Adria and Ron found me through this blog. They came across my photos of Icelandic horses from a layover and the abandoned plane I hiked out to see up close, and something clicked. They weren’t looking for a traditional destination wedding. They wanted a declaration of love in winter, with their closest people, in a place that feels like the edge of the world.
They flew in from Texas with family and friends in November, a time of year when Iceland is quieter, darker, and somehow even more beautiful. The light sits low all day and everything feels like a soft, extended golden hour. Their home base was Hótel Búðir, just down the hill from the iconic black church. They rented out most of the hotel for the weekend, guests (and me) included, turning it into a true getaway. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula already feels remote, and having everyone together in one place made it easy to slow down and be fully present.
If you’re planning a destination wedding and want photography that leans into place, weather, and story, you can learn more about my approach here: Destination Wedding Photography
The wedding day started early. We did a dramatic first look outside the lounge with snowy mountains behind them and water cutting through the landscape toward the ocean. Their guests watched from the windows. The wedding party, dressed in elegant black gowns and suits, then made the walk up the hill to the little black church. The ceremony was structured around community. Each guest prepared something meaningful about love, poems, quotes, stories, and personal reflections. It’s still one of the most powerful ceremonies I’ve photographed. Destination weddings tend to invite that kind of depth. When you strip away the extras, you end up with the real thing.
Afterward, Adria and Ron shared an intimate first dance on a snowy patch of hillside to music playing from a small speaker. Later, guests warmed up with a champagne brunch and a pause in the middle of the day that felt genuinely restorative, not rushed, not performative.
In the afternoon, we took their car out for portraits around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Some of these locations may look familiar if you’ve watched Game of Thrones, but what I remember most is how the landscape constantly changes. Volcanic rock, ocean, wind, snow, soft light moving across everything. We kept it simple and let Iceland do what it does best.
That night ended upstairs with dinner, a confetti celebration, and one final gift from the trip: clear skies and the Northern Lights moving overhead in a way that felt almost unreal.
This winter wedding in Iceland was beyond my wildest dreams. I hope you enjoy a few favorites.
