Adria and Ron reached out to me right from this blog. They found some horse photos I had taken during a layover of Icelandic horses and the abandoned airplane I hiked four miles to see up close. The two wanted to put together a ‘declaration of love’ type of destination wedding during the winter.
The two flew in from Texas with their closest family and friends in November. This time of year is typically low for tourism but is nothing short of brilliant in nature beauty. The skies maintain almost a perpetual golden hour throughout the day. The location was the Budír hotel that just down the hill from the infamous black church. They rented out most of the hotel for their guests, me included, for a weekend of fun. This spot on the Western Peninsula was particularly quiet and made for a true getaway feel with nice luxurious touches in the hotel. Having such isolation made it easy for everyone to detach and make this time extra special.
The wedding day itself started early. We did a dramatic first look just outside of the lounge with a backdrop of snowy mountains and a small river flowing into the ocean. Their guests watched from the windows. The wedding party, clad in elegant black gowns + suits, then hiked up the hill to the little black church on the hill. The ceremony opened with everyone sharing their thoughts on love through poems, quotes + stories. Every guest was asked to prepare something meaningful and they did not disappoint. This is still one of the most beautiful and powerful ceremonies I have captured. Destination weddings tend to be that way.
Ron and Adria shared an intimate first dance took place on a snowy patch of hill to tunes from a Bluetooth speaker. There was a small break in the day after the guests enjoyed a small champagne brunch.
In the afternoon, the newlyweds and I took their car out for portraits around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. A few of the locations may look familiar from Game of Thrones. So much arctic beauty in the area, it was hard to only pick a few spots. Th day ended with a beautiful dinner upstairs. We did a great confetti shot to celebrate this love. The most special part was watching the Northern Lights dance into the night. Due to clear skies and our remote location, we could see them bright and clear.
This Destination Iceland Wedding was beyond my wildest dreams. Hope you enjoy these favorites:
