An Elopement Right Next to an
Active Volcano
On March 19th 2021 a volcanic eruption started at Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula, only a stones throw away from the capital, Reykjavík. It was a relatively small eruption by Icelandic standards. Iceland is very volcanically active and sports many volcanos of different shapes and sizes. Some large enough to cause real catastrophic events like covering everything in ash or stopping air traffic in the northern hemisphere for weeks but this one was what Icelanders have dubbed a “tourist eruption”; a small, accessible, lava flowing eruption. Usually when a volcano goes off you want to get as far away from it as possible but in the case of a tourist eruption the opposite actually happens. Everybody flocks over there to see with their own eyes one of the greatest spectacles on earth. And that is exactly what happened at the Fagradalsfjall eruption. A constant stream of Icelanders made the hike up the mountain to see it. Creating this surreal festival like feeling of a few hundred or even thousands of people huddled together on a side of a mountain enjoying the largest bonfire ever. The eruption then came to an end in September 2021.
In early April, when we had already been up there a few times, we teamed up together with the wedding planners at Pink Iceland and our favourite videographers Kaco Films to pull off a unique elopement. Jónsi and Sumarliði where forced to cancel their wedding plans in 2020 due to Covid, the idea came up to do something truly memorable to make up for it and after a suggestion from their friends Eva & Birna from Pink Iceland they jumped at the idea of getting married next to an active volcano.
So many things could have gone wrong but with a team of passionate professionals this all ran so smoothly, photographing and planning weddings in the unpredictable nature in Iceland for years really paid off in this scenario.
After some extensive planning, a scouting mission and excessively following the weather forecast we all headed out for a truly memorable 9 hour expedition to the volcano. Hiking through a blizzard to begin with but then seeing the skies open up just in time for the ceremony, the Pink Iceland portable changing room was a hit, the new lava stream that decided to pass right by the ceremony spot was both very exciting and scary. The pure joy and happiness shining from Jónsi and Sumarliði’s faces during the ceremony put a smile on everyone else. Navigating the ever changing landscapes of an active volcano for the photoshoot was stressful but also extremely fun and so was the hike back in the dark on a very icy and slippery path.
This was truly a once in a lifetime experience that we are so thankful to have been a part of. So many things could have gone wrong but with a team of passionate professionals this all ran so smoothly, photographing and planning weddings in the unpredictable nature in Iceland for years really paid off in this scenario.
As this was the first wedding ceremony shot at the volcano this made the news, both in Iceland and around the world. Images from this where published for example in The New Yorker, The Guardian, BBC News, Out Magazine and many more.
Wedding Planners: Pink Iceland
Videographers: Kaco Films
Photography: Styrmir & Heiðdís
Wedding Cake: Junedy Gutiérrez - Velvet Baking Club
Boutonnieres: Þórdís Z
*The drone shots in this post are provided by Kaco Films.
