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.

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.

Roots of a Traditional Iceland Wedding Cake:

A wedding cake in Iceland is typically referred to as a Kransakaka dessert, but the origins began before it actually came to Iceland. The cake style has Danish and Norwegian roots, as a fancy dessert that was once served to aristocrats. As the recipe spread to Faroe Islands and throughout Iceland, the Kransakaka became a popular Nordic cake used for various types of celebrations. This included its use as the traditional Iceland wedding cake.

Kransakaka: Ring Cake

So what exactly is a Kransakaka cake? Good question!  Well, it directly translates to as “ring cake” to start.  But it is an elaborately decorated ring shaped tiered tower cake (sometimes also in shape of a heart). The texture is very similar to a mix of a firm sponge cake to a biscotti but has a bit of a wet texture.  And the underlying taste of almond flavor.

The ingredients are super simple… eggs, marzipan (an almond and honey mix), and powdered sugar. That’s all!  So gluten-free folks rejoice!  Also, if needed it can also be made as “vegan” too!  Bakers will usually decorate the outside of the Iceland wedding cake with intricate icing designs, chocolate, and sometimes fruit.

The Icelandic bakeries (bakarí) can make small versions for 2 people for Iceland elopements, and ones suited for small and large Iceland weddings (think 100+ folks). They will usually charge a per person price just as North American bakeries do. As far as timing to order, you’ll want to order an Iceland wedding cake at least 1-3 months in advance to ensure the Iceland bakery has your wedding reception day and time on their schedule.

The Tradition:

If you’re looking to add a traditional Icelandic wedding element this would be a fantastic one to incorporate while planning your Iceland wedding or elopement.  There is a fun tradition that comes along with the cake too… The bride and groom begin by breaking the cake (viking style with your hands).  Then each of the Iceland wedding guests to come up one by one, break off a piece (since it’s a ring cake) with their hands, say a wish to the bride and groom, and then delight in eating the cake.

If you want to stay with the adventure theme, have your guests challenge you to an adventure to take together!  …or go with the true Icelandic tradition of each piece leftover after guests break, represents how may children you will have.  You choose!

If this is not something of interest to you, there are other alternatives to the traditional Kransakaka Iceland wedding cake. You could consider some of the other local dessert fare such as Icelandic Skyr Cake or a delicious chocolate lava cake with homemade ice cream. As a side note, many restaurants and bakeries in Iceland do embrace North American wedding traditions and are able to provide a typical wedding cake. Make sure you are equipped with photos of exactly what you are looking for.

Whatever your heart’s desire, chances are the fabulous wedding vendors in Iceland can make it happen for you for your epic wedding day in Iceland! Please feel free to contact us for more information on planning and photographing your Iceland wedding day adventure.

With a smile,

Ann Peters & Team (Iceland Wedding Photographers & Planners)

© 2014, Iceland Wedding Planner & Photos by Miss Ann, All Rights Reserved

The post Iceland Wedding Cake: Kransakaka appeared first on Iceland Wedding Planner.