Do you ever get those?

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

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

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

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

Weddings in Iceland with us equal adventure, that simple.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This week, you’ll find our photo company, Photos by Miss Ann featured on Huffington Post for a Lapland Elopement at the Igloo Hotel.  You’ll also find Richard + Angela’s awesome Iceland wedding featured today on MyWedding.com!  Okay okay, now go bask in the romance of Northern Iceland!

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

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

The post Northern Iceland Wedding Featured on MyWedding.com appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Finding the right wedding venue for your Iceland destination wedding is one of the most important early steps in wedding planning. Objectives may include finding a hotel in a secluded setting, accommodating hard to please guests, close to the attractions you want to see, and offers a personal romantic experience. Good news! The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel includes every one of those features and so much more. There are very few hotels in Iceland that have such a dramatic setting while having a Michelin Star Chef at the restaurant helm. The ION made our 2013 Favorite Iceland Wedding Hotels list because of the complete experience they offer.

When you plan a trip to the land of fire and ice, you are in search of a place that encompasses that tagline, right? The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel’s location takes full advantage of the hotel’s natural backdrop of Mount Hengill’s lava fields and the majestic Thingvellir Lake. The ION brings the dramatic Icelandic elements of fire and ice together and connects you to them. Hotel ION provides guests with an unforgettable 5 senses experience. Your eyes will delight in the distinctive design of the hotel, your ears will appreciate the stillness of the natural surroundings, your touch will be encircled by the warm waters of their magnificent geothermal spa pool, you will smell the pure Icelandic air, and your taste buds will be overwhelmed by the delectable meals the Silfra Restaurant creates!

I’ll be honest and say that we had set some pretty high hopes for our stay at the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel and they exceeded our expectations at every turn! We highly recommend this fantastic hotel to any couple out there in search of an idyllic Iceland wedding location no matter the season you plan to marry. The ION Hotel in Selfoss opened their doors in February 2013 and currently has 45 total rooms to offer Iceland wedding guests, groups, and Iceland honeymooners. They have deluxe and standard rooms to choose from, all offering a phenomenal view of either the extraordinary lava fields and Thingvellir Lake or the steaming Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station. The famed Silfra Restaurant, Lava Spa, and Northern Lights Bar are all located inside ION, so make sure you take the time to check them out! The starting price of a night’s stay at this superb hotel begins at 32,000 ISK (~$275 USD).

Iceland Wedding Planner’s ION Luxury Adventure Hotel Experience:

It was a rainy December afternoon as we made the drive from Frost and Fire in Hveragerdi to the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Selfoss. But it was still an inspiring drive beside the mountains. From the moment we left downtown Selfoss we saw signs leading us all the way to ION. The scenery you pass is filled with picturesque mountains, rustic farm animals, incredible lake views, and moss covered lava fields. At every turn we were anxiously anticipating our arrival. Then there it was… a very chic modernly designed hotel set within moss covered lava fields, cushioned between a volcano, geothermal grounds, and a lake! Our enthusiasm was off the charts!

ION was stunning and every bit as beautiful as all of the photos on their website suggest. Sadly, it was raining during our visit; otherwise we would have had more vibrant exterior shots to share. Walking into the front door of the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel, the staff members greet you with welcoming faces. We felt that everyone on the ION team throughout our stay were professional, accommodating, and knowledgeable. Once we checked in, we had a tour of the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel. The hotel design has immersed itself in natural tones. Even when we were inside, we felt completely connected with the Icelandic landscape. There was one extraordinary detail that surprised us… As you step down the staircase to the Lava Spa, there are full length windows that allow you to be submerged in the lava fields eye to eye but still sheltered from the elements.

As you continue down the stairs, to the right you will find the entrance to the Lava Spa. If you appreciate ultimate relaxation and spoiling, the Lava Spa offers numerous services for you to partake in. There is also a meditation room where guests are welcomed to unwind at any time. A brilliantly designed spa pool just outside of the Lava Spa allows you to experience the Icelandic elements without actually leaving. The hotel even offers champagne service poolside for anyone celebrating.

As you step down the staircase into the Northern Lights Bar, there are full length windows that allow you to be engrossed in the lava fields while still staying warm and cozy. This feature makes the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel a prime spot for Northern Lights viewing. Many I’m sure have spent the evening there with a cocktail in hand relaxing under the Northern Lights, the stars, or midnight sun. If you are planning an Iceland elopement then the ION’s Northern Lights Bar could also dual as your inside ceremony location if needed as well. Artistic elements throughout the bar are also ecologically sustainable. For example, salvaged driftwood was transformed into many of the wooded details throughout the hotel and even the lights over the bar are astonishingly fashioned from recycled cardboard.

The ION’s Silfra Restaurant is stylish, inviting, and offers plenty of seating for guests to dine. If holding a wedding at ION Luxury Adventure Hotel, there are two other sections outside of the main dining area that can accommodate larger groups for a more private experience. First there is a meeting room that can easily hold 50 people. Also, just outside of Silfra lies a spacious patio allowing you to sit amongst the lava field. For larger Iceland destination weddings at the ION, they have even put a pole tent over the patio to house more than 100 guests. Weather permitting you could also easily have your Iceland wedding reception cocktail hour out there.

Our dinner dining experience at ION’s Silfra Restaurant was first class from start to finish. The acclaimed Michelin Star Chef Gudmundur Sverrisson has created a remarkable menu full of traditional Icelandic treats. Chris and I had a bottle of champagne and each opted to each try 3 different courses that evening.

Chris chose the famed Arctic Char which was cured, served with pickled cucumber, alongside of a delightful dill sauce. This dish was served cold and we found every bite to be a refreshing mix. I personally could not resist ordering the Mushroom Soup and it was hands down one of the best I have had. It was creamy, full of flavor and had me vying for the recipe by the end of the bowl.

For the main course Chris chose the fresh caught Pan Fried Salmon. The plate was perfectly presented with parsnip puree, fried broccoli, in a white wine sauce, all of which brought an overall amazing taste and color to the dish. I chose the utmost wonderful Filet of Lamb, served with root vegetables, parsnip, pork cheek, and a red wine sauce.

You think all that is divine? …Oh wait! It gets better! The hand crafted dessert options at the ION’s Silfra Restaurant will make you smile from ear to ear! The Skyr Crème Brûlée was Chris’s choice, and he even boasted about it being the best he had ever had. I went right for chocolate bliss and ordered the Triple Chocolate Delight which was a luxurious combination of cake, mouse, and chocolate ice cream. The presentation of each course was tops all the way and the taste of all of the flavors coming together in each bite was monumental. The fine flavor combinations within each course are sure to please even the biggest foodie. We believe the ION Luxury Adventure Hotel’s Silfra Restaurant offers supreme quality, impeccable service, and would be a marvelous location to hold your Iceland wedding reception.

After trying some Icelandic specialty cocktails we grabbed our posh robes from the room and headed down to the geothermal spa pool. To our delight we had huge snowflakes falling as we sat and relished in that amazing moment! The combination of cold winter air, warm water, and snow falling, all created a magical memory.

Our room that evening was #219 which boasted a view in the direction of the lake Thingvellir. The entire room was outfitted with premium eco-friendly products from the bed to bath. You have all of the classic and luxurious 5 star room amenities on hand. Although we were not graced by the Northern Lights during our stay at ION, we knew we wouldn’t miss them since they have a night staff member checking for them throughout the night. That person phones guests if they make an appearance.

The next morning, we actually woke up to ice on our room window and about 3 inches of snow outside! ION Luxury Adventure Hotel offers an exceptional breakfast selection to its guests. It is beautifully presented and available in the Silfra Restaurant beginning at 7am. You can expect to have farm fresh eggs, warm bacon, cold meats, cheeses, breads, granola, Icelandic Skyr, fruits, and endless drink choices. Although, the sudden snow storm did spoil our original plan of taking the beautiful mountain pass road (Route #36) and going back into Reykjavík, instead we took the safer route back down through the Selfoss downtown. As a side note, there are several roads in Iceland that are closed during the winter months so be aware of them as you plan out your driving routes. Specifically Iceland route #431 and #435 are closed from Oct 1st-May 1st. So when driving to the ION Hotel during winter months use Route #36 (Mosfellsbaer) and turn right onto #360 towards Nesjavellir or take Route 1 to Route #35 and #36 in from Selfoss.

The ION Luxury Adventure Hotel can easily be your gateway to all of the daring activities Iceland has to offer. Organized adventures such as glacier hiking, ice climbing, dog sledding, horseback riding, Northern Lights chasing, 4×4 off roading, scuba diving, snorkeling, rock climbing, caving, heli-skiing, and even inside volcano experiences. This luxury location can accommodate any type of Iceland destination wedding at any point during the year. ION Luxury Adventure Hotel welcomes groups of 160 or less. Please feel free to reach out to the ION team below to see if they can accommodate you during your visit to Iceland:

ION Luxury Adventure Hotel’s Contact Information:
Website: http://www.ioniceland.is/
Address: 801 Nesjavollum vid Thingvallavtn; Selfoss Iceland
Phone: +354-482-3415
ION Luxury Adventure Hotel GPS Coordinates: 64.1133 N, -21.242752 W
Email: reservations@ioniceland.is

Iceland is filled with many extraordinary hotel options, but most times your Iceland wedding budget plays the deciding role on where you end up. As Iceland wedding planners, part of our service to you is personalized venue appraisals and timeline planning to ensure you make the right choice for your wedding day in Iceland. Please feel free to contact us for more information on getting this process started for your big day! We would love to chat more with you about your Iceland dream wedding, possibly be your wedding planners and Iceland wedding photographers! We hope you have enjoyed our Iceland wedding hotel 2013 favorites list over the past several weeks. In case you missed our previous posts please feel free to go back and check them out: Hotel Laekur, Hali Country Hotel, Frost and Fire, and ION Luxury Adventure Hotel.

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters (Experts in Iceland Weddings)

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

The post Iceland Wedding Site: ION Luxury Adventure Hotel appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Welcome to Part 3 of 3 of our series on destination wedding invitations.

A few weeks ago, we featured the fun topic of Extravagant Destination Wedding Invitations and last week, we chatted about Creative Destination Wedding Invitations for Iceland Weddings that were of a moderate cost and added in few unique inclusions.  Today, we are going to talk about the final level and option for destination wedding invitations: the whimsical kind!

One of the really wonderful things about having a wedding invitation that has minimal frills but still is fanciful, is that you save on you wedding budget.  Who doesn’t love that?!  Having no specific needs for elaborate inserts, visuals, extra envelopes, (etc.,) really decreases the costs that can quickly emerge as you design your local or destination wedding invitations.

I’ve peaked your curiosity you say?   So you’re dying to know what is classified as a whimsical invitation design, I bet.  According to us, it is an invitation that is vibrant in color, has a dreamy font, eloquent in statement and most of all reflects you as a couple!  An invitation that makes your guests say, “Aww, how cute are they?!  I cannot wait for their wedding!”  We’re seeing a new trend emerge that takes a lighter and even humorous approach to the usual RSVP/Reply Card for weddings which add in some guest banter like inserting your own wedding “Mad Lib” for your guests to fill in (example below).  That option may be something you’ll want to consider if you’re not head over heels about the typical reply cards.

The invitation does not need to be elaborate in fact; many guests appreciate the frankness of a modest destination wedding invitation rather than having the cutesy frill inclusions.  They simply just want to know who, what, where, and when.  Each to his own, right?  I can appreciate all sides particularly when this side of the fence can be a significant Iceland wedding budget saver.  Especially if it means you can allocate those funds toward other things like having an awesome  destination wedding planner and a husband and wife Iceland wedding photography team! =)

To give you a real wedding in Iceland example, one of our favorite couples for 2014 made the unique decision to email their wedding invitations to their 50+ guests.  They plan to have each guest respond via their fun wedding website (Think: Iceland destination wedding RSVP).  This could easily be a savings of $200+ USD depending on how large your guest list is.  So now I’m guessing the big question you have is how do you execute this idea properly?  Good question!

Here’s our advice on the steps to a flawless destination wedding invitation timeline:

• First, set a wedding date that is more than 10 months before your desired date.  If you have done so, make sure you send out Iceland Save-the-Dates several months before so your guests know to reserve that time period ahead of time (emailing this is an option too!).  But giving everyone an opportunity to plan/save ahead time is proper wedding etiquette.

• Second, know your vision for your wedding day… do you want it to be soft and sweet, bold and adventurous, or an in between neutral mix?  Figuring this out will allow you to choose colors and the vibe your invitation will exude to your Iceland wedding guests.

• Narrow down what you would like to include with your destination wedding invitation (see last week’s post here on what is usually included).  [Invitation wording can be tricky but don’t fret; we’ll have a future blog post guiding you on this subject!]

• Have your awesome Iceland Wedding Planner design/find/present to you unique options for your wedding Iceland wedding invite.

• Discuss with your fiancé(e) the pros, cons, and feel of each option.  Which option reflects the two of you and your wedding style best?  How do you think your guests will react?

• {If printing} Decide on your favorite and get them ordered! (Iceland Wedding Planner Tip: Order 8+ months before your big day to avoid rush charges).

{Step by Step Directions: If Emailing Your Wedding Invitation}

1.   Create a wedding only email address that will be used strictly to catch all of your Iceland wedding guest RSVP’s (IE, EmandPenIceland20XX@gmail.com).  This makes life more organized if your guest list is larger than 10 people.

2.   Setup an RSVP page on your wedding website and also input your meal choices if possible (so you do not need to collect this information separately).  Note: If having an Iceland Wedding Welcome Dinner (Iceland Wedding Rehearsal Dinner), you may also want to have folks RSVP at that time as well.  Or else send another RSVP for that event 3-4 months before.

3.   Collect everyone’s email addresses (if you haven’t yet).

4.    Plan to email the invitation ~8-12 months before your wedding date and give your guests 2.5 months to acknowledge and reply.  For instance, if getting married in Iceland in October 2014 you would want to send out your wedding invitations no later than November 2013 and ask for your guests for the favor of their reply by February 1^st 2014 (8-9 months before) or sooner.

Two options on how to approach actually emailing the wedding invite:

•  Blind Copy (BCC) your guests in a mass email wedding invitation.

• Personalize to each guest (our recommendation to you).  If personalizing, you should formally invite your guests.  For instance, address by saying, “Ms./Mr. & Guest” or “Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Peters.”  Wedding invitations are formal so it is important to still convey that even through an email.

5.    About 3 weeks before your requested RSVP date, plan to send out a follow up email gently reminding your Iceland destination wedding guests about finalizing their decision.  Usually when people get that kind reminder they will jump into gear to request time off, book flights, reserve a room at your Iceland wedding host hotel, and browse around your wedding website for your pre/post wedding itinerary.

6.    Any stragglers that have not responded two weeks past your requested response date I would email them a personal little note checking in to make sure they received the email invitation and were able to open it.  That simple, leave the ball in their court with no pressure and if more time passes (another 2 weeks) and no response call them.  Whoever is closer to the friend or family member reach out to them individually and understand what might be keeping them from replying.  Is it a timing issue, money, travel fear, inexperience, etc?  See what you can do to help get them there.  …and if nothing, do not worry yourself over it, you tried your best to accommodate their situation.

7.    At the 90, 60, 30 day countdown to your wedding day in Iceland send an email or write a blog post about your excitement and share your activity itinerary with your guests.

8.   If you’re a super planner like we were, calling your guests 15 days before to ask them if they had any questions is a really sweet gesture especially to those who do not travel all the time.  That call will give them confidence!  [Personal Experience: The majority Ann’s family members had never traveled outside of the Midwest, so many of them had anxiety over traveling to Iceland.  That phone call days before gave them the boost they needed to put on their “adventurous game face.”]

9.    Remind your guests it’s a good idea to bring the wedding invitation, a copy of their passport (along with the real thing), and travel itinerary so that they can quickly get through customs with no issues.  Feel free to also share with them our previous blog post on what to pack as an Iceland wedding guest here.

Hopefully you found the above a pretty straightforward timeline on how to execute your destination wedding invitations.  Below, you’ll find some gorgeously fun examples of some whimsical Iceland destination wedding invitations.  We’d like to thank Brian & Tiffany for allowing us to share some of their Iceland wedding invitation options they were considering and Paisley & Robert as well! Thank you!  Lastly, we’d like to give our compliments to the two gorgeous vendors that worked with us on some of these design elements within the invitations below:  Thank you May and Belle and Wedding Chicks!  Check them out!  [As a side note about May and Belle: She is a talented designer from Australia who creates map related stylish wall art and a few are geared specifically for weddings, so fun!  She so beautifully created the Iceland heart map used in Paisley & Robert’s Vik Beach wedding invitation you see below].

In case you’re finding this blog post at the end of this series; feel free to go back to our previous posts for additional Iceland wedding inspiration:

Creative Destination Wedding Invitations for Iceland Weddings (Part 1 of 3)

Extravagant Destination Wedding Invitations (Part 2 of 3)

Otherwise, we hope you have enjoyed our posts the past few weeks as much as we did creating them.  These posts made us feel like newlyweds all over again swooning all over these choices and details!  If you’re planning a wedding in Iceland, love details, adventure, and awesome photography- we’d love to hear from you feel free to contact us!

With a smile,  Ann & Chris Peters

Iceland Wedding Planner & Iceland Wedding Photographers

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

The post Whimsical Iceland Wedding Invitations (Part 3 of 3) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

As we saw in last week’s post on Extravagant Destination Wedding Invitations, this is the part of wedding planning you should take a moment to “Oooh and Awe” over.  Picking a destination wedding invitation can be serious business!  After all in many cases, invitations can act as an additional selling point to your guests.  Having extra visuals in front of your guests may add the additional intrigue for them to say, “Heck yes, we’re coming to Iceland for your wedding!”  And in the end, that is what we all want that, right?

Regrettably, not everyone has the limitless wedding budget we all wish we had… so having super elaborate wedding invites may not be in the cards for you.  Which might be why most of us fall into the other two awesome wedding invitation categories:  Creative (today) and Whimsical (stay tuned our part 3 installment, next week!).  Today, we’re going to review some of the detailed but still reasonably priced possibilities for your Iceland destination wedding invitations and what specifics your invite should include.

Speaking from example, this is the section that our invitation fell into for our Iceland wedding at Seljalandsfoss waterfall.  We had wanted our invitations to be a fabulous visual to put in front of our guests but one that would still stay in line with our budget of $6-8 per wedding invitation (including postage).  Our Iceland Wedding Invitation Story:  Everyone thought for sure since Chris and I have been in the wedding industry for so long we would choose a winter wedding date in an exotic locale.  A location that would be surely be international, beach-side or up in the mountains of somewhere with an epic view.  But we wanted something completely opposite of what we have photographed when we personally said our “I do’s.”  <Enter in from right stage Iceland, Greenland, or Sweden’s Ice Hotel, please!> When we were narrowing down destinations we knew a cold weather locale would be more “us” but would be a really hard sell for our guest list of 90.  Especially since most of them would want to escape the North American winter weather in April!  Keeping that in challenge in mind, we started to design a 4 part package for our Iceland wedding invitations.  We in the end, decided on the following inclusions:

1. Our Iceland wedding invitation was designed in our wedding colors, brown and sage.  We also had a catchy line that opened our wedding invites saying: “We’ve Traveled All Around, Now It’s Time to Settle Down.”  We cordially invited our guests to join us for this epic adventure in Hella, Iceland on Saturday, April 14, 2014.
2. The Iceland RSVP Card was included the guest(s) name, decision of coming or not, meal choice, when the RSVP needed to be returned by, self-addressed postage paid return envelope.
3. The Iceland Wedding Insert Card (Opening line of: “Please Join Us in the Land of Fire & Ice!,”  accommodation details, and our Iceland destination wedding website which was chock-full of the full details on everything happening).
4. The last thing we included were Iceland scenery photos we felt would attract our guests to come (volcanoes, whale watching, the Northern Lights, natural water wonders, etc.) all tied together by sweet little sage and brown ribbon.  On the back of each one there were details on the trip (IE, what it was, location, duration, and cost for the adventure) to give our guests an easy understanding of the incredible adventure that awaited them!

We felt that by providing our guests with an undeniable visual as to why we chose Iceland (IE, dramatic scenery, endless adventures, etc) and putting as much information in front of them as possible would make the decision easier.  Most of our guests were skeptical of traveling to Iceland so overcoming those inhibitions was important and we did this with our invitation and destination wedding website.  So maybe think about putting your own twist on something similar?  I challenge you to have fun with it!  For a moderately priced detailed destination wedding invitations like the ones photographed below, you can expect to budget ~$4-12 each (plus postage).

In the meantime, you may be overwhelmed by the pages of options for destination wedding invites and what your Iceland wedding invitation should include?  We’ll break it down for you pretty simply here:

Invitations should reflect the style of your wedding decor and/or color theme.  For instance, are you planning a wedding in Iceland that will be soft, romantic, simply sweet, rustic, earthy, whimsical, or bright and bold?  What characteristics will encompass your wedding flair or accents?  Once you have narrowed down your path you can concentrate on what you would like your destination wedding invitation to say…

Invitations should at the very least communicate the following:

1. Who
2. What
3. When (Date/Time of Ceremony)
4. Where
5. Menu Choice
6. RSVP Reply Card
7. Wedding Website
8. Any additional important information (booking or discount codes).
9. Style
10. Color

Iceland Wedding Photographer Tip:  Send your Iceland destination wedding photographer an invitation so they can photograph it!  [But if sending our way, please put the envelope that you would normally send to your guests inside a bubble wrap mailer (still have postage on it) to prevent damage upon arrival.  That way we avoid water damage, bends, torn envelopes, etc and in the end we are able to photograph your gorgeous invite details fully intact!]   Or if you forget, bring one and lay it out for them to photograph the day of with your Iceland wedding details.  This is a fun element you’ll melt over later!

We hope you have found today’s blog post on moderately priced but creative destination wedding invitations helpful as you plan your dream wedding in Iceland!  A big “thank you” goes out to my lovely Iceland bride and grooms for allowing me to share these details with you today- we have the coolest clients!  Another awesome shout out goes to the tremendously talented folks we partnered with to have these remarkable Iceland destination wedding invitations created.  Check them out and keep them in mind as you plan your destination wedding in Iceland (or in some other fabulous destination wedding locale).  They all were a breeze to work with, super detailed, and had all of their products in very unique packaging when they arrived in person!  I encourage you to check out their gorgeous invitations we photographed below for more Iceland wedding inspiration!  ….Enjoy!

• Precious Invitations
• Sunshine and Ravioli
• Invitation Consultants

As a final thought, stay tuned for next week’s final installment on Whimsical Iceland Wedding Invitations (Part 3 of 3)!  Oh oh oh and also…. If you are considering having an Iceland Destination Wedding, please  contact us!  We’d love to hear more about you as a couple and understand more about how you see your dream wedding in Iceland!  Let’s set a time to Skype and talk details!

With a smile, Ann and Christopher Peters

Husband & Wife Team Wedding Photographers & Supper Planners Specializing in Iceland Weddings!

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

The post Creative Destination Wedding Invitations for Iceland Weddings (Part 2 of 3) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

As Iceland wedding planners and destination wedding photographers, we strive each week to bring you unique Iceland inspired blog posts that motivate, elaborate, educate, and offer support to aid you for your biggest adventure yet, your wedding day!

A few of you have privately messaged us to ask how Iceland Wedding Planner began… Short Answer: Our love of wedding details, planning, destination wedding photography, and Iceland fueled it.  Long Answer: Must be over wine and a Skype session

Good news though!  You are not alone; we’ve personally been in your shoes trying to plan an unique and adventurous wedding in Iceland.  We actually held our April 2012 Iceland destination wedding at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, took our guests for a wedding day tour by having our champagne toast at Vik Beach, stopped for rainbows and horses at Skogafoss Waterfall, held our reception on the Ranga River (in Hella, Iceland), and also organized pre/post wedding itinerary for 40 guests from around the world.  Countless hours were spent researching, phone calls, designing, creating, asking endless questions, scouting trips and networking with Iceland’s premiere wedding vendors.  All of which have led us to be an experienced leader in Iceland’s wedding industry who can now help you plan your dream wedding in Iceland.  Please feel free to contact us for more information on planning or photographing your stunning Iceland wedding day!

For this week’s Iceland wedding blog post, we are going to expand on everyone’s favorite detail: The bridal bouquet and teaching you how to preserve it!  When choosing your Iceland wedding flowers, first check out our blog post on this very topic, here.  It may be helpful to you as you Iceland wedding plan and consider the endless Iceland wedding bouquet options out there.

So it’s months later and there you are in Iceland and it’s your wedding day, woohoo!  Your Iceland florist or Iceland wedding planner delivers your wedding flowers to your hotel room and hopefully you’re in awe!  You will be if we are organizing your Iceland wedding arrangements.  Do a little happy dance and squeal a bit in excitement because you’re getting married in Iceland today!

Iceland Wedding Planner Tip:  If you have chosen a fresh flower wedding bouquet, keep them in water as much as possible when you are not holding them.

Iceland Wedding Photographer Tip: Bring a special and/or colorful broach to put on the stem of your flowers, it’s a super sweet detail that helps make your bouquet pop in your Iceland wedding portraits!  Rhinestone pins also bring an incredible elegance to your bouquets and centerpieces. <Real Wedding in Iceland Example: We had some vintage rhinestone pins mixed in with our Iceland wedding reception centerpieces and got so many compliments from our guests for this extra detail!>  See our Iceland wedding photos below for an example of wedding bouquet broaches.

Once you’re in your Iceland wedding dress, ready to walk down the aisle at your gorgeous Iceland wedding ceremony,  pack a vase (or more if you have bridesmaids) to take with you along with you as you travel throughout your wedding day adventure.  Being able to keep the bridal bouquet hydrated throughout your wedding day gives your fresh flowers the best chance to have continuous beauty during all of your Iceland wedding photo locations.  It is also a good idea to bring a small towel or wash cloth to wipe off the excess water each time you pull it out.  That way, as you travel around with your Iceland wedding photographer to iconic wedding photo spots, your dress stays dry and your flowers hydrated!  Once you arrive back to your reception spot, get them back into water if possible.  If not, this is the point that you can begin your preserving process.

Preserving your fresh flower Iceland bridal bouquet is super easy if you follow these steps <We personally did this, so rest assured it is tried and true>:

Step 1: Keep the wedding bouquet in water until it begins to wilt.

Step 2: Take a satin ribbon/yarn that is ~2 feet and on one end tie a tight knot to the bulk stem of your bouquet.

Step 3: Turn the bouquet upside down (so that it is hanging upside down) and take the other end of that ribbon and tie it to something in the hotel room (a lamp or closet hangers are perfect for this part).

Step 4: When you are leaving Iceland to go back home, wrap the bouquet in a plastic or cloth bag, add silica drying beads (if you have them) and pack it in with your clothes in the bag that you are checking <this is easiest because each county’s custom rules are different>.

Step 5:  When you arrive home from your Iceland wedding adventure, hang the wedding flowers back up in a cool dry place so they can continue to dry out.  <Mine hung in our basement>.

Step 6: After 3-4 weeks, your bouquet should be dried out and ready to be put away as your special keepsake of your wedding day in Iceland!

Back when all of our parents were getting married, fresh flowers were not as popular as they are now (silk flowers were most popular then).  As the eras have gone on, it seems as though wedding niceties have become more detailed and elaborate.  One way many years ago to preserve your wedding details was to shadow box it and display it somewhere in your home.  This is totally still an option but not everyone has the space to do this.  An idea for you from our Iceland wedding experience: Put your favorite wedding items in your Love Letter Ceremony Box!  Why?  Because it serves a dual purpose!  It helps you transport your items safely back to your home country once your destination wedding in Iceland is complete and also acts as a time capsule of your wedding day.

Although our love letter box was “locked” during the ceremony, we unlocked it once we returned from our Iceland Seljalandsfoss Wedding, so we could store the following mementos inside:

• Our Iceland Wedding Vows.
• Our Iceland Wedding Place Cards from our wedding welcome dinner and our wedding reception.
• Iceland Wedding Love Letters to each other and letters from our parents.
• Chris’s Boutonniere.
• Ann’s Iceland Wedding Bouquet <It is very small and crispy now as you’ll see from our photos below>.
• Heartfelt cards we gave to each other when we exchanged day of gifts and special cards our guests also gave to us.
• Our Destination Wedding Champagne Glasses.
• Iceland Wedding Invitation.
• Our Newspaper Announcement.

Even if you do not perform a love letter ceremony, having a special keepsake box after your wedding used to gather your details in, is a timeless idea.  How fun to grab it each year on your wedding anniversary and reminisce?  We strongly encourage you to do this, keep that newly wedded bliss going for a lifetime!  For a few of our clients, we have made a leather bound album box with one of their wedding photos on it and they used that as the keeper of their wedding relics.  Neat ideas –so think about what works best for you and your Iceland wedding details.

Iceland Wedding Planner, would love the opportunity to help you brainstorm, book, create, mock  up, and be there to ensure your amazing wedding in Iceland is flawlessly perfect.  Photos by Miss Ann would also be honored to be the one who captures such an epic time in your lives so please contact us for more details on how to make that happen!

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters

Expert Iceland Wedding Planners & Iceland Wedding Photographers

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

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