Iceland Wedding in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

January 19, 2020Leave a comment

Have you found your way to the magical Snæfellsnes Peninsula? Countless folklore stories say that it is an enchanted area filled with alchemy and mystery. And when you visit the area it feels a bit more “alive” then the rest of Iceland. So why not have an Iceland wedding in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and be among the legends?

Planning an Iceland Wedding in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Meet Brittni and Mark, these two fell in love with all of the charm the peninsula exudes and embarked an adventurous day within for their wedding in Iceland. But let’s go back to give you the lowdown… This lovely couple originally reached out to our Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons team in the beginning of July 2018 to inquire about planning a fall 2019 wedding.

Days later, they committed to being clients and we started planning their dream Iceland wedding together!

Our Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons team helped with the following:

An appointment with the District Commissioners Office (in the region the Iceland wedding in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula ceremony was to be held).
Iceland Wedding Celebrant (Officiant)
Iceland Wedding Photographer
Iceland Wedding Bouquet
Vegan Wedding Cake (Yes a traditional Kransakaka – Iceland wedding ring cake can be made vegan too, believe it or not!)
Private Iceland Wedding Reception Venue

Our Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons team also assisted with the following:

Wedding Location recommendations and support (pros and cons),
Marriage Licence Support (before and after).
Accommodation Recommendations
Wedding Spa/Nail salon recommendations.

Iceland Marriage License Process:

When looking to have a legal (recognized outside of Iceland) marriage ceremony in Iceland, the paperwork can be confusing. There are required documents which need to be in order for the wedding to be deemed legal. Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons will help you through every step of the process.

Convinced the process sounds to complicated? Worried about the marriage license? Booking with our Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons team, means we are there to assist you every step of the way (before and after!). Couples have come up with questions and concerns (and no worries, there is no such thing as a stupid or dumb question) we have not been able to tackle and solve. After all, it is what we are here for….you!

Once we had all of Brittni’s and Mark’s paperwork and had them pre-approved, we booked them an appointment with the local district commissioner in the district they were to get married. This appointment is usually only a few minutes and is usually booked on the last weekday before the wedding.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula Waterfall Wedding Ceremony

With the legal proceedings out of the way, the betrothed were ready to say ”I do”. Brittni and Mark choose to have their wedding in the fall, a time when the landscape colors of Iceland can be the richest. Brittni’s gown, an elegant white lace and sheath dress did not disappoint. Mark wore a deep blue suit, which accented Brittni’s dress, and contrasted perfectly with the Icelandic fall colors.

Brittni and Mark wanted to have an intimate wedding with only their closest friends and family. The couple along with their 15 guests headed to their selected breathtaking ceremony location with a waterfall as their backdrop. At their ceremony location they met with their Iceland Wedding Celebrant.

*Please Note: Only an Icelandic based celebrant can conduct a legal wedding ceremony. If you plan on having your own celebrant you would need to have a civil ceremony (only on weekdays) before you have your outdoor wedding ceremony.

Creating a Schedule for your Iceland Wedding Day

One of our favorite things to do is to help provide feedback on Iceland wedding locations. We adore putting together an unforgettable day and schedule for our couples to maximize their adventures through Iceland. Likely get amazing wedding photos along the way too! Following their waterfall wedding ceremony, two newlyweds went around with their local Iceland wedding photographer to stunning locations such as…

Moss Covered Lava Fields
Lake and Ocean Views
Amazingly shaped mountains
Sea Arches
Golden Beach
And the famed little black church, Búðakirkja!

Iceland Wedding Reception

After a fun filled day, these two ended their wedding day with a cozy reception in a private room at Lækjarbrekka, one of Reykjavík’s most charming restaurants. Also happens to be one of the town’s oldest houses dating back to 1834.

We highly recommend visiting the restaurant while in Iceland. We promise you will not regret it! Neither did Brittni and Mark. Lækjarbrekka was very accommodating to the couple and their group by allowing them to bring in a cake from another vendor, seeing as a few of their guests were vegan. To accommodate their guests, Brittni and Mark decided on a vegan version of a traditional Icelandic wedding cake.

Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? In their own words, here is what Brittni and Mark felt of their experience:

“So a month has gone by and live is finally starting to settle again. We just wanted to say thank you.

The Pastor was an incredible person. We met him before the wedding for a coffee to talk about the plan for the wedding and it was great to meet him. He was so great and taking your advice on using him was a great idea and we thank you for that.

Bragi ended up being the most fun of everyone we met. He and his wife were beyond professional yet so much fun at the same time. He has us laughing a lot and the photo shoot was so organic. He’s the first person I would be suggesting to anyone that you’re planning weddings for.

Laekjarbrekka was unreal. The room we ended up getting was so nice. The food was so delicious and presented so well and all of our needs were met. The two servers that assisted in the evening were so helpful and did an amazing job. Everybody that attended the dinner made a point to tell us how good it was.

And the cake, was AMAZING. It was perfect. They had it set up for us in the corner of the room and everyone was amazed at how different it was than a traditional North American style cake. We ended up travelling a bit after the wedding in Iceland and Brittni and I snacked on it the whole time haha!

And of course, the location we decided to use. was an incredible backdrop for our day. The tourists that were there respected us having the ceremony and actually congratulated us on our way out. It was magic. The pictures are going to be stunning.

We just wanted to extended our thanks to you for helping us out with everything. We couldn’t have done it without you and I would highly recommend you to anyone looking to get married in Iceland. Thank you so much!

Regards,

Brittni and Mark”

Are you in awe of this gorgeous couple’s intimate Iceland wedding in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula experience? We absolutely are! Furthermore, has the magical Icelandic nature inspired you to take the leap and have your own Iceland wedding or elopement? Contact us and we would love to start your Iceland wedding or elopement planning process!

We would also like to thank Bragi the local Iceland wedding photographer for sharing his work with us of this gorgeous couple! Thanks again Bragi!

Iceland Cave Wedding

December 30, 2019January 7, 2020Leave a comment

Our last blog of the year is dedicated to the very in love, very photogenic couple Brittany and Seth. The couple reached out to us in January with very a specific idea of what they envisioned for their event of the year, their Iceland Wedding.

We started our planning time together only 11 days after their original inquiry. We helped take care of every aspect of their Iceland Wedding including:

Private Property Ceremony Location
The photographer
A Day of Planner
Transportation
Bridal Bouquet and Bridal Party Flowers
Ceremony Decor
Iceland Lunch Experience
Accommodation Recommendations
Private Room for Iceland Wedding Reception
Reception Decor
Traditional Iceland Wedding Cake
Reception DJ / MC

We also helped with last minute details to help insure things went as smoothly as possible.

Iceland Wedding Ceremony Location

Brittany and Seth had 50 guests and wanted the perfect location to hold their Iceland Wedding Ceremony. They wanted a venue that was both outdoor but had the comfort of a roof in case of inclement weather. Which is why they in the end chose the Iceland wedding location: Hjörleifshöfði Cave.

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Please take note… The cave is located on private property, which is why Brittany and Seth contacted our sister company Iceland Wedding Planner to rent the cave from the landowners. The cave rental includes:

Privatizing the Cave (IE, There is not already a wedding or event there when you arrive or a film project shooting).
Closing the road to it, by placing “closed” signs to the road leading to the cave.
A staffer on site to keep out rouge tourists that do not respect the sign and walk to the cave (yes this happens).
Cleaning of the cave. For example, that there are no pink rose petals from a previous wedding when you get there. (Believe it or not, as the the cave grows in popularity with self-drivers, it has been used in many different ways such as overnight camping or even as a bathroom facility. THIS IS NOT ALLOWED, but it has happened thanks to naughty travelers).

Having an Iceland cave wedding is so charming! Furthermore, the couple also took our advice and went with a seated ceremony. A seated ceremony is far more comfortable and not to mention more photogenic for your Iceland wedding photos. They rented the chairs and sound system from Iceland Wedding Planner, you can too, just click HERE!

Iceland Wedding Ceremony

Brittany and Seth had their hearts set on having their dear friend conduct their Iceland wedding ceremony. These pictures just do not do this ceremony justice, as it even had us tearing up!

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Ceremony Decor and Flowers

As décor for their Iceland cave wedding, Brittany and Seth did not just purchase 1 bouquet but 8! One for Brittany and 6 for her bridesmaids plus one extra one, as these bouquets doubled as centerpieces for their Iceland wedding reception. They also purchased 2 eucalyptus runners to form an isle way decorated with led light candles to add extra ambiance. It was stunning!

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Champagne Toast

After the beautiful couple exchanged their vows during their Iceland cave wedding ceremony and said their “I do´s” the happy couple returned to the back of the cave. Meanwhile their guests formed 2 lines outside of the cave for their grand exit as a married couple!

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Following their epic silver streamer premiere they had a delightful champagne toast. They had the help of our Day of Planner to set up the Champagne table (in this case an epic rock). The décor not only had the champagne glasses, champagne, but also greenery and candles to continue the overall theme. The newlyweds and their guests thoroughly enjoyed!

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Iceland Wedding Lunch Experience

Being so close to lunchtime by the Iceland wedding ceremony end, Brittany and Seth surprised their guests with a traditional Iceland lunch experience. In fact, no experience in Iceland is complete until you have tried the Icelandic Hot Dog, and trust us, this is no basic hot dog!

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The Icelandic hot dog is mainly made of lamb (not who knows what pig parts like our American counter parts). Once the hot dog has been formed it is drowned in pig lard for extra flavouring. Iceland even has their very own version of favorite condiments they use on top of their hot dog. Which includes raw onions, fried onions, ketchup, spicy mustard, and Remalodi (tastes like relish/potato salad mix).

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We highly recommend adding the Icelandic BBQ experience to your Iceland cave wedding.

Iceland Wedding Photographer

Brittany and Seth choose a photographer to cover their whole experience. From getting ready at their luxury lodge and hotel to covering the end of their Iceland wedding reception celebration. Choosing a photographer for your Iceland wedding should take time and precision, as the weather in Iceland is constantly changing. So you need to be sure your photographer can handle the change in climate and especially extreme rains!

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We just can not get over how photogenic this gorgeous couple is! They look like something from a magazine!

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The lovely couple wanted their group of guest to experience a tour of Iceland which is why we helped them plan a full day out and about for their guests. At one point, the newlyweds went off for a more private experience with their Iceland wedding photographer. While their guests visited 4 locations on the day. Fun Fact: They even went on the Golden Circle Tour a few days prior followed by a night of pizza and beer at a local pizza at a craft beer bar!

Iceland Wedding Reception

After their Iceland cave wedding and an exciting magical day of adventuring, our newlyweds and their guests took a bit of time to rest and refresh before the Iceland wedding reception. Brittany and Seth as we previously mentioned were very detail oriented and had a vision for how they wanted to have their reception.

Their seating chart was very easy to understand as they had brought with them beautifully cut seating labels for their guests to take home as a keepsake.

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Even their guest book was whimsically clever, a puzzle of Iceland in which their guests wrote their names / wishes to the couple! How adorable is that?

Brittany and Seth ordered a Traditional Icelandic Wedding Cake along with a beautiful red velvet American style wedding cake. Once everyone was full from the many courses of delicious Icelandic food and cakes they danced the night away while their DJ played all of their favorite songs! Truly, a perfect end to a perfect day!

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Has Brittany and Seth’s Iceland cave wedding inspired you to plan a similar day? Maybe the landscapes they explored further sold you on getting married in Iceland? Feel free to Contact Us! As we would love to be the local Iceland wedding planner who can help you with all of your wedding or elopement in Iceland plans today!

We would also like to send some love to Christin Eide for all of the beautiful pictures featured in this blog!

Iceland Waterfall Wedding: Amy + Todd

August 23, 2019January 7, 20201 Comment

You are in for a treat as this months blog features a highly photogenic couple! Let us walk you through our process together.

Amy and Todd booked with us in October of 2018 and held their amazing wedding on July 4th of 2019. Giving us 10 exciting months to plan their Iceland Wedding! For a wedding with less than 10 guests we usually suggest having the planning process within 6 months. Giving yourself enough time to get all the details together. 10 months is more than stellar! Here you can read more about when it is the best time to start planning your wedding. Can you imagine the excitement of researching all of our locations with your better half over a glass of wine or our favorite, champagne? It’s the perfect date night in our opinion!

We started with the basics, choosing the right celebrant, the perfect ceremony location and a photographer who was the best fit for them. Little did the amazing couple know, they picked Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons best team members. Once the main aspects of the wedding had been taken care of it was paperwork time. Although the paperwork process can seem stressful, hiring a planner really makes for a smoother ride. Amy and Todd hit a few bumps in the road with the paperwork, but nothing our team wasn’t prepared for. With the right solutions Amy and Todd were able to obtain the correct documentation to be legally married in Iceland. How impressive is that?

Waterfall Wedding Ceremony in Iceland

When Amy and Todd reached out to us their main goal was to have a beautiful, intimate wedding with their 4 sons. Their ceremony location was exactly that! . If you are worried about a rouge tourist, we highly recommend hiring a Day of Planner. Here you can see how hiring a day of Planner can really help on your Iceland Wedding day.

Iceland Traditional Turf House Wedding Photos

A Iceland Wedding is not complete without some history to take back home with you. The Icelandic turf houses in all of their glory! The pictures just can’t do them justice. You simply have to see them for yourself. Thankfully all throughout Iceland you can find museum exhibits of the Icelandic turf houses. The turf houses shown below date back to the early 19th century. It was common for the traditional turf houses to have a kitchen, living room, pantry, fireplace and a special place for cattle.

Most countryside museums, and a few waterfalls in Iceland have a parking fee, or a donation box. The fee can range anywhere from 1,500 ISK to 15,000 ISK for professional photography on the location. These fees and donations are for upkeep on the area and paths.

Iceland Wedding Photos in Lupine Fields

The lupine in Iceland was originally imported from Alaska and introduced to the country in 1945. The lupine is commonly used to prevent soil erosion. However The Alaskan Lupine has caused quite the debate as the plant is highly invasive, threatening other Icelandic flora like blueberries. The intensely purple flower is in full bloom during the June 15th and July 15th and can be seen in almost all parts of Iceland. Calling for the perfect photo opportunity. After the summer months the lupine becomes a green bush. Some believe the flower to have healing powers.

A few words from Todd and Amy

“Everything was amazing! Nothing but good things to say.

Our only issue was the paperwork and getting the Apostle seal, but that was a challenge on our end, not yours. We did appreciate the help with the specifics on that and the back and forth, since our county here was confusing as heck. 😉

We loved the Pastor, and the photographer did an amazing job with the photos.
Lots of extra help with dinner recommendations and flowers as well.
In the end, we felt really good about the decision to have you help us.
We are so happy with the outcome!
Thanks you much!”

-Todd and Amy

Did you find yourself day dreaming of your own Iceland Wedding or elopement? Has Amy and Todd’s story inspire you to take the leap and start planning your own epic wedding in Iceland? Iceland Weddings and Honeymoons would love to help you plan the most special day of your lives together. Contact Us and we can start planning today!

Waterfall Wedding in Iceland : Josh & Katelyn

February 28, 2019January 7, 2020Leave a comment

This months blog is dedicated to Josh and Katelyn who celebrated their wedding day on a beautiful Sunday morning in October. They chose to have their ceremony and tie the knot at a beautiful breathtaking waterfall in Iceland. Not only did they get married at a gorgeous waterfall, but they also visited three other magnificent Icelandic landscapes to enhance their wedding day experience.

Katelyn and Josh were very timely in their Wedding Planning process and started their planning time with us a year before their date. The earlier you start the planning process the better. Planning ahead not only lessens the stress on your wedding day, it helps you to stay on budget. Planning ahead of time also makes it easier to book venues and hotels to ensure you lock down everything you dream of for your wedding in Iceland.

One of our amazing Wedding Photographers, Christin, was hired to photograph Katelyn and Josh’s waterfall wedding in Iceland. Christin was able to capture the love, the beauty, the happiness, and the memories of the special day. She was the perfect fit for Katelyn, Josh and their love. No one can deny how much love the bride and groom have for each other, especially when it is evident in their photos.
We only work with the best of photographers. It is telling how beautifully Christin captures the joy in Katelyn’s eyes as she gets ready for the happiest day of her and Josh’s life.

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The happy twosome tied the knot with their closest friends and family at this gorgeous waterfall in Iceland. Fall weddings in Iceland are a great option for two main reasons: less tourists and gorgeous fall flora. If you want to steer clear of the tourist crowds (no one likes a rogue tourist photo bombing their first kiss) and want breathing taking photos; then a September to October wedding in Iceland is something for you. However, like many other places, fall weather in Iceland can be unpredictable. Sunny skies can quickly turn to rainy days, or vice versa. Iceland has an unofficial motto regarding weather: if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. So to plan on the side of precaution Katelyn and Josh were well prepared with clear umbrellas for their guests. Clear umbrellas can also be very photogenic. You can rent clear umbrellas from our Mother Company.

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Followed by the ceremony the newly weds enjoyed exploring Iceland with their photographer. Christin documented their adventure crossing the different textures Iceland has to offer. Century old moss covering lava, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and fields of purple thyme are only some of the flora you can expect to see as you wander the beautiful landscape Iceland has to offer.

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Want to accent your dream wedding with the exciting landscapes Iceland has to offer?
Our Team makes it a point to make all of your wedding dreams come true. If you have enjoyed our blog and feel we may be the right fit for you please Contact Us to get your planning started for your miraculous day.

Countryside Church Wedding in Iceland

September 17, 2018January 7, 20201 Comment

Does your dream Iceland wedding entail a beautiful countryside church? Does it include stunning landscape? Tradition? History? If so, you are in luck! Iceland has a church in almost every town; even the very remote countryside towns. This particularly charming church was built in the very early 1900’s and was renovated to include the majestic steeple ten years later.

© 2018 DGJ Photography, All Rights Reserved

This breath taking church has everything you could wish for in a church. First, a stunning gate provides access to the yard. The gate adds a little extra elegance to a bride’s entrance. Secondly, is the church itself. The exterior is beautifully painted in white with a red roof. Inside you´ll find vintage pews, paired with wooden floors and an organ. White walls compliment the ceiling, painted in sky blue with gold star accents. The blue brightens the alter, giving it a seaside feel. For a dash of tradition and history, the Church’s first bible is kept on display in a glass box.

This is the perfect place to have a cozy wedding or an intimate elopement. The chapel is large enough to fit a small group comfortably, but is also perfect just the couple and a celebrant. Cozy or intimate this chapel can accommodate your dream wedding ceremony, making it the perfect place to say ‘I do’.

Not only is the church exquisite, but so is the landscape surrounding the area, which makes for stunning wedding photos. Capture the memories of you special day with shots of the amazing Icelandic landscape to help you keep your wedding memories alive for a lifetime. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but experiencing it in person is breathtaking.

We send our love to DGJ Photography (local Icelandic photographer) for allowing us to use these beautiful images!

On the surrounding land you will find magnificent rock formations, beautifully covered in decades of old moss. You will also find Iceland’s biggest natural lake, and a glorious historic rift valley. Not to mention the marvelous waterfall. In some of the rifts the water is completely clear. For the brave, one could even snorkel in the area, under local supervision of course.

The beauty of the surrounding landscape accents the quaintness of the chapel; making this the perfect location for the couple looking to add a sense of historic traditional to their already amazing Icelandic wedding.

Sound like your perfect adventure wedding destination?

Iceland Wedding and Honeymoons has done numerous weddings all over Iceland. We have numerous options when it comes to what type of Celebrant you would like. Whether you would like a spiritual or non-spiritual ceremony, we can help to find what better suits your needs. Whether it be to hold the ceremony in a church or at a magical location under the ever changing sky.

Do you want to know more about this location or are you interested in this church or a similar one in Iceland. We would love to help you plan your dream wedding or elopement. Please check out our “Contact” section on our website and we can send you a quote and start helping you plan your perfect destination wedding or elopement.

Kind Regards,
Irene & Team (Mama Planner)