Your adventurous, avid travelers, and are seekers of moments, not things.  You yearned for an EXPERIENCE, not just a wedding day, right?

< Enter in the idea for a destination wedding >

Then the brainstorming began of where would have endless adventures, dynamic landscape for wedding photos, and be affordable for the majority of your wedding guests…

< Enter in Iceland >

Then you stumbled upon the idea of having an adventure wedding in Iceland… BRILLIANT. DONE. SOLD.  Woohoo!  Now that you’re planning a wedding in Iceland  with guests (and not eloping in Iceland), you need to devise a plan so that your Iceland wedding day is going to go down as: THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR.  So how do you do that successfully with or without an Iceland Wedding Planner?

Step 1:

Create a wedding website with useful information that makes it easy for your guests to make the decision to come (IE, Why you chose Iceland for your destination wedding location, Accommodation Room Block Information, Rental Car Info, Things to Do, How to Drive in Iceland, What to Pack, What to Wear to an Iceland Wedding Day, Best Hot Springs, Your Iceland Wedding Day Schedule, Pre/Post Wedding Itinerary, Gift Registry, etc).

Step 2: 

Get Your Guests EXCITED to come!  How?  Send a little “gift” with your invitation (like a map of the island, Icelandic candy, etc).

Step 3:

Send a newsletter update via email at the 9, 6, 3 and 1 month away marks to formally connect with your guests (also helps you track your room block information, meal choices, and reminds your guests that you care about them having an unforgettable time when they come to your Iceland wedding!).

Step 4:

Take your honeymoon 3-6 months after your wedding in Iceland so that you can design an epic pre and post wedding adventures WITH your guests in tow.  After all, you CHOSE Iceland for some fantastic reasons, so show them the best of the island (your way)!  Even if many your guests are not as adventurous as the two of you, they will live vicariously through you and feel honored to participate at different points.

Step 5:

When your guests check in to your Iceland wedding hotel, have welcome bags for them (either have the front desk give to each guest at time of check-in OR ask your fabulous Iceland Wedding Planner or Hotel if they can put them into each guests room).  Iceland Wedding Welcome Bags can have things in it like… Water, Tissues, Antacids, Tylenol/Advil, Hangover Kit, Hand Lotion (check out Soley products), Hand Sanitizer, Pepto-Bismol, Breath Mints, Shout Wipes, Chapstick, Eye Mask and Earplugs (if getting married in Iceland during summer solstice), Snacks (peanuts, cliff bars), Umbrella / Rain Poncho, Local Icelandic things like (dried fish jerky, licorice, chocolate, a wool item, map, or other awesome party favors).

Step 6:

Hold a “Welcome” Dinner or Cocktail Hour the day before your Iceland wedding day.  It gathers and focuses people.  Plus, it builds the anticipation of embarking on your adventure wedding day in Iceland!  Have a signature drink, either Icelandic (or American) appetizers OR a full sit-down 3 course meal.  If doing appetizers and drinks only, I suggest a 5-6pm timeframe.  If doing dinner, then start at 7pm (30 minutes per course).  NOTE: It’s important for people to GET SLEEP, so be mindful of this.

Step 7:

At the beginning or end of the welcome event pass out a physical Timeline Card/Schedule to each guest.  This is critical so that everyone is fully aware (no excuses) of when and where they need to be.  No one wants to be “that guy/gal” who shows up late, holds everyone up, or ruins an itinerary.  Set your guests up for success (and less stress) by communicating the schedule to them.  See here or here for an example Iceland wedding timeline card.

Step 8:

Allow us to design a full day adventure for your Iceland wedding day.  The landscape is unforgettable and being able to explore it with your guests is unlike anything they will EVER experience.  Imagine yourself saying “I do” at a private waterfall with zero tourists, discovering secret caves, marveling over massive glaciers, green mountains, trekking through canyons, and secluded black sand beaches with stunning rock formations!  Say what?!  Um yeah, seriously.  Your guests will be left speechless by the end of the day.

Step 9:

Seat your wedding guests during your Iceland wedding ceremony.  Nothing worse for a guest than having to stand through a ceremony in the cold/wind/rain, etc.  So be kind and courteous to their needs since they came all that way!  See HERE for more information on that topic.

Step 10:

Have an Unplugged Wedding Ceremony.  Why?  See our previous blog post HERE to understand better.  It encourages your guests to be PRESENT and in the moment WITH YOU.  Your guests may be miffed for a hot second but in the end, it will prove to have a larger impact on them, I promise.

 Step 11: 

Keep Guests Comfortable.  If going forward with an adventure wedding in Iceland, then you need to make sure (if you haven’t hired us as your Iceland Wedding Planner) there are scheduled bathroom breaks, a bathroom on the bus, or you have porta potties in tow.  Also be sure to have lunch and/or snacks available to your guests throughout the day (IE, fruit, snack sized chips, cliff bars, waters, sodas, etc).  This will avoid anyone getting “hangry.”

Step 12:

Have a scheduled “bail out” point if needed during the day (if your guest list includes any children under 10, over 70 years old or just in general less adventurous fair weather folks) AND a designated “rest” time between the adventure portion and the reception dinner.  At least an hour is needed for guests to be able to rest, refresh, and catch a second wind.  They will thank you later for this!

Step 13:

Introduce your Iceland wedding guests to some cultural elements!  Craft your wedding menu to have some local delicacies such as the following: Mushroom Soup, Icelandic Meat Soup, Langoustine, Scallops, Arctic Char, Reindeer, Lamb, or Skyr Cake.  Adding in an Icelandic Wedding Cake is a fun option as well!

Step 14:

Save any speeches or toasts for after the main course.  Toasts are best enjoyed by everyone on a full belly.

Step 15:

Have an open bar (unless there are sensitive circumstances as to why you cannot).  It’s not very pleasant for a guest to have travelled thousands of miles to find out their “friends” cannot buy them a glass of wine or a beer.  But know it’s okay to have curved limits like stating on the bottom of your menu “Beverages: Sodas, Coffee, Tea, Beer, and Wine” which implies cocktails or hard liquors are on the guests’ dime.  Or telling the hotel it’s okay to have an “open bar” if bottles or 30-year-old whiskies, etc are not included.  Just be tactful about it and not tacky to save a few bucks.

Step 16:

Be sure (if you have not hired us as your Iceland wedding photographer) you specifically ask your Iceland wedding photographer to take candid and posed photos (of the couples).  It’s a nice keepsake for you and the couples to have and remember later!

Step 17:

Schedule some post wedding day awesomeness for you and your Iceland wedding guests.  Maybe an activity like Inside the Volcano? Glacier Ice Climbing or Hiking? Horseback Riding? Scuba or Snorkeling between the famed tectonic plates?  Or how fun would it be for you all to caravan with walkie talkies throughout the Golden Circle and end the day in some secret hot springs?!  It would be an unforgettable end to your wedding events!

Step 18:

Send “thank you” notes to your guests regardless of them sending you a gift or not.  That simple.  If they came to your Iceland destination wedding, they deserve to be “thanked”  for coming formally.  Do it within 6 weeks after your Iceland wedding day.

Following these easy straightforward steps will ensure your guests are happy during your wedding day in Iceland and them remembering yours as THE BEST DAY EVER!

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

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

The post 18 Steps to Planning an Iceland Wedding Your Guests Will Never Forget appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

As you probably already know, from reading our fabulous “About Us” section, I was too =)  I actually planned my Iceland adventure wedding long before it was cool to get married there.  Shortly after, Iceland Wedding Planner emerged as the #1 Official Resource for any couple considering to marry in Iceland!  Thanks for continuing that trend!  We feel honored to help you plan your Iceland Wedding, even if you are not a direct client!  ? ? ?

Today, I wanted to go back in time and pull some of our amazing Iceland Wedding Planning advice from our 5+ years of archives and put them all in one spot for you to read through and enjoy!

Iceland Wedding Bridal Advice:

1. Iceland Wedding Shoes
2. Iceland Wedding Coats
3. Iceland Bridal Bouquets
4. Preserving your Bridal Bouquet
5. Emergency Kit for your Iceland Wedding Day
6. Day of Gift Ideas
7. Iceland Wedding Ceremony Vows
8. Love Letter Ceremony (Type of Unity Ceremony’s)
9. 10 Tips for the Perfect Iceland Wedding Kiss!
10. Iceland Wedding Rings: Engraving Ideas

General Iceland Wedding Planning Advice:

1. 10 Biggest Myths About Getting Married in Iceland
2. Best Time of Year to Marry in Iceland
3. 20 Tips on Planning Your Iceland Wedding Part 1
4. 20 Tips on Planning Your Iceland Wedding Part 2
5. Iceland Wedding Timeline Advice
6. Planning an Iceland Destination Wedding (My Story from 2011)
7. Questions to Ask Your Iceland Wedding Photographer
8. Iceland Destination Wedding Etiquette
9. Protocol for Family Issues (Advice for Parents)
10. Iceland Wedding Save The Dates!
11. Iceland Wedding Invites Part 1 (Extravagant Destination Wedding Invitations)
12. Icelandic Wedding Invitations Part 2 (Creative Iceland Destination Wedding Invites)
13. Iceland Wedding Invitations Part 3 (Whimiscal Destination Wedding Invitations)
14. Iceland Wedding Detail Planning
15. Why You Should Have an Unplugged Iceland Wedding
16. Iceland Wedding Locations (Mainstream)
17. Iceland Engagement Guestbook
18. Iceland Wedding Welcome Bags
19. Iceland Wedding Favors
20. Importing Your Iceland Wedding Details
21. Iceland Wedding Reception: Menu Ideas
22. Iceland Wedding Reception Table Setup
23. Iceland Wedding Ceremony Music Ideas
24. Iceland Wedding Reception Music Ideas
25. Iceland Wedding Reception Alcohol Advice
26. Iceland Wedding Cake: Kransekake
27. Tipping in Iceland
28. Things You Should Know Before Having a Wedding in Iceland
29. To Seat or Not to Seat Your Iceland Wedding Guests
30. Iceland Wedding Signature Drink Ideas!

Iceland Wedding Guest Advice:

1. What to Wear to an Iceland Wedding
2. What to Pack for an Iceland Destination Wedding
3. How to Drive in Iceland
4. Things to Do in Iceland!
5. Things to Do in the Snaefellsness Peninsula
6. Iceland Destination Wedding: Guest Advice
7. Best Hot Springs to visit in Iceland
8. Top 12 Restaurants in Reykjavik
9. Most Adventurous Things to do in Iceland

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

PS- This information is copyrighted, so please don’t make us sad and steal our years of hard work.  But do feel free to read, take notes, and possibly link to our site!

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

The post Iceland Wedding & Travel Expert: Official Iceland Wedding Planning Advice appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

To Have or Not Have an Unplugged Iceland Wedding?

Okay okay okay, Picture THIS!  So there you are in Iceland and it’s your wedding day.  You know at like a secret waterfall, cave, glacier, black sand beach, you know the usual awe-inspiring nature stuff   You’ve invited all those you love and adore and they are there in total bliss from all of magical surroundings you have chosen as your location to marry in Iceland!  …Anxiously waiting for you as you walk down the aisle, they all raise their iPhones and cameras to capture this epic moment in time for you!

<Hold your breath!>

Because, wait!  Now, let’s take it one step further like a month later and you’re reliving your amazing day through your fabulous Iceland wedding photos from your talented Iceland wedding photographer… As you flip through you remember that epic moment as you walked down the aisle and you notice everyone’s FACES are BLOCKED by their cameras and phones!

<Insert sad face!>

Then you get further into your Iceland wedding ceremony and you see in all of the beautiful overview shots, at least one guest is standing up (or standing off to the side) taking a photo or a video of you guys.  It’s sweet of that well-meaning guest, but how much more amazing would it have been had you been able to see everyone’s faces or have everyone’s full attention, reveling in your Iceland wedding day with you?

<Insert HAPPY face!>

Today I share with you 8 reasons why you should consider having your Iceland wedding ceremony be unplugged:

1. If their camera or phone is in front of their face, you cannot see their face and they cannot see yours!
2. The Sound. –Hello distraction!
3. The Flash – It can create unwanted shadows for your hired Iceland Wedding Photographer!
4. People will see your wedding day through their phone and not actually EXPERIENCING it with you in that moment. …you don’t want that do you?
5. People running around in the dynamic Icelandic landscapes can cause unforeseen injuries if they have the camera or iPhone to their faces the whole time. Not kidding folks – THIS HAPPENS!
6. Focus Beams – For the guests that are DSLR lovers, their red focus beam could show up in the photos.
7. You do not need extra paparazzi running around! 1 or 2 Iceland pro photographers is enough right?
8. My Personal Fave: By having an unplugged Iceland Wedding: No one will spoil the surprise to everyone back home by Instagram-ing or Facebook-ing photos of you, your dress, or the locations earlier than you wish!

My two cents on the topic!   So your next question is how do you communicate an Unplugged Iceland Wedding Ceremony to your guests?  A kind note like the following on your Iceland Wedding Website (or on your Wedding Program or Timeline Card) would do the trick:

“Guess What?!  You’re in Iceland!!  Please be present reveling in this moment with us!  We’ve hired someone awesome and that we trust to capture it fully (and we’ll share the photos after, don’t worry) so please sit back and enjoy this time with us without a electronic on or in hand.  We kindly ask so that throughout the day we can also see your faces and you can see ours smiling at you =)  After all, are in Iceland, so let’s savor it unplugged!”

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

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

The post Iceland Wedding Photographer Tip: Why You Should Have an Unplugged Wedding appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Thanks so much for joining us for our second installment of 20 tips for planning your Iceland wedding!  If you missed the first half of this series, feel free to go back and delight in it here.  As having been married in Iceland ourselves, we know firsthand how crazy awesome it is as a destination wedding location.  We also know how difficult it can be planning a wedding if you are unfamiliar with the country, so feel free to contact us!  We’d love to hear from you!

We hope these tips prove to be a helpful tool in deciding if an Iceland weeding is in your future!

11.  Before you embark on your journey, request that your Iceland wedding official/celebrant sends you the full service in print so you and your fiancé can review and make changes if needed.  If writing your own vows or having a unity ceremony make him/her conscious of this ahead of time.  Many of the priests and magistrates in Iceland are unfamiliar with North American wedding customs.

12.  Have your wedding budget detailed out in your own currency and in ISK (Icelandic currency).  The exchange rate changes daily.  When budget planning 12 months out from your Iceland wedding date, fluctuations in the rate (and VAT increases) can have a significant impact on your overall costs.

13.  Do not be afraid to ship in your own wedding details ahead of time to ensure they meet your standards and vision.  We imported over 16,000 freeze-dried rose petals for our Iceland destination wedding at Seljalandsfoss.  For more information on this topic, please see our blog post on Importing Your Iceland Wedding Details.

14.  Having a wedding Iceland wedding timeline card (schedule) available when your guests check-in to the hotel is a great way to help keep your guests on track.  This extra detail will let everyone know what festivities are in store during their stay.  Not sure what to include or why? Don’t fret!  We wrote a great post about Wedding Issues you can check out to ease your mind.

15.  For an extra special wedding welcome, provide your guests with an Iceland Wedding Welcome Bag.  They made the trip to Iceland to see you get married, now spoil them with some local super sweet luxuries to use during their stay.

16.  Take your Iceland wedding dress off the bridal store’s hanger and say no to plastic hangers!  Bring a personalized wooden one that says your future name (Example: Mrs. Smith), or “The Bride,” “Love,” “I Do,” etc!  This is a delightful detail for your Iceland wedding photographers to capture.  Example of what that looks like, here.

17.  Do not be afraid to talk with your photographers candidly about your vision and what you need captured, it’s important to make that clear.  See why this topic is so important in our previous blog post, here.

18.  Understand that you may not have an ideal weather day for your wedding in Iceland and just accept it.  The day might bring rain, sleet, snow, be cloudy, or be blazing with endless sunshine, who knows!  Storms approach and blow through quickly.  You may just have to wait 15 mins or so.    Above all, have a feasible “Plan B” option if holding your wedding ceremony outside.  Our advice to you is to either an indoor locale on standby or umbrellas for each guest readily available.

19.  If having guests attend your Iceland destination wedding, plan a fun post wedding day group activity that all ages can participate in.  Idea: We designed a self-drive highlight tour of the Golden Circle, Seltun/Krýsuvík Lava Field, and the Blue Lagoon the next day with our guests.  Check out our previous blog post here on that topic.

20.  Make your honeymoon a separate trip and enjoy your trip to Iceland with all who have come to share it with you.  We actually waited 6 months to take our honeymoon and were so glad we did!  Check our Bali Indonesia Honeymoon Portraits here.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed today’s post and it has provided you with some better insight into the many things to consider when planning your destination wedding in Iceland.  Think this may be for you?  Talk to us today on how Iceland Wedding Planner and Photos by Miss Ann can complement your wedding day in Iceland!  Please feel free to contact us directly here.

Today’s wedding day photo inspiration comes from a gorgeous wedding we had the pleasure of photographing on Saturday, September 7^th on the esteemed Infinity Ovation Yacht.  Beth and Jarret have become very dear friends to Chris and I over the past few years.  We were honored and super excited when they asked us to photograph the most important day of their lives!  They are a pair who is very adventurous, challenge each other, and they have a relentless love and admiration for each other that is unmistakable.

Beth was already one of the most gorgeous women I know, but to see her as a bride on her wedding day took my breath away!  Oh man and Jarret…in his bow tie, suit, and perfect smile -so handsome!  The Day:  It was an ideal moment in Saint Clair Shores with early fall temperatures and endless blue skies overhead for their ceremony.  Chris and I spilt up for an early morning start to this amazing event.  Beth and her ladies started at the MGM Casino and Jarret and his groomsmen began their day right around the corner from the Jefferson Beach Marina.

The 11am ceremony brought all who love them together in celebration.  The captain of the boat married them and the horn of the yacht blew in announcement of the newlywed Mr. and Mrs.!  How fun, right?  After the ceremony, all of the guests boarded the boat to enjoy an afternoon cruise.  A strolling gourmet lunch was served while the yacht boasted amazing views around the Detroit River including the historic Ambassador Bridge!  Jarret and Beth, we hope these images speak to you and forever seal that marvelous moment in time for you!  Thank you for choosing Photos by Miss Ann to tell your wedding day story!   Now please delight in their wedding day BLISS below…

Lots of Smiles and positive planning vibes, Ann & Chris Peters

Husband and Wife Iceland Wedding Planning & Photography Team

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

The post 20 Tips for Planning Your Iceland Wedding (Part 2 of 2) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

There you are engaged, starry-eyed and in love debating on destination wedding locations… When you stumble over the idea of having your wedding in Iceland!  Is it even possible?  Do people actually get married in Iceland?  Of course it is! We did it and now specialize in planning and photographing weddings for other amazing couples in Iceland!  Okay, so now that we have you super excited that it’s possible, contact us for more information on being your wedding planner and Iceland wedding photographers!

Today we begin a two part series on advice for planning your Iceland destination wedding.  Here is our 10 out of 20 Iceland wedding  planning tips for this week!

1.)  Give yourself an absolute minimum of 6 months to plan your destination wedding in Iceland.  If you’re planning to elope in Iceland, plan for a minimum of 4 months before.  To insure your Iceland wedding dream spot is available book 12-16 months before your date.

2.)  Apply for a credit card that offers free foreign transactions.  When we were planning our Iceland destination wedding, we chose the Chase Sapphire Card.  We earned points for every dollar we spent while avoiding that 3% transaction fee on every international purchase.  This savings on your Iceland wedding budget can be put towards that epic honeymoon!

3.)  Fully explore all of the possible locations you could hold your Iceland ceremony.  Maybe on top of a Glacier?  In the middle of lava fields?  Seljalandsfoss Waterfall?  Vik Beach? Gulfoss? Ranga River?  Lake Mývatn? Dettifoss Waterfall?  In an Icelandic country church? Downtown Reykjavik?  Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon?  In one of Iceland’s many gorgeous canyons?  In front of a basalt rock formation?  The natural wonders for Iceland wedding venues are endless, so think hard on where you see yourself getting married.

4.)  Do your research on the time of year you want to marry in Iceland.  The amount of daylight varies depending on the day/month so be mindful.  Iceland can range from 4 hours to 22 hours of daylight a day.  We have a fantastic post here on the “Best Time to Marry in Iceland.”  Also check out one of our favorite sites: Time & Date for specific information on how many hours of daylight you may have on your proposed Iceland wedding date.

5.)  Currently you do not need a “permit” to marry at any of Iceland’s natural wonders.

6.)  Make sure you’re in Iceland at least 2 business days before your wedding date.  In order to obtain your Iceland marriage license, you must be in the country 2 business days before you get married.  Hard copies of the documents are due 2-3 weeks before you arrive in Iceland.  Please keep this in mind as you finalize your travel plans.

7.)  Trip Advisor, Google Images, and Wikipedia are magnificent tools for understanding where things are in Iceland and what they look like as you plan your Iceland wedding adventure.

8.)  When you’re getting ready to send out your Iceland wedding Invitations, create a wedding website detailing your chosen location, your booked flight information, Iceland wedding host hotel information, activities you want to do, coupon or booking codes, and your week/end Iceland wedding schedule so guests are comfortable booking ASAP. Send your Iceland wedding website URL with your wedding invitation.

9.)  Change it up by having a “Love Letter Ceremony” in place of a sand ceremony, unity candle or tying the knot ceremony.  It is very unique and will provide a very special moment for you both then and years later.

10.)  If you plan to say “I do” at one of Iceland’s gorgeous waterfalls (like Seljalandsfoss Waterfall)  we recommend renting a sound system with a wireless microphone. It is tough to compete the roar of a epic waterfall in the background.  Having a sound system insures every word is heard and that music can be included in your ceremony.

We hope you have enjoyed our post today on tips for getting married in Iceland!  Stay tuned next week for the remaining segment on this wonderful topic!  (If you’re just joining us see the continuation to this post at 20 Tips for Planning Your Iceland Wedding (Part 2 of 2)).

And if you just can’t wait or find “Part 2” here it is!

11.  Before you embark on your journey, request that your Iceland wedding official/celebrant sends you the full service in print so you and your fiancé can review and make changes if needed.  If writing your own vows or having a unity ceremony make him/her conscious of this ahead of time.  Many of the priests and magistrates in Iceland are unfamiliar with North American wedding customs.

12.  Have your wedding budget detailed out in your own currency and in ISK (Icelandic currency).  The exchange rate changes daily.  When budget planning 12 months out from your Iceland wedding date, fluctuations in the rate (and VAT increases) can have a significant impact on your overall costs.

13.  Do not be afraid to ship in your own wedding details ahead of time to ensure they meet your standards and vision.  We imported over 16,000 freeze-dried rose petals for our Iceland destination wedding at Seljalandsfoss.  For more information on this topic, please see our blog post on Importing Your Iceland Wedding Details.

14.  Having a wedding Iceland wedding timeline card (schedule) available when your guests check-in to the hotel is a great way to help keep your guests on track.  This extra detail will let everyone know what festivities are in store during their stay.  Not sure what to include or why? Don’t fret!  We wrote a great post about Wedding Issues you can check out to ease your mind.

15.  For an extra special wedding welcome, provide your guests with an Iceland Wedding Welcome Bag.  They made the trip to Iceland to see you get married, now spoil them with some local super sweet luxuries to use during their stay.

16.  Take your Iceland wedding dress off the bridal store’s hanger and say no to plastic hangers!  Bring a personalized wooden one that says your future name (Example: Mrs. Smith), or “The Bride,” “Love,” “I Do,” etc!  This is a delightful detail for your Iceland wedding photographers to capture.  Example of what that looks like, here.

17.  Do not be afraid to talk with your photographers candidly about your vision and what you need captured, it’s important to make that clear.  See why this topic is so important in our previous blog post, here.

18.  Understand that you may not have an ideal weather day for your wedding in Iceland and just accept it.  The day might bring rain, sleet, snow, be cloudy, or be blazing with endless sunshine, who knows!  Storms approach and blow through quickly.  You may just have to wait 15 mins or so.    Above all, have a feasible “Plan B” option if holding your wedding ceremony outside.  Our advice to you is to either an indoor locale on standby or umbrellas for each guest readily available.

19.  If having guests attend your Iceland destination wedding, plan a fun post wedding day group activity that all ages can participate in.  Idea: We designed a self-drive highlight tour of the Golden Circle, Seltun/Krýsuvík Lava Field, and the Blue Lagoon the next day with our guests.  Check out our previous blog post here on that topic.

20.  Make your honeymoon a separate trip and enjoy your trip to Iceland with all who have come to share it with you.  We actually waited 6 months to take our honeymoon and were so glad we did!  Check our Bali Indonesia Honeymoon Portraits here.

With a smile, Ann Peters + Team (Iceland Wedding Planning and Photography Team)

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

The post 20 Tips for Getting Married in Iceland (Part 1 of 2) appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Many of you have been curious as to how Chris and I went from dating in Michigan to being married in Iceland… so here you go ladies!  Our relationship adventures went something like this:

• We met in September of 2009.
• Rang in 2010 in Los Cabos, Mexico (woohoo first vacation together!).
• Had the merging of friends at an amazing ski trip to Banff, Alberta Canada in February 2010.
• Photographed a fabulous destination wedding (our first together) in Vieques, Puerto Rico in March of 2010.
• Found our way to several coasts and back photographing destination weddings and doing lots of high altitude hiking in Colorado (Yes I always keep a dress in my hiking bag for just such a photo occasion. After all, we’re wedding photographers, there is always an amazing locale nearby!).
• We learned new things together like how to race at Bridgestone Racing Academy in Pontypool, Ontario, to scuba dive, to fence, I celebrated my 500 skydive and Chris tried his first (Yes that is totally camera gear mounted to my helmet. Check out why I skydive here).
• May 2011, we moved in together!  Settled in a super cute 1920’s home in downtown Plymouth, Michigan.  See one of our photos from our 1920’s styled session here.
• Ann went on a trip to Jeju Island, South Korea while Chris went engagement ring shopping.
• Engaged:  We took a trip to Koloa, Hawaii (island of Kauai) in October of 2011 to photograph a gorgeous Kauai destination wedding.  We added a few days before to do some hiking, scuba diving, and an incredible biplane tour of the island… Through all of those awesome events I was totally anticipating a marriage proposal and nothing!  I’ll be honest, I ransacked all we brought trying to find any indication on whether or not he was going to propose (who’s with me ladies, lol?!).    A night or two later we were watching the sunset with a bottle of champagne on our private beach and he asked me to marry him.  It turns out sneaky Chris had hidden my Tiffany Ribbon Ring in a box of thin mint girl scout cookies in the fridge, something I would never ever go near!  Alas, he knows me all to well =)  See one of our destination engagement photos from that weekend here.
• We brainstormed on wedding locations (see our blog post here).
• From October 2011 to March 2012 we planned our Iceland Destination Wedding (we’re super planners so 5 months was doable, we would not suggest such a short timeline for anyone else).  We settled on a Iceland waterfall for our wedding ceremony and Hotel Ranga for our wedding reception location.
• On Wednesday, April 11th 2012, everyone we love and adore was getting ready to fly to Iceland that day for our adventurous destination wedding.  Unfortunately that morning, I received the unexpected phone call that my grandmother, Iren Soltesz had passed away.  Heartbreaking news to receive and deal with days before our wedding day.
• Saturday, April 14^th 2012, we were married at the exquisite Seljalandsfoss waterfall and held an incredible wedding day adventure for our guests.  Our Iceland wedding day timeline can be found on our previous blog post, here.  My grandma even brought us rainbows throughout our week trip through Iceland =)
• October 2012, we made the move to focus our Photos by Miss Ann business on Iceland wedding planning and Iceland wedding photography.  We felt that after all of our Iceland wedding planning trials and tribulations, Iceland needed a more visible wedding industry and we wanted to be at the front of this exciting adventure to help future brides and grooms!
• November 2012, we honeymooned in Bali, Indonesia.  See our Bali honeymoon photos on our previous blog post, here.
• Our Favorite Things:  Our bengal cat Oliver, the 1920’s, extreme sports, being silly (yes, it totally happened!), British cars (Chris), polka dots (Ann), champagne, bad horror movies, mountains, unique antiques, destination wedding photography, and Iceland!

In celebration of our first anniversary, Chris and I decided to forever pause the occasion with an Iceland inspired wedding anniversary portrait session!  It was a whole 18 degrees when we ventured out into some gorgeous caves and waterfalls to capture these Iceland inspired couples portraits.  We also spent 30 minutes of our time during that weekend to renew our wedding vows in front of another pretty waterfall!  After all, when you spend the time to write your own wedding vows, I am a firm believer they should be said again each year on your anniversary.  It truly brings back the euphoric feeling of newly wedded bliss!  Anyhow, we hope you enjoy our photos as much as we did taking them!

Now that you are up to speed on us, what is your love story?  Are you dying to plan a wedding day in Iceland?  If so, please contact us to understand why Photos by Miss Ann / Iceland Wedding Planner, would be a fabulous asset to your Iceland destination wedding day!

Lots of smiles from the not-so-newlyweds, Ann & Chris Peters

Professional Iceland Wedding Photography & Planning

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

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