its your wedding. [hooray!]
with the excitement + butterflies + hustle + bustle you now find yourself with dozens of decisions to make, one of the most important being ‘where do we host this thing?’
some opt for traditional churches, barns in the middle of the country, mountain side overlooks, lakefront properties, ritzy halls or historic homes, estates or ranches.
all great.
but what about a destination wedding? more specifically, what about a destination wedding in iceland.
in the winter.
hear me out. iceland in the winter time is a desolate, wintery wonderland dream that is worth considering. yes, i have some reasons + some photos to prove my point.
first things first,
1. your crew gets a vacation of a lifetime.
its true that one of the best things about getting married is that all of your favorite people get to gather in one place. sometimes this is the only time EVER that these dear ones will be in the same place. imagine this, all of these favorite family + friends together, but halfway across the globe in iceland? talk about a bonding experience + a lifelong memory. not to mention that a destination wedding usually is drawn out over a weekend, not everything has to be crammed into one day.
fun fact: some of my favorite moments from this featured wedding were the times chatting with the members of this wedding party. we would discuss the events of our day, things we were going to see + even inspired each other to go on future trips + adventures.
2. traditional moments can feature some of the most beautiful backdrops in the world.
nature lovers rejoice. iceland, specially in the winter, provides one of the most gorgeous settings i have ever actually seen in my life. imagine overlooking an inlet to the nearby ocean with snow-capped mountains in the distance + the stillness of the world surrounding you as approach your love for your first look? this couple also opted to share their first dance on a quiet space away from the church + their guests. the beautiful icelandic wintery wilderness, wrapped + dancing in each other’s arms. what would be big moments in traditional weddings are small moments with big impact on a destination wedding in iceland.
3. The Freedom to Break the Rules.
Weddings are rooted in tradition. It is the way of things since the beginning of this lovely tradition. By having a destination wedding in Iceland, or anywhere for this matter, you are able to deviate from the norm + have things play out a bit more to your own liking. you can start your own traditions + make your own rules. this couple opted for a unique ‘declaration of love’. they had all of their guests prepare something to share about their thoughts on love whether it be a poem, a saying, an excerpt, a song, a quote, a story, whatever. anything that felt significant to them or to the bride + groom. it was a beautiful circle of laughter + happy tears before the official ceremony proceeded. when you opt for a destination wedding you are allotted the luxury of time that you lack in a traditional wedding. you are able to sprinkle in some of your own ideas + activities into this special celebration.
4. icelandic horses.
they speak for themselves.
5. You get the Most Beautiful Wedding Photos.
its just the truth. sure, you may not have the luxuries of being close to home but you get to capture your love in one of the most epically beautiful places on the planet. iceland, in summer or winter, is filled with stunning landscape after landscape that puts one in a state of constant awe. the sky in iceland in the winter time provides daylight hours where the sky is almost always in ‘sunset/sunrise mode’. i had never seen such beautiful skies. with a wintery iceland environment surrounding you, your wedding photos get taken up a few notches. this particular couple was after just that. after their ceremony we took a ride around the western snaefellsnes peninsula for portraits. hopping in + out of the car, stopping at anything that looked beautiful, freezing cold at moments, jamming out to tunes + capturing a collection of beautiful images that they will treasure for a lifetime.
bonus
the northern lights are most prominent in the winter months of iceland. they, of course, are never guaranteed but there is always a chance. over the four nights i was in iceland for this trip november 2017 i witnessed them twice. pro-tip: i found the chances were greater away from reykjavik, further out in the wilderness, provided weather conditions were just right.
in short, iceland in the winter is a daring location, worthy of some consideration when planning your wedding.
certainly not for the faint of heart.
certain to enchant brave souls who opt for something out of the ordinary.
adria + ron’s full wedding post // iceland wedding photographer // teri b photography
i shoot destination weddings in iceland, france + all over california [learn more]
