Your Complete Guide to Off-The-Beaten-Path Iceland Elopements
Your Complete Guide to Off-The-Beaten-Path Iceland Elopements
Your Complete Guide to Off-The-Beaten-Path Iceland Elopements
ELOPE TO ICELAND GUIDE
[2026/ 2027]
A complete, comprehensive guide to eloping in Iceland for unconventional couples breaking from the traditional wedding day BS — from a true local.
I know that because you're here, you're already the kind of couple who looked at all of the daunting aspects of a traditional wedding and thought "absolutely not." You want something that feels more you where you can have an intimate, romantic, private wedding day exploring with your love. Which is why Iceland is calling your names.
But, I know planning an Iceland elopement in this insanely beautiful, wonderfully unpredictable country shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle while blindfolded, so, I’m here to help.
In this Elope in Iceland Guide, you’ll know exactly what you need to start you on this wild adventure. As someone who has been doing this for 20 years, with about a decade of that in Iceland, I’ve made this as simple as possible for you.
YOU WANT TO ELOPE IN ICELAND — WHERE TO START?
And even more importantly, how do you have an Anti-Wedding Iceland elopement that’s private, off-the-beaten-path and away from the crowds?
Let’s start with the type of Iceland elopement experience you’re looking for — because not all elopements are the same.
There are 2 kinds of Iceland elopements: The Hotspot Elopement and the Off-The-Beaten-Path Elopement. If you want to experience the later, then you want to start by finding a local who can help you with those lesser-known, often empty areas of Iceland that you won’t find online.
Do you want to get legally married in Iceland or do you want to have a symbolic ceremony? More on this below, but, both options are entirely possible.
Do you want your Iceland elopement images to be more candid-adventure-style, or do you want them to be more posed & polished? This will help you understand what photographers to reach out to.
The Anti-Wedding Iceland Elopement means that you can create your elopement day void of the old traditions that feel weird to you. You can instead have an Iceland elopement that is spontaneous, doesn’t need decor rentals, and where every minute of the experience is you two in your love bubble for the day.
If you want to truly experience Iceland, and not just repeat what travel accounts say to do, you’ll want to hire a local Iceland elopement photographer and planner. By doing so, you’ll get to know the culture, the best locations, and have someone who keeps both you and the landscapes safe.
''She was super responsive to any and all questions… On our wedding adventure photos she was so much fun to be with, we had a blast… We had a great time with her, she’s an excellent tour guide and even better photographer, she is amazing and I would recommend her to anyone and everyone! I couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for the job than her to capture these beautiful memories for us!''
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Amanda & Jordan
The Iceland Elopement Basics
HOW IT WORKS TO ELOPE IN ICELAND WHILE CREATING A STORYBOOK EXPERIENCE AWAY FROM THE CROWDS
WHAT ICELAND ELOPEMENT LOCATIONS CAN I ELOPE IN?
You can legally elope anywhere in Iceland. Some areas of Iceland are private property that is not open to the public which you would need permission from the landowner/ farmer.
However, unlike some other countries, you do not need to be close to a church to get legally married in Iceland. So, choosing someone who can take you to breathtaking areas away from the mass tourism crowds will help open up Iceland elopement locations you never knew existed.
Of course, the most popular Iceland elopement location hotspots you can go to also, such as:
‘‘The Black Sand Beach’’ (Reynisfjara)
Vík
and the other locations basically from Selfoss to ‘‘The Glacier Lagoon’’ (Jökulsárlón) on the South Coast
But, expect to be surrounded by hundreds of other randos, having to wait in line for ‘‘the shot’’, and having to wade through tour buses any time of the year since about 2021. In full transparency, I haven’t planned an Iceland elopement for my couples in any of these in quite a while unless it was an absolute non-negotiable for various logistical reasons.
If you want an Anti-Crowd Iceland elopement, I’ll take you to some spectacular spots that rival the above where you can be alone — those are what I think are the best locations to elope in Iceland.
CAN FOREIGNERS OUTSIDE OF EUROPE FROM AMERICA, UK, AUSTRALIA, OR CANADA LEGALLY GET MARRIED IN ICELAND — AND DO YOU NEED WITNESSES?
Yes, foreigners and those from North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe can get married in Iceland. The Iceland marriage paperwork process is a wee bit complex, so I help my couples navigate the process with exactly when and what they need from back home.
Yes, you need witnesses for your ceremony to be considered legal along with a Celebrant. I will be your witness for the paperwork if you don’t have guests!
The types of legal wedding ceremonies you can have in Iceland are:
Old Norse
At City Hall
HOW TO ELOPE IN ICELAND WITHOUT BEING IN CROWDS?
Iceland is the most magical place on earth, sorry Disney. One of the things that makes it feel so majestic and like you’re living your own personal version of a storybook romance all day is because when you’re alone in such vast, raw, awe-inspiring nature it makes you feel freedom and peace like you haven’t before. This is why I fell in love with Iceland and immigrated here as soon as I was legally able to do so.
But, in recent years, Iceland has become very crowded in certain areas and in certain months. Which could be a bummer, except, once you’re here and realise that the other 99% of Iceland that people aren’t going to doesn’t have crowds and feels as magical as you’d hoped — all is well again.
If you truly want to experience the quieter side of Iceland for your elopement, here are my top 3 tips:
Be open to Iceland elopement locations that are outside of the locations you see most often online.
Hire someone who lives in Iceland — I can’t stress this enough. As someone who used to be a frequent visitor of Iceland to someone who lives here full-time for almost a decade, I can tell you there is a difference in knowledge, cultural understanding, language understanding, and location knowledge. If they don’t have a kennitala then sorry, they aren’t local.
Be flexible to have an Iceland elopement outside of the summer season. Or, if you have a summer Iceland elopement, adventure through the Highland in the lesser-visited spots. My 4x4 Mountain Truck Elopement will do that for you.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ELOPE IN ICELAND?
This is one of those ‘‘how long is a piece of string’’ questions. The absolute banger reason to have an Iceland elopement instead of a traditional wedding is the foundational fact that you can have an elopement a million ways to suit you best. I know this not just from someone who has planned them for others for about a decade, but as an Iceland elopement bride myself.
The costs for an Iceland elopement boil down to this equation (sorry to make you do math):
The cost of your flights +
The cost of your Iceland elopement vendors, paperwork (if any), and ceremony (with a Celebrant) +
What you want to experience while in Iceland because you can go as low-key as possible and camp or vancamp and eat PB&J’s all week.
Or, you can go as bougie as possible as stay somewhere like here where the celebrities stay that costs a-lotta-dough.
Or, you can find yourself somewhere in between which is what most of my Iceland elopement couples do by renting a car and staying in regular hotels or Airbnb cabins and cooking some meals and dinning out a few times.
The real cost of an Iceland elopement truly depends on what you want your Iceland elopement experience to be and your Iceland trip to have.
The truth of the matter is that not all Iceland elopement vendors cost the same which greatly depends on how much experience they have, time and effort they have for your day (like, are they truly planning your elopement or are they just offering feedback?), and if you want to add on anything to the experience.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE DO WE NEED TO PLAN OUR ICELAND ELOPEMENT?
Planning an Iceland elopement with me means you can plan your Iceland elopement:
In less than 24 hours with my Signature Done For You Iceland Elopement™ experience. This is for those who want everything done and ready for them as soon as they partner with me with a choice of Iceland elopement ceremony location. (Yes, still with the anti-crowd experience).
In only a few weeks with my Custom Designed For You Iceland Elopement™ experience. This is for those who want to hand-craft all details of their their elopement experience.
If you are doing the legal marriage paperwork in Iceland, you need at least 4-6 months in advance to give time to gather the necessary paperwork from back home which takes the longest (don’t worry, I’ll help) and to claim your official legal date for the ceremony with a Celebrant.
“I can’t say enough fantastic things about Steph.”
From her insane photography skills to her amazing recommendations for delicious craft beer. Anything you need while planning your elopement day - She is there!
From the moment we met Steph we just knew she would make our day special. She’s passionate about her art and passionate about making the bride and groom feel super special on their day! (And when you meet her you’ll feel like you’ve known her forever. It’s like a crazy magic power she has!) She was there for assistance with planning needs and was also an amazing tour guide on our wedding day. Just received our photos back today and we are going to need to get absolutely everything printed.
If you are planning on eloping-reach out to Steph.
It’ll be the best decision you’ve ever made!
ASHLEY & KEVIN
THE SIMPLE, 8-STEP GUIDE TO ELOPE IN ICELAND
Here is everything you need to know about how to elope in Iceland distilled down into only 8 simple steps from my over a decade of experience helping unconventional couples have their storybook elopement experience.
🚨 WARNING: 🚨
This might feel a bit too easy because once you figure out Steps 1-2, all you need to do is partner with me and I take care of the rest.
01- Decide what time of year to elope in Iceland is best for you.
Here’s the easiest answer on what’s the best time of year to elope in Iceland:
❄️ WINTER ICELAND ELOPEMENTS (Nov-March):
PRO: less people, Northern Lights, winter wonderland snow, low dramatic light.
CON: less available locations, less sunlight hours, cold, Highlands are closed.
☀️ SPRING ICELAND ELOPEMENTS (April- Mid May, kinda):
PRO: less people, snow starts to melt, full waterfalls and rivers, Northern Lights.
CON: still can be cold, can maybe snow, Highlands are closed, can rain often.
🪻SUMMER ICELAND ELOPEMENTS (Mid May-Mid Sept):
PRO: Warmest, Highlands open in July, 24/7 sunlight, generally less rain (sometimes).
CON: Most busy highest tourist season, no Northern Lights.
🍁 AUTUMN ICELAND ELOPEMENTS (Mid Sept-Nov):
PRO: still warm to Nov, autumn colors, high tourist season ending, parts of the Highland still open to Oct, Northern Lights.
CON: Can be rainy and overcast, or, gorgeous. Can be a little chilly, or, warm.
02- Decide on what your vision is for your Iceland elopement.
Decide with your partner what you want to feel like on your Iceland elopement because at least with me, I’ll plan the experience to reflect this:
- Hand pick your locations to reflect those feelings and vibe.
- Build your timeline to match that feeling.
- Craft the experience to honor how much (or little) adventuring you want to be doing.
And much more, way beyond handing you a generic PDF guide and offering advice. So once you know how you want your day to feel — intimate, romantic, fun, exciting — the rest falls into place.
03- Hire your Iceland Elopement Vendors.
Typically, most couples hire:
- A photographer you love (tips hat) who works with multiple cameras (and even film)
- A planner if they want support to make sue the pieces all come together in the best way (tips hat again).
- Hair & Makeup artist, though, many of my couples opt out of this.
- Florist for your wedding flowers.
- Celebrant, though, again, a lot of my couples opt to do the paperwork back home and have a self-led vow ceremony.
If you work with me, I’ll help you with all of this through my vetted vendor network. You can also add onto your elopement package an All-Inclusive Ceremony package which comes with me booking your celebrant, ceremony, flowers, and extra paperwork support.
''Steph is amazing, her photography was just exquisite. Steph is very professional, friendly, knowledgeable in all questions we had regarding our wedding, and set out an itinerary for our lovely wedding day. The locations she took us too were breath-taking. Always kept in contact with us, and prompt in communication. I would recommend Zakas photography for your wedding.''
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Simone & Hans
THE SIMPLE, 8-STEP GUIDE TO ELOPE IN ICELAND
04- Book your Iceland Elopement accommodation, car rental, and flights.
After you have your date set with your Iceland elopement photographer & planner, you can start booking the rest of your trip.
If you work with me, I’ll help you know where to book your accommodation and what kind of car to rent.
05- Create your Iceland Elopement day timeline & experience.
This is so personal, it can be done in any way you like.
Your experience and timeline can be built differently if it’s just the 2 of you or if you have guests.
06- Plan your Iceland Elopement locations.
This is the crown jewel of Iceland, you have THOUSANDS of locations. Did you know Iceland has about 10,000 waterfalls?
If you work with me, I’ve got you covered here. You do not need to do this part alone with Google.
07- Start the Iceland Elopement paperwork process (or, don’t).
This takes a few months in advance to gather everything from back home as typically you need to go to a few different departments to get what you need. And then you need time to send it all into Iceland.
A large percentage of my couples opt for a vow ceremony while signing papers at home where there are no vows or what they consider ‘‘the act of marriage’’.
08- Travel to Iceland for your elopement and honeymoon — aka Elopemoon™.
You’ll want to spend some time in Iceland before and after your elopement — most stay 7-10 days.
I typically suggest landing in Iceland a few days beforehand so you can get your bearings and drive out to the area your elopement will be.
And, to stay a few days after (at least) to explore more of the country you didn’t see on your Iceland elopement day.
‘‘Whoever you are, and whatever you’re doing, just stop. You have ended up here reading about Steph which means your search has ended - hoorah! I can promise you that she is exactly what you want and honestly, she is exactly what you need. Steph is passionate about love and it shows; not only in her indescribable pictures but even in the way she interacts with you. It is so evident that her motivation is to make your day exactly what you want it be…and then go beyond that to exceed your wildest expectations!’’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Alexandria & Luke
YOUR ICELAND ELOPEMENT NEXT STEPS
I hope you feel way more confident about planning an Iceland elopement.
I’m Steph, a local Iceland Elopement Photographer & Planner living in Reykjavík with my Icelandic husband and our (very Icelandic) cat.
I’ve spent about 20 years in the wedding industry from giant 650 person NYC weddings, to destination weddings all over the world, to specialising in Iceland Elopements for the last almost decade.
I’ve created my elopement experiences to distill all of the best parts of eloping in Iceland while also making it as easy, seamless, fun, and exciting as possible while infusing as much Icelandic culture as I can during the day.
If you’d like to chat about me helping you plan and photograph your Iceland Elopement, please reach out here to get the party started. I can’t wait to hear from you.
