Iceland Elopement Guide by Iceland Elopement Photographer

When planning to elope in another country it can seem overwhelming. That’s why I created this Iceland elopement guide to help you plan out your logistics and budget correctly. Have more questions about visiting Iceland? Leave your questions in the comments below and I’ll answer them!

Bride and groom standing on rock in river with an iceland waterfall behind them.

Bride and groom in iceland with mountains and green valleys behind them.

Getting there.

First off you need to decide what time of the year you want to go to Iceland spring, summer, or winter. If you want to see the Northern Lights (seriously one of the greatest moments of my life) then you have to go in the winter so keep that in mind(usually October-April). After you decide on that, buy your flights. We buy our flights through Iceland Air. They are a great airline and the flight was really comfortable! Fairly affordable as well for an across seas flight. I suggest buying your flight at least 3-6months in advance to get the best deal. We always fly into Keflavík International Airport which is the main airport that is a short drive to the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. When you arrive at the airport there is a duty-free (tax-free market) at the airport. If you want to buy any alcohol or snacks you can do so there. From here you can walk outside to the parking lot and you will see a bus stop. This bus will take you to all the car rental companies. We highly recommend using Blue car rental they have a variety of affordable and nice car rentals, We recommend renting a bigger SUV if you plan on doing some exploring of the country. This is because Iceland is one of the windest places on earth! We made the mistake of renting a small car our first time to Iceland and it felt like we were about to get blown right off the road haha.

bride and groom looking at the icelandic sheep and iceland mountains on wedding day. bride and groom kissing in purple lupine field during a summer Iceland wedding.

Where to stay.

I suggest renting an Airbnb if you can find one near the area you would like to spend the most time in. I also highly recommend the Hótel Kría in Vík if you want something a little more upscale. Vík is a small town in southern Iceland. Vík is close to most of the popular southern Iceland attractions spots and about 2 1/2 hours from Reykjavik. We found a cute one-bedroom Airbnb for around $60/night and it was perfect for us! It was a few minutes from downtown Reykjavik. I posted the link at the bottom of this page. There are so many unique hotels and stays in Iceland I recommend doing your research for this part of your trip!

Restaurants and activities.

The food and culture in Iceland is absolutely amazing. From the kind welcoming people to the made from scratch locally sourced food. You’ve never had fresh rye bread and butter like this. The seafood is to die for! We’ve listed some of our favorite restaurants below. Another Iceland staple is to check out all the cool unique bars. Icelandic alcohol is unique and worth the try! They offer tours and tastings at many of the local distilleries, breweries, and tasting rooms. When it comes to the difference in currency while the US dollar is more than Iceland Króna most things like food and products are more expensive. Like we went to a pub in downtown Reykjavik and each got a burger and fries and one drink each and our bill was $67 US dollars which was 9115.35 Króna. We decided that since we were staying at a home where we had access to a kitchen and planned on being on the road most of our days we were better off buying groceries. The budget grocery stores in Iceland are Kronan and Bonus. Kronan stores offer a larger meat and dairy section as well as fresh foods as opposed to Bonus which is more convenient foods and packaged items. Again the groceries are a little more expensive than the states but cheaper in the long run when it comes to eating in Iceland. We still went out to eat once a day and treated ourselves but packed snacks and sandwiches for our day trips. There isn’t a lot of places to eat in between the towns so if you plan on exploring Iceland’s attractions all-day plan ahead and bring food.

couple soaking in iceland hotsprings with a beautiful view of the mountains.

Couple soaking in iceland hot springs with viking hut.

Bride and Groom picking wedding location in Iceland on map.

Places to see.

There are so many cool spots in Iceland but never enough time so I’ve made a list of places that are all pretty close to each other that you could see in two or three days while in Southern Iceland. I will be updating this list to include more bars, restaurants, and points of interest soon! Being your Iceland elopement guide we plan the whole day out to ensure you get the most out of your trip! We will drive you around to all the different locations and tell you stories of Iceland’s rich history.

Points of interest in Southern Iceland:

Seljalandsfoss
Stakkholtsgja
Seljacallalaug swimming pool hotsprings
Skogafoss
Solheimajokull glacier
Reynisfjara Beach (black sand beach)
Yoda Cave
Fjaorargljufur (seaside cliffs)
Diamond beach
Stokksnes (mountains on the beach)

Points of interest in Northern Iceland:

Flatey Island
Rauoisandur Beach
Sundlaugin a Hofsosi (cliffside pool)
Grjotagja Cave (Lava cave hotspring)

Best Restaurants and bars in Southern Iceland:

Early in the morning – breakfast
Basterd Brew and food – pub food (vegetarian options)
Kaldi Bar – gin bar
Gallery Fiskur – fine dinning
Gamla Fjosio – small cafe on your way to Vik

Bride and Groom walking down black sand beach in Southern Iceland on wedding day.

Bride and Groom walking under Iceland waterfall on wedding day.

Bride in wedding dress looking into Iceland hobbit homes on wedding day.

Weather and what to pack.

Many people don’t realize till they get to Iceland that it’s one of the windiest places on earth! It actually rained and was windy and chilly the whole time we were there in mid-May. The key to being comfortable in unpredictable weather like this is LAYERS! I wear everything from jeans to tank tops, to hats, scarfs, gloves, puffy and a raincoat. That way you can shed a layer if you need to. I also just wore my waterproof hiking boots just about the whole time I was in Iceland. Keeping a towel and blanket in your car when exploring isn’t a bad idea either! When visiting Iceland’s many beautiful waterfalls they are so massive that if you get even remotely close you will get soaked. I also brought extra socks with us on the road. I would also bring a good day hiking backpack. Being your Iceland elopement guide we will make sure to pack a cooler and have all the supplies we will need for our day! Hopefully, this Iceland elopement guide helps you plan your dream Iceland trip!

Bride and Groom wearing matching white puffy coats in iceland at Gullfoss in golden circle.

couple standing under waterfall in cave in Iceland.

Click here to have me photograph your elopement or intimate wedding.

Autumn Marie is a wedding and elopement photographer based in California. She provides services for weddings and elopement planning across the U.S. and worldwide. Josh and Autumn are a photo and video team that are an Iceland elopement guide team. Her style is a film-style photographer that captures earthy, romantic, playful photos mixed in with some creative editorial flare. For info on pricing contact me for rates and details!