If you’re considering a South Iceland elopement, Kendra and Val’s wedding is proof that your day can be every bit as adventurous as it is meaningful. They discovered that Iceland offered everything they were dreaming of: waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, and dramatic coastal landscapes. It became the place where they felt completely free to celebrate their relationship and create a wedding day that was entirely their own.

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When Kendra and Val first reached out to us, they thought they were planning a Banff elopement. Like so many couples, they had fallen in love with the Canadian Rockies and imagined exchanging vows somewhere among the towering peaks and turquoise lakes. But before we ever started talking about mountains or locations, Kendra shared something much more important.

They’d had a difficult experience with another elopement photographer before finding us. As a queer couple, they’d encountered situations that made them question whether they would truly feel welcomed throughout the planning process. By the time we connected, Kendra admitted she was almost in tears with relief. Later, they told us our website felt like a warm hug the moment they found it, and honestly, there aren’t many compliments that mean more than that.

Creating beautiful images has always been important to us, but creating a space where every couple feels safe, celebrated, and free to be themselves matters even more. From that very first conversation, we knew this wasn’t simply about helping them plan an incredible adventure. It was about giving them the freedom to dream without hesitation and build a wedding day that reflected exactly who they are.

As it turned out, that conversation changed much more than who photographed their wedding.

It changed where they chose to get married.

Why Kendra & Val Chose a South Iceland Elopement

Looking Beyond Banff

Once we shifted the conversation from where they thought they wanted to elope to what they wanted to experience, Iceland became an obvious fit.

Kendra and Val didn’t know much about the country when we first spoke, but they knew exactly what they wanted their wedding day to include. Towering waterfalls were at the top of the list, followed by a glacier, Iceland’s famous black sand beaches, and the striking basalt columns they’d admired in photographs. More than anything, they wanted a wedding day that felt like one continuous adventure rather than a single ceremony followed by portraits.

As we talked through their vision, it became clear that a South Iceland elopement offered something Banff simply couldn’t.

Banff is breathtaking, and we’ll never stop recommending it to the right couples. But South Iceland allows you to experience an incredible variety of landscapes within just a few hours. Instead of choosing between waterfalls and glaciers, you can have both. Add volcanic beaches, moss-covered lava fields, dramatic cliffs, and charming coastal towns like Vík, and suddenly your wedding day becomes an unforgettable journey through some of the most diverse scenery in the world.

For Kendra and Val, that variety wasn’t just a bonus. It was exactly what they had been searching for all along.

Letting Their Vision Grow

One of the things we remind every couple is that your elopement doesn’t have to be fully planned during your first consultation. Some of the best ideas come later, after you’ve had time to picture yourselves in the experience and imagine what your wedding day could become.

That’s exactly what happened here.

From the beginning, waterfalls and a black sand beach were non-negotiable. Then, a few months before their wedding, Val reached out with another idea she couldn’t stop thinking about.

“What if we added a glacier?”

She worried it might be asking for too much.

Our answer was simple.

Let’s make it happen.

We adjusted the timeline, reworked the route, and built in the extra adventure. What had originally been planned as an eight-hour day slowly stretched into twelve and eventually closer to fourteen, not because it needed to, but because every stop added something meaningful to the story they were creating together.

One of our favorite parts of planning Iceland elopements is watching couples realize they don’t have to settle for the original plan. If your dream grows along the way, your wedding day can grow with it.

Planning a Wedding That Felt Like Them

Meaningful Details That Told Their Story

One of our favorite parts of every wedding day happens before we ever leave for the ceremony.

It’s the quiet moments spent photographing the details couples have intentionally chosen to bring with them.

For Kendra and Val, every one of those details reflected their personalities.

Months before leaving for Iceland, Kendra handcrafted her own bouquet, carefully dried it, packed it into a protective box, and carried it across the ocean herself. It wasn’t just another wedding accessory. It represented the time, creativity, and love she had poured into creating something she could hold while exchanging vows.

Kendra’s engagement ring featured a soft pink stone that felt perfectly her. Val, on the other hand, discovered she was much more of a watch person than a ring person, making her watch one of her favorite accessories of the day.

Their handmade ring box featured a meaningful inscription, adding another personal touch to the day. And because Kendra has always loved pink, she even wore custom cozy pink socks beneath her wedding dress.

There wasn’t a single detail chosen because tradition expected it.

Everything they brought with them simply felt like them.

That’s one of the beautiful things about eloping. You’re free to leave behind expectations and create new traditions that tell your own story instead.

One Piece of Planning Advice

If there’s one recommendation Kendra and Val would pass along to future couples planning a South Iceland elopement, it’s to hire a professional hair and makeup artist.

They decided to do their own hair and makeup instead, and while they still had an incredible experience, they both admitted afterward that it was the one decision they would probably change.

South Iceland is famously windy, especially along the coastline. Local artists understand those conditions better than anyone. They know which products hold up, which hairstyles work best, and how to prepare couples for a full day spent outdoors. It’s a small investment that can make the entire experience feel even more relaxed.

Kendra & Val’s South Iceland Elopement Story

A Blindfolded First Look

Before anyone changed into wedding clothes, Val surprised Kendra with a handwritten letter.

Still in their pajamas, they shared a quiet moment reading it together before the excitement of the day truly began. It was simple, intimate, and exactly the kind of moment that often becomes one of a couple’s favorite memories.

Afterward, they got ready separately before one of the most creative first looks we’ve ever photographed.

Val slipped on a blindfold while Kendra finished getting dressed. Kendra even helped button the final buttons on Val’s dress while she remained blindfolded, laughing through the entire process. She slipped on a warm coat to keep her dress hidden until they reached their first location. It was the perfect way to preserve the surprise while making the drive to the waterfall.

Well… almost.

Before we hit the road, there was one important stop to make.

The night before, we’d all gone out for pizza together in Vík. When they debated ordering one extra pizza specifically for wedding day snacks, we enthusiastically encouraged it. Sure enough, Kendra made a quick stop to grab the leftovers before climbing into the car.

We fully support wedding day pizza.

Those are the little moments that make every elopement different. There isn’t a rulebook telling you how your wedding day should unfold, and sometimes the best memories happen in the moments no one plans.

Vows Beside a Waterfall

Our first destination was one of South Iceland’s incredible waterfalls.

We got everything ready before leading Val into position. As she removed the blindfold and turned around to see Kendra waiting, the nervous energy disappeared almost instantly. The smiles came first, then the laughter, and from that point on they hardly stopped grinning at each other for the rest of the day.

They chose to exchange vows at the base of that same waterfall, surrounded by nothing but cliffs, rushing water, and the incredible Icelandic landscape.

Like so many days in Iceland, the weather couldn’t decide what it wanted to do.

The sun appeared.

A light rain rolled through.

The wind never really left.

Instead of wishing for perfect weather, Kendra and Val embraced everything Iceland gave them. At one point the wind caught Kendra’s dress mid-ceremony, sending both of them into laughter before they continued reading their vows.

Those are the moments we remember most, not because they go perfectly, but because they’re completely real.

Leaving Chocolate for the Elves

Before leaving the waterfall, Kendra and Val took part in one of Iceland’s sweetest traditions.

According to local folklore, the hidden people, often called elves, are believed to live throughout the landscape. As a playful nod to that tradition, they left behind a small piece of chocolate before continuing their adventure.

It was a tiny moment, but one that made their day feel even more connected to the place they had chosen to celebrate.

A Glacier Worth Adding

From the waterfall, we continued exploring South Iceland until we reached the glacier that Val had almost convinced herself not to include.

Standing beside ancient ice while watching icebergs drift quietly across the water is one of those experiences that’s difficult to describe until you’ve seen it yourself. The landscape changed almost instantly, shifting from green valleys and waterfalls to towering ice and rugged volcanic terrain.

By the end of the day, it was impossible to imagine their wedding without it.

Sometimes the experiences you’re hesitant to add become the ones you remember forever.

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Photo&Video: The Organic Moment
Makeup, Hair & Bouquet by Kendra
Dress: Chantilly Lace Bridal Boutique
Val’s Ring: EMBR
Val’s Outfit: R&W co
Val’s Hiking Boots: Keens from MEC
Kendra’s Earrings & Ring: The Diamond Boutique
Kendra’s Hiking Boots: Danner
Custom Socks: Custom My Gifts

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Planning Your Own South Iceland Elopement?

If Kendra and Val’s story has you dreaming about waterfalls, glaciers, and black sand beaches, you’re certainly not alone. A South Iceland elopement offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the world while giving couples the freedom to build a day that’s completely their own.

One of the reasons we love photographing elopements along Iceland’s South Coast is that every couple experiences it differently. Some spend the entire day exploring waterfalls. Others hike to glaciers, wander volcanic beaches, or discover hidden corners of the landscape that become part of their own story. There isn’t one perfect itinerary because there isn’t one perfect way to get married.

Our job goes far beyond taking photographs. We’ll help you choose locations that fit your vision, build a timeline that leaves room for adventure, recommend trusted local vendors, and create an experience where you feel supported from the moment you reach out until the day you head home.

Most of all, we want you to have the same feeling Kendra and Val described after our very first conversation: that you’ve found a place where you can simply be yourselves.

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If you’re ready to start planning your own South Iceland elopement, we’d love to help you create a wedding day that’s every bit as adventurous, meaningful, and unforgettable as Kendra and Val’s. Whether you’re dreaming of exchanging vows beneath a waterfall, exploring a glacier, wandering a black sand beach, or simply slowing down to soak in the beauty of Iceland together, we’ll help you design an experience that feels authentic to your relationship from beginning to end.

From choosing the perfect locations and building a personalized timeline to recommending trusted local vendors and capturing every meaningful moment along the way, we’re here to make the planning process feel just as exciting as the adventure itself.

Ready to begin? Explore our Iceland Elopement Packages, browse more real Iceland elopement stories for inspiration, or get in touch to start planning an unforgettable wedding day that’s uniquely yours. We’d be honored to help bring your vision to life.

For more inspiration, follow us on Instagram @theorganicmoment.