Forget the chapel. We took a monster truck to the Katla Ice Caves and said vows by the Jökulsárlón glacier. A once-in-a-lifetime Iceland wedding story.
Some couples plan weddings around table settings and seating charts. Others, like Jenny and David, plan them around monster trucks and 1,000-year-old ice 10,000 miles away from their home in Australia. When you decide to elope in Iceland, you aren’t just signing a marriage license; you are signing up for an expedition. This wasn’t just a ceremony—it was a two-day collide with the wildest elements on earth.
The silence at Jökulsárlón hits different. It’s not empty silence; it’s the heavy, ancient quiet of glaciers shifting and icebergs drifting out to sea. This was the backdrop Jenny and David chose for their vows—a cathedral built of blue ice and black water. Over two days, we went from the serenity of the lagoon to the raw power of the Katla ice caves, proving that the best wedding aisle is the one you have to drive a monster truck to reach.
Most couples plan their elopement to the minute—ceremony at 2 PM, photos at 3 PM, dinner at 6 PM. Jenny and David planned something different. What unfolded over the next 48 hours became the kind of story couples tell for decades—not because everything went perfectly, but because they were willing to let Iceland be Iceland. A sunset ceremony at a glacier lagoon. An unplanned encounter with the northern lights. A spontaneous monster truck ride into a volcanic cave.
We left the capital in the early afternoon, heading toward the southeast. If you’ve never driven Iceland’s Ring Road before, there’s something hypnotic about it—endless volcanic plateaus, waterfalls that appear without warning, and a quality of light that makes you want to stop every 10 minutes.
We did stop. A lot.
Each pause revealed a different facet of what makes Iceland’s landscape so impossibly photogenic: black sand beaches, moss-covered mountains that look like they’re still deciding their shape, and the kind of silence that makes you realize how loud the rest of the world actually is.
By evening, we reached Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. You’ve probably seen photographs from me of this place—massive icebergs floating in turquoise water, the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier looming in the distance, black sand beaches studded with chunks of glacial ice. But no photograph captures the scale. Standing at the shore, you realize you are looking at something on the scale of geology, not geography. Time moves differently here.
For Jenny and David’s ceremony, we positioned ourselves away from the main viewpoints where tour buses cycle through visitors. We found a quiet stretch of black sand with a clear view of the glacier’s face and the lagoon spreading out before it. The light was fading fast.
The vows came as the wind died. There’s something about that moment in Iceland when the gale suddenly stops, when the landscape goes quiet. It’s rare and brief.
The glacier serves as a cathedral. The lagoon is the aisle. The light—that’s just luck.
Or as I like to think – “luck is where the preparation meets the opportunity!”
Sometimes a single frame can’t capture what two days of adventure actually feel like. Press play.
After the ceremony, we drove to Hótel Jökulsárlón, which sits just minutes from the lagoon. This isn’t a resort in the traditional sense; it’s a modern 4-star hotel designed specifically for people who want to be alone with the Icelandic landscape. The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glacier. The restaurant, Gunna á Leiti, serves local cuisine in an atmosphere that feels more intimate than formal.
Around 10 PM the sky wasn’t perfectly clear—there were scattered clouds, the kind that usually means no aurora activity. But then, a faint glow appeared on the horizon and we watched the lights dance above the sky.
We woke to a conversation that many Iceland elopement couples have: “The weather’s good. The Katla Ice Caves have a private tour slot open at launch. Should we?”
The Katla Ice Cave (located in the Kötlujökull outlet of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, in Southeast Iceland) isn’t on most elopement itineraries. It requires a super jeep, a guide, crampons, and a willingness to drive through raw volcanic terrain.
What followed was a drive through one of Iceland’s most alien landscapes. If the road south was scenic, this was science fiction. We left Vík and headed toward the glacier, bouncing through black volcanic outwash plains, where nothing grows except moss and the occasional hardy shrub. The landscape looks like it’s been irradiated, or frozen in time from some ancient catastrophe. In a way, it has—Katla volcano last erupted in the 1800s, and this entire plain is still settling.
The super jeep (a modified 4×4 built specifically for glacier terrain) handled it with ease. The journey itself became part of the story. For 40 minutes, we were the only vehicle in a landscape that felt untouched.
For a photographer, it’s a dream and a challenge. The contrast of the blue ice against the headlamps, the scale of the cavern, the texture of the formations—it’s primal and otherworldly.
Looking back at these two days, what strikes me most is, again, how the original plan actually can change. And yet, it worked perfectly. Here’s why:
Flexibility Is Everything. When the weather holds and an opportunity appears (like that private Katla tour slot), you take it. Rigid itineraries often don’t work in Iceland; the landscape during off-season won’t cooperate very often. Jenny and David built in buffer time and were willing to deviate.
The Best Moments Are Often Unplanned. The northern lights weren’t forecasted. The ice cave wasn’t originally on the schedule. Yet these became the centerpiece memories. In Iceland, you’re working with a landscape that’s still actively being shaped by volcanic and glacial forces. That’s beautiful, but it means you have to stay adaptable.
The Right Guide Matters. From the elopement photographer like myself to the ice cave guide—were crucial. I know where the light would be. We understand the geology in a way that tourists can’t. We make decisions on the fly based on real experience, not guidebooks.
If Jenny and David’s journey resonates with you, here’s what to expect when planning an adventure elopement with Mait form MJ Studios in Southeast Iceland:
Timing & Seasons
Best for Northern Lights: Late October through February. While the lights are unpredictable, December offers the longest nights and best odds. Jenny & David got lucky—you might too. And if you are super lucky, you might see them in August already.
Best for Glacier Light: Year-round, but the dramatic golden hour light happens in winter (and lasts longer). Summer offers midnight sun, but less dramatic contrast. Clear sunny sky is the most boring one during the summer (from the photo point of view)
Katla Ice Cave Access: Available year-round in good conditions, but summer access is easier. Winter adds the northern lights possibility but requires more robust weather forecasting. But best caves are in the east by the Ice Lagoon and they are more adventurous and private as well.
What to Bring
Layers. This can’t be overstated. Thermal base layer, fleece mid-layer, waterproof windbreaker, hat, gloves. You look good in photos when you’re warm.
Proper Footwear. Hiking boots with good grip, not trail runners. The terrain at the glacier is unforgiving. Forget the high-heels.
What to Expect at Jökulsárlón
Crowds: Yes. This is Iceland’s most famous glacier lagoon. But we know where to go and when to go to minimize them.
Weather Changes Rapidly: Be ready for the trip cancellation because of the horrendous weather, especially during deep winter time. Also, plan for 15-minute mood shifts. That’s not a problem; that’s the whole point.
The Hotel Experience: There are not many hotels around there but the ones that are there are superb. Their restaurants are solid, the hot tub is steaming, and the rooms have unobstructed views. It’s luxury positioned directly against the wilderness.
What to Expect at Katla Ice Cave
The Hike In: 20 minutes across volcanic ash plains. We provide microspikes/crampons and be prepared for terrain that looks like Mars.
The Cave Itself: Mesmerizing. Plan for 30-45 minutes of careful, guided exploration and photo session. It’s not claustrophobic if you’re prepared; it’s intimate.
The Vibe: This isn’t a tour bus experience. You’re in a private monster truck with two guides who cares about your story. The atmosphere is exploratory, not touristy. We gonna have fun!
MJ Studios specializes in adventure elopements that don’t settle for the standard. Let’s plan your two-day (or multi-day) expedition to Southeast Iceland, and we’ll capture the story as it unfolds.
