But…. If you have some extra funds that you can put towards even just 3 of the items below, you will create a more memorable visual experience for your guests / selves during your fabulous Iceland wedding reception dinner.  Many of the options below are affordable and will make a huge difference in your overall ambiance during your Iceland wedding reception.

1: LOVE Balloons 

This is a personal favorite of us here at Iceland Wedding Planner because this not only is super fun (warm and inviting), but it photographs well throughout the entire night.

2: Chair Ties

Having chair ties is an affordable way to dress up your Iceland wedding reception.  Imagine how beautiful the space can look when you add in a chair tie that compliments your color scheme too!  These can easily add to the “wow factor” to your guests.

3: Place Cards

I personally love having assigned seating place cards for several reasons, such as the following: They can bring full circle your color scheme, dress up the table, give your guests something to swoon over, they can act as a “meal choice” marker, they avoid chaos / awkward moments between guests.

4: Charger Plates 

5:  Create warm ambiance with tall candles down the table

6:  Iceland Wedding Dinner Menu’s

This is a brilliant and budget friendly (even do-it-yourself) item that makes a huge difference not only in the place setting (hello pretty Iceland wedding photos) but also to your guests!  It’s nice to know what they’ll be eating, you know?  …and this is an easy way to communicate to your guests what you are offering in the bar on your tab.  I adore pretty dual purpose Iceland wedding decor items!

7: Marquee Signs 

They add a fantastic fun flare, so why not!

8: Table Runners

9: Colored Napkins

I would say 85% of the Iceland wedding venues and restaurants offer white / white linens.  The other 15% does paper napkins.  So how about bringing in your own cloth napkins that goes along with your Iceland wedding color scheme or renting some from us?

10: Hang Something in the Room!

Examples could be… A bubble wall, glass globes, a background, lights, etc.

11: Iceland Wedding Party Favors

Everyone enjoys getting a little thoughtful treat!  Add to your guests Iceland wedding adventure experience by surprising them with a party favor!  Could be things like… Icelandic Chocolates, Salts, Wool Items, Soaps, Moss/Lava Candles, Books, etc to have as your Iceland wedding favors.

12: Icelandic Wedding Cake

Did you know there is a super cool Icelandic tradition that goes with the Kransakaka (Iceland wedding cake)?

13: Napkin Rings

14: Special Glasses that are themed

15: Chandeliers

Add a easy elegance to your Iceland wedding reception decor.  Can be fancy or rustic!

16: Craft Your Own Personal Sign

What a lovely way to add a bit of your personalities into your Iceland wedding reception!  Hanging a fun sign like “The Adventure Begins,” “Adventure Together,” or even simply “Just Married” is a fun reminder of why everyone came to Iceland in the first place!

17: Chair Covers

18: Embrace the local Nature into your Design Plan

Could be including items like… Driftwood, Moss (dried like the below, do not take live), Basalt Rocks, Wool, Reindeer Furs, etc (Special Note: Please talk to landowners before you even THINK about going scavenging).

19: Chair Signs

20: Add in your Adventures Together!

Have you visited a ton of places together or have a dream to adventure together to a long list of places?!  Then incorporate those dreamy locales into your Iceland wedding reception centerpiece decor!  Guests appreciate (and often “wow-ed” by) that personal touch!

21: Rent your Iceland Wedding Reception Décor from Iceland Wedding Planner!

It’s not easy to haul an entire suitcase(s) full of wedding planning decor to Iceland (remember, I’ve been there done that almost a decade ago!)!   That said, we encourage you to take a look at the Rental section of our website and inquire about the availability of an item(s) you love.

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

The post 21 Practical Decorating Ideas to Enhance Your Iceland Wedding Reception appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

To Seat or Not to Seat Your Guests

Seating your guests can be a tricky little decision to make but today, I’d like to give you some Iceland wedding advice for why you should and when you can get away with not…

Why should you seat your guests for your Iceland wedding ceremony?

1. Comfort of your guests (An Iceland wedding can bring in a whole new level of interesting dynamics like 16+ mph winds, sideways rain/snow, blazing sunshine, or a late starting ceremony.  A chair can make a world of a difference to the guest avoiding fatigue or becoming antsy).
2. For the sake of your EPIC Iceland wedding photographs!  No joke folks… The framing on your wedding photos will be stellar if you have your guests seated versus not.  If there is not a taller point (or your Iceland wedding photographer doesn’t come with a ladder like we do) then your photographs may not have as awesome of a depth and defining point between you two and your guests without it (Note: There are exceptions to this rule as you will read below).
3. Allows for you to have a pretty and/or formal aisle way to make your walk down (whether that means you get walked down by someone special, your strut yourself down it yourself or hand in hand with your soon to be!).
4. This also sets the scene for you to have a rockin’ exit! Hello petal throw, bubbles, or banner waving!
5. We offer Iceland wedding ceremony seating rentals… Making it very EASY on you!  See HERE for more information on items we rent.

So then you’re probably curious as to how you should seat your guests during your wedding ceremony in Iceland, right?

• VIP’s in the first row (IE, Parents / Grandparents).
• If going a traditional route and wanting people to “pick sides” then anyone there specifically supporting the bride would sit on the left hand side (lucky left!).
• Groom’s family and friends would then sit on the righthand side.
• The following rows consist of other immediate family and friends.

Additional sensitive issues to keep in mind…

• Any elderly folks should be seated in the front few rows to be able to see and hear properly.
• Any parents with small children seated at the end towards the back incase they need to step away.
• Folks who have any injuries, diseases, or disabilities seated on the ends so their equipment has space.

So then you are now dying to know what seating options are available here in Iceland for your wedding ceremony.. Some sweet and unique selections follow below and vary in price (also be sure to check out our Ceremony Rental section):

1. Standard Wooden Folding Chairs (typically in black or white)
2. Chiavari Chairs with Cushions
3. Clear Chairs
4. Benches (with and without fur)
5. Sheep Fur Stools
6. Wooden Pallets
7. Antique Chairs
8. Hay Bales
9. Driftwood
10. Icelandic Wool Blankets or Reindeer Skins

Iceland wedding locations or scenarios where you do not need to seat your guests:

1. Iceland Church Wedding (because they are already there!).
2. Iceland Glacier Wedding (it’s just not safe between the ice, potential of glacial quick sand, or the length of walk/hike to get to the perfect ceremony spot).
3. Moss Covered Lava Field (we cannot ruin nature).
4. Your Ceremony is less than 5 minutes.
5. You have under 3-6 guests attending and they are fully aware and on board.
6. You have hired a very capable Iceland Wedding Planner (Day of Planner) who can take charge and clearly direct guests to standing spots that create a nice aisle for you to walk down and your photographers to shoot through.

So what is our preference for you to have during your wedding ceremony in Iceland?  Have chairs, just do it.  They may seem like an unneeded expense at the time of planning but  when you get your wedding photos back, you’ll be so happy you splurged for them (happy comfortable guests)!

Outside of the fabulous choices for Iceland wedding ceremony decor, you should also make the decision on whether or not you will have an unplugged Iceland wedding ceremony.  Our vote is that you for sure DO IT.  I hope today has provided you with some “food for thought” as you plan your epic adventure to Iceland for your wedding!

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

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

The post Iceland Wedding Ceremony: To Seat or Not to Seat? appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

But!  For good measure, let’s take a moment and rewind back to 2012… When this amazing couple went on their first adventure to Iceland and well, guess what?  That handsome devil, Danny romantically proposed underneath the Northern Lights!  And my blue haired beauty Chloe, of course said YES!  Ummm yeah, who wouldn’t right?!  Can we all have an Icelandic marriage proposal please (or a do-over, right?)?  You set the bar high Danny!

After returning home to England, they began thinking about where they wanted to wed and truthfully could not top the idea of going back to Iceland to get married!  So they contacted Iceland Wedding Planner, to turn their day into an unforgettable adventure for themselves and guests!

The day began at the wonderful Northern Lights Inn, where at 8am the guests all loaded a bus to go to the famed Thingvellir National Park for the couple’s Iceland sunrise wedding ceremony at Öxarárfoss Waterfall.  Despite the rain, the scene was set by uber romantic mini lanterns and white chiavari chairs (yes they exist in Iceland)!  Chloe and Danny vowed their undying love for each other and their friends and family totally swooned!

From there the journey continued into downtown Reykjavik for lunch and more exploring the sights and sounds the bustling downtown offers.  The group then made their way to the gorgeous Krysuvik-Seltun geothermal area.  A picturesque natural wonder where the couple ran around hand in hand in the midst of bubbling mud-pots and dramatic steam!  After returning to the hotel, the guests and couple had a chance to relax and catch their second wind. The details and reception vibe eluded to a very bewitched beauty, so the accouterments did not take away from the amazing adventurous wedding day in Iceland. It was a non-traditional Iceland wedding day full of adventure and the night ended with a gorgeous nighttime shoot (shot about 1am) at the famous Blue Lagoon!  It was windy and cold but Danny and Chloe kept each other warm!  Enjoy their Iceland wedding images below!

Chloe + Danny,

I heart you, that simple!  I didn’t want your fantastic wedding day to end…I needed like 12 more hours with you!  Since I can’t rewind time, I encourage you to come back and celebrate your wedding anniversary here every year, okay?  Or else I’m going to kidnap you both next time I’m in Bristol and hold you captive here for endless amounts of Iceland post wedding photo sessions  Thank you for choosing Photos by Miss Ann and IWP to plan and photograph your unforgettable Icelandic wedding adventure!  Lots of hugs and love to you! 

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

© 2012-2015, Iceland Wedding Planner, All Rights Reserved

The post Iceland Wedding Photographer | Chloe + Danny’s Adventure appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.