ADVENTUROUS ICELAND ICE CAVE DIAMOND BEACH ELOPEMENT | ICELAND ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER | JOKULSARLON, SOUTHERN ICELAND

For many eloping couples, choosing a location with significance to them is important. But what if you guys wanted elope in a completely new place to the two of you? How do you do that? Where would you even start?

1. Determine your location.

Whether you have an idea or not about where you want to elope, here are a couple questions to kickstart the process. First, do you both want to go somewhere specific? Think of locations you’d want to vacation or are on your bucket list. If you’ve both been itching to go to Iceland or Yosemite National Park or Barcelona – definitely put those locations down as options! This helps narrow the list of possibilities from the whole world to a few places you’re actually interested in. But if you have absolutely no idea, that’s ok too!

Next consider the weather or seasons. Have you always been itching to visit Iceland and hopefully see the Northern Lights? They most often happen in the wintertime. Or maybe you’re sick of snow and want somewhere with a beach? That will rule out locations closer to the poles. Think of this question specifically with regards to what you guys are thinking of wearing. Do you see yourselves in light weight material, short sleeves, sandals, sun hats, sunglasses? Maybe consider warmer temperature locations. If you’re envisioning cozy shawls, blankets, warm drinks, and scarves then maybe a location with crisp fall weather would suit you.

2. Make it legal.

Once you have an idea on location, look into how to legally get married there. Searching the web is a good resource, but often you’ll want to contact someone directly. For foreign countries, contact the consulate. If you’ll be eloping in another state or province, contact the nearest city government to where you’ll be eloping. For national parks, public lands, etc, contact their ranger headquarters.

In many places you’ll need to obtain a marriage license, have it signed by an officiant (and often witnesses too), and pay the administrative fee. Sometimes this can take time so plan ahead. You can also save yourself the headache and just legally get married at home. That way on your elopement day you don’t have to worry about anything besides enjoying yourselves.

Don’t forget any permits you might need to hold an elopement in your location. Most national parks, public lands, and often some cities/venues require a permit. This fee reserves the area for you guys and keeps the area nice for generations to come. It also assures that you will not be kicked out in the middle of your elopement day – that would make for some bummer memories.

3. Get some help.

The above two tasks might seem daunting. I highly recommend searching for and hiring vendors who can help you. Try searching for an “Iceland elopement photographer” or “Yosemite officiant.” I am often helping clients not only with a super duper fun wedding day, but also recommending lodging, things to do, restaurants, finding flight deals, creating travel itineraries, etc. With a knowledgable vendor on board for your big day you’ll take a lot of the guess work and stress out of not only planning your elopement but also the unknown of going to a new place.

You can definitely plan your own travel, make your own itineraries, search for your own permits, etc. It can save you a lot of stress to pass the baton on to a trusted professional because they often include this service! Plus many elopement vendors spend a ton of time scouting out new locations and just getting out there in their own free time. The absolute perfect location for your elopement might be just a suggestion away in your vendor’s mind.

4. Have fun!

Finally, go have the elopement day of your dreams!

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Ready for your own epic winter elopement now?! Or maybe you’re just 110% ready to go to Iceland. Well I’ve got you friends! From black sand beaches, to huge waterfalls, to glaciers and ice caves, to erupting volcanos – Iceland is truly a wonder to behold. And somewhere you must add to your bucket list! Let’s chat about making your dream Iceland elopement come true! Already stoked for you guys and to be your Iceland elopement photographer!