A deeply personal Iceland adventure elopement for just you two, woven into some of the most dramatic landscapes on earth.
Hike, Explore, Say Your Vows—Your Adventure
Alexandra and Ian’s decision to get married in Iceland, just the two of them, was a special kind of treat for an adventure-loving photographer like me. We did not actually know where their vows would happen, not precisely. I had a region in mind, a day, and a rough area pinned in my head, and that is what I shared with them together with a simple note: everything might change. Icelandic weather is extremely unpredictable, especially in my favourite months like September and October. Plan A often becomes Plan B. Sometimes even Plan C.
For their elopement, I chose a mountainside far in the east, about seven hours’ drive from Reykjavik. By then we had already been on the road for a full day, soaking in those very particular Iceland views that never really repeat themselves. I had flown my drone over that area many times before and knew how many waterfalls pour down from the base of the mountain there. Getting close to them is not as easy as it looks on a screen, though. With a drone it is simple. This time we had to get there with our own feet.
The second day brought the ceremony itself and a road that crossed the mountains towards the north. The climate there can feel like a different country compared to the south. Colder, sharper. But it can also surprise you in the other direction. When it is 7 degrees in the south, it has been 21 degrees celcius (70 farhrenheit) up there on some summer days.
The chances of seeing the northern lights are much higher in the north, and to me they also seem stronger, more intense. Some of my favourite Iceland views live there: wide fields, almost empty, a bit desolate, and at the same time a complete wonderland. This is the kind of backdrop that fits an adventure wedding or elopement—raw, honest, without much decoration needed.
The third day took us straight through Iceland Highlands: across rivers, over open plains, hardly seeing another car. This is usually the most unpredictable and adventurous part of a multi-day elopement. Close to the end of our drive, the rear tire of our Jeep Wrangler blew. We all jumped in to fix it together, including the bride, and in about half an hour the car was ready to go again.
After that, the road slowly turned familiar. Asphalt, more cars, and soon we were back on the Golden Circle route, heading towards Reykjavik. The adventure had quietly come to an end. For Alexandra and Ian, and also for me, it became one of those Iceland elopement stories that stays with you for a lifetime. A small wedding, three days on the road, and a country that never really shows the same face twice.
You can read more about my packages in Iceland here.
