Elopements, Proposals, & Couples
Boutique Planning | Photography & Film | Videography
10 years from now, you might not remember the name of that amazing hole-in-the-wall restaurant you stumbled upon in that tiny fishing town you had lunch at.
But 20 years from now, you’ll still remember how it felt standing on that tall cliff with the sea breeze on your face, saying your vows to your favorite person, before you spent the rest of the day frolicking free in the most epic landscapes you’ve ever seen.
The elopement experience matched to you.
Your elopement can be a partial curated day or a custom full-day from the ground up.
For those who want the most adventure possible, the Off-Road Private Adventure is one for the books.
Every experience comes with planning, coordination, and photography coverage.
Vendors, Ceremony, Film and Videography can be added.
Payment Plans Available on All Collections
Each Elopement Experience Includes:
+ Cinematic & Documentary Photography
+ Steph as Your Local Elf-Like Guide
+ Image Highlight Previews Post-Elopement
+ Vertical Social-Ready Images & Video Clips
+ Elopement Day Design
+ Timeline Design
+ Location Curation Away From Crowds
+ Vendor & Celebrant Assistance
+ Weather Monitoring & Back-Up Plans
+ Marriage Paperwork Assistance
+ Iceland Travel Guidance
+ Your Story Curated & Delivered With 300-1000 Images — No Image Limit Per Package
+ Print Rights & Pro In-Gallery Album Store
+ No Additional Travel Fees for Steph
For couples who want their entire elopement experience built from scratch from locations, timeline, vendors, and just want someone to tell them what to do step-by-step in a true collaboration together vs just a photographer going to hotspots.
FULL-DAY | CUSTOM -MATCHED LOCATIONS |
PERSONAL ASSISTANCE
+ Full or multi-day elopement starting at 6-hours.
+ Full-experience coverage starting when you’re getting ready.
+ Personalized timeline design for the best light, crowd-avoidance, & your vision —
typically starting early-morning at your accommodation to dinner time leaving your evening open for a lovely dinner or hot spring soak.
+ A custom-matched & curated location itinerary from my private collection with typically 7-10 locations per day with extra stops in-between that.
+ A custom-matched ceremony location to fit your vision with the best views for your vows.
+ All Iceland regions to explore lesser-traveled areas that feel ripped from a mystical land.
+ Support designing not just your elopement day but guidance for your Iceland travels, accommodation choice, vendor choice, marriage paperwork assistance, & what to do after your elopement — through guides, resources, and my personalized help for any questions you have.
+ Every detail curated.
All of Iceland that’s accessible to regular 4x4 vehicles with a focus on my favorite more secluded, hidden-gem spots:
- West, South, East, North Iceland
- Around the Ring Road
- Snæfellsnes Peninsula
- Reykjanes Peninsula
- West & East Fjords
- Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar)
Not including the Central Highland & Glacier Ice Caves or Super Jeep necessary areas.
To note — not included are flights, transport, or accommodation booking as Zakas Photography is not a registered travel agent, though offers recommendation assistance.
For couples who want to say their vows in places most Iceland visitors will never see. A custom-designed elopement adventure that includes the booking & coordination of the private excursion plus an Icelandic Highland lunch for a true once-in-a-lifetime experience in Iceland.
FULL-DAY | CUSTOM -MATCHED EXCURSION |
PERSONAL ASSISTANCE & EXCURSION BOOKING
+ A full-day private, professionally guided tour adventure in a giant Mountain Truck into Iceland's most dramatic, remote locations that feel like being on another planet, or, reality all together.
+ Personalized location stops throughout the day.
+ Your elopement day timeline starts in the morning at your accommodation before we head out on the adventure until around dinner time —
leaving your evening open for a lovely dinner or hot spring soak.
+ I book & coordinate the excursion of your choice with my partner company.
+ Legal mountain or glacier guides.
+ An Iceland-style adventure lunch.
+ Support designing not just your elopement day but guidance for your Iceland travels, accommodation choice, vendor choice, marriage paperwork assistance, & what to do after your elopement — through guides, resources, and my personalized help for any questions you have.
All of the regions you need a special 4x4 Super Jeep Mountain Truck and/or legal guide to enter in the Highland and Glacier Caves: Þórsmörk (Thórsmörk), Landmannalaugar, Fjallabak, South Coast Glacier caves, etc.
To note — not included are flights, transport, or accommodation booking as Zakas Photography is not a registered travel agent, though offers recommendation assistance.
Helicopter tours are available, though have far less location stops. Mountain Truck excursion routes are limited to seasons.
Inquire for availability
For couples who want to make the most of their time in Iceland while having a partial-day elopement planned in as little as 24-hours in a simple & seamless process — a low-key, epic adventure taking the stress of planning & fitting an elopement into your trip away.
PARTIAL-DAY | CURATED LOCATIONS |
BASIC ASSISTANCE
+ A partial-day elopement.
+ 3-5 hours of coverage.
+ Timeline Pre-Designed for the best light & crowd avoidance — starting in the morning at the ceremony location through the afternoon leaving the rest of your day open to continue on your travels or head back to Reykjavik.
(A 5-hour can start at your accommodation in or close to Reykjavík)
+ Ceremony location choice from pre-curated options that I love and know you can have the privacy you’re looking for.
+ Typically 3-6 curated locations in lesser-traveled, easily-accessible areas in Western Iceland.
+ Basic assistance with your vendors, Iceland travel recommendations, & the marriage paperwork through step-by-step and recommendation guides.
This shorter, partial-day elopement experience is limited to curated areas in some of my favorite spots relatively close to Reykjavík .
Locations that are lesser-known and crowd-free keeping you about an hour outside of Reykjavík.
To note — not included are flights, transport, or accommodation booking as Zakas Photography is not a registered travel agent, though offers recommendation assistance.
Add-Ons to Elevate Your Experience.
💐 The All-Inclusive Ceremony Package:
Starting at +$2,500 (+VAT), price may vary.
+ Hair & Makeup Artist
+ Celebrant
+ Ceremony booking & fee
+ Flowers for you both
+ and extra marriage paperwork consultation & Magistrate follow-ups if necessary.
📹 A Short Film of Highlights
Starting at +$1,500 (+VAT), price may vary.
A short cinematic video of your day highlighting the views & moments.
Ready for a Reel, YouTube, TikTok, Stories, or personal viewing.
(no audio recorded)
🎥 Additional Dedicated Filmmaker For The Day
Starting at +$4,500 (+VAT) for a full-day
Add a second artist to the team for comprehensive film coverage with audio, drone, and full storytelling with a variety of deliverables.
🧺 If you can dream it, we can probably do it — Picnics, extra snacks, lunches, cakes, bubbly, desserts, etc.
+ Personalized location assistance
+ No image limit per experience — typically 100-300 for partial-day experiences
+ Sneak Highlight Images within 24-48 hours
+ Social share & YouTube Short ready video clip
+ Assistance acquiring additional vendors, like Hair & Makeup, plus basic Iceland trip recommendations
Inquire for more details & secure your date
I’ll help you find the perfect location and add in any special touches.
These are best in an ‘‘adventure style’’ versus a making it a big event with lots of decor.
By keeping it in this adventure style we can make it a real surprise through the whole thing. (Don’t worry, I have a whole plan for keeping it a secret.)
Proposals start at 1 hour and go up from there.
There is no image limit per package, all images that pass my quality control. You do not need to purchase more images later.
Each Iceland Proposal experience comes with social sharing & YouTube short video of the proposal (weather permitting) and sneak highlights within 48 hours.
The Signature Proposal Experience: a 1-2 hour proposal at an epic location up to 1-hour drive from Reykjavík starting at $1500 (+VAT)
The Custom Proposal: a multi-hour to full-day proposal at locations throughout Iceland starting at $3500 (+VAT)
The Ultimate Adventure Proposal: a full-day, private guided excursion taking you to areas only accessible in a 4×4 Mountain Super Jeep or Helicopter starting at $12,000 (+VAT) including the booking of the excursion.
Partial-day private tours available starting at $9,000 (+VAT)
Inquire for full details on proposal experiences.
The process is simple as you will be guided through every part.
1- Reach out via the contact form.
2- During your consult I’ll get to know you and what you’re looking for.
3- You’ll book in the custom package you love.
4- Then we get to pulling it all together.
Want to keep it a secret that you’re popping the question while you propose in Iceland? I got you.
Adventure sessions are custom-made tailored to you.
Adventure sessions start at 1 hour and go up from there.
Adventure sessions can be planned from a Reykjavík session or out in the wilds of Iceland.
Your final gallery will be delivered in an online gallery.
There is no image limit per package, you do not need to purchase more images later. Typically for one hour around 150+ images are delivered.
The process is simple as you will be guided through every part.
1- Reach out via the contact form.
2- During your consult I’ll get to know you and what you’re looking for.
3- You’ll book in the custom package you love.
4- Then we get to pulling it all together.
If you’re coming to Iceland, why not get professionally created content?
These are completely custom, hand-crafted experiences from a partial day to multiple days. Each experience is personal to you.
To Note: Vow Renewals start at 2-hours at $2700 (+ VAT) — typically 1-2 locations.
Inquire for more information and package details.
Yes, all of my available experiences come with my expertise, knowledge, and planning help. It’s unfortunately not possible to ‘‘break off’’ this part and have me as ‘‘just’’ a photographer because it’s not possible for me to turn my brain off. Trust me, I’ve tried.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: maybe.
In order to do this, a lot of things need to happen for the circumstances to be just right at that moment such as a big enough solar storm and a clear enough sky. And, us being at the right moment they appear. In Iceland during the winter months the sky is overcast more often than not, and typically we need to wait from sun down through around 2am. I tend to advise on seeing them during the trip and saving the actual moment of proposing for a guaranteed epic view.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: maybe.
Like the Northern Lights, the right circumstances need to align. Mostly, a safe eruption happening. In Iceland we have hundreds of volcanos and old dormant volcano cones, but, we don’t always have a volcano erupting with lava. And, not all volcanos are safe to be around as they can produce a lot of ash, pumice, and deadly gases. So, if it’s in a hike-able spot and deemed safe from the authorities, like the 2021 eruption, then yes!
Your Iceland elopement or adventure session booking comes with weather monitoring and a Plan B, C, D…..
If we need to move your date +/- a day or so we will. Or, we will adventure into a different area safe from the weather. We only do this if the weather is truly unsafe or uninhabitable. Otherwise, Iceland will be Iceland and it’s part of the adventure!
Yes, yes, yes! You want a Private 4x4 Mountain Truck adventure into the Highland, a glacier, an ice cave — you got it! You want a helicopter adventure — you got it! You want to hike on top of a glacier — you got it! Honestly, whatever you want to do, if Iceland offers it, we can do it.
Typically, my rule of thumb is 1 location per hour of adventure. And, I typically have some awesome little hidden gem areas to stop at along the way from location to location.
Yes, you will drive in your own transportation and follow me. I mainly made this a policy because if there are car troubles we have a baked in back-up plan instead of ruining the day waiting for a tow truck to find us usually in far away areas (which, sadly, has happened before). Honestly, 100% of my clients rent/ hire a car for their Iceland vacation, anyway.
I’ve been adventuring through, scouting, and living in Iceland for a decade so I have in what I call my Little Black Book of Iceland™ lots of locations that I pair with your vision. Once you’re officially all booked in, we start this process similar to how films choose their locations to fit the story being told. And just as happens for choosing film locations, not all locations, as beautiful as they are, make logistical sense for an event/ production/ elopement/ session.
Hiking Iceland, being in nature, and absorbing how locations feel is a true obsession of mine.
Short answer: no. Longer answer: yes.
You don’t need a planner or a local to have an Iceland elopement or adventure session, this is true. However, having one will more often than not save you confusion and probably costs while also avoiding mistakes.
Look, I’m in all of the Iceland tourist groups on FB, Reddit, etc and the advice given is often so far off the mark that I just want to help my clients avoid these pitfalls at all costs.
Plus, it’s a very real thing in Iceland that plans go awry due to weather, location closures, flash glacial floods, volcano eruptions, bird nesting protection, and so so many other things — so having a planner and local steering the ship is always a benefit.
And, honestly, I’ve had lots of people come to me with their already made plans that are often unrealistic, impossible to actually happen, or are quite overcomplicated and inefficient which is costing them extra money in fuel, longer hours for their Iceland elopement or adventure session than needed, and vendor fees.
I have been doing this for a decade, weddings for two, so I already have all of the processes, answers, knowledge, logistical coordination, trusted vendors, legal ability to work in Iceland, know the ins-and-outs, and a tried & true system for planning effortlessly unapologetic elopements and experiences — so why spend time searching the internet, sifting through loads of uncertain information, the headache of trying to figure out how to put everything together, and crossing your fingers it all can work when it’s already here ready for you?
The island is your oyster, friend! However long you want. Iceland adventure sessions start at 1 hour and go up to a multi-day experience. And Iceland elopements start at 4 hours as the minimal amount of time we can fit in the parts of the day needed for an elopement and go all the way up to a multi-day experience. If you can dream it, we can build it.
If you don’t have much planned for your Iceland elopement or Iceland adventure session, that’s no problem at all. What you do need to have and be decided on to be in the best place to book me is:
That you are 100% committed to eloping in Iceland.
That you are 100% committed to vacationing in Iceland.
That you want me to be alongside you helping make it all happen and capture some gorgeous art for you in breathtaking locations.
All other details we will pull together such as locations, timeline, additional vendors, and the meaningful touches you want to add to your day after you’re officially all booked in and we can get the planning underway!
Every Iceland elopement, Iceland proposal, and Iceland adventure session package comes with unlimited photos delivered — meaning, unlike some others, I don’t cap how many images you receive. I fundamentally don’t agree with holding back any part of your story as at my core I’m a documentarian of a moment in your life. I know it’s a common strategy some photographers do to limit how many per package to try to move you to a more expensive package and then sell you more later, but, that’s so against the nature of who I am so I choose my own way.
I will post-process your experience and take out any that are exact doubles, image tests, or just unusable for various reasons that you wouldn’t want anyway. Then, deliver the rest.
Plus, every package comes with social media sneaks typically within 48 hours from your adventure ending!
Personal knowledge hub for vendors, restaurants, craft beer breweries, and more.
The person who will help you zip up your dress and put on that double-sided sticky tape.
Personal wedding dress train holder as we hike up a mountain and boutonniere pinning expert.
Personal experience where you’ll be working with me directly vs a handful of managers or a contracted out photographer you meet day of.
Personal hiking expert to show you how to walk on ice and down lava rock hills without busting your ass.
With my 20 years of experience as a wedding photographer, I have the skills, talent, and proper professional photography gear to make any kind of weather or light Iceland throws at us look epic.
Contact me here to start your experience.
I’ll respond back within 24-48 hours.
In our chat I’ll get to know you, your vibe, and the elopement or adventure session vision.
I’ll create custom packages for you that fit the adventure you’re looking for. Once your date is secured, you’ll get spoon-fed everything you need to make your day and trip a stress-less, magical time.
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.
ICELAND ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT |
01.
First, we meet- inquire with me via here.
If we’re a match, schedule our chat to talk about the dreams, vision, and experience you want.
02.
Design & Customize Your Elopement
Select the option you love then complete the contract & retainer payment.
03.
Hand-Crafted Planning & Design Begins
Through my proprietary, simple planning process we start crafting your elopement.
04.
Elopement Adventure in Iceland
The details are tied up with a bow, you will have your elopement in Iceland with me by your side.
05.
Image Delivery & Heirloom Albums
You will receive your images via online gallery and we will design your heirloom, bespoke elopement album for you (and any as gifts).
‘‘She is exactly what you want and exactly what you need… she beautifully captured the impulsivity of the [elopement] day.’’
‘‘It took a ton of stress off me to have her able to pick out locations and plan our elopement day.
so you can focus on these things while you’re in Iceland, instead.
What to wear for your Iceland Elopement
How much delicious food you’ll eat.
What to experience after your Iceland elopement.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steph (of Zakas Photography) was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! She made it incredibly easy to plan a wedding 3,000 miles away. 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!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Where do we begin?! After our initial phone call with Steph all we knew is that we were getting married in Iceland and we were having Steph (of Zakas Photography) as our photographer and no one else — we didn’t know what to do, what to pack, or how it even works. Steph guided us through the whole process little by little step by step. The thing I stressed about the most was if I needed to scrub the dirt of my shoes before hand. 😂
On our elopement day, a storm rolled in 24 hours before and the weather was very spicy! Steph worked with the punches and we got amazing photos! 10/10 would recommend booking with Steph… 💕
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steph (of Zakas Photography) 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.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steph (of Zakas Photography) was an amazing photographer! It felt like she knew us our whole life and picked the absolute perfect locations for our photos. She made us feel like we were at home, on the biggest day of our lives, in a foreign country.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steph (of Zakas Photography) is not only an incredible photographer, but she is an excellent source for all things Iceland and your adventure elopement. My husband and I cannot thank Steph enough for curating our special day and making it feel effortless and fun. I highly recommend you talk to her if you're considering eloping in Iceland. Just look at the pictures this woman can take; how can you not be convinced?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved working with Steph (of Zakas Photography). I was able to show her some of my inspiration and she captured it perfectly! Would definitely recommend!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
STEPHANIE ZAKAS IS A UNICORN! I’m not kidding either – We eloped on November 2nd in Iceland and our experience was everything and more than we hoped for thanks to Stephanie.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We wanted our wedding to be completely for ourselves - this was a celebration of our love and our future. We love to travel and love everything outdoors. I think it would have been a big compromise to ourselves and the beginning of our marriage to do it any other way.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steph (of Zakas Photography) captured not only the big moments of our wedding- the I Do’s, the kiss, the crying - but also the small ones you forget or the ones that you don’t think anyone else would notice. She has some insane ability to be present in those private moments when you feel like it’s you and your partner against the world.
We’ll all be together during your elopement so it’s super important that we connect and you feel comfortable with me.
If you’re planning an elopement outside of Iceland, I’ve got you, too!
Maybe a hiking elopement in Iceland, a castle elopement in Scotland, a mountain top elopement in Norway, or a nature-centered wedding anywhere in the world- I’m here to help you and make you feel like you’ve been taken care of every step of the way.
If I’ll be traveling where you’re eloping, I’ll make your custom elopement there, too.
One that marks the beginning of the memoir you’re writing together.
Think about the original connection that brought the two of you together. What if your wedding represented how that felt?
If honoring a tradition like a big wedding feels like that’s for other couples then let’s plan one that embodies your entire relationship.