Amina & Nick’s Epic South Coast Iceland Elopement
If there was ever an Iceland elopement that perfectly summed up why you need to embrace whatever this country throws at you, it was Amina and Nick’s.
We had plans.
Iceland laughed at those plans.
And somehow, what we got instead was even better.
Amina and Nick’s South Coast Iceland elopement took us from hidden waterfalls and black sand beaches to Icelandic horses, private vows inside a canyon and one completely unexpected encounter with two humpback whales.
What a freaking day.
Starting at Kvernufoss
Originally, we had planned to start with sunrise at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. But as usual, Iceland’s weather had other ideas, so we pivoted and headed to Kvernufoss instead.
Hidden inside a beautiful gorge near Skógar, Kvernufoss is one of my favourite waterfalls for an Iceland elopement. There’s something about walking through that canyon and suddenly seeing the waterfall appear that never gets old.
And honestly, changing our plans turned out pretty damn well.
Black Sand, Humpback Whales & Dyrhólaey
Once the weather started playing along, we made our way back towards Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.
And then something happened that none of us could have planned.
While I had my drone in the air, we spotted two humpback whales bubble-net feeding just offshore.
I mean… COME ON.
As someone who is completely obsessed with the ocean and marine life, getting to photograph an Iceland elopement while two humpbacks were feeding nearby was an absolute dream.
From there, we continued to Dyrhólaey, with its enormous cliffs and views across Iceland’s black coastline, finding puffins along the cliffs and oohing and ahhhing at how cute they are before meeting some Icelandic horses and eventually heading towards the mighty Skógafoss.
And that was only the first half of our adventure.
Private Vows at Nauthúsagil
Later, we met up again and headed towards one of the most incredible places for private vows in Iceland, Nauthúsagil.
Tucked inside a narrow canyon, surrounded by moss-covered walls and running water, it feels completely removed from the outside world.
This was where Amina and Nick slowed everything down and exchanged their private vows.
No crowds. No huge ceremony.
Just the two of them inside this wild Icelandic canyon.
Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi
Our next stop was the iconic Seljalandsfoss, before finishing the day at nearby Gljúfrabúi.
And Iceland gave us one final gift.
The light poured through the narrow opening of the canyon, creating the most incredible backlight around Amina and Nick as they stood beside the waterfall.
It was absolutely stunning.
After a day of changing plans, chasing waterfalls, laughing constantly, meeting Icelandic horses and somehow finding ourselves photographing humpback whales, it felt like the perfect ending.
An Iceland Elopement Doesn’t Need to Go to Plan
Amina and Nick’s adventure is exactly why I love being an Iceland elopement photographer.
The weather will change. Your sunrise might disappear. Your carefully planned timeline might need to be completely rearranged.
But then Iceland gives you something you never could have planned.
Maybe that’s an empty waterfall. Maybe it’s ridiculous light pouring through a canyon.
Or maybe it’s two freaking humpback whales bubble-net feeding beside your elopement.
Amina and Nick embraced absolutely everything Iceland threw at us and laughed their way through the entire adventure.
What. A. Freaking. Day.
Until we meet again,
S
Planning a South Coast Iceland Elopement
This is exactly why I love photographing elopements in Iceland.
You don’t need perfect weather. You don’t need blue skies. And you definitely don’t need everything to go according to plan.
An Iceland elopement can mean standing alone on Reynisfjara before most people have even woken up, exploring a hidden waterfall canyon and finishing your day absolutely drenched beneath Skógafoss. This is Iceland, it’s RAW, CRAZY, UNPREDICTABLE and yet breathtakingly STUNNING! This landscape will blow your mind!
For couples looking for an adventurous Iceland elopement photographer, the South Coast offers some of the most spectacular landscapes in the country, all within one incredible adventure.
