Written by our rad team member, Kiersten Roy
What could be better than an Iceland elopement with 24-hour daylight, lupine fields galore, AND a stunning waterfall view? Not much if you ask us! The Land of Fire and Ice is truly one of the most magical places to elope and we got to explore this beautiful country for Margaret and James’ best day ever. Keep scrolling to see all the magic from their incredible elopement with family and learn a few tips to keep in mind when planning an Iceland elopement!
Meet Margaret & James: The Couple of This Iceland
If we had to sum up Iceland’s weather in one word, it would be “wild”! The day before Margaret and James’ Iceland elopement, the couple and I (Mollie) looked at the weather and made a few tweaks to the timeline so that we could make the most of their day while also trying to avoid the rain.
The morning of their big day, we started with getting ready photos at their hotel, Hotel Geysir. The hotel is located in Iceland’s Geysir Geothermal Area, one of Iceland’s most attractive nature destinations, so needless to say, we were in awe of all the beauty right outside our doorstep.
After Margaret and James finished getting ready, we headed out to some nearby public land for their first look. This location was incredible! Not only was it super accessible and extremely private, but the whole area was filled with lupine wildflowers. Here at Between the Pine, we are huge believers in Leave No Trace, and in the U.S., that typically means staying on the trails and protecting the wildflowers at all costs. That is not the case in Iceland though. Here, lupines are considered invasive, which means we got to walk through the lupine fields and pluck the beautiful flowers to our heart’s content (magical, right?!). We couldn’t NOT take advantage of this beautiful location, so after holding their elopement ceremony with family, we stayed and took some family and couple portraits.
After a short mid-day break, we all met back up at the hotel for a private dinner with the couple and their guests. They had an entire private section (on a rooftop patio!) to themselves with a five-course meal to top it all off.
A Midnight Waterfall Adventure
The best part about this Iceland elopement was that we got to explore much longer than normal. In June, Iceland experiences 24 hours of daylight which meant that we got to set off on an adventure at 8 pm. We drove to one of my favorite waterfalls in Iceland and though it was a bit windy when we arrived, we had the whole place to ourselves. We spent the next few hours exploring the waterfall, starting at the top and making our way down to the base where we could feel the mist spraying on our faces.
All in all, this Iceland elopement was seriously magical and I am already dreaming about the next chance I get to explore this beautiful island!
Check out this post on Instagram to see more photos from Margaret and James’ Iceland elopement!
Four Ideas to Consider for Your Iceland Elopement
Explore a Waterfall
Exploring a waterfall during your Iceland elopement is an absolute must! With around 10,000 waterfalls on the island, you could explore multiple waterfalls a day and still not experience them all! One of the things we love about Iceland’s waterfalls is that oftentimes there are lots of trails that jet off from the main one. Even if the waterfall itself is crowded, you can get on another trail and hike past the drive-up locations and get a trail all to yourself.
Take a Helicopter Tour
If you want to see different landscapes during your Iceland elopement, we can’t recommend a helicopter tour enough! Taking a ride in a helicopter allows you to experience multiple sceneries such as active volcanoes, glaciers, and waterfalls all in one day.
Stroll on the Rugged Beaches
Black sand beaches with puffins? Say no more! Iceland is full of black sand beaches which are beautiful all on their own, but pair that with puffin season (typically May-August) and you get the best of both worlds. Visiting these beautiful beaches truly feels like visiting another world and we are here for it!
Frolic Through Wildflowers (aka Lupines)
As we already mentioned, the lupines in Iceland are unlike anything else you will experience. Iceland’s lupine season goes from June-August and during these months you can get some really vibrant and beautiful colors that make for the perfect backdrop for your Iceland elopement.
Important Logistics to Keep in Mind for Your Elopement in Iceland
If you are planning to elope in Iceland here are a few logistics to keep in mind:
The Weather is WILD
Just like we experienced during Margaret and James’ elopement, the weather in Iceland can be quite wild. Summer tends to be the mildest time of year with temperatures ranging in the low to mid-50s (F). Spring and Fall temperatures dip into the 40s and winter temps can drop to freezing point in the mid-30s (F). We particularly love the summer season as this is when temperatures are at their highest (not to mention lupine and puffin season!).
Time of Year
Speaking of the time of year, no matter when you decide to elope in Iceland, just know that the weather has a mind of its own. We always encourage couples to be flexible and go with the flow as things can change. This is why we also recommend including buffer days if you are traveling to Iceland. This way, you’ll have a better chance of exploring the island no matter what the weather throws your way.
24-hour Light
Iceland is one of the few locations on Earth that experiences 24-hour daylight. June is known as the season of midnight in Iceland and during this month you can take advantage of all the extra light for your Iceland elopement (how cool is that?).
Not only that, but Iceland is a country that has no wildlife predators (bears, cougars, etc.). This means you can explore places in nature in the middle of the night and have the entire place all to yourself. We love using the 24 hours of daylight to our advantage when it comes to eloping in Iceland and think that this is one of the coolest perks to planning an Iceland elopement.
What You Need to Know About Packages For Your Iceland Elopement
When choosing to have an Iceland elopement, we highly recommend either our full-day or two-day elopement packages to our couples.
Our full-day Iceland elopement package includes first-look photos at your cabin in the early afternoon. We will then head out to two unique locations for you and your partner to explore. After, we will head to your ceremony location, where you will elope in the mountains with the most stunning backdrop at sunset!
If you want to see all that this beautiful area has to offer, then we recommend our two-day Iceland elopement package. This will allow you the chance to experience multiple locations and is also a great option if you plan on inviting guests. Click here to learn more about our packages for your Iceland elopement.
Meet Your Iceland Photographers
We feel most at home in the outdoors, so it’s no surprise that is where we gravitate towards as your Iceland elopement photographers. Between the Pine was founded by Mollie in 2018 and she has hiked hundreds of miles all over the Pacific Northwest and Kauai, to capture couples during their best day ever. Since 2018, we’ve grown our team and continue to hire even more incredible photographers!
Our team at Between the Pine is passionate about our jobs and adventuring to the most beautiful locations to document your best day ever. We know the Pacific Northwest like the back of our hands and are dying for a reason to head back to the mountains, forest, and everything in between! Click here to learn more about the Between the Pine team, your Iceland elopement photographers!
Meet the Other Incredible Vendors From This Iceland Elopement
Photographer: Between the Pine
Hair and Makeup: Anne Timss
Dress: Brides for a Cause
Hotel: Hotel Geysir
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