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.

Do you remember their stunning Iceland wedding last April?  It was magical.  If you cannot recall right away, I encourage you to go back HERE or to Destination I Do  Magazine to swoon over their dreamy Iceland wedding day!

Bethany + Richard, we wish you an endless amount of more anniversary’s to share and we welcome you back to Iceland anytime =)  …savor this amazing time together!

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

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

The post Idyllic Iceland Wedding Anniversary appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

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

The post Hotel Budir Wedding Featured on Brides Without Borders appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Thrilled you stuck with us through our little blogging break =) We have been going a million miles an hour photographing some amazing Iceland weddings, finishing up wedding details for our remaining 2014 fabulous couples, and excitedly planning with our 2015 & 2016 couples.

Some sensational news we’d like to share: Did you know we have added someone tremendously awesome to our Iceland wedding planning team? Beth Golden, has a decade worth of experience in the industry and has proved to be a positive asset to our growing team. Her vision, creativity, attention to details is remarkable. Frankly she is our right arm in day of organization, so we can focus on you and capturing your amazing wedding moments in Iceland! As I am sure you know the enthusiasm never ends around here and Beth fits right in. So please warmly “Welcome” her to the Iceland Wedding Planner team!

As promised, today begins several extraordinary posts we will be sharing with you and all will surely make you swoon in envy! First series that is up is Atlanta, Georgia couple: Kim + Chris. I have 100’s of “favorite” images and have decided I don’t want to blow up one blog post with them, so we’re going to break up their adventurous Iceland wedding day into several pieces so we can all savor it and take notes! So please be sure to check in often over the next few weeks to see their Iceland wedding story unfold…

Can I let you in on a little secret? Summer Iceland weddings rock; there is nothing better than having the option of getting married at 6am or 11pm and holding a crazy epic adventurous wedding day under the midnight sun. Sooo… After driving 85km west in Southern Iceland on Sunday, June 22nd, it was time to get married!  Kim and Chris met their Icelandic pastor, on the shores of Reynisfjara Beach (sometimes people refer to it as Vik Beach).

They walked happily hand in hand to the basalt rock cave (Hálsanefshellir Cave) and held their spiritual Iceland wedding ceremony inside. Kim and Chris declared their love to each other by simply stating, “I promise to always love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.”  [Swoon!] The bride was so happy she shed a couple of joyful tears and the pastor immediately gave them both the biggest hug ever!  We popped a bottle of Domaine Chandon and served the bride and groom several tasty Icelandic baked goods to start the celebration right then, right there.

It was stunning in every way… and did I mention blue skies were abound? Yup, that always seems to happen for every wedding we photograph in Iceland, no matter the season =) Chris and Kim drank their bubbles, laughed, smiled and frolicked throughout the beach giving us tons of amazing opportunity’s for unforgettable Iceland wedding photos! So today, please delight in the beginning of their fabulous adventure: Chris and Kim’s Iceland destination wedding ceremony…

A note to my lovely couple:

Kim and Chris,

You give me goose bumps, that simple. The love you exude for each other made me cry with joy and I am not a crier, ever. You are soul mates and no one can deny it when they see you together. It was such an honor to design such a monumental day from start to finish for you both and being the lucky one, who got to photograph it too. Thank you for choosing me! So how about we plan an Iceland vow renewal adventure for your 5 year anniversary? ..Next time in Northern Iceland or with Northern Lights! Until then lots of hugs, Ann (…and Beth)

To the rest of you fabulous people: Thanks for stopping by today and be sure to come by next week to see more of Chris and Kim’s Iceland wedding day!

With a smile,

Ann Peters (Iceland Wedding Photographer and Planner)

© 2014, Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

The post Iceland Wedding Photographer | Kim + Chris | Reynisfjara Beach (Vik Beach Cave) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

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

::Warning::

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

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

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

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

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

Here are the benefits of getting married at Skogafoss Waterfall:

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

The downside of getting married at Skogafoss:

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

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

With a smile, Ann & Chris Peters

Husband & Wife Iceland Wedding Photography and Planning Team

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

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

Hey hey hey Woohoo for the day!

I hope this finds you well!  A few blog posts ago, we planned, photographed, and featured our 30th birthday party and we’re happy to share today that it was featured in the Emma Magazine, check it out here!

::Warning::

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

Now back today’s awesome topic… Waterfalls are one of the most majestic natural wonders on the planet.  To be married at one adds in an extraordinary amount of romance and a great start to happily ever after.  Waterfalls have symbolized the source of life giving water in many countries.  These traits are similar to the symbolic nature of a wedding ring because in many cases it symbolizes the lifeline to a marriage.

Iceland is suited for waterfalls because of the consistent snow and rain the country encounters during the year.  But the good news is that awesome precipitation adds to the magnificent waterfalls, gorgeous rivers, lakes, and glacier pools that are found throughout Iceland.  These elements set the scene for Iceland to be an unforgettable wedding location.

Those endless amounts of waterfalls, cliffs, canyons, glaciers, ruggedly unique terrain, and coastlines all create the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos to be unlike any other.  Imagine yourself in front of this distinctive landscape saying your vows.  It is truly dreamlike!

Today, we begin another fabulous 3 part series on Iceland Waterfall Weddings.  First up is our personal favorite, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.  Enjoy!

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is ideal for an adventurous outdoor  wedding, engagement session, or simply a post wedding adventure visit.  Directions: Once you have passed the city of Hella in Southern Iceland you have about 15-20 minute drive to the waterfall.  It lies between the city of Selfoss and Skogafoss.  To help pinpoint it, here are the Seljalandsfoss GPS Coordinates: 63°36?57?N19°59?34?W. 

You will begin seeing her splendor emerge from the cliffs as you enter from the west on Route 1 (Or Þjóðvegur Road), on your left hand side and if coming from the east you are surprised by it on your right hand side. Once you park the excitement starts…

Consumed by its greatness, you’ll be in awe for a moment or two because you’ll look up and be greeted with 196 feet of sheer natural wonder.  Finding yourself completely astounded by the jagged cliffs, grass landings and a cute little bridge.  However its greatest secret is a small pathway that leads you up and around the back of the waterfall.  If you continue to follow the path, it will loop you around and back to the front of the waterfall.  See a view of our Iceland wedding being setup at Seljalandsfoss from the very top waterfall viewing point in the below photos.

A few words of advice as you venture in and around this waterfall: If heading behind Seljalandsfoss, shield your camera and bring your raincoat.  One gust of wind charging in from the nearby ocean will get you soaked from head to toe.  Have your Iceland wedding photographer or Iceland wedding planner scope it out first and direct you.

The pros of getting married at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall:

·       Gorgeous backdrop for a wedding ceremony and endless unique spots for your Iceland wedding portraits!

·       It is directly off of main road, Route 1.

·       You can walk behind this waterfall.

·       You can marry right in front of the waterfall.

·       Beautiful scenery around the waterfall.

·       There is a cute little stream that runs under a bridge offering a stunning view of the waterfall.

·       There are no fees or special permission needed to marry here.

·       The 5 senses experience! < See below>

The Cons of getting married at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall:

·       The noise the waterfall creates.  Consider having an Iceland DJ or some sort of sound system in place.  Otherwise your guests will not be able to hear your wedding vows or ceremony over the sound this powerful waterfall creates.

·       The waterfall is a public attraction so you may have other tourists in your wedding photos.

·       This spot is also first come first serve, there is no reserving a specific area for your wedding ceremony.

·       If holding your ceremony near the front of the waterfall there may be mist and you might get wet.

·       If you go behind the waterfall you may get wet and the bottom of your dress dirty.

Remember how a few blog posts ago I talked about how my husband and I had these “somewhere in time moments” during our magical wedding weekend in Iceland?  Well you can add Seljalandsfoss to that list!  Both of us will never forget the sound and feel of this waterfall as we said our Iceland wedding vows.  Even though we had 40 guests watching us it felt like it was just Chris, myself, and this enormous waterfall as we stated our forever promises to each other.  Even over a year later, I remember vividly that Seljalandsfoss provided a total 5 senses experience to us and our guests.  Hearing a waterfall now anywhere brings me back to that moment in time.  I can even recall how the sun and waterfall mist felt on my skin that day, the earthy smell, and the raw desolate visuals of the landscape that corners the waterfall.

Choosing to have your wedding in front of a waterfall in Iceland is a tall order.  Luckily, we’re here to help you –We have firsthand experience!  My husband and I were actually married at Seljalandsfoss waterfall on April 14th 2012 (our Iceland destination wedding even made the news, see here).   As a husband and wife team, we have wonderful packages that combine Iceland wedding planning, Iceland engagement photos and full day Iceland wedding photography.  So please feel free to contact us if you are interested in more details on getting married in Iceland!

With a smile, Ann Peters

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

The post Iceland Wedding Location: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

So the big questions of the week… Where are you at with your Iceland wedding planning?  Have you sent out Save-the-Dates?

Sending out Save-the-Dates is one of the most sensational parts of destination wedding planning… Who doesn’t love a good surprise?  Shocking your guests with your breathtaking wedding location can be so much fun for all involved!  After all, your friends and family at that point already know you’re engaged and are now just anticipating the big news of where you’ll be saying “I do.”  How fun for them to open up their mailbox to see your Save-the-Date as Iceland!?!  Instant reaction, I guarantee, “Umm, Iceland?  Really?  Why?” Or my personal favorite that Chris and I (and all of our guests) would continually be asked by clients and acquaintances, “So who is Icelandic?”  That one made us laugh every time.  What has been your favorite comment you have gotten during your Iceland wedding planning?

So maybe you are still in the beginning stages of planning your destination wedding in Iceland and you wonder why save the dates are important or if you should even do them?

Our personal and professional vote is that you should, if time and budget allows.  Save-the-Dates serve as the official “kick off” to your wedding day in Iceland.  Your wedding becomes, real!  I know it sounds silly, but you’ll understand what I am saying once you send them out.  From your wedding guest’s perspective, having your save-the-date 8+ months before your Iceland destination wedding date gives them enough time to save, plan for vacation time, book flights and accommodations, daydream about the trip, and it undoubtedly adds to the anticipation of your big day!

So when do you send your save-the-dates out?

To figure out that answer we need to take one step back… Your first step (if you haven’t ready) is to secure your proposed wedding date with your favorite wedding venue in Iceland (or some other dreamy locale if you’re planning locally) this is key to launching the destination wedding planning process.  <Sidebar: If you do not have a specific place in mind to marry in Iceland, do not worry, Iceland Wedding Planner can help you with that!  One of the Iceland wedding planning services (in our Iceland wedding packages) we offer to you are venue appraisals (for your Iceland wedding ceremony, Iceland wedding reception, and host hotel) so you and your soon-to-be can make the right choice contingent on your budget and desired location.>   Once that has been completed then you can let your guests know your unforgettable wedding date!

Our professional suggestion to you would be to pick a wedding date in Iceland that is at least 8+ months away.

Why book your Iceland wedding earlier versus later?

• You will have enough time to reserve your first choice Iceland wedding venue (especially if you want to wed during Iceland’s high tourist season June-August).
• First choice on reserving a host hotel that can accommodate your group size (most hotels max out at 25-ish rooms).
• You have enough time to organize all of the awesome Iceland wedding details you will need to complete your day (Iceland wedding dress, Iceland wedding photographer, Iceland wedding official, Iceland DJ, Iceland florist, Iceland wedding cake, Iceland makeup artist, Iceland hair stylist, etc.).
• Time to handle all of the legal documents and marriage license you need to get married in Iceland.
• Enough planning time to organize an epic post wedding itinerary for you and your guests (Hello, Iceland honeymoon or wedding mini-moon!).  Remember also, your guests not only get to see you get married in an amazing locale but they get to go on a vacation too!  Thus planning early and making it memorable for all involved is important (and helps in creating a better turn out).  A perfect way to engage your guests is to have a specific post wedding itinerary that they can be part of.  <Note: As Iceland wedding planners, we can help you plan out the logistics this.  This feature is included in our Iceland wedding planning package.>
• Gives you time to savor the wedding planning process, send out awesome Iceland save the dates and create an Iceland wedding website!

Unfortunately, Chris and I did not have time (see our previous post here) to send out save the dates to our guests while planning our April Iceland wedding.  Instead, we just full out shocked our guests with our Iceland wedding invitation!  Luckily though, we now get to live vicariously through our incredible Iceland wedding clients.  To give you a real life wedding example: Meet one of our remarkable clients –Tiffany & Brian.  They are a really inspiring, thrill-seeking, incredibly cute and exciting couple from Saskatchewan, Canada.  These two are so much fun that Chris and I seriously wish they lived closer!

These two have kindly allowed us to share some of their dazzling Iceland wedding details we are creating for their October 2014 Snaefellsnes Peninsula wedding.  Originally, they contacted us when they were ~21 months away from their desired wedding date (totally an ideal amount of time to plan your Iceland destination wedding).  They decided to email their save-the-dates –how fun, right?  They compiled their guest list as you would typically but ensured they also had each guests email.  They wrote a short note, bcc’d each of their guests, added their wedding website, and then attached a digital file of their Iceland destination wedding save-the-date!  Voila!  This route can be a wonderful way to save within your budget as save-the-dates are on average $1.50 each printed plus postage.  That being said, I am pleased to share with you their gorgeous Iceland Save the Date along with another fun example from one of our 2013 other local bride and grooms.

Below you’ll find some useful information for you to ponder about as you plan your Iceland destination wedding and create your own save-the-dates.

Items to include in your destination wedding Save the Date:

• Your full names.
• Your awesome destination wedding date.
• Where: Include the country and/or city you have decided to hold your destination wedding in.
• Wedding website (this is a wonderful tool to share information with your guests on your engagement, photos, travel plans, accommodations, day of schedule, menu, activity itinerary, registry, etc).
• Colors – Incorporate your wedding colors if possible.
• A fun tagline or statement to open with.  A few examples follow: “To the Land of Fire and Ice!,” “Love + Adventure = A Wedding in Iceland!,” “Pack your bags!  You’re invited to the wedding of…”  “It doesn’t matter how, just get there!”  Or how about a super exciting quote maybe from a literally sensation like Walt Whitman? My personal favorite: “I give you my love, more precious than money. I give you myself, before preaching or law. Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me? Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?” –Walt Whitman
• Then consider either emailing to your guests or have them professionally printed.  Try to send out when you are 8 to 24 months away from your big day, if possible.

Planning a destination wedding in Iceland takes time and patience to plan fully (unless you are eloping in Iceland with no guests or very few).  Specifically, if you are planning to have guests join you for your epic Icelandic wedding adventure then please contact us!  Chris and I have been in your shoes and know it can be overwhelming because of the lack of resources.  Luckily, we have spent time building wonderful relationships with the very best people and vendors in Iceland that will all come together to make your destination wedding in Iceland easy and flawless.  We’d love to hear from you and make that happen!

With a smile, Ann Peters
Expert Iceland Wedding Photographer and Planner

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

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