Nicole and Michael’s Wedding in Iceland at Black Sands Beach

When planning a wedding in Iceland (and navigating the crazy weather that comes with it) sometimes even Plan B won’t work. Sometimes you have to go with Plan C. That’s the great thing about planning an elopement in Iceland, though—even Plan C is a dream experience. At least it was for Nicole and Michael’s beautiful wedding celebration in at the Black Sands Beach of Iceland!

From the moment I met Nicole and Michael, I fell in love with their outgoing, adventure-loving personalities! When planning the journey ahead, the sky was the limit, and they were truly up for anything. Even though we had to change plans a few times because of gale-force winds and heavy rain, they weren’t deterred and laughed it off as all part of the adventure! And, who doesn’t love a spontaneous day that ends up entirely different from what you expected?

Nicole and Michael’s Iceland wedding day started with some intense weather warnings from our Veour Weather App—a must-download if you’re traveling to Iceland. We were set to go on a highlands tour, but being stuck in the middle of nowhere during weather like that was a no-go for us. But these two are too much fun to let a change in plans ruin a day. Instead, we regrouped and changed plans quickly—why not hike through a canyon, we thought! But after a check on the weather app, we realized the heavy rain would have been a risk even there, so we had to call it off. Then, we realized the perfect new plan, and it was conveniently close to the Airbnb. Why not head to Skógafoss and Black Sands Beach!

This location, with amazing basalt columns and a dramatic view of the ocean waves crashing over black volcanic sand, turned out to be a perfect spot for Nicole and Michael to say “I do.”

Because they didn’t want to get their clothes wrinkled on the journey to the first stop, they tugged on some travel clothes. With Nicole’s hair and makeup already beautifully done, we headed out on the elopement adventure of a lifetime! When we arrived at our first stop, we threw open the doors of the 4×4, and they changed into their wedding day finery under the wide open sky. Talk about a true adventure elopement moment! They were just too excited for their wedding in Iceland to waste any time. Yep, these are my kind of people!

Our first stop was the most iconic waterfall in Iceland, Skógafoss! This 200-foot-tall, 75-foot-wide epic waterfall makes it into every Iceland guidebook you can find. But nothing matches seeing it in person. It’s genuinely so powerful and makes you feel so tiny as you stand nearby!

Nicole, wearing her simple v-neck dress with a floaty back and her pearl Olive and Piper Jewelry, was not afraid to embrace the crazy weather of Iceland and dance in the rain! I loved how, even in her white wedding day finery, she was always down for adventure in the natural elements of Iceland! And Michael was just as game—his suit got a little wet, of course, but he didn’t mind at all! And their energy radiated to the waterfall’s other visitors, too. When Nicole walked past in her wedding gown, carrying a bouquet of white flowers from Pastel Bloma Studio, people couldn’t help but congratulate the beautiful couple.

After enjoying the waterfall, we were off to Black Sands Beach. This is one of the most iconic, but also most crowded, places you can visit in Iceland. So, while in the photos it looks like they had the whole place to themselves, I actually did quite a bit of photoshopping to achieve that look!

Nicole and Michael didn’t mind the onlookers, though. They were having too much fun being in nature together, exchanging vows, popping champagne, and slipping on their new wedding rings from Staghead Designs. We closed out the day with photos on the iconic basalt columns, which are a must-see when at Black Sands Beach! It was the perfect conclusion to their wedding in Iceland.

Nicole and Michael were such a fun couple to work with and were incredibly fun to spend the day with from start to finish! If you’re planning a wedding in Iceland, let’s get in touch! I’m an elopement photographer with tons of knowledge of the island, and I’d love to help tell your story and take you on an adventure of a lifetime. Contact me on this page—I can’t wait to hear from you!