What it is Like to Elope in Iceland:
If you are a couple who loves to find adventure when they travel, appreciates unique landscapes, and dreams of a unique wedding unlike anything you could achieve in the United States, then I think that Iceland is the place you should elope!
Night Before Wedding:
Meet up at the Blue Lagoon or a local hot spring to capture you enjoying a classic Icelandic activity!
Morning of Wedding:
Meet at your Airbnb or Hotel to capture you:
- Enjoying breakfast together or with your wedding party
- Writing private vows, reading letters from loved ones who are not attending, or another special wedding activity
- Getting ready for the wedding day
- Doing a first look
Ceremony:
Have your wedding ceremony take place in an epic, private location, such as a local waterfall. After the ceremony, capture any group photos of the people who were able to attend and wedding formal photos of the two of you at your ceremony location. I think it could be such a great opportunity to pack a picnic for lunch or have a champagne pop during this time!
Wedding Formal Photos:
Travel to at least one of your favorite Iceland locations for wedding formal photos. We could go to the lava fields, the black sand beach, a different waterfall, the wrecked airplane, the diamond beach, or anywhere else that you love for photos!
A Bonus Celebratory Activity:
Iceland is so unique and if there is still time for another activity that could be captured then I think it has to be added to the itinerary! During certain parts of the year, we could capture night photos of the Northern Lights or capture photos of the fields of Lupine flowers, we could go on a boat tour of the glaciers, ride horses on the beach, or just go back to the Airbnb and capture you hanging out together!
Adventure Photography
I only take on a few destination weddings each year and I am very selective because I will only take on a wedding that requires extra planning and traveling if I know that this is a wedding I will be passionate about. You'll be able to count on me through the entire process and I dedicate a lot of my time to your planning and timeline creation. Are we a good match? Send me an inquiry and I will be getting back to you soon!
By hiring me to be your Icelandic elopement photographer, you are sure to get a vendor who will be there for you through the planning process, through the emotions of the day, and do it all by being extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity!
Why You Should Elope in Iceland
Iceland is hands down my favorite place I have ever visited! It is the perfect place to run away to and elope for so many reasons! Eloping in Iceland is private, romantic, and otherworldly. I personally think it is one of the best places for United States Citizens to go to for their wedding because it is fairly close to us, it is easy to communicate with the locals, and the views are unlike anything we have in America. As a professional wedding photographer and videographer who specializes in epic adventures and elopements, I am going to walk you through your options when it comes to eloping in Iceland. And I am hopeful that if the timing works out, you can bring me along to document your special day!
Also, here are five great reasons to elope here!
- Iceland’s marriage requirements for visitors are very straightforward and will be explained below
- Ceremonies can be performed for every religion or lack thereof
- Same-sex marriages are legal
- Your wedding photographs will be amazing
- You can spend the remainder of your wedding experience relaxing and exploring!
Icelanders Speak English
Planning a wedding is already a big task and adding a language barrier to the mix would make it all the more difficult. Icelanders speak Icelandic and English. I personally only speak English and I found it extremely easy to communicate with everyone while I was there. Just like when you travel anywhere in the world, every place has it's own customs and specifics. The only thing I struggled with was the food. I was not familiar with the specific names in the grocery stores or menu items at some restaurants, but luckily, everyone is so friendly so by just asking, you'll learn quickly.
It is Easy to Drive in Iceland
When eloping in Iceland, you will likely need to rent a car. The airport is not super close to the capital city of Reykjavik and the main attractions that you will want to see require driving time. But if you have a valid driver's license and familiarize yourself with their road signs, it will be easy to get around!
Bringing a US Based Photographer to Iceland
There are local Iceland photographers and photographers who specialize in elopements all over the world, but at the end of the day, you have to choose the photographer that works best for you. Here is what I would recommend when choosing your elopement photographer and/or videographer:
- Check out their style and make sure you like the type of work they do, the amount of content that they give their clients, and the way they edit.
- Make sure they are willing to travel to the place you want to elope, just as your local photographer may not travel to a different part of their own state, some Iceland photographers only stay in a certain region of Iceland. So before you get very far into the planning, make sure that whoever you choose will be a part of your total vision.
- Get on a consult call with them. This will give you a better idea of their personality and give you an idea of how well you'll get along together. Ask questions, see what ideas they have, see their level of excitement, and see if they have anything else to add that is exciting to you.
A few other things to consider:
- Bringing a US photographer with you to your international wedding can lessen any cultural boundaries that may arise
- It may be easier to pay and understand pricing when everything is in US dollars
- It may be easier to communicate when the time zones are the same or closer when hiring a US photographer
- Local photographers are likely to know the area better than US photographers and offer more exclusive locations and ideas
- A US photographer may be more passionate and excited about your wedding, giving you the best they can offer because you are allowing them to capture a dream wedding.
Things You Need to Know When Eloping In Iceland:
Iceland has become a dream destination for adventure travels and elopements for good reason! The land is incredibly unique and there is so much to see. It is a large country with a small population that packs a punch for visitors. It can be a romantic getaway and an opportunity for jaw-dropping photos. The number one thing that I think you should understand if you are considering eloping in Iceland is the weather. Icelanders have a saying that I heard several times while there, "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes!" This is a saying I am familiar with being from Wyoming, but the weather in Iceland is extreme and Icelanders really do have to plan their lives around the weather. The current blog that you are reading revolves around why you should consider hiring me for your Icelandic elopement, but I have also written another guide that is very helpful for planning. Read my complete guide on everything you need to know when eloping in Iceland with the button below.
Eloping at the Black Sand Beach in Vik
Reynisfjara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland for good reason. It is so unique and makes for the perfect contrast with white wedding dresses. The photos I took while there were a dream come true and I would definitely do it again, but let me tell you my experience. Hanna and Leslaw got married at the peak of the pandemic in 2020 so they were unable to capture wedding photos in Iceland. They loved the idea of taking their photos with me on the black sand beach. These photos were taken in September and the sunlight looks much different in Iceland than it does in America. We were able to meet up mid-afternoon and have beautiful, golden light. I got there early, and about 30 minutes before the shoot was supposed to start, it started snowing! I got really worried, but when Hanna and Leslaw showed up, they said, "Wait 10 minutes and the weather will change!" So we did and the weather did change. Throughout this 45-minute session, we had golden light, snow, rain, dark clouds, and bright sun. It was quite crazy!
This beach can also be very dangerous. There is a large sign on the path from the parking lot to the beach. It has a red, yellow, and green light that predicts the possibility of "sneaker waves". Sneaker waves are large waves that cannot be seen coming and wash up much further on the shore than the waves before and after them. Every year tourists visiting the black sand beach die from ignoring the signs. In these photos, it will look like we were alone but there were actually a ton of other people on the beach with us. My couple warned me that even if there are people on the beach, we need to make it our responsibility to watch the ocean on our own and not to go close to the water. This was super great advice and I was happy to have their local knowledge while here!
I hope that this did not deter you from wanting to take your own photos here! This is a beautiful location and being able to capture these photos and video has been a dream come true for me! By being careful and making sure we pay attention to the warnings, I would absolutely love to bring another couple here for their bridal photos! If you planned to elope at sunrise at this location, I think we could have the area to ourselves, but if we wait until later in the day for the ceremony, then I would recommend that we only use this location for bridal photos and not the ceremony.
Finding a Private Waterfall for Your Elopement in Iceland
Before I went to Iceland, I did as much research as I possibly could so that I would know what to expect. But even with all of that research, I did not understand just how many waterfalls there are in Iceland until I got there! When you google waterfalls in Iceland, you'll find a handful of main ones. What I learned is that those are the most popular waterfalls that they have made easy to get to and accessible to tourists, but there are actually so many other waterfalls that might not be so easy for tourists to find!
Angelyn and Jerome were another couple that I got to work with in Iceland! They had recently gotten engaged and were planning their wedding in Spain. Angelyn was born and raised in Iceland and Jerome is originally from Spain, but now lives in Iceland's capital of Reykjavik with Angelyn. As locals, they also had tips and tricks for me that were extremely helpful! But most of all, they knew of a private waterfall for their engagement photos! This waterfall was very close to the city, only required a short hike, and only had a few other spectators! We were at the waterfall for about an hour and a half and only saw 3 other hikers during our time there. We were able to fly our drone and walk right up to the water.
I think it could be the perfect secret location for a couple wanting to elope without an audience!
Utah Photographer Who Travels to Iceland
Elopement Packages in Iceland
Each year I only take on a few travel weddings because I want to be as available for each of my clients as possible. If Iceland sounds like an area that you would love to elope in then I would love to set up a phone call with you! These phone calls typically last about 30 minutes. In them, I will hear more about your vision, see where you are in the wedding planning process, and go over my packages. For 2025 I have four main packages;
Multi-Day Packages:
Let's go all out and make this an unforgettable experience! Yes, I will cover the ceremony and special wedding moments, but let's also go beyond that! What have you always wanted to do?
Book an unbelievably romantic Airbnb in the country and cook an extravagant dinner together...
Soak in a hot spring together and put on face masks...
Hire a pilot to fly you in a helicopter to a breathtaking location...
Spend the afternoon on a boat tour or horseback riding until you come upon the perfect location for a picnic...
The possibilities are endless, so let's just do it!
- Up to 3 days with a total of up to 12 hours of coverage
- Elopement Planning Guide
- Online gallery to share with friends and family
- Organized flash drive with all final content
Full Day Packages:
This is my package for couples who want every detail captured. You have planned a beautiful elopement and want to take the time to enjoy every bit of it! This package could be great for those who have a grand adventure on their mind or for those who want a more relaxed elopement with ample time for photos in a beautiful location.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Up to 8 hours of elopement coverage
- Elopement Planning Guide
- Online gallery to share with friends and family
- Organized flash drive with all final content
Half-Day Packages:
This package is for couples who have plans beyond the ceremony. Maybe you want to document the getting-ready moments, or maybe you are looking to have a small adventure on your way to the ceremony, either way, let's make it unforgettable!
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Up to 4 hours of elopement coverage
- Elopement Planning Guide
- Organized flash drive with all final content
- Online gallery to share with friends and family
Essential Package:
This package is best for our couples who have a clear plan and just want to have great content from their ceremony. The hours of coverage are perfect for a ceremony and photos afterward in a relaxed and stress-free setting.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Up to 2 hours of wedding day coverage
- Elopement Planning Guide
- Organized flash drive with all final content
- Online gallery to share with friends and family
