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When you choose to have an adventure elopement in a wild and rugged place, you have to be prepared to roll with the punches. Emily and AJ’s wintery Snæfellsnes Peninsula elopement was no exception.
Beautiful elopement in Iceland: Confirmed
Re-entry into the United States: Status Pending
Insane swings in weather. Closed roads. Changed plans. Pandemics. Lost suits. Travel bans. Welcome to a winter elopement in Iceland. Emily and AJ battled every possible setback you could think of in Iceland for their winter elopement and guess what? They didn’t get upset one time.
After losing a day due to snow and road closures, we made it to Hotel Budir and the universe rewarded their sweet spirits and positive outlooks with the most incredibly clear and beautiful day I’ve had out on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. As an adventure elopement photographer, it’s my job to make sure we make it to our destination and that my couples are taken care of. This one was quite the ride!
Eloping in a Pandemic
Emily and AJ flew from New York to Iceland for their elopement that took place just days before COVID-19 shut the world down. They said their vows one day before the US travel band went into effect. I’m so thankful we were able to pull this off before everything changed. They were such troopers when it came to the news coming through. I knew I had to make this moment pure magic for them as we didn’t know what we were going home to in the States. Little did we know how special this moment would be for them months later when the world was still in quarantine.
If the coronavirus stole your wedding day thunder, consider eloping! You can throw a big party later. That’s exactly what my husband and I did and it was perfect! Wanna chat through ideas? Let’s talk, friend! You can also get a feel for planning with my ultimate guide to winter elopements in Iceland.
This was my third time at Hotel Budir and it never disappoints. Its remote luxury is something you see in magazines. It’s a dream for elopement photographers because you get amazing getting ready photos and your first look has a NatGeo background I mean, come on! The whole peninsula has so many options for saying your vows if you don’t want to use the Budir Black Church. If you do, you can head out after and explore the peninsula for your adventurous elopement photos! Check out my location guide on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula for more on elopement locations!
The great thing about eloping on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is that you can hop between snowy mountain landscapes and black sand beaches in a matter of minutes. Couples get a lot of variety in elopement locations out here without battling the tourists on the South Coast. Each winter looks a little different so you never know what beauty nature will give you. You can see even through this story the weather goes from perfect sunshine to grey, cold and dreary. In a place like Iceland though, it’s all great! Did you know that overcast is actually really rad for photos? Embrace it!
When you choose to have an adventure elopement in a wild and rugged place you have to be prepared and roll with the punches. Predictability will not be your friend here. But, if you can handle it with an open heart and mind – you may just be rewarded with one of the best memories of your life with the person you love the most.
Honored and humbled to be charmed once again by my favorite place in the world. Until next time Iceland. Maybe in the summer. With less germs. Love you mean it.
Ready to plan your dream winter elopement in Iceland?
As an adventure elopement photographer, my job is to help couples craft bespoke elopements that give them a unique and intimate wedding experience. Then I get the honor to document it and give them incredible photos to remember their day by. If you’re thinking of ditching the traditional wedding for a trip of a lifetime, let’s talk! I’d love to get to know you and guide you as your elopement photographer.
Contact Chaise to get started or check out the ultimate guide to eloping in Iceland in the winter. This thing is jammed packed with helpful planning tips.
Emily + Aj’s adventurous Iceland elopement was featured by our friends over at Wandering Weddings. See is here!
Their story is beautiful! This is why the adventurous elopements, especially in Iceland are so amazing. So glad that they managed to get to that stunning location against the whole covid situation