Jenna and Jason have always been adventurers at heart. When they got engaged, a local Texas wedding where they live wasn't even an option to them. “We love Texas, but we weren’t going to spend thousands of dollars to get married in Fort Worth,” says Jenna. The couple decided to exchange vows in Iceland – a place neither of them had been to before! Originally, they planned to elope just the two of them, but their closest friends and family crashed the party. ;)
“We always planned to elope, but thought we should at least tell our mothers the plan and if they decided to come, we’d happily receive them,” Jenna said. “It didn’t take long for parents, siblings and friends to start demanding to know a date, so they could book their tickets."
That's when they reached out to me. Since this was back in 2016, it was my first Iceland elopement, and of course I was stoked!
The couple also hired a local Iceland wedding planning company, Pink Iceland. “Pink Iceland handled literally everything,” recalls the bride. “They even provided us with an itinerary for our two-and-a-half week honeymoon/RV drive around the country. [For the wedding] they booked the location, bus, hair stylist, food and alcohol, hotel, flowers, cake….everything.” Jenna and Jason were happy to give the power of decision making over to their planner and she did not disappoint. “We had zero issues, thanks to Sigga, who entertained all of our ideas. Many things we wanted (the antique bus, cave location, lights in the cave – 10 miles from electricity) they had never done before, but they were professionals at wish fulfillment.”
I've worked with Pink Iceland multiple times since then, and absolutely adore everyone of them. They are the best at what they do!
When it came to the exact ‘where’ to get married, the couple discovered a beautiful cave online. Once again, their local wedding planner came to the rescue. “Sigga tracked down the location and the land owner and got permission to use it (it was private property),” says the bride. “There are also not a lot of accommodations in that part of Iceland, so Sigga found us a great hotel three hours away from the location. Once we realized there’d be over 20 of us there, we knew we needed a bus. We found this amazing 1960’s baby blue Mercedes bus, and Sigga rented it for us. We said we’d like a Nordic Chieftain to marry us. Check. A cake? Check. Booze, snacks, donuts and scenic stops? Check. We’d just ask, and they would deliver. We got there and it was all done.”
The couple tried to keep the plans under wraps for their guests and sent them “bus passes” instead of invitations. When the big day arrived, the guests only knew that a “shuttle” would be provided and to plan on spending the day out and about. The entire event went off without a hitch and everyone got what they wanted – the couple got to say “I do” in a unique destination and their friends and family got to be there to witness it.
Ceremony: Hjörleifshöfoi, Iceland, Reception: Frost & Fire Hotel in Hveragerdi, Iceland, Wedding Planner: Sigga with Pink Iceland, Makeup: Alison Jonell, Gown Designer: Bridal Designs, Groom’s Clothing: Hugo Boss, Antique Bus: GJ Travel
By the way, how amazing is this one of a kind vintage bus that the couple rented for the drive out to their ceremony location? In fact, if it looks familiar, you've probably seen one of my favorite comedies, "Eurovision Song Contest" with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. This is the same bus they used in the movie! How cool is that? (The movie was filmed AFTER this elopement, so you can imagine how my jaw dropped when I saw the movie and noticed the bright blue vintage bus! So cool! And that means Will Ferrell got on the same bus as my awesome couple and the best Iceland elopement photographer!) :)
After a long scenic drive back to the hotel, everyone met for dinner and dessert, toasts, hugs and good wine.
Jenna and Jason planned a second day of adventure that involved Icelandic horses and a visit to some of the country's beautiful glaciers. We left the hotel in the morning and drove out to Nupchester Farm with a few of the guests who were interested in joining us. The folks at Nupchester were beyond gracious and accommodating, and the morning was nothing short of incredible. A light rain fell most of the day, but it didnt stop anyone. I will never forget the experience of running our horses through the field in the cold rain (with my cameras in hand!) Talk about an adventurous Icelandic elopement!
