-Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland)

From across the “pond” as some say, Dave (from the U.K.) found his way to meeting Alison (from the USA) through their many terrific friends.  Weeks later they were head over heels for each other and months later, Dave proposed a lifetime of adventures to Alison!  She said Yes  Iceland was the half way point for all of their friends and family to meet and celebrate!  …so then the days of awesome Iceland wedding planning began!  They craved intimacy, adventure, and wanted to take their 20+ guests on an unforgettable EXPERIENCE for their wedding day in Iceland.  So all that said, follow us today as we share with you Alison and Dave’s adventure wedding in Iceland!  ::Update:: My Hotel Wedding did a lovely feature of Allison and Dave’s wedding, HERE.

Ohhhh yes, May 4th!  Being Star Wars fans, it was only fitting they go explore some of the epic areas the movies have been filmed within Iceland!  …May the Fourth Be With You!

But first we must set the scene… Hotel Ranga, served as the groups hotel “base camp” for 2 days.  It’s a fabulous boutique hotel found in Southern Iceland that screams luxury but still designates hints of earthy rustic charm.  It also is near Hekla, one of Iceland’s most powerful volcanoes.

When you have a wedding in Iceland that has guests attending, it’s important to provide your guests with a “welcome bag.”  It adds to the excitement and also aids your guests in things they may need during the adventure.  Alison and Dave did it up right!  With lots of goodies like a timeline card, eye mask (nice to have during the months of May-August when we have TONS of daylight), bandaids, Shout Wipes, Pepto (which isn’t sold here in Iceland) Hot Hands, Hangover Kit, Pancho, etc!

With our adventure weddings in Iceland, we action pack them with little room for delay. So it’s nice to create a timeline card to give to your guests upon check in (or at a Welcome dinner the evening before) so they know when and where they have to be.  Sets everyone up for success, you know?  Our favorite timeline creator: Pixels to Paper Studio did an awesome job on Alison and Dave’s!

Alison’s Iceland wedding dress was divine!  So much gorgeous detail and sooo flowy!

Alison had some awesome blue rain-boots she wore for the majority of the day but she also had some stunning Badgley Mischka’s and Tom’s waiting for her Iceland wedding reception!  Every adventure wedding bride needs 3 pairs of shoes!

Now let’s talk about her GROOM, Dave for a sec, shall we and his dapper Iceland wedding details!

His handmade suit even came with a custom tag that featured their initials and wedding date.  From the suit to the shoes, Dave was handsome!

As I mentioned, being Star Wars fans, Alison surprised Dave with themed cuff-links.

We adored Dave’s super awesome bow tie too!

Our Iceland hair and makeup team made Alison even more beautiful then she already was!  …and proofed her against rain and wind.

Before leaving Hotel Ranga, these two loved the idea of doing a “first look” so we opted to do it behind the hotel, riverside.

The structure for this Iceland adventure wedding was a tiny bit different than we typically do, but we were happy to craft a unique option for this awesome group!  All of the guests loaded onto a bus for a 1/2 day adventure.  Read further on to see the rest of the wedding adventure flow.

Alison and Dave for months, kept the adventure wedding day secret.  So when the guests arrived and saw the setup below, they were hollering in enthusiasm!

Having a Asatru (some refer to as a traditional Norse / Pagan / Viking) ceremony was important to Dave and Alison.  It’s a super fun ceremony that has old roots in our culture here in Iceland.  Not to mention who doesn’t want to hold an oath ring and drink from a horn?!

How fantastic was this offbeat waterfall as their Iceland wedding ceremony background?!

Alison’s Iceland wedding bouquet is one of my all time favorites!

As many of you know, we do not go to the tourist locations like Reynisfjara, but for the right couple we make exceptions and these two loved the idea of a champagne toast here during their Iceland wedding day adventure!

Exploring with each other during your wedding day in Iceland, creates some magical moments!

After the 1/2 day adventure via bus was complete, we transitioned with 1/2 of their group to super jeeps for a more private adventure.

Alison, Dave, and their closest family members got to explore the private side of one of Iceland’s 13 glaciers!

The fog and the rain made for some dramatic Iceland wedding photo moments!

Their nieces and nephews all got to touch a glacier for the very first time!  Talk about unforgettable moments on your adventure wedding day!

Oh la la romantic Iceland wedding moments in front of glacier ice caves… Love!

Uniquely shaped mountains like these always make me melt!  Then add in a gorgeous Iceland wedding couple and it takes it to another level!

One of my favorite parts of their wedding day was the 3rd part… We said goodbye to two super jeeps and Alison and David continued on to a super secret canyon area with a private waterfall for some intimate adventures!

The contrast of the dark and light together is AMAZING to me in this Iceland wedding photo!  Major high-fives to Alison and Dave who went into total “mountain goat” mode to get to this spot!

Once everyone got back to Hotel Ranga after the days adventure, they had some time to rest and refresh before they were invited to a BEAUTIFUL Iceland wedding reception in River Hall.

Fun Fact: The bride’s grandmother had past away and in remembrance of her, we had lavender at each place setting.  It filled the room with a 5 sensory experience!

As a sweet little party favor to all of their guests, Dave and Alison gifted them with “Let the Adventure Begin” bottle openers!  How fun!

Following the overall theme of “Adventure” and “May 4th” they had 2 beautiful handmade cakes by the groom’s talented sister!

Iceland wedding Groom’s cake!

Can I just say, I LOVE Hotel Ranga’s food?!  Seriously folks, I often drive 1.5 hours from Reykjavik just to have their delicious Mushroom Soup and Reindeer Carpaccio (pictured below), no joke! Alison and Dave’s Iceland wedding menu was fit for the best foodies!

A lovely smoked salmon dish with rye bread served as their 2nd course!

Did you know with the rental of River Hall at Hotel Ranga, you have access to their beautiful balcony and impeccable view?!  Comes in handy for Iceland wedding photos!

When Alison and I were brainstorming about something fun to decor their Iceland wedding reception dancing space (Hekla Hall) we came up with some awesome ideas but in the end LOVE balloons and candles would win!  I think we made the right choice!!

First dance magic!

So many folks forget about a “send off” for the couple at the end of the night.  We crafted something super fun for this group… complete with sparklers and an “Adventure” marque sign!

Truly an unforgettable Iceland wedding day you shared Alison + Dave!  Keep reliving it!!

© 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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<<Insert serious cheese alert>>

As someone once said, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”   No joke folks, it rains in Iceland more often than not so if you are planning to have a wedding in Iceland you must embrace this simple fact and be excited to run around in it.  Come along with us today as Gina and Terry show you exactly how to do that!

A sunrise start in mid September began this Iceland adventure wedding day!

After crossing a few rivers via super jeep and then on foot, Gina, Terry, and their intimate wedding party made their way to their ice cave wedding ceremony spot!

The funny thing about rain on your Iceland wedding day, is that most of my couples don’t seem to notice (or care) because they are so high on adrenaline and love!

They may have been soaked and shivering at times, but they got married in front of their gorgeous ice cave in Iceland!  ….Note: Our teams always have your safety in mind so unless an ice cave is fully stable we cannot take you inside.

Gina and Terry held a traditional Asatru Ceremony in front of that ice cave in Iceland. It’s the closest thing to a Viking style wedding ceremony where you hold oath rings to say your vows and take your first drink as newlyweds out of a horn!

This ice cave was formed by snow that fell hundreds of years ago that has been traveling slowly down the glacier.  Pretty neat, huh?

Rain or Shine, this place is pretty flipping EPIC to explore!

One of my favorite moments of the day… It had rained so hard during the ceremony that the water levels were out of control making our bridge we brought useless.  Don’t worry, we always a “plan b” and  “plan c” in our pocket!  The bride and guests took “plan b” which was a piggyback ride through the river and the groom took “plan c” forging it on his own!

Sometimes we find it fun to breakup the Iceland wedding ceremony pieces.  So we continued the awesome “drink from the horn” Asatru tradition at another location.

Lunchtime brought a stop at a mountain hut to dry off and warm up during their fall Iceland wedding day!

What I enjoyed the most about Gina and Terry during their Iceland wedding day was that they genuinely loved and laughed their way through the rain savoring every silly awesome second of it! #couplesgoals

Our secret caves often provide fantastic shelter from the rain during Iceland wedding days!

Woohoo!!  A rain free moment and a rainbow!

But in Iceland they say… If you don’t like the weather, wait a few seconds, it’ll change! And change it did!

Rain is often challenging when it comes at you sideways, these two took it like seasoned champs and made it look GOOD!

Weddings and Waterfalls just go together on Iceland wedding days!

…and then sometimes you have to find your way to Mars to find some sunshine

After an action packed adventure wedding day, Gina, Terry, and their fabulous guests found their way to a delicious dinner!

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

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-John Muir

Photographing Fall weddings in Iceland are hands down my favorite.  September often ushers in brisker temperatures and Northern Lights.  While the land stays green until mid October as the bushes and ground cover transition to shades of red, orange, and yellow.  As if it was possible, the landscapes somehow become more alive.  Fall is an incredible time to hold your Iceland wedding day or have Iceland wedding photos taken!

Kristi and Luke reached out to us over 19 months before their desired Iceland wedding date seeking a unique destination wedding experience for them and their 40+ Iceland wedding guests.  Their fab wedding was also featured on one of my favorite blogs: Jet Fete, go them out for some more photos!  In the meantime I hope you’re excited to tag along with us today and experience their Iceland wedding day!

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

After careful consideration, Kristi and Luke decided on the ION Adventure Hotel as their Iceland wedding host hotel.

How pretty are their Iceland wedding timeline cards?

…and THESE Iceland wedding welcome bags?!

When Kristi and Luke originally reached out to us, they felt a connection to having their Iceland wedding ceremony at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.  A Note to You, the Reader: Since I began my business here in 2012, the amount of tourism has exponentially increased (more than doubled every year) and Seljalandsfoss no longer exudes privacy or intimacy for a wedding ceremony. That said, after reviewing some other secret waterfalls we presented, Kristi + Luke fell in love with this intricate gem to start their Iceland wedding day!

Ugh! These TWO! And their little looks at each other throughout their Iceland wedding day kept me swooning!

Still wanting their guests to experience the incredible beauty of Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, we had a quick stop for a glass of champagne to toast the newlyweds on their Iceland wedding day!

Iceland Wedding Planner does not typically go to the iconic natural wonder landmarks (we rather keep to our secret/private locations), but at a client’s request we happily include.  Because where else in the world do you have the chance to experience dynamic beaches like this?!  Reynisfjara, you never disappoint!

These textures and these tones… Incredible for Iceland wedding photos!

Kristi, Luke, and their wedding guests were game for a fun little hike into a secret little canyon waterfall!  …they encountered some of the locals on the trail

Taking your guests from being part of just your “wedding day” to crafting a unique adventure, that they will always remember as an EXPERIENCE is a very powerful dynamic of having a wedding in Iceland!

Pssssst!! Did you know there are countless waterfalls you can walk behind in Iceland?

Sod covered houses and kisses… Their first date as newlyweds! Love it!

Lava Fields + Love…. Swoon!

Connecting the outside to the inside of your Iceland wedding reception really adds to the experience.

When we started talking Iceland wedding reception decor design, Kristi wanted to have a warm inviting element added.  Our creation was this bubble wall that sat directly behind the bride and groom!  How fun!

Oh la la and when the bubbles were lit they were GORGEOUS!

Mmmmm…. Iceland wedding FOOD! Yum yum yum!

Kristi and Luke were looking for a unique alternative to having a traditional “guestbook” signing to display at their Iceland wedding reception.  This was SUCH a fun option!  They took one of our images we’ve shot, enlarged it and had their guests inscribe a memory!

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

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I can hardly believe it’s been a year today that Paul + Marc held one of the most memorable adventure weddings I have had the pleasure of planning and photographing!  These two endured one of the windiest and wettest wedding days EVER.  Best Part: They did nothing but SMILE and LAUGH their way through it!  They along with their 50 guests were brilliant adventurers throughout the incredible 18 hour adventure wedding day!

Do you remember their amazing Iceland wedding in a cave or how about their frigidly awesome Iceland Pre-Wedding Session?  You may also recall their wedding was also featured by MyWedding.com, Scottish newspaper: The Sun, and was also voted into the Top 5 Real Weddings for 2015!  See here =)

Gentlemen,  Happy Anniversary!  I know you’re already Iceland addicts, so I look forward to seeing you again soon on your next visit to the Land of Fire + Ice! ?

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

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

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Last weekend was action-packed to say the least!  Within minutes of arriving to the stunning Eyry of the Eagle Estate I knew it would be an eventful day and my expectations did not disappoint!  As the day unfolded, I had some firsts happen: I was spat on by an alpaca (first), had goose bumps, tears (first), acquired poison ivy, and for the first time ever, I had sunset couple’s portraits photo bombed by donkeys (yes, I said donkeys)!  Hilariously true and so worth it to endure for the crazy undeniable love Carrie and Wally have for each other!  I love my job being a wedding photographer not only because I never have a duplicate moment; but, I also get the chance to watch wedding plans unfold with an outside eye and capture it at its very best.  Truly, I really cherish that part.

This past weekend’s Michigan wedding at Eyry of the Eagle in Grass Lake really brought me back down to the basics, raw love.  No elaborate frills, no buts or what if’s but just crazy awesome I will love you until the end of time, love.  Carrie and Wally’s wedding day really left me inspired and grateful for love.

On that note, today’s blog post is going to be a 2 part series on some sensitive issues you may encounter while Iceland wedding planning.  This week we’ll be talking about how your “Iceland Love Will Conquer All Things” and next week stay tuned for “Protocol for Family Issues & Parents” while Iceland destination wedding planning.  That being said, I will add this disclaimer to my post:  Sensitive Issues will be discussed with real wedding examples, followed by my personal experience/opinion on how to approach. –Thanks!

Carrie and Wally contacted me over a year ago to be their Michigan wedding photographer.  Although, they were not planning an Iceland destination wedding, Photos by Miss Ann still loves having local Michigan weddings in unique locations!  From the minute I spoke with Carrie on the phone, I knew that they were a fun-loving, laid back, super sweet retro couple and were oh-so excited to be engaged.  They had reconnected a decade later after knowing each other in high school.  A lot had changed over the years for each of them.  But if you spend 10 minutes with them you would know that they were destined to come together so they could not only strengthen each other but also serve as an inspiration to all who love them.

In January of this year, Carrie and Wally stopped wedding planning to manage through a time of trials and tribulations.  Even before they were married, life was testing their relationship resilience.  First, they had found out they were expecting a baby, who would make her appearance into the world on April 14^th (destined by dates, I think)!  After that exciting news came, baby prepping overtook their life; that is until more life changing news came.  What started out as Wally having a minor back injury, evolved into weeks of doctors’ visits, MRI’s, and numerous other tests, that then turned into a very real conclusion of cancer.  They found out together on Valentine’s Day of this year that Wally had a very rare form of cancer in his spine.  Not only that, but that the cancer had also spread into his lymph nodes and began spotting in his lungs.  Weeks before their May 25^th wedding day, Wally began rounds of aggressive chemotherapy.

The groom, Wally said to me on his wedding day while I was photographing their Michigan couple’s portraits, “Carrie has brought me an endless amount of strength.  This is my second battle with cancer in 10 years and she has been there for me more than anyone.  She has been my rock through the good, bad, and ugly somehow always bringing a smile to my face.”  The bride, Carrie told me during her bridal portraits before the wedding that they, “have endured insurmountable struggles in the last year and prevailed.  They will prevail over this too.” <Insert goose bumps!>

Spending the day with Carrie and Wally last weekend, I saw firsthand how love conquers all things.  From the positive energy they exude together, encouragement they give each other, the endless love and excitement their family’s shared, and the look of adoration they held in their eyes for each other, totally made my eyes well up!  Their love has been tested, tried, and totally true.

It was fitting they have the most beautiful day in Michigan for their wedding day.  The scene was set in the Grass Lake Michigan countryside where you hear and see chickens running around, a gorgeous 125 year old barn, walk a stone path passing by alpacas and donkeys to get down to a beautiful lake, stunning tall woods, a brick pathway to charming wedding pergola.  The bride and groom had a playful funky style, created all of their flowers, reception decorations, and other details all themselves and were so ready to get the show on the road!  Their wedding vows expressed their unremitting adoration and respect for each other.  It was lovely along with the rest of the evening’s events!  Feel free to check out a few of their Metro Detroit wedding photographs below.

I went home that evening and while my wedding images were uploading to the computer, (I totally interrupted the Red Wings playoff game) and bombarded my husband with “what if” scenarios.  Some were valid and I’ll be honest some were farfetched and ridicules but I felt the need to ask to understand that if we were challenged with such situations how we would handle together.  Chris and I have gone through our own struggles as a couple over the years with health distresses, losses, along with other sensitive family issues that have surfaced, but none to the life-threatening level that Carrie and Wally have been united through.  Going through a time of uncertainty of your future is scary especially when you are wedding planning and faced with the detrimental odds.

So you ask, how do you cope?  How does love conquer all things before and after your Iceland destination wedding?

• Positivity.  Staying optimistic is one of the most important things you can do when faced with health, economic, or other dramatic life changing events.  It affects your attitude, demeanor, outlook, and those you love.  At times it may be very difficult and you may have to “fake it to make it” but it will make a world of difference.
• Get educated.  Take the time to do research and understand what is really going on along with your immediate/long term options and a timeline.
• Turn the negative into a learning lesson that you will come out of a better and stronger willed person/couple.
• Honesty.  Be truthful about everything with yourself, your soon-to-be, with family, and other involved professionals.
• Open Communication.   If you feel sad, anxious, fear the unknown, or frustrated –talk about it, don’t hold it in!
• Get professional help.  If its health related seek additional opinions, the best doctors, etc.  If it’s economic, seek professional advice (i.e. financial advisors, resume gurus, career sites, etc).  If it is personal, seek 3^rd party professional help from a counselor, psychologist, or life coach.
• Be a Team.  The key though is to do this together and incorporate your families; they can bring you additional support, a shoulder, an extra ear to vent to, etc!
• Compile a plan of attack.  Sort out what things you have control over and what you do not and create a plan of how you will tackle the situation and respond to the different outcomes.  Having a strategy allows you focus short and long term.
• Take up a new hobby to refocus your negative energy/thoughts.  Blogging, collecting, clubs, etc!
• Take time to smile and laugh with each other.  This could be as simple as having a date night picnic in the living room!  Even in time of hardship, let your love thrive.

With the above tools in use, you can conquer just about anything and everything together.  So if you find yourself in love, engaged, planning a wedding in Iceland (or anywhere) or you’ve already been married in Iceland and are faced with a misfortune somewhere along the road remember these tips!  And also remember Iceland Wedding Planner and Photos by Miss Ann is here to help you tackle that overwhelming task of planning your wedding in Iceland with inclusive Iceland wedding photography packages too!  Please feel free to email us for more details!

Lots of Iceland wedding photography & planning smiles to you, Ann & Chris Peters

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

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Outside of holding our Iceland wedding ceremony at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, one of my favorite “gives me goose bumps” moments from our Iceland wedding planning was arranging my husband, Chris’s day of wedding gift.

So many of you might be scratching your head right now wondering what I mean… So you ask, “Ann, what is a day of gift?”  A day of gift goes both ways: Bride surprises her soon to be and groom surprises the bride with a gift, showing the enthusiasm and anticipation of their wedding day.  This can be simplistic or elaborate; it’s all in how you are as a couple.  I’ll paint a picture for you on how we planned and exchanged our wedding day of gifts in Iceland so you may understand better.

Chris and I in a nutshell are “Type A” personalities in case you haven’t figured that out yet.  We are crazy detailed, thrive on adventure and we really seek it out in our travels and everyday life.  Fun fact: This is exactly why our Photos by Miss Ann tagline was coined years ago as, “Thriving on Adventure and Love…”  As cliché as it sounds, we truly do live life with no regrets and strive each day to do so as we build our personal lives together and individually, our businesses, and our bucket lists.  That being said, buying gifts for each other is really hard!  Neither of us wears jewelry nor have a burning desire for a specific tangible good, but we do both enjoy a challenge that is near to impossible.  So when we talked about whether or not we would exchange “day of gifts” on our wedding day in Iceland, we both agreed it would be fun and then swapped sneaky smiles!  Our marvelous challenge for Iceland wedding day of gifts commenced!

I racked my brain for a few days on what sort of everlasting sweet gift I could give Chris that could forever hold an impression on our marriage, make him tear up, and then it came to me!  One of our all-time favorite movies on the planet is “Somewhere in Time,” (circa 1980).  It’s a mushy time traveling film with Jayne Seymour and Christopher Reeve that is about two soul mates finding each other despite there being generations of time between them.  The catalyst of the time travel is a pocket watch from the early 1900’s and that simple element ignited my memory!  Chris had inherited one from his great grandfather decades ago, that he had always talked about getting restored to its original glory, just never had.  It was in really bad shape i.e., missing glass, hands, internal components, and needed heavy refinishing, so it took several months for the clock shop to find parts.

A week before we were leaving for our Iceland destination wedding, I picked up the pocket watch gift and was in total awe.  My gift to Chris was going to be time…Why?  Time is something we all run short on when we fall in love.  It seems like once we say, “Yes!” to “Will you marry me?” life gets jammed on the fast forward button and goes faster than we wish.  I think as couples in love, we forget to keep “dating” each other and do not always savor those small moments in the midst of all those big upcoming life moments.  Does that make sense?  Truthfully, I am not a woman of many emotions, but seeing and holding that watch, knowing what it represents, and then putting it inside the engraved box, immediately brought tears to my eyes.  The outside of the box was engraved simply with, “Today, I promise to love you until the end of time.”  There was no way I could have chosen a better wedding gift for him, it was truly priceless.  To top it off, I did add a super sweet card to his wedding day of gift that I had planned to hide in his tux pocket that playfully said, “I cannot wait to see your smile down the aisle!”  I packed everything in my polka dot carry on that night and did not even think about that he was going to give me a gift too!

Fast-forward to barely a week later, we had made it to Iceland, got our marriage license, checked out our wedding ceremony location at Seljalandsfoss, saw some rainbows at Skogafoss, and ran around Vik Beach just to make sure all three were our final choices for the following wedding day adventure.  After we finished, all of our to-do’s and were awaiting the start time of our Iceland wedding welcome dinner.  Chris suggested then, that this would probably be the last quite moment we would share together before the hustle and bustle of the wedding weekend had begun.  We decided to give each other our wedding day of gifts the evening before our wedding day.  I grabbed my special gift to him and gleamed with excitement as I handed it to him.  Chris gave me a curious look but still had no idea as he unwrapped the gift and read the outside of the special box.  Once he opened the box and saw his grandfather’s watch in its pristine glory, he instantly got choked up and shed a few tears even!  <Success! Bridal happy dance!>

After a few minutes he collected himself and told me to close my eyes <Eeeeek, I hate surprises, grrrr!> it was the longest 5 minutes ever!  I heard him fumbling around but didn’t really realize what he was doing until he said, “Open!”  Chris had spent months tirelessly building Photos by Miss Ann a new website from scratch, no templates, no predesigns, only him and the world of coding!  How incredibly thoughtful and such a unique surprise for him to give me!  All those months before our Iceland destination wedding, I had just thought he had been gaming on his computer until the wee hours of the night (Ahem, while I Iceland wedding planned, LOL) and really he had been doing a labor of love for my photography business!  <3

Chris and I dislike traditional things for the most part, but one thing in our wedding planning we did keep was ensuring he did not see me in my wedding dress until I walked down the aisle to him.  So after breakfast the morning of our Iceland wedding at Seljalandsfoss, we parted ways.  The really sweet thing was that we had saved exchanging cards until the morning of when we were both getting ready at Hotel Ranga.  I was getting my Iceland wedding dress on in the Royal Honeymoon Suite with my maid of honor and Chris was getting ready in another room with his best man.  Reading his card once I had my Iceland wedding dress on made it even more real and made me blaze with even more excitement!  Chris went to put his antique pocket watch in his inside tux pocket and was surprised to find my card while he and the rest of our guests loaded the bus for our surprise Iceland wedding ceremony location: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.  Sharing our Iceland wedding gift moment with Chris, will be forever be that “somewhere in time” moment for us!

In our opinion, day of gifts set the tone of the wedding weekend or wedding day.  Every bride wants her groom completely enamored with her on their destination wedding weekend especially in Iceland!  This little detail of gift giving before your wedding day expresses the appreciation you have for each other and exciting captivation you both have for saying “I do!” that day.  We’d love to share with you some ideas for your day of gift to your soon-to-be:

Day of Gift Ideas for the Bride:

• A Heartfelt Card.
• Red Roses or her favorite flower!
• Diamond earrings or her birth stone (whichever she may prefer).
• A Bracelet or Necklace (ladies do not feel obligated to wear it on your wedding day).
• An item to complete your home (Example, A small bistro set for the porch or backyard to have dinner or coffee on together).
• Book an exclusive dinner for your Honeymoon (Example: Like what we did on our honeymoon at the Ayana Resort in Bali Indonesia: Pesta Lobster dinner on their private jetty).
• Something from Tiffany & Co.
• A sweet Souvenir from the destination wedding location you have chosen (maybe something that goes along with an inside joke you guys have?).
• Have the wedding night suite furnished before your arrival with a rose petal pathway, champagne, and fresh fruit (all the fabulous hotels we work with in Iceland offer this as an add on)!

Day of Gift Ideas for the Groom:

• A Heartfelt Card.
• A Basket of His Favorite Things.
• A Watch (Feel free to totally steal our pocket watch idea- just make sure you have your Iceland wedding photographer take a photo!)
• Book a surprise adventurous activity for your awesome honeymoon!
• That “must have” electronic he has been eying.
• An item to complete your home or to support his favorite hobby (Example, A workbench for him to build projects on).
• A World Map of your Travels Together (past, present, and future)!  This was actually Chris’s first gift he ever gave me.  Three years later, we still love plotting our travels on it, so much fun!
• Have a sweet saying engraved on the inside of his wedding ring. (Ideas: “Forever,” “Better Together,” “Fire & Ice,” “A Perfect Fit,” “Remember When…” “I Choose You, Every Day,” “Love Never Fails”).

If you’re having a destination wedding in Iceland and the wedding gift is too big, bulky, isn’t tangible to bring, it’s totally okay to print out a picture of your gifted item, put it in a small box, and wrap it for him/her to open.  In the end, it’s all about the thought and adding to the excitement of your wedding day!  We hope this blog post featuring our destination wedding in Iceland tip: “Day of Gift” has encouraged you and your soon-to-be to exchange special wedding day gifts!

Epically Yours as Iceland Wedding Photographers and Planners,

Ann & Christopher Peters

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

The post Destination Wedding in Iceland Tip: Day of Gift 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

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

This weeks planning wedding topic has to do with your Iceland wedding ceremony… Wedding vows!  Have you thought about them yet?  If not, I hope this blog post motivates you!

Wedding Vows are intimate expressions that are a continuous reminder of the foundation of your marriage.  On your wedding day, you outwardly profess: love, respect, and commitment to your soon to be in front of your support system of family and friends.  No matter if you repeat the solemn words from your officiant or you create your own they carry a meaning that lasts forever and should be celebrated each year in your marriage thereafter.  You need to decide as a couple whether or not you want to repeat or create your own wedding vows… so here are a few ideas to get those creative juices flowing:

• Accepting each other fully and for a lifetime.
• Through the good, bad, and unmanageable times.
• Endless and irrefutable love and adoration.
• Your lifetime promise to him/her.
• How he/she inspires you to be a better person.

There are positives and negatives to both but I will say from personal experience, creating your own is worth it in the long run.  Being wedding photographers locally in Plymouth, Michigan and specializing in destination weddings for over 10 years, Chris and I have been lucky enough to bear witness to over hundreds of wedding vows.  That being said, we know truly, how much of an impact they carry in the moment and over time.  This in turn, made us realize when we were Iceland wedding planning, how important it was for us to create our own wedding vows.

We held our Iceland destination wedding at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall on Saturday, April 14^th 2012 and had spent weeks before perfecting our Iceland ceremony wording and our wedding vows.  Today, I share with you our Iceland ceremony we compiled… Feel free to use it to generate your own ideas for your Iceland destination wedding vows but please do not publish, thank you!

Our Introduction and Welcome to our Iceland Wedding Guests:

“True marriage is more than joining the bonds of marriage of two persons.  In its right relation, it’s the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other.  When such a true bond already exists between man and woman, it is fitting that an outer acknowledgment be made. This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony here in Iceland today.  We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these beloved friends, Christopher and Ann who are already one in spirit.

You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love best.  You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust as well. Christopher and Ann, you are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities, and to share love.   At the end of this ceremony, you will be husband and wife, but you still must decide each and every day, that you want to be married.  Make such a decision and keep on making it, for the most important thing in life is to love and be loved.

Reading by 4 friends:  The Art of Marriage –By Wilferd Arlan Peterson

The Vows <Join Hands>:

 Chris’s Vows:  “Ann falling in love with you the last few years has been an incredible experience.  Your will, your energy and thirst for life inspires me on a daily basis.  I promise to love you, hold you and to work with you to build a solid foundation for our future to be built on.  Today, I ask that you take these hands because they are the ones that hold you.  That you take these feet because they are the ones that walk besides you.  That you take this smile for it glows because of you. And that you take this heart because it beats for you.”

Ann’s Vows:  “On this special day in one of the most amazing places in the world and I commit my life to you.  Chris, I fell in love with you for the unique qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have, I love you for who you are and the amazing team we make together.  I promise to love you without reservation, encourage you to achieve all of your goals and inspire you daily.   To laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggles.  To grow with you in mind and spirit and be willing to face change as we both change in order to keep our relationship new and exciting… I promise to always be open and honest with you, and share hopes, thoughts and dreams as we build our lives together.  I am super excited to build a home with you that is compassionate, respectful and honorable for each other. I pledge to love you in good times and in bad, for richer or poorer, and for when you buy more British cars than our garage can hold…  I will cherish you and the family that we share together for as long as we both shall live. From this day forward, you shall not walk alone.  Today, I give you my hand to hold, my life to share and my heart to keep.”

 The  RINGS:
This ring by its shape is a symbol of the undying love that exists between you. The substance of which it is composed is a symbol of purity, which shall ever characterize your mind and hearts in all your whole life together.

Christopher please repeat after me as you place the ring on Ann’s finger:  “As this ring encircles your finger, from this day forward, so will my love forever encircle you. Wear this ring as a symbol of my love.”

 Ann, please repeat after me as you place the ring on Christopher’s finger:  “As this ring encircles your finger, from this day forward, so will my love forever encircle you. Wear this ring as a symbol of my love.”

 Love Letter Ceremony:

Christopher and Ann have chosen as a couple to perform a Letter Ceremony. 

<The box is to be presented>

This box contains a love letter from each to the other.   The letters Chris and Ann have wrote to each other describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry today.   Ann’s mother, Irene and Christopher’s parents, Donna and Bill have also written their children a letter individually and another letter to the couple together expressing their hopes and advice for their future together.  The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and the couple has not seen what has been written.  I would ask, now that the parents bring forth their letters to be placed in the box.

<Parents walk up and place the letters in the box>

 Christopher and Ann, I recommend that you keep the box in a place of honor prominently displayed in your home as a constant reminder of your commitment to each other today.  Should you ever find your marriage enduring insurmountable hardships, you are to as a couple, open this box and read the letters.   By reading these letters you will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here in Iceland today. The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box.   And if this is the case, you are to open this box as a celebration to enjoy on your 20th wedding anniversary!

That being said, Christopher and Ann, I will now lock the box as an expression of sealing your life-long commitment. 

Hand Ceremony:

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.

These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future.

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.

These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will someday tenderly hold your children.

These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.

These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.

And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

Christopher and Ann, may you always need one another, not so much to fill the emptiness as to help each other know your fullness.  May you want one another, but not out of lack.  May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.  May you succeed in all important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces.  Look for things to praise, often say ‘I love you’ and take no notice of small faults.  May you have happiness, and may you find it in making one another happy.  May you have love, and may you find it in loving one another every day.  Ann and Chris, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made throughout this ceremony. It is with these in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife.

The Kiss:

Although, you have kissed a thousand times, maybe more.  But today the feeling is new.  You are no longer simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife and can now seal the agreement with a kiss.  Today, your kiss is a lifetime promise.  Congratulations, Christopher, you may now celebrate by kissing your bride!”

*************************************************************************************************

Even just reading through these words again, really brings me back to our Iceland wedding day.  It was filled with so much love, adventure, romance, and excitement for both ourselves and our guests.  From saying our Iceland wedding vows at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, to our wedding champagne toast at Vik Beach, to our impromptu stops at the Vik Icelandic Wool Shop and Skogafoss Waterfall, and our wedding reception on the Ranga River those words bring us right back there in the midst of that exciting time in our lives.   We hope that our Iceland wedding ceremony wording will help you as you plan your amazing destination wedding in Iceland!

We have some super exciting posts coming up in the next few weeks!  You can look forward to our Iceland wedding anniversary photos and an Iceland styled shoot featuring our favorite vendors like Flyboy Naturals!

With a smile, Ann Peters

IcelandWeddingPlanner

PhotosByMissAnn

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

The post Iceland Wedding Vows appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.

Welcome to the Weekend Brides and Grooms to be!

I hope this blog post finds you well and super excited to be planning your Iceland destination wedding!  You have officially started an amazing Iceland wedding adventure and we’re ecstatic you have consulted us here at Photos by Miss Ann (the “Iceland Wedding Planner“).

Where are you in your wedding planning process?  Have you committed to Iceland as your destination wedding location and now find yourself overwhelmed with next steps?  My husband and I were there once, so don’t worry you are in good company!  It is really interesting to see how the wedding industry in Iceland has not evolved as elaborately as it has in North America and Canada.  Iceland is such an amazing country offering perfect wedding photo locations, fresh foods and flavors, incredibly kind and generous people, epic adventure, stunning scenery, and is really not as far away as people think!  More brides and grooms should consider Iceland as their destination wedding location. …or we should all keep this our gorgeous little secret!

If you have not sent us a note about our Iceland Wedding Planning or Iceland Wedding Photography services, please contact us for more information on how we would be an asset to your special day!  We have established partnerships with the best in the country to ensure your Iceland wedding day is flawless.

Today, we would like to share with you some of the “general” Iceland wedding ceremony locations you could choose to to say “I do” at.  ….we typically plan off-the-beaten-path spots for our own clients!

Please Note: We no longer plan or photograph at the main stream locations we talk about below. We would rather take you on an adventure away from typical tourist locations via super jeep or helicopter for you Iceland Wedding Day or intimate Iceland Elopement! Please contact us for more details!

1. Iceland Wedding Location: The Blue Lagoon

2.  Iceland Wedding Location: Cape Dyrholaey

The most Southern point in Iceland

3. Iceland Wedding Location: Country Church in Budir, Iceland

4. Iceland Wedding Location: Country Church in Hellnar

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland (Iceland church by the sea)

5. Iceland Wedding Location: Dimmuborgir

(The area is composed of various volcanic caves,

rock formations and amazing for Iceland Wedding Portraits)

6. Iceland Wedding Location: Godafoss Waterfall

(Incredibly powerful and stunning for Iceland Wedding Photos)

7. Iceland Wedding Location: Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

(Who else will have Iceland Wedding Photos with glaciers in them?! You!)

8. Iceland Wedding Ceremony Location: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

(One of our favorite Iceland wedding photography

locations where you can go behind the waterfall too!)

9. Iceland Wedding Location: Skaftafell National Park (Stunning traditional turf houses in the Sandar region of Iceland)

10. Iceland Wedding Location: Skogafoss Waterfall

(A very powerful waterfall where double rainbow wedding photos are abound!)

11. Iceland Wedding Location: Svartifoss Waterfall

(In the Skaftafell National Park- Sandar region of Iceland)

12. Iceland Wedding Location: Thingvellir National Park

(The path along Almannagja where the American and European

continental plates drift apart. Married at the Tectonic Plates…How unique!)

13. Iceland Destination Wedding Location: Vik Beach

(Black sand, a cave, basalt rock formations all equal an epically

romantic Iceland wedding photography location)!

Our post today is only a small representation of the most frequented Iceland wedding ceremony locations.  The country has many more beautiful locations to make your Iceland wedding photography incredible, so please contact us for additional details in planning your dream wedding in Iceland!

Stay tuned for our next post topic: Destination Wedding Etiquette

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

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

The post Iceland Wedding Locations appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.