make your wedding memorable to all involved.  Whether you choose to do that by selecting a unique wedding location in Iceland, DIY particulars, or combine some of your favorite things you have seen through the years- do it, make those details forever yours!  After all, you only get to find and marry your soul mate once!  We hope the post today on our Iceland wedding styled session details finds a way to unblock your creative planning juices.  If not, the photographs below are sure to stir up some awesome ideas for your own Iceland destination wedding!  Also see this fabulous styled shoot published on Storyboard Weddings Blog here.

Lots of planning smiles to you, Ann Peters

Iceland Wedding Planning & Iceland Wedding Photography

About Us:  We have over 10 years of destination wedding photography and planning experience.  We are very detailed, adventurous, have a passion for Iceland and wedding photography in the unmatchable terrain.  In April 2012, we were married in Iceland at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, had wedding day stops at Vik Beach for a champagne toast, rainbows at Skogafoss, and Hotel Ranga in Hella Iceland.  Truly, we know first hand how epic of a country Iceland is and how special it is for you to plan your wedding in Iceland!  So whether you are planning an Iceland destination wedding for 10 guests or 100, we can help you plan every stage, very detail, and then photograph your amazing wedding weekend in Iceland, forever pausing that time for you!

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Kudos to our awesome vendors who participated in this Iceland wedding styled session!  Please spend some time checking them out!

• Rose Petals:  Flyboy Naturals – Provided the stunning freeze dried rose petals in 2 colors (Romantic Rendezvous and Living Easy).
• Bridal Bouquets & Centerpieces: PBMA Rose Boutique (Look familiar?  Yes, this is us too!  We love everything about weddings!).  The peach/orange bouquets and centerpieces were inspired by one of our 2014 Iceland couples.
• Event Design & Setup: Iceland Wedding Planner
• Photography: Photos by Miss Ann (Ann Peters)
• Chairs & Linens:  Your Event Party Rental of Plymouth, Michigan
• Hair: Donald Steven’s Salon
• Makeup: Brittany Lambert
• Model: Jacqueline Ann
• Cupcakes: Perfect Desserts in Novi, Michigan
• “Love” Sign: Expressions in Design, check out her super cute Amazon Shop

The post Iceland Wedding Styled Session appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Thanks for stopping by!  A fun fact about us… We went from having an Iceland destination wedding to a honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia.  We loved having the two extremes for our wedding adventures.  Our honeymoon was featured on the fabulous Aisle Perfect / Perfete blog, so a take moment to check it out!

Definition of HONEYMOON  (Source: Merriam-Webster )

1: a period of harmony immediately following marriage

2: a period of unusual harmony especially following the establishment of a new relationship

3: a trip or vacation taken by a newly married couple

Ah, yes every engaged couples “light at the end of the tunnel”- the honeymoon.  Long awaited and well deserved.  After planning our Iceland destination wedding from October 2011 to April 2012 and coordinating travels and activities for our 40 guests we knew we would need a break right after the wedding, not another vacation.  To us, it seemed like terrible etiquette to have all the people we love fly in for just a few days of wedding events and then not spend time with them.

Whether you are planning a local wedding in Plymouth, Michigan or destination wedding at in Iceland I assure you, breaking tradition and waiting to take your honeymoon 6 months later is the way to go.  Every bride gets wrapped up into the excitement and planning of the day and once she goes back to normal life with no wedding planning to keep her busy a type of “post wedding depression” sets in.  Even being a super planner and being a destination wedding photographer as myself (please visit: www.PhotosByMissAnn.com), I was actually surprised at what a void I felt.  Planning my Iceland wedding became a hobby.  The excitement level crashed upon our return to Plymouth Michigan; my wedding was now ancient history.

Luckily, I had my honeymoon to plan! Bam, easy transition out of my post-wedding-blues!  Much like the same way we attacked finding a destination wedding location we compiled a list of possible honeymoon locations:

1. The Maldives
2. Antarctica (via Santiago, Chile)
3. Bali, Indonesia
4. Faroe Islands

Being a wedding photographer and specializing in destination wedding photography, we needed to work around my high season of photographing and plan for a trip in November or December.  That sadly eliminated the Faroe Islands since there would only be 4-6 hours of daylight during that time.  In the end, we chose Bali, Indonesia.  We rented “The Honeymoon Villa” in Candidasa.  Candidasa is 1.5 hours northeast of the DPS airport and the waypoint to all of the adventure and amazing food the country has to offer.

Each couple has to decide what sort of honeymoon they want to have and we are 100% action-packed adventure (and “sleep when you’re dead,” sort of travelers).  Our itinerary truly reflected the same.  If you’re reading this and are like us I suggest the following awesomeness for your destination honeymoon:

Day 1: Fly to LAX and stay overnight.

Day 2 and 3: Arrive in Bali (DPS airport).

Day 4: Check out our favorite beach Padang Padang then head to Ayana Resort for their “Pesta Lobster” dining experience.  Uber romantic!

Day 5: Check out the Tirtagangga Water Palace and the White Sand Beach. 11pm leave for the Sunrise Hike to the top of the highest peak in Bali, Mount Agung.

Day 6: Hike 9,900 feet to watch the sunrise on Bali’s highest volcano and then visit Pura Besakih (Temple in the Clouds).

Day 7:Day trip to the oldest most traditional Baliense village Tenganan and and then go to Ubud to shop the 4 story market.

Day 8:  Go Canyoning in Bali

Day 9: Head to the Taro jungle and ride an elephant at the Elephant Safari Park.

Day 10: Scuba Dive Tulamben – USAT Liberty Wreck.

Day 11: Spend the afternoon at Pandang Bai Beach, dinner at Rouge in Canidasa, and fly out of DPS at midnight.

As we planned our honeymoon in Bali, we debated on hiring a professional photographer to do some post wedding / honeymoon photography locally.  But, me being the perfectionist I am, I could not bear the thought though of anyone else photographing my honeymoon, but me!  So alas, against my husband’s pleas not to bring… the professional Nikon gear was packed!

Honeymoon Photography is a new upcoming phenomenon. As couples begin to choose more out of the norm locations (or luxury honeymoon locales) this becomes increasing important to document.  This is the couples chance to forever seal their wedding year glamor and turn it to printable legend.  It is certainly not every day or even every year you can take such an elaborately striking vacation so take advantage of it.  Forever pause this time in your lives and hire a professional to capture it!

Picture this… It’s just the two of you- no family, no friends, no obligations to worry about and certainly no time constraints as you did during your wedding day.  Plus ladies,you can choose to have another fun dress to be photographed in (or don your gorgeous wedding dress again!), bonus!  Destination honeymooning in Iceland, Fiji, Bora Bora, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, or even Bali Indonesia is a lifetime adventure and you need to capture that matchless beauty in couples portraits!  Especially if you have chosen to stay in one of those glorious over the ocean bures!

After having a destination wedding in Iceland in April my husband and I needed a break, not honeymoon!  So we waited 7 months on our official honeymoon and decided on Bali Indonesia.  Choosing such an exotically dreamy place, we knew we needed to document it.  We professionally photographed our own couples portraits and also hoped to fast-track this new trend in our destination wedding photography packages going forward.  We began our photography adventure at Padang Padang Beach (the Bali beach featured in the movie Eat, Pray, Love) and it was stunning!  Next up was a very romantic sunset dinner on Ayana Resorts Private Jetty.  A few days later we finished with a couple of random spots in around the city we stayed, Candidasa.

What a fun week of portrait sessions!  My husband and I were relaxed, playful, and uber romantic as we had every spot to ourselves.  I was so excited that I was already envisioning 19×23’’ acrylic prints to hang and designing our Christmas cards in my head!  This was truly a special session for us.  Here we were in the middle of an unusual countryside celebrating our 7 month anniversary (delaying the honeymoon was the best decision) and we were savoring every second.

Our honeymoon portrait session was unlike any other session we have to date experienced.  It was not as awkward as our engagement session nor as stressful as our wedding day- it was us in the essence of the moment and at our best.  These are by far my favorite images we have taken because taking them was an adventure in itself!  I know many of you may not have ever thought of it, but why not take your wedding photographer on your honeymoon?  Especially those of you bride and grooms that are planning destination weddings- I bet all of your destination wedding photographers would offer you a special package to continue on with you on your honeymoon too, just ask!  The wedding is critical but the honeymoon is epically you!

Yours in Iceland destination wedding photography and planning, Ann

13 Must Dos for your Wedding Day

Best Destination Wedding Tips for Obscure Locations

Aisle Perfect / Perfete Bali Honeymoon Feature

© 2002-2012, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

The post Destination Honeymoon Photography: Bali Indonesia appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

It’s hard to believe a year ago I was sitting in this same spot as a Plymouth Michigan Wedding Photographer planning my own Iceland Destination Wedding from hundreds of miles away.  The thought had crossed my mind at that point… How was I going to photograph my own wedding?  Would Photos by Miss Ann need to hire another assistant?  Could I trust a local?  Do I bring in my own destination wedding photographer and trust they are as wedding detailed as I strive to be?  Many sleepless nights were spent contemplating this dilemma.  We contacted many folks from one person shows to married couples who said they would “knock our socks off and offer unlimited time coverage.”  Everyone claims to be an “experienced destination wedding photographer” so please be careful and aware as you search for your Iceland destination wedding photographer.  Here is a list of helpful questions to ask that may help you decide:

1)      How many destination weddings have you photographed by yourself and under your current business name?

2)      What countries and environments have you photographed in?

3)      Do you offer destination wedding weekend coverage or only “continuous” day coverage?  If so for how long and what are your limitations?

4)      What makes you more desirable than hiring a local photographer?

5)      What sort of lighting equipment do you bring?  Are you prepared for all types of conditions and photographing every detail we spent so much time planning?

6)      Do you travel with backup gear?

7)      Do you interact with the guests (IE, grouping couples together or being forward enough to group of friends/family together)?

8)      How detailed do you feel you are?  Can you give examples during a destination wedding? IE, May I see a full wedding gallery you delivered to a couple?

9)      Can you give me an example on how you exceeded a brides expectations?

10)  Can you give me an example when you disappointed a client and what the end result was?

11)  Do you carry travel and liability insurance?

12)  What happens if you miss your flight, a family emergency happens, or you are late to our wedding day?

13)  If it rains during our outside ceremony, how do you handle your gear?

14)  Do you carry an emergency survival kit?

15)  Do you photograph in RAW?

16)  Will I receive the high-resolution files in RAW or JPEG files?

17)  What is your processing workflow timeline once you have photographed our images?

18)  What is your turn around time from my wedding day?

19)  Do you offer a pre or post Iceland wedding session?

20)  What places would you suggest we photograph nearby our ceremony and reception location? IE, Have you photographed in our region of Iceland before?

21)  Do you offer nighttime photography and/or Northern Lights Wedding Photography to be done after our reception?

22)  Will you check in with us before you leave for the night and the weekend?

23.) Will you be following up with us once your service is complete?

24.) Will you be posting our images or using them in any way without our permission?

25.) Do you use off camera lighting?

26.) Is drone photography at our Iceland wedding locations an option?

Asking those types of questions will allow you understand and gauge their experience level in photography, customer service, travel, and how they could be an asset to your wedding day before, during, and after.

Deciding on a wedding photographer is on the same level of picking your wedding date.  After all, those are the two things is all you’re going to have once the day is over outside of the actual memories!   We chose Saturday, April 14th 2012, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall for our ceremony location and Hotel Ranga for our beautiful 5-course reception dinner.

For our destination wedding in Iceland, we unfortunately did not have a positive overall experience with our hired wedding photography team from Toronto Ontario.  Their technical quality was disappointing and their lack of attention to details was an even bigger problem.  They basically left with having to edit our own wedding portraits and recreate just about all of our wedding day details to ensure they were properly documented.  So please, please be careful out there as you choose your Iceland destination wedding photographers!

At Photos by Miss Ann, we thrive on adventure (details!) and love… We also strive to be your premiere Iceland wedding photographer by always exceeding your expectations and creating portraits you will love for a lifetime.  So whether you are getting married at the stunning Seljalandsfoss waterfall like Chris and I did or at the hundreds of other gorgeous Iceland wedding photography spots we would love to be your destination wedding photographer and destination engagement session expert!

Yours in Iceland wedding planning and Iceland destination wedding photography,  Ann

Please visit: Photos by Miss Ann for more information!

© 2002-2012, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

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