Iceland is one of the most beautiful and unique places to elope! With tons of magnificent waterfalls, volcanos, and glaciers, the land of fire and ice is an adventurers’ paradise! These are 10 of the best reasons to elope in Iceland!

Why Should I Elope In Iceland?

With some of the most incredible landscapes in the world, Iceland is one of the most beautiful places for your elopement. It’s almost impossible not to stop every 5 minutes to take in the new scenery! Whether you want dramatic glaciers, magical waterfalls or moody black sand beaches, there is something for everyone here! In addition, the adventure activities are endless! If you’re thinking of eloping in Iceland, also check out my ultimate guide to an Iceland elopement!

1: Waterfalls

With over 10,000 waterfalls, Iceland is the perfect place for an epic waterfall elopement! Some are more popular and can be crowded during the summer, but there are plenty of hidden gems that will give you more privacy! Some of my personal favorites are Haifoss and Dettifoss; both of these waterfalls are pretty remote and have incredible views! For an easy to access spot, Skogafoss is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland. To avoid crowds here, I recommend visiting at sunrise or sunset, during the fall or winter, or during the Midnight Sun! Check out this waterfall elopement at Skogafoss for inspiration!

2: Adventure Activities

There are so many things to do in Iceland it’s almost impossible to choose! From whale-watching to horseback riding, glacier climbing to cave spelunking, snorkeling in Silfra to chasing the northern lights, there are endless options for your elopement day! These activities are great for a two-day elopement; one day we hike to your ceremony location and hit all the best viewpoints and the next we have an adventure! The activities here differ based on the season- in the fall and winter it’s possible to enter ice caves (one of my favorite things I’ve ever done) and search for the northern lights while the summer is perfect for rafting or 4X4 off-roading into the highlands! Taking a helicopter ride provides a whole new perspective of the landscape- see glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and more from above!

3: Glaciers

Glaciers make up around 11% of the surface of Iceland! You can hike on the glaciers, take a zodiac boat through the glacial lagoon, explore the ice caves, or even ice climb into a crevasse! Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is one of the most beautiful places in Iceland- you can get up close to the icebergs that break off the glacier before they float out to the ocean! If you’re up for more of an adventure, ice climbing on Vatnajokull Glacier is one of the hardest but most rewarding activities in Iceland. For more inspiration, check out this elopement at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon!

4: The Northern Lights

One of the greatest phenomena in the natural world, the aurora borealis is visible in Iceland for half of the year! The best time to visit Iceland for the Northern Lights is September through April. During the winter, there may only be 4 or 5 hours of daylight (which leaves 20 hours of nighttime sky viewing)! October is one of the best times to elope in Iceland because you still have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights but it isn’t too cold or dark to explore during the day!

5: Black Sand Beaches

Iceland has 32 active volcanic zones- that leaves us with epic black sand beaches! Reynisfjara and Diamond Beach are two of the most popular black sand beaches in Iceland. Reynisfjara is one of the most dangerous beaches in the world due to the “sneaker waves” that come out of nowhere! This is also where the famous basalt columns are located. For a look at the black sand beach from above, Dyrholaey lookout has an amazing view! Diamond Beach, located right next to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, is another amazing black sand beach with pieces of ice that wash up on the beach! For my favorite black sand beach, contact me and let’s start planning your epic Iceland elopement!

6: Hot Springs

After spending your elopement day adventuring around Iceland, there’s nothing better than soaking in a hot spring! Another plus to all the volcanic activity, natural and man-made hot springs are located all over Iceland! Some of the more popular ones are the Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon and Hvammsvik, but there are also natural hidden gems (that I can help you find) that you can have all to yourself!

7: Icelandic Horses

Horseback riding is an amazing experience to have on your elopement day- especially in Iceland where the horses are so cute and the landscape looks like another planet! Icelandic horses are special in that they’ve been breed to withstand the harsh winters and have a special gait compared to traditional western horses. Imagine riding a shaggy pony down a black sand beach or in front of a waterfall on your elopement day!

8: The Midnight Sun

From May through August, the sun is up almost 24 hours a day! This makes the best lighting for photos in the middle of the night! One of the benefits of eloping during the midnight sun is more privacy- we can be out adventuring in the best possible light while most people are sleeping! We also get more daylight hours for activities versus the winter when we might only have 4-5 hours of daylight. The weather is still a factor but its generally the nicest time of year!

9: No Permits Needed

One of the best reasons to elope in Iceland is that you don’t need any permits to photograph there! Unlike in the United States and the national parks here, you can go on any public land in Iceland and take photos with no permits! This makes it a great location if you are planning a last-minute elopement and don’t have time to get permits for a national park. Most couples do a symbolic ceremony in Iceland and complete the legal paperwork at home, but it is possible to get legally married in Iceland (just more complicated)

10: Easy Travel

What better way to start your marriage than with an international adventure? If this is your first time traveling internationally, Iceland is one of the easiest countries to travel in! Most people speak English here so there isn’t a language barrier to worry about. You drive on the right side of the road. There are tons of non-stop flights from cities all over the US and the flights are usually less than 10 hours! While it can be an expensive country to travel in, it’s a very similar standard of living compared to the United States so you won’t have to worry about culture shock. The best part about eloping in Iceland is you can start off your honeymoon right away (and I can give you all my recommendations for the best food, places to stay, hikes, and activities)!

How Do I Elope In Iceland?

If you’re looking for adventure and stunning landscapes on your elopement day, Iceland is the perfect place for you! I’ve traveled to Iceland multiple times and am an expert at planning an epic adventure there! Reach out here and let’s start planning your dream Iceland elopement!