When our Iceland Wedding Planner team first had the pleasure of meeting these two, we totally enjoyed how they met!  Bonnie and Dennis are in the geology world in Canada and they just so happened to be on the same project together.  One thing led to another and the next thing they knew they were finding time to make the 12 hour drive across Providences to see each other.  Now that is dating dedication!

The super sweet thing about their work lifestyle is that they have opportunity to work straight for 2 weeks on a project and they then have 4 weeks off!  Which makes adventuring the world together easier, right?  For 3.5 years they spent time together traveling South America and beyond, camping, fly fishing, hiking, and enjoying rocky scenery!  Perfect adventures to get to know each other on a very real level.

May 2017 comes and they are on a iconic road trip through the United States of America.  Since they have a passion for rocks, heading to Utah and the famed Zion National Park was for sure on the agenda!  A hike to a valley lookout ended in an unforgettable proposal!

With being in the geology world, they were drawn to how dynamic Iceland is and were craving to explore it!  What better way than on your wedding day?  Bonnie and Dennis reached out to us to start planning their Iceland adventure wedding day and were amazed and really excited by the amount of secret and private locations we have on our repertoire.

So we dare you to come along with us today and experience the incredible Iceland adventure wedding that chases secret waterfalls!

May Elopement in Iceland:

May is one of our favorite months for weddings, it is usually cold but less rain.  Many locals call May “window weather” because it can be very windy and cold.  The best part:  Snow in the highlands is melting fast but in parts it still lingers dotting the landscape making a fun contrast for our Iceland wedding photographers to capture!  In May the daylight hours begin to grow longer allowing for a full day (and then some) of Iceland wedding adventure!

Dennis and Bonnie’s Iceland adventure wedding begins around 5am with our hair and makeup team arriving to Hotel Grimsborgir.  Hotel Grimsborgir is a fabulous luxury hotel in Southern Iceland and they treated our clients like VIP’s! Our Iceland wedding photographers were excited to document all of their super fun details from the elegant Iceland wedding dress to the dapper groom suit right down to the freaking hiking boots!

Iceland Adventure Wedding via Super Jeep:

Right before the Iceland adventure wedding began the super jeep arrived and packed up for the day while Bonnie and Dennis snuck in a “first look” in front of a lovely mountain!  It’s nice to have a quite moment of unveiling the full amazing Iceland wedding day look!

Iceland Highland Waterfall Wedding Ceremony:

Choosing your Iceland wedding ceremony location is one of the sweetest parts of the planning process, especially if you’re drawn to waterfalls.  Bonnie and Dennis were the first ever to marry at this secret highland waterfall and they looked so freaking good for their Iceland adventure wedding ceremony!  Pastor Egill crafted a super intimate Iceland wedding ceremony which also incorporated their mutual love in geology (aka love of rocks) where they had a “rock” unity ceremony. They each chose stones that represented themselves and they tossed in the river for the rocks to forever run next to each other.  DREAMY!

Iceland Wedding Photos:

The ceremony concluded and our Iceland wedding photo team went exploring with Bonnie and Dennis.  The colors, textures, and tones here were AMAZING!  Like seriously folks, that BLUE color looks unreal, but it totally was REAL!  Then mix in the May snow that was left over in the highlands just made it even more interesting to photograph. Iceland Wedding Planner Tip: Having an Iceland wedding photographer is super important so you can forever relive your adventure now and in the future.  This is not one item of the planning process you should skimp on.  After all, it is going to be the only thing you have left to look back on!

The Most Incredible Iceland Wedding Location:

Our Iceland Wedding Planner team has a HUGE list of adventure wedding locations, as I’m sure you have already figured out!  We pride ourselves in scouting weekly, finding private and offbeat locations (and also acquiring the permission to visit the locations exclusively), along with protecting the landscape while we safely get you there during your Iceland wedding day.

The second stop on Dennis and Bonnie’s adventure wedding is hands down one of our all time favorite waterfalls in the world (I know, strong statement, but true!)!  I’m confident in saying our Iceland Wedding Planner team could spend HOURS here exploring.  We refer to it as our “Jurassic Park Waterfall” because can’t you just picture flying through it in the helicopter with the theme song playing?  Bonnie and Dennis were completely in awe of it too as they adventured around with their Iceland wedding photographer.

Iceland Cave Wedding Photos:

Every time we head into the highlands we are on a constant hunt not only for waterfalls but also caves.  There are so many different types of caves in Iceland and it’s super exciting to stumble upon them and explore!  So when we had an impromptu stop at one, Bonnie and Dennis were all in to explore it!

Iceland Luxury Elopement Stop:

After eating lunch on the way to the next stop, they traveled to their third offbeat waterfall to delight in a little champagne picnic.  No better view for a glass of bubbles and little adventure wedding celebration!

Hidden Waterfall in Iceland:

Oh my gosh, so it’s only afternoon and Bonnie and Dennis have already discovered 4 Iceland wedding locations!  Their 5th location was a hidden waterfall in the Icelandic highlands with a super cool mountain beside it.  Their Iceland wedding photographer even busted out their drone!

Iceland Black Sand Beach Wedding Photos:

Black sand beaches are a thing here in case you hadn’t realized it.  Iceland is chock-full of volcanic landscape leaving most of the beaches full of black sand versus golden or white.  Bonnie and Dennis thoroughly enjoyed running around exploring these black sand dunes getting Iceland wedding photos taken.  This fabulous place was the last location stop during their Iceland adventure wedding.  One of our all time favorite Iceland wedding photos is below… it reminds us truly how small we are next to the endless ocean!

Luxury Iceland Elopement Reception:

After having a truly stunning Iceland adventure wedding, Bonnie and Dennis had about one hour to rest, refresh, and relax before their intimate reception for two began at Hotel Grimsborgir.  Our Iceland Wedding Planner team believe that even though you may be eloping in Iceland without any guests, does not mean you shouldn’t be spoiled and have pretty decor to delight in during dinner.  Even if it’s just something soft and elegant, it makes the day feel complete and full of romance!  After having a delicious dinner Bonnie and Dennis treated themselves to a traditional Skyr cake for dessert!  What a perfect end to a very adventurous elopement in Iceland!

If you found yourself loving Bonnie and Dennis’ Iceland adventure wedding and are curious about planning a similar style elopement chasing secret waterfalls, please contact us for more information!

© 2018, Your Adventure Wedding / Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved

The post Iceland Adventure Wedding: Chasing Secret Waterfalls! appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Meet Stephanie and Andrew.  One of our favorite Canadian couples!  When two families connect by proximity, it typically means their children will likely be fast friends, right?  Then mix in being the daughter, having a brother who has cute friends and you might have the perfect storm for meeting a husband to be!  Well little did Stephanie know at that time that would be her fate until she decided to travel back home for her brothers wedding.  It was there that she reconnected with Andrew who was not only one of her brother’s best-est buds, but also in his wedding party!  They both chose each other that evening and every day since!  Swoon!!

Stephanie and Andrew had the most eclectic bunch of interests I have ever seen and even left me inspired to diversify my interests list!  They have spent the last 12 years together traveling the world, camping, experiencing an endless list of heavy metal concerts, yoga, nutrition, and a mutual love of their amazing Rottweiler pup!  The best part… They love doing all of these things TOGETHER!  Yessssss!!!  Couples that adventure together, stay together!  #forevernewlyweds!  Fast forward to a camping trip where a romantic fire was lit and a magical proposal happened… They were on their way to eloping in Southern Iceland!

Well, a few things happened in between there…. Like a 12 hour layover in Iceland got them yearning to come back ASAP!  What better time than to come back elope in Iceland and honeymoon in the same trip?!  When Stephanie and Andrew first reached out to our Iceland Wedding Planner team, they literally made us smile in the first sentence of their introduction, “Traveling is our passion!”  When our adventure wedding planning team Skyped with them, they were adamant about them both never really wanted to have the stress of traditional wedding in Nova Scotia.  They would rather “see and do” as much as they can in one day!

Oh la la and folks did we plan one action packed adventurous elopement for these two!  So adventure along with us as we share with you what eloping in Southern Iceland looks like!!

March Elopement in Iceland:

Having an Iceland winter wedding can be hit or miss with snow sometimes.  Mid-March is a time when natural ice caves are still holding strong and snow drifts begin to recede and we begin to see the landscape uncovered again.  Stephanie and Andrew’s Iceland elopement began at 5am with our adventure wedding hairstylist arriving to the sweetest little guesthouse named, Hrifunes.

If you are looking for a home-stay and farm to table type of experience in Iceland with the bonus of inspiring views, we could not recommend the Hrifunes Guesthouse team more!  It’s the sort of spot you go for a cozy “get away” from technology and be in the moment kind of place.  There are no televisions in the rooms and dinner is served nightly in a communal fashion to encourage you to meet others, taste traditional Icelandic home-cooking, and go home with a pure experience of Icelandic hospitality!

Our Iceland wedding photographer thoroughly enjoyed the details all around the property.  She even found the sweetest spot to hang Stephanie’s Iceland wedding dress despite beginning in the dark!  Stephanie was definitely prepared with her warm winter wedding boots and red shawl!  Andrew’s awesome Iceland wedding groom details followed with his amazing tan suit.  Our Iceland Wedding Planner team LOVED that these two wore some colors that would pop even if there would be a blizzard that snuck up at some point during the day!

We encourage our couples to get ready together during their Iceland elopements because it creates intimate moments they can just savor.  There is no pressure of tradition or anxiety.  Plus who wants to stick with tradition and sleep apart during your incredible trip to Iceland?

After a sweet meet and greet with the pup above they were on their way to begin their adventurous elopement in Iceland!  Our super jeep team arrived and had our favorite Pastor in tow!

Private Waterfall Wedding Ceremony:

Being able to have a private waterfall wedding ceremony is the essence of eloping in Southern Iceland.  It’s memorable at every turn.  The sound the waterfall is striking, the view is breathtaking, and the entire atmosphere around is intoxicating!  Stephanie and Andrew held their intimate Iceland wedding ceremony at this private waterfall and LOVED it!  The snow the ground and icicles hung from the waterfall, it was really enchanting to see during a winter adventure wedding!

Special Note: This waterfall is on private property (and all of the locations you will see in this post) and you cannot visit or have professional photographs taken without permission in advance.  Also know that these locations are not accessible without an experienced super jeep team that will not damage the area.  Our Iceland adventure wedding team takes the utmost care to ensure the land is better than when we arrived, not worse.  This includes ensuring every jeep deflates their tires, are also on tires that will not cause any harm to the private roads and tracks and seasoned drives who can navigate through glacier rivers and heavy snow conditions.  This is a very important feature to protecting the landscape and keeping you safe!

Iceland Elopement Photos at a Secret Waterfall:

The ceremony concluded Stephanie and Andrew were ready to explore this sweet snow covered waterfall with their Iceland wedding photographer!

Ice Cave Wedding Adventure:  

On Stephanie and Andrew’s wish list for their adventurous elopement in Vik, Iceland was to explore a natural ice cave.  They got their wish and it was an incredible journey!  The ice sparkled blue and they were totally enamored by the textures and tones.  Fun Fact: The spots they were standing in this ice cave in March 2018, have since melted away!  How fun to say that you were one of the only ones ever there to explore that spot!?  Note: Our clients wore helmets as and where needed at all times as directed by our safety team  When they do not have them on for photos, they were in designated “safe” areas.

Eloping in Southern Iceland:

Southern Iceland is full of so much mystery, which is likely why we our team has a base in Selfoss and Vik.  It’s an area of Iceland that is rich in history and full of so many dynamics.  From glaciers, caves, canyons, hidden waterfalls, incredible mountains… really the list is endless for Iceland wedding photo locations!

Sometimes when we scout Iceland elopement locations, we are even shocked at what we find… For example how can a place like our next spot even exist?!  Have you ever encountered a black sand beach lava rock waterfall?  It was just as stunning in winter as when we scouted it in summer!  These two thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they explored it too!  So so so FUN!!

Hidden Canyon Elopement Wedding Portraits:

One other magical feature that Stephanie and Andrew were seeking during their March elopement in Iceland, was having some GREEN in their portraits.  As we previously said snow being a hit or miss, green can be too, but we found some bits in one of our favorite private canyons!  Eloping in Southern Iceland has so many freaking options for photos, so exciting!

Iceland Elopement Adventure: Exploring Natural Caves

Sometimes during our adventurous elopements in Iceland, the weather turns a bit wicked and plans turn into needing a little “break” from battling the weather.  So more often than not we go hunting or exploring natural caves!

Historic Lighthouse Wedding Photos in Iceland:

Lighthouses do not get enough credit I think when it comes to destination weddings!  Fun Fact: Our Your Adventure Wedding team LOVES them!  Checkout this sweet little wedding on Prince Edward Island or PEI (near where Stephanie and Andrew hail from, Nova Scotia!).  The best thing about the Icelandic lighthouses though as many of them were built in the late 1800’s to early to mid 1900’s and they are painted super cool bright colors!  Making it a super fun stop during an adventurous winter elopement in Iceland!

Winter Wedding in Iceland:

It’s exciting to have a hike during your adventurous elopement.  It gets the blood pumping and you end the day feeling so freaking accomplished along with your Iceland wedding photographer getting EPIC portraits of you too!  These two enjoyed a hike as the last stop while eloping in Southern Iceland and it was really magical!

The perfect end to eloping in Southern Iceland was heading back to the charming Hrifunes Guesthouse, we passed some super sweet colorful farms and mingled with some adorable Icelandic horses!  Because these two had dined the night before at the guesthouse with the group, they opted to do a more quite dinner at The Berg instead.  Upon returning, they had hoped for Northern Lights, but the forecast was grim because of cloud cover.  Their Iceland wedding photographers decided to stage a lovely nighttime shot instead!

Did you totally enjoy seeing Stephanie and Andrew’s fantastic winter elopement in Iceland?  Please contact us for more information on crafting your own unique adventurous elopement experience!

© 2018, Your Adventure Wedding / Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved

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The leaders on our Iceland Wedding Planner team have been adventure wedding planners and photographers since 2007 (like before adventure weddings were cool).  Back then, they were doing destination weddings in the mountains of Colorado, the shores of Puerto Rico, the highlands and glaciers of New Zealand, etc.  The best part: If the couple were holding a destination wedding ceremony somewhere beautiful but then went right to their reception after, our adventure wedding team was begging them to do a day after hike / session to be immersed in the full beauty that surrounded them (true full adventure wedding style).  Adventurous elopements are no longer a trend, they are a society staple to how couples express their love by incorporating the true foundations of what brought them together (most often adventure – travel – exploring – hiking).

Adventuring together is the foundation of all of our clients.  And specifically today’s gorgeous couple: Mollie + Andy.  These two hail from Washington D.C and have super romantic modern day love story start that I think at least half of us can relate to you.  After swiping “right” Andy and Mollie met for brunch at a delicious Belgium restaurant.  Neither of them wanted the first date to end they continued on by heading to the farmers market that is near to the famed Capital Hill in D.C.  They found their way to chatting each other up for hours about their love for hiking, traveling, and even discovered they had common ground in the small things like they both loved the same band “Peaches” and same television show, “The Wire.“

From September 2016 until September 2017 these two rocked it out traveling, backpacking, and hiking.  Andy is originally from Spokane Washington so they spent a lot of time in the Cascades hiking and the Portland Columbia River Gorge among other amazing west to east coast locations (like Maine, NYC, and beyond) they explored together.  Their first international trip together was coming to Iceland in the fall of 2017.  It was there that Andy decided on the dramatic beach of Reynisfjara that he would propose an epic lifetime adventure to Mollie!

After that magical trip of exploring and getting engaged in Iceland, a week later they were still buzzing about how the trip made them feel.  So as they discussed where they should get married, they quickly realized that an adventurous hiking elopement would suit them best as they were seeking something low key and different.  But the question was where would they travel to for the elopement adventure?  Both being outdoor enthusiasts and winter lovers, they started Googling around about “ice lodge weddings,” “ice cave weddings” and quickly found our Your Adventure Wedding and Iceland Wedding Planner sites and fell in love with adventure wedding concept and our private locations.

Andy and Mollie’s “must have’s” for their adventurous winter wedding in Iceland was to have a variety of different types of locations, be an active spectacular day with still strong elements of mystical mysteriousness.  They also loved the idea of a mid March Iceland wedding day to better their chances for ice caves and Northern Lights!  Our Iceland wedding planning team crafted many unique full day options for them to consider, but in the end a gorgeous valley area that boasts secret glacier outlets, canyons, caves, and private waterfalls.  We dare you to come along with us today to experience their epic adventurous hiking elopement!

As usual, in order to action pack our adventure wedding days in Iceland, an early start is required (5am or so, even for a winter wedding in Iceland!).  The adventurous hiking elopement day began at the fantastic Stracta Hotel in Hella (see our previous review of the hotel HERE).

Getting ready at Stracta Hotel for Iceland Elopement:

Our Iceland wedding hair and makeup team was enhancing Mollie’s already natural beauty before the sun rose on that lovely March morning.  The Iceland wedding photographer was hard at work capturing the lovely details that Mollie and Andy brought too.  Including Mollie’s sweet Iceland wedding dress from one of our favorite vendors, BHLDN!

Andy’s adventurous groom details were as dapper as they come too!  He was not only stylish but ready to take on any of the Icelandic elements.

The Wedding Adventure Begins…

Our Iceland wedding super jeep team arrived and loaded this adventurous couple for an epic day of adventures.  To stay with a tiny bit of tradition, Mollie and Andy thought it would be fun to have a “first look” before they took their first hike together to their Iceland wedding ceremony spot.  A beautifully lit mountain was just so perfect!

Iceland Wedding Bouquet:

Upon arriving to the Iceland wedding ceremony location, they both took time to admire their bouquet and buttonhole.  They both chose to rent Iceland wedding flowers from the rental section of our website.  Mollie’s choice was one of our favorites from Southern Girls Weddings.  We are huge fans of silk wedding bouquets mainly because of our windy, rainy, and challenging it can be to hike with a fresh flower bouquet during our adventurous hiking elopements.

The Adventurous Hiking Elopement:

Mollie and Andy told our Iceland wedding planning team they were at least a 7 on our “scale” which basically means in our world they want at least a 30-60 minute hike as some point during the day and will be happy to embrace it rain, shine, extreme winds, or hail.  Although there were blue skies nearby (basically taunting us), there were challenging conditions ahead for them (extreme wind and rain) and Mollie and Andy just looked at each other and said “Let’s go for it, no plan b needed!”  Our team always has a “plan b” for a ceremony location available whether it be a cave, etc.  These two were freaking rock stars though no matter what the weather conditions threw at them!

Ice Cave Wedding Ceremony in Iceland:

After an invigorating hike crossing rivers and snow, these two were awe-struck by how beautiful their ice cave wedding ceremony spot was!  They had this amazing place all to themselves.  Pastor Egill performed such a intimate Iceland wedding ceremony and Mollie and and Andy savored every second!  Afterwards, our Iceland wedding photographers took them on an adventure around for more adventurous hiking elopement photos.

Iceland Elopement Locations:

When you think about about having an adventurous hiking elopement in Iceland, do secret mountain spots come to mind?  Typically when you hike you find yourself able to take paths and go into areas where others may not have spotted or ventured into before.  This was the case when our Iceland elopement photographer found a stunning area and it just required them crossing a fierce glacier river.  Luckily our Iceland wedding planning and super jeep team plans ahead and often has a bridge available if our clients hiking boots aren’t quite high enough

Adventurous Hiking Elopement Vows:

Because the wind was so severe during their Iceland wedding ceremony, Mollie and Andy decided to say their vows later in the day in a natural cave.   Going this route also allows you to make another location more meaningful to you in Iceland (we did this with our own Lofoten Islands wedding adventure and it was unforgettable) during your adventure wedding day.  They read their vows from a journal they write in together which is a fantastic spin on Iceland wedding vow books!  Hiking further and exploring into the canyon was the perfect Iceland photo adventure!  After a fantastic 30+ minute hike, they jumped back into the jeep for some more river crossings and some hot chocolate at one of the mountain huts!

Iceland Waterfall Wedding Photos:

There are 1,000’s of waterfalls throughout Iceland so exploring one on your adventurous hiking elopement is super fun!  Mollie and Andy were the first ever to have Iceland wedding photos at this fantastic waterfall and they looked oh-so dreamy!

Hiking Elopement Adventure in Iceland:

The last location left to explore on Mollie and Andy’s amazing Iceland elopement itinerary was a canyon and stunning glacier view on private property.  The super jeep team drove in as far as they could and let the newlyweds out to start their hike to the top of the mountain where they would see the glacier tongue.  It was a pretty freaking awesome 30+ minute hike!

Sometimes during our adventure weddings, we need to improvise on how we handle the brides Iceland wedding dress… They get in the way usually on the hike down.  Luckily our Iceland wedding super jeep team are experts in knots and can make a little backpack of the wedding dress like the photos below

If Andy and Mollie’s epic wedding day has you dreaming of your own Iceland wedding adventure, complete with waterfalls, secret caves, glaciers and maybe even the Northern Lights, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch and tell us all about your own love story, and your vision for a once in a lifetime Iceland wedding experience. You can contact us HERE.

Copyright © 2018 · All Rights Reserved · Your Adventure Wedding

The post Adventurous Hiking Elopement | Mollie + Andy’s Iceland Winter Wedding appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

If you’re a weekly follower of our Iceland Wedding Planner blog, you know how much we LOVE a good meeting story.  And oh man, Ashley and David’s takes a cake for us right now!  So here we have Ashley who is from Ontario Canada and we have David who is a native New Zealander.  These two adventurous folks decided in their home countries separately to book a Contiki trip in the fall of 2013.  Which by the way… Where the heck was this company when I was single?!  Brilliant freaking idea to be independent, meet fellow travel junkies (between 18-35 years old), and possibly meet the love of your life!  They traveled around the world together for 3 weeks and decided they had to see more of each other despite being on different hemispheres.  After a whirlwind trip in meeting up for New Years Eve in Australia, they decided one of them had to move to keep the magic going!  David found his way to Canada

These two lovers have travel as part of the core foundation of their relationship, not just a hobby.  They crave new adventures and pushing each others limits.  After all, isn’t it often said that “life begins outside of your comfort zone?”  #truestory  Ashley and David during their years of dating found their way on multi week trips to Bali, Thailand, Egypt, Bahrain, New Zealand, the list is endless!  They are into more extreme sports too like heli-hiking, snowboarding, ice fishing, mountain biking, etc.  One might say they were destined to have an adventure wedding in Iceland!

After a surprise proposal one night, they began brainstorming how they saw their wedding day going… After initial research locally in Canada and New Zealand, they just didn’t find themselves brimming in excitement like they thought they would be.  That is until they found our Iceland Wedding Planner website which focuses on adventure weddings and luxury elopements.  They fell in love with Trishia + Chris’ ice cave elopement that had happened the year prior and just had to contact us!  March is prime ice cave elopement time in Iceland so that is the time Ashley and David for sure wanted to come because an ice cave was a “must have.”  Enough anticipation… Let’s have a look into their Ice Cave Elopement in Iceland!

Beginning the Ice Cave Elopement Adventure:

Even during the wintertime, our adventure weddings in Iceland begin at a very early hour so we can make use of every single second of daylight!  So at 5am, the lights came on at one of our favorite Iceland wedding hotels, Icelandair Vik.  Our fabulous Iceland wedding hairstylist Birna, arrived and started on our lovely bride, Ashley.  The awesome Iceland wedding photography team and video team (Veiled in Motion) were already hard at work capturing the details too!  Oh la la and Ashley’s dress was so rugged yet elegant!  She wanted to have an Iceland wedding dress that would last through all conditions from climbing into an ice cave for their elopement to a dress that would still look lovely despite the crazy weather conditions.  She also had two sets of shoes (not only a gorgeous gal but a really smart one too!).  One for dinner later that night and of course a durable pair of boots to hike in snow, slush, or rain!  Being from Canada, she knew what she might be in for during an Icelandic winter!

As 6:30am came, it was time for our Iceland makeup artist to begin her magic… And by magic I mean her magical waterproofing abilities!  There is a reason why we only use the ladies we do (and the cosmetic line we do) so ensure our adventure wedding brides are stunning from start to finish of their 12-17 hour day! Come hail or high water!

Iceland Elopement Groom Details:

Now David, our GQ Kiwi groom…. I think our team could have listened to his accent ALL DAY LONG, no joke!  With his handsome accent and looks also came an impeccable style for his ice cave elopement.

Get Ready Together for Your Iceland Elopement:

Getting ready together is an intimate experience to have before you begin your Iceland elopement.  Ashley and David finished up getting dressed just as the blue light started to change to sunrise.  Our Iceland wedding super jeep team was ready downstairs to greet them!

March Elopement in Iceland:

One of the tricky things about having an elopement in Iceland during March is that you could have a blizzard, wicked rains, crazy winds, or a mix (hail), who knows.  You need to be prepared and embrace it all.  Ashley and David were ready for anything and everything!  Our 46” tire Eco-liner Super Jeep tested us all that morning as we blazed our trail into the secret glacier area, so much that we all got to experience what it’s like to get stuck in crazy deep slush!  If your super jeep guide has never gotten stuck before, he’s not a true super jeep guy!  Getting stuck for about an hour just added to the experience factor.  It gave our Iceland Wedding Planner team an opportunity to entertain our couple, Pastor, and Iceland video team fun folklore stories, jokes, and play bartender (with shots of “Black Death” aka Brennivín)!  Morale of the Story:  Iceland winter conditions are very unpredictable, so be sure to build time into your adventure wedding day schedule for any weather condition delays.

Iceland Elopement at a Glacier:

Deciding to have your elopement in Iceland at a glacier opens a lot of thrilling options in wintertime.  Specifically our secret side of a glacier does not have any tourists, has amazing shaped mountains, and more often than not many ice caves to explore in Iceland!  Depending on the weather conditions at this glacier you may or may not need to strap on crampons.  This specific day, Iceland Wedding team did not need to have them on, our safety team just set climbing ropes as a precaution.  So after a short walk from the jeep Ashley and David were on their way to get inside for their ice cave elopement!

Ice Cave Elopement Ceremony:

While the elements outside were fierce, Ashley and David were warm, dry, and cozy inside of their private ice cave in Iceland.  Pastor Egill held such a beautiful Iceland wedding ceremony that connected the couple not only to Iceland but to the dramatic ice cave itself.  I mean let’s stop and think about how special it is to be married inside of an ice cave for a second… A couple gets married inside of a space that will cease to ever exist ever again (because it will melt away when summer comes).  It’s probably one of the most unique elopement venues in the world, I know for sure it is for Iceland weddings!

Iceland Wedding Photos in an Ice Cave:

On every travel junkies bucket list is exploring an ice cave.  So it was fitting that during Ashley and David’s ice cave elopement they adventure all around it for Iceland wedding photos!  Special Note: At all times Ashley and David were safe (they wore helmets as needed to go through sketchy parts of the cave) compliments of our thorough safety team.

Iceland Mountain Elopement Photos:

Having a variety of textures and tones during your elopement in Iceland is important!  One of our Iceland wedding photographer and video teams favorite stops during the day was exploring a gorgeous ridge line with an awesomely shaped mountain behind!

Iceland Elopement Luxury Picnic Lunch:

An important part of an adventure wedding is making sure everyone stays fueled for the day!  We encourage our couples to have a traditional hot dog BBQ  for several reasons… 1- A hot meal makes a world of difference on a challenging weather day (hello second wind!) 2- This is a cultural tradition you can experience!  The normal “travel around Iceland” food for Icelanders is having a hot dog (with all the toppings), a Prince Polo candy bar and a Coca Cola!  3- They are made with lamb meat (not like the dirty American hot dogs you’re likely cringing at the thought of).  Then add in a private cave (Hjörleifshöfði) our team has access too mixed with a little luxury during your Iceland elopement and you have the perfect lunch!

Frozen Waterfall Elopement Photographs:

In March in Iceland, sometimes you can find fully frozen (or partially) waterfalls!  It’s such a fun thing to explore during your elopement adventure in Iceland!  Plus they also make such a beautiful natural backdrop for Iceland wedding photos!

Private Black Sand Beach in Iceland:

One of the most unique places we have ever witnessed in Iceland is a private black sand beach that has a black lava rock waterfall also on it!  It’s shocking to see and so amazing to experience!  As the daylight turned to night, Ashley and David found their way to discover that amazing place together and enjoyed ever second!

Iceland Luxury:

At the end of an adventurous elopement in Iceland it’s amazing to end it with a beautifully decorated table for two!

Iceland Ice Cave Elopement Wedding Video:

Our talented friends Veiled in Motion created a sweet Iceland wedding teaser video of Ashley and David’s elopement we would love to share with you!  See the full Iceland wedding film HERE.

© 2018, Your Adventure Wedding / Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved

The post Ice Cave Elopement Adventure: Ashley + David appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

This is exactly the kind of adventurous elopement scenery Katy and David were seeking as they began to destination wedding plan.  After all, they have set the bar pretty high during their relationship from exploring every inch of Australia (where they hail from) and Tasmania to now living in Germany and taking journeys throughout continental Europe and the United Kingdom.  So shortly after a lovely proposal back home in Australia in Sydney Gardens (near to the famed Opera House) David planned a delightful picnic for Katy where he also surprised her by proposing!

While they savored their engagement for a bit, they began brainstorming about where they would elope since the idea of having a big wedding back home sent them both into a stage of panic.  Both having Norse interests and roots, they felt drawn to the Icelandic landscapes and the adventure that came with trying to find them.  Once they found our Iceland Wedding Planner team, they could not see themselves doing anything else except an adventurous Iceland elopement throughout the highlands.

Fall weddings in Iceland, as we have alluded to before, are some of our favorite because of the colors that emerge.  This is also a time that can be quite tricky, because it’s also a time of year where parts of the Highland roads can begin to close because of the roads washing away and snow consuming them.  But it just adds to the EXPERIENCE!  David and Katy decided that early October would be an ideal time to elope in Iceland, as October is a time in Australia when many folks take their holidays (as it is Springtime there in the Southern Hemisphere).

Come along with us today as we share with you their stunning fall Iceland elopement!

Katy + David’s Adventurous Iceland Elopement in the Highlands:

Katy + David’s Iceland elopement began at one of our favorite hotels, Icelandair Vik.  Having an elopement adventure in Iceland with us means you get up very early (most begin between 5-6am) with our fantastic hair and makeup teams.  Katy decided to bring her own silk flowers that had many flowers that were native to Australia as a little piece of home with them.  The bright yellow flowers proved to be a nice “pop” of color for their Iceland wedding photos.  And speaking of color…

Let’s talk about Katy’s amazingly BLUE wedding dress!  As you likely read in one of our previous how to pick an Iceland Wedding Dress, it’s nice to be a contrast in the middle of the landscape you’ll be venturing through.  Then to compliment her dress, David wore a handsome gray suit, making him into a very dapper groom!  As 8am drew near, our team and the fabulous couple headed downstairs to load into the super jeep for the day!

Iceland Elopement Ceremony:

The adventure officially kicked off and everyone was on their way to an offbeat waterfall for the Iceland wedding ceremony.  The excitement was high!  Upon arrival to the waterfall, they had a nice 5 minute hike to the waterfall.  It was there that Pastor Egill performed a moving and inspirational marriage ceremony that was exactly what David and Katy envisioned.

After the ceremony concluded our Iceland wedding photography team took over both on land and in the sky (flying a drone).  There are so many lovely angles on this waterfall so it’s important to get them all!  David and Katy ran around hand in hand laughing and having so much freaking FUN!

The Iceland Elopement Adventure:

It was officially time to head into the formal Icelandic Highlands for a serious adventure wedding day!  We never ever look at the weather on the day because we know it will likely change.  These two were totally prepared for the skies to let loose but got lucky for the first half of the day.  Our first Iceland wedding location brought an endless amount of blue skies and hiking.  It was a location that our Iceland Wedding Planner team had only scouted up to this point and Katy and David were glad to be the FIRST photographed there.

There are secret waterfalls and canyons throughout the Iceland Highlands that will literally and figuratively take your breath away.  Our next stop during Katy and David’s elopement in Iceland did just that.  The colors, texture, tones, and depth that was within were the perfect backdrop for their Iceland wedding photos!

One of the most interesting things about the Icelandic Highlands is how dynamic the landscape is.  Which is one of the many reasons why Katy and David were thrilled to adventure through part of them.  In a matter of 90-120 minutes, they explored 4 secret waterfalls that all looked completely different from each other, fell in love 3 different sets of amazingly shaped mountains, and ventured into an area that seriously LOOKED LIKE MARS.  Yes, Mars.  I mean come on, who doesn’t want Iceland adventure wedding photos that look literally “out of this world?”

So by this point, I think everyone lost count on the number of amazing Iceland wedding locations they were experiencing during their adventurous elopement.  But there was still more fun to be had!  …the beauty of a 10-12 hour adventure wedding day, right?!  Next on the agenda was time to discover the 4th largest glacier in Iceland.

Intimacy is the mission at every Iceland wedding location we explore.  We want you to feel like that place only exist for just you and only in the moment in time.  The next location our super jeep team took Katy and David was to a private super green canyon!  They explored throughout it and savored every second of it during their adventure wedding in Iceland.

Ending the day with something super special is important to our Iceland wedding photography team.  It’s all about full circle story telling. And that may mean many different things like staying up for the Northern Lights, rigging up a fabulous nighttime shot, or chasing an incredible sunset.  During David and Katy’s Iceland elopement, they were lucky to have a glorious sunset to complete their full day adventure wedding!  After sunset, they made way back to Icelandair Vik to rest, refresh, and catch a second wind!  They headed down after 8pm to The Berg for a delicious semi-private dinner for two!

What a day!  …and what an incredible adventurous Iceland elopement they experienced!

© 2018, Photos by Miss Ann / Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved

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This Elopement.

This Couple.

Their Story.

It all made my cheeks hurt from SMILING so much!

Jodi and Patrick met each other 35 years ago in college and had a “love at first sight” moment.  In the words of the bride, “After that brief but powerful initial encounter, we each went our own ways, not knowing that we each felt like we had met the love of our lives, and lost track of each other for 30 years.”

Finally, 7 years ago they found themselves reconnecting from across the USA and finally spilled the beans about how they felt about each other decades ago.  Hit the fast forward button and they make a home in NYC then find themselves seeking a unique way to elope… An adventure wedding in Iceland followed by a honeymoon which would explore the entire island was what called to both of their souls!

So come with us today as we relive their EPIC adventurous elopement in Iceland!  Side Note: Their fabulous Iceland elopement was recently featured on Offbeat Bride, check out more of their amazing love story HERE!

The action packed Iceland wedding day began at 5:30am at Hotel Grimsborgir with hair, makeup, and an exciting first look!

Jodi’s Iceland wedding bouquet was one of my all time favorites!

Ugh, and Jodi’s STUNNING Iceland wedding dress was brilliant!  I love princess gowns like this that blow so beautifully around in the Icelandic wind!

…and what adventure bride would be complete without waterproof rain boots?!  Jodi’s something “blue” were these beauties!

Patrick was head to toe handsome with his awesome gray suit!  I love gray Iceland wedding suits on our grooms!

And what adventurous groom would be without his hiking boots on his Iceland wedding day?!

Our Iceland wedding hair and makeup stylist hooked Jodi up with the perfect windproof styles!

Then our amazing super jeep team took them to their beautiful lakeside ceremony spot where after exploring commenced!

After their Iceland wedding ceremony, they had so much fun exploring the area!

A luxury picnic lunch on a private black sand beach is the BEST way to celebrate your elopement in Iceland!

Our next stop during Jodi and Patrick’s luxury elopement in Iceland had views for days…

Not to mention that the Iceland wedding photographer (Ann Peters) was also in a harness tethered to a rope tied to the super jeep to get the next few amazing shots!  True adventure wedding photographer style

Private geothermal areas are my new favorite spot!

The sun and these amazing golden cliffs for Jodi and Patrick’s amazing Iceland wedding photos!

After a glorious 12 hour adventure wedding, we found our way back to the hotel to rest and refresh before their sweet little dinner for two!

Oh la la Jodi and Patrick!  Epic day with one of the most adventurous couples EVER!  Thanks for being so unforgettable!  May these Iceland wedding portraits allow you to relive that EPIC day in your lives over and over again!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coffee Break!

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

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

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

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

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For one, you have a really good chance of seeing Northern Lights during the months of December-March.  Two, during your Iceland elopement you could hold your wedding ceremony in natural ice cave!  …and how epic is that thought?!  An ice cave will melt over the summer and never exist again for anyone else, only for you in that moment!

But with all of that good stuff, there are some potential challenges that can also emerge with planning a winter wedding in Iceland…. Such as a snowstorm (or blizzard), gale force winds, and road closures.  It’s all about timing and having plan A, B, and C options in place ahead of time (and we got you covered!).

Knowing all this, Trishia and Chris who hail from the big island of Hawaii embraced all that winter could throw at them and were super excited to EXPLORE on their Iceland wedding day.  So come along with us today and experience their adventure wedding in Iceland!

The perfect combination for an elopement in Iceland: Lace Wedding Dress and BOOTS!

Our Iceland wedding hair and makeup team always does an incredible (and long lasting) job on our brides!

Trishia’s Iceland wedding bouquet made me swoon hardcore! So wild and wonderful!

…and Chris’ Iceland wedding boutonniere was the perfect mix of rustic elegance!

Hiking to their Iceland wedding ceremony location!

Safety first… time for crampons!

My favorite thing about ice caves is hunting for new ones at the beginning of every season AND knowing they will never be the same after the season ends… Making it a naturally unique Iceland wedding location!

The textures and tones an ice cave presents… Layers of black, white, and blue!

Chris and Trishia’s Iceland wedding ceremony in an ice cave was simply INCREDIBLE!

Oh la la the magic in their Iceland wedding photos!

Fun Fact: Chris proposed to Trishia on a beautiful black sand beach in Hawaii so it was only fitting that we find some black sand near this subglacial volcano!

Tiny people, Big landscape.

Add in the beginning of a snow storm, some cuddling and the romance ensued!

Snow up to your knees at times, no sweat for this adventurous couple during their elopement in Iceland!

After their glacier cave wedding ceremony, we found our way to one of the most AMAZING places I have ever found to have an Iceland Luxury Picnic!

Seriously, most amazing place I have ever found… These two rocked the romance in it too!

The colors and textures were indescribable for their Iceland elopement photos!

The snow was really putting on a show for us!  All apart of the unforgettable Iceland wedding day EXPERIENCE!

After all that white, we went on plan b… Searching for some GREEN!  This secret canyon is usually pretty green no matter the season but the storm took over as we arrived creating a super fun exploring experience!

When Iceland gives you sleet and snow, you reply back with smiles and jokes!

Plan C enters…. And I gave them GREEN!  The beauty of hiring a local Iceland Wedding Planner and Photographer… We know this place like the back of our hand!

These quite sweet moments get me every time during an Iceland wedding day… Pretty pretty!

An afternoon snack of dried fish and Brennivin (aka Black Death) was on the agenda and these two savored every bit!  It’s fun to introduce cultural elements to your Iceland elopement.

After a quick rest and refresh, they enjoyed a romantic delicious dinner for two for their Iceland wedding reception!

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

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Although these two had been to Iceland once before, they were called back to this magical landscape to have their dreamy Iceland elopement!  Iceland is one of those countries that you can continuously visit and never see the same thing twice, forever!  Seriously folks, I live here and I am still adventuring to new places each day/week!

This winter has been one of the mildest on record for decades.  Typically in March, we have a lot more snow in the mountains and the ground, but for Stacey and Aaron, this was the PERFECT amount!  So come along with me today to witness their beautiful elopement in Iceland!

Ohhhhhhh swoon!  Look at that Iceland wedding dress!

….and Aaron’s tartan suit!

Stacey’s arrival into that sweet little black church gave me goosebumps!

Awww and Aaron’s reaction of seeing his beautiful bride was uber sweet!

Can we hit the pause button for a sec and admire Stacey’s unique Iceland wedding bouquet?!

Every Icelander will tell you that the Snaefellsnes is not only a stunning place to visit but that the peninsula is enchanted!

Don’t worry, even though it’s been a super mild winter, we found a glorious amount of snow to have for some romantic Iceland elopement photos!

Kirkjufell Mountain (and waterfall) is incredibly beautiful when it has a light dusting of snow on it… Making way for stunning elopement photos!

There are many secret places within the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to escape away from tourists… We took a little trip to one of my favorite secret waterfalls for a fun little adventure crossing rivers and such!

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is known to have an abundance of golden sand beaches ready for you to explore!

Ever think about venturing to a shipwreck beach with crazy awesome lava rock formations?!  These two ROCKED IT!

Toasting with bubbles cliffside, is a must do during your Iceland elopement!

When the weather changes in Iceland, it’s just a wonderful opportunity to HUG harder!

…and laugh harder that you have somehow experienced 4 seasons in one day

Take a page out of Stacey and Aaron’s book and make sure you take time to truly enjoy the view too!

As if their day was not adventurous enough, these two opted in on my suggestion of heading down inside of a 8,000 year old lava tube to explore it!  Special Note:  All of these images were taken in 100% darkness!  How cool, right?!

After 10+ hours of awesome adventures, it was time to rest, refresh, and get their second wind for their Iceland wedding reception for two!

It started snowing again so sadly no Northern Lights graced us, but we mocked up a super fun nighttime wedding photoshoot instead for Stacey and Aaron!

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

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• Will his look be formal or informal?
• If formal, will he wear a traditional black suit/tux, a non-traditional suit style, or an honorary style (IE, military, country based or of a religious tradition)?
• If informal, will he have a blazer made of tweed, linen, corduroy?  Wear the shirt tucked or untucked?
• Bowtie, Tie or Nothing?
• Vest or no vest?
• Suspenders or not?
• Fancy cuff links or not?
• Coordinating Shoes?
• Other awesome Iceland wedding accessories (IE, Fun socks, jeweled boutonniere, personal vow book, engraved ring, handkerchief, or watch, etc.)?
• Will you surprise him with something fun to wear?

Some of our favorite Iceland wedding groom details are featured below!  Hope it gets you thinking!

From our own wedding in the Lofoten Islands… My handsome Icelandic husband wore a traditional Calvin Klein black suit with a gray shirt and tie… Tiny twist on the traditional route.  Then halfway through the day he switched his shirt and tie for another look when I switched my dress!  Shout out to my dear friend Jean Smith for capturing ?

Remember Marlene and Alan’s elopement adventure in Iceland? Alan donned a traditional black 2 button suit and tan shoes.  Classic and impressive!

How fun would it be to have your groom in a non-traditional tux for your Iceland wedding?!  Do you recall Christophe and Mary’s Vik Iceland wedding adventure?  Christophe, I dare to say coined the word, dapper!

One of my favorite informal looks for an Iceland elopement is a clean-cut linen suit!

Iceland wedding accessories… Groom Shoes, Vow Book, and Jeweled Boutineere!  I’m a fan!

Blue suits were the trend last year and Luke (remember his pretty bride Kristi and their adventure wedding?) wore it well with mixing in green and gray accents!

So much about Matt and Elita’s adventurous elopement that I LOVED!  I mean seriously… The beard, the braid, the custom suit, vest, and rocking a fun tie?! #yesplease!

Nothing beats a fancy watch on a groom-to-be!  JS Watch Co. Reykjavik is a personal favorite for me!

Derek last year (remember his and Abbie’s elopement adventure, go back HERE to recall) showed us how good-looking it was to mix navy and tan!

I’m a sucker for “boots and suits” on Iceland wedding days, but rocking out a pair of nice shoes is pretty freaking awesome too (and then add in a hat like Todd did on his and Sheena’s lava tube cave wedding and it turns into something pretty special)!

If you have family roots that take you back to Scotland, it may be a lovely option to honor with wearing a tartan suit!

A way to further personalize your Iceland wedding day (or elopement) is to have your wedding date embroidered in your groom-to-be’s suit!

Footwear… Hiking boots at some point during the day is a MUST!  Remember Luisa and Marek’s rainy wedding day?  Those boots helped them rock it out!

Amy surprised Israel with cuff links that had coordinates of the wedding ceremony, what a thoughtful detail!

Ugh!  And do you remember Joe’s tweed suit?! Go back HERE and see their ice cave elopement!

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

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