Elle and Dylan’s intimate elopement on the stunning Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland was a day filled with love, adventure, and beautiful personal touches. With breathtaking landscapes as their backdrop, they exchanged heartfelt vows on a crisp autumn day, crafting a wedding that was both relaxed and scenic.
Their love for travel and exploration guided them to this remote, picturesque location. The ceremony, simple yet deeply meaningful, featured personal vows that made the moment truly special. Elle looked stunning in an elegant lace dress by Grace Loves Lace, while Dylan’s custom wool suit perfectly complemented the Icelandic setting.
Photographers Jane and Tony from ISKRA Photography captured every heartfelt moment with exceptional artistry, preserving the intimate and dramatic beauty of the Icelandic backdrop. From the cozy morning preparations to the intimate moments shared under the ever-changing Icelandic sky, Elle and Dylan’s wedding was a true reflection of their unique love story, celebrating their journey together and embracing life’s adventures hand in hand.
The Love Story
We met bonding over our love of huskies (we both have them!). We have a fun and playful relationship where we are best friends as well as homebodies who love cinema and spending time with our animals – we have 4 cats, 2 dogs, and 2 horses!
We love spending quality time together. We enjoy cinema, reading, trying new food, and traveling together – but most of all, spending time at home snuggled with our animals. I love video games and fantasy books, and Dylan is a major sports fan and music lover.
The proposal was small and intimate. I was working late, then headed home to a dimly lit house. Walking through to the only source of light, a scene prepared in our garden with fairy lights strung outside on our deck, where he proposed. We shared the moment together by an outdoor fire in the cool night and had roasted marshmallows with our dogs by our side.
Planning
We wanted a wedding and honeymoon rolled into one so we could travel and enjoy the world together. Both of us love to travel, and I especially wanted to show Dylan the city of Paris, where I grew up, so we had our honeymoon there. We also wanted something extremely small but sentimental to take the complexity out of wedding planning, especially the stress of organizing a larger or traditional wedding.
The stunning scenery of Iceland made it an incredible destination, especially after seeing our photographer’s amazing work there. We sought the moody, unpredictable beauty of Iceland and an adventure combined. Everything lined up perfectly. We chose Hotel Búðir for its luxurious yet cozy feel, ideal views, and remote location not far from Reykjavik. I found the venue online during a slow day at work. The challenges, mainly logistical, were simplified by our incredible vendors, making everything go smoothly.
The Big Day
The trip started with a flight to Iceland. It was a long journey, then we boarded a small plane and arrived a few days before the wedding. The morning was relaxed; we woke up later, enjoyed a small breakfast of breads, dips, and pastries from our caterers, and slowly started getting ready. I felt very relaxed and loved having Dylan’s closest childhood friends and parents there with him in spirit.
When it was time, we had our first look and read our vows to each other from our small notebooks, privately outdoors—words and promises just for us. The ceremony was heartfelt and moving. Right after our vows, it started raining, so we all ran back into the venue.
During our elopement, we drove around to locations with Tony, Jane, and Vadzim from the ISKRA Photography team, sharing stories and laughs. The weather was as predicted, totally unpredictable, but we took it in stride. The rain held up long enough for us to share a kiss under the rainbow, captured by our photographers. The rest of the day was fun, loving, emotional, and joyous.
The Team
Our photographers, Jane and Tony, were ground zero in helping us. We credit much of the success of our day to them. They helped give recommendations, ideas, support, and expert knowledge of Iceland so the day was a breeze. They were so incredibly kind, fun, and supportive – I cannot sing their praises enough. Vadzim was our videographer, and he was a quiet but strong and dedicated presence and we really enjoyed his company, too. They were such a great trio to work with.
My hair and makeup artist was so sweet and talented as well, and despite us not being able to do a test run, everything was perfect on the day. The original artist I sought out couldn’t take my booking, and I am grateful for this twist of fate so I could have met Margret! She woke up so early just to drive to the hotel to see me on time. My hair was everything I dreamed of, and my makeup lasted through the elements, just as she promised.
For catering, we contacted a local bakery which has had its praises sung by many. Unfortunately, Dylan and I did not have time to pick up the food, however, Elle’s parents did. The owner even threw in coffee, chats, and threw together some delicious fresh pastries and breads for us, free of charge. We did not have a wedding cake, but had a baby’s breath and white rose floral display to mark our day.
