This Double Day elopement under the midnight sun was the epitome of magic! ✨ From a grand tour of 4 roaring waterfalls on day 1 to exploring glaciers, canyons, and lupine meadows on day 2, it’s safe to say we experienced some of the most epic landscapes on the entire island. Even with some wild weather (typical Iceland!), Chloe and Josh’s elopement was intimate, romantic, and authentic to the adventurers that they are ❤️
↓ Keep reading for the full story + pics ↓
ELOPING IN ICELAND IN JUNE
One of the BEST things about Iceland is its proximity to the arctic circle, which means it has insanely long days in the summer! On June 21st, the summer solstice, the sun barely goes down – it just says a quick “hello” to the glaciers before starting its ascent again. Because of this phenomenon, golden hour becomes even longer than usual, often lasting 3+ hours throughout the month of June! It’s a photographer’s dream, with hazy, dreamy light to play with all night long. While all of the other tourists are sleeping, we’re hitting up the country’s most famous waterfalls and viewpoints at midnight to see the sights with zero crowds! And the cherry on top of all this is it’s also peak wildflower season, with thousands of purple lupines blooming all across the countryside. That extra burst of color makes the island’s otherworldly scenery even more gorgeous for photos! WIN-WIN-WIN.
a grand waterfall tour of southern iceland
Because of all of these reasons, you can see why Chloe and Josh chose to elope in Iceland on the summer solstice! The epic glaciers, lush green mountains, and flowing hot springs were calling their names. Despite living in London, only a short flight away, they had never been there before and were so excited to experience a brand new country to say “I do”. For their 2-day elopement, our goal was to pack as much scenery as possible into 48 hours, starting with not one, but four different waterfalls!
Day one of our adventure began with checking out some of Iceland’s famed turf houses, perfectly preserved since the 1800s. Chloe’s pink tulle dress and Josh’s burgundy suit were the perfect attire choices to pop against the greenery. A local farm cat even joined us for a few pics before we headed off on a hike to the first waterfall of the day. Rain began to fall gently around us, making the mossy cliffs even more vibrant in color. Chloe and Josh cuddled for photos beneath the raging falls, then it was time for a quick drive over to waterfall #2! This particular spot is usually PACKED with tourists, but with it being around 10pm, we had it all to ourselves, which was so incredible. We were even able to squeeze in a third waterfall before ending the day with one last “foss” (“waterfall” in Icelandic) to get these two lovebirds hitched.
Want to learn more about eloping in Iceland? Check out our other Iceland blogs here!
midnight vows at a private waterfall
We saved the best location for last – a secret waterfall that Chloe and Josh had reserved for their midnight ceremony. We met their officiant, a local Icelander (shoutout to Pink Iceland for coordinating vendors and helping with allll the planning!) and walked across the meadow in complete awe of the scenery around us. Seabirds soared up above and the rushing waterfall added a soothing, ambient sound in the background.
Chloe and Josh could not stop smiling throughout the ceremony and their vows were filled with so much joy and love as they reminisced on their years of traveling together. In addition to exchanging rings, they also performed a handfasting ritual before sharing their first kiss as newlyweds. After munching on of their favorite cookies brought over from the UK, the two ended the day with a dance as the light finally began to fade. It could not have been a more magical and romantic way to get married!
day 2: icebergs, Glaciers, and canyons
After a few hours of sleep, it was time for part two of our Iceland adventure! The newlyweds couldn’t wait to see more of this incredible country, and our goal for the day was to see alllll the things – from iceberg lakes to glacial overlooks to rugged canyons to lush meadows bursting with wildflowers. With the Eurovision movie soundtrack on the stereo (if you know you know), we headed east to check out some ice. It is called ICEland, after all – and the island’s interior is packed with its namesake glittering, shimmering glaciers and icebergs. There’s just something about seeing ice formations in the middle of summer that makes you feel like you’re on another planet!
windswept portraits among the icebergs
Our first stop was the famous glacier lagoon, where jagged chunks of ice break off of Vatnajökull (Iceland’s largest glacier) and make their way out to the ocean. When I first traveled to Iceland as a teenager in 2014, it was this very place that captured my heart and inspired me to become a photographer! I couldn’t wait to see the look on Chloe and Josh’s faces as we crested the hill and were met by the expansive blue lagoon, brimming with icebergs of all shapes, sizes, and colors. We all stood awestruck for a few minutes, taking in the scene before venturing down for a closer look.
The early morning sun peeked out from behind a cloud and bathed everything in light as we roamed and danced along the shoreline. It was a welcome sight after several days of rain! The afternoon crowds hadn’t arrived yet, and the only sounds we could hear were the cracking of icebergs and the breeze moving across the water. In between portraits, Chloe and Josh bundled up in puffy jackets and cuddled to keep warm like little penguins. Even under the summer sun, the wind nipped our cheeks and noses, and we decided to head off to our next spot before turning into icebergs ourselves. Little did we know this was only a precursor to some of the wildest weather any of us had ever experienced!
CANYON ADVENTURE IN A HAIL STORM!
Our next adventure led us to a lush, deep canyon in the Icelandic highlands. As we trekked up the trail, a massive thunderhead formed over our heads, blocking out the sun. The wind picked up, changing from a light breeze to a howling gale! As soon as we reached the top of the canyon, the skies opened up and hail began pouring down, with wind gusts so strong we could barely stand up. Ice shards pelted our eyeballs and we went totally numb in a matter of minutes. It was the epitome of “type 2 fun”, and we couldn’t help but laugh as the wind buffeted us around during our vain attempts to snap some photos.
We ended up hunkering behind a rock for a while, sopping wet and questioning our life choices 🤣 The second the ice storm let up, we dashed out for photos before the next onslaught arrived. We finally bailed after a few waves of rain and hail, hightailing it for the car to warm up before hitting up a few final viewpoints. It was by far the worst weather I had ever experienced in my elopement career, but will forever be one of my favorite memories! Chloe and Josh had such amazing attitudes about it and we actually got some epic photos out of the experience, so it was worth it in the end 😉
one last glacier view and a field of lupines
After driving a bit and thawing our fingers and toes, we decided to brave the wind again for a closer look of the glacier. The wind whipped Chloe’s dress as the newlyweds gazed out at the massive wall of ice. It’s moments like this that make you feel so small against such awe-inspiring, towering mountains.
To wrap up our time together, we just had to grab a few photos among Iceland’s iconic lupine flowers. Unlike in the US national parks, these flowers are considered “weeds” by locals, so it’s ok to stand/sit on them for photos. We found a massive field of them on the side of the road, and by that time the clouds had nearly disappeared and it was sunny again! Who would have guessed it was a complete ice storm only a couple hours prior? Typical Iceland, giving us 4 seasons in a day 😅
As we said our goodbyes with hot cocoas in hand, we reflected on where our epic 2-day journey had taken us. All in all, we had explored 8(!!!) different locations for the adventure of a lifetime, and I can’t wait to get back to Iceland again to experience even more!
iceland waterfall elopement vendors:
Planning + Officiating: Pink Iceland
