Multi-Country Elopement
Heather & Zach's multi-day elopement spanned two countries and included a record-setting snowstorm, an ancient castle, an ice cave, and a grove of famous trees.
This was truly the most incredible adventure as we traveled through Northern Ireland and Iceland for H & Z to say I do (and do our best to stay warm).
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Destination Elopement Photographer & Planner
I absolutely love getting to travel and explore new places with my couples, and I would be thrilled to help make your elopement just as epic as Heather & Zach's.
Planning a
Multi-Country Elopement
Our journey together began on Facebook, where the couple saw one of my posts about how to elope in Northern Ireland. They fell in love with my photos of the Dark Hedges, and immediately thought, "we have to elope there!"
Originally, they booked just one full day of photo coverage in Northern Ireland, and we started mapping out their elopement. But when Heather and Zach mentioned their honeymoon plans in Iceland, I asked if they wanted to extend coverage for a second day (this would actually turn in to a second & third day).
Iceland had been on my bucket list forever, and I knew just how cool it would be to adventure there. Heather & Zach were stoked at the idea of extending their elopement to include Iceland as well!
Day one: First Look at the Cottage
I met up with Heather and Zach in Northern Ireland at their Airbnb, which had adorable country cottage vibes. I took some getting ready and details shots, and helped Heather into her dress.
Then the couple had the dreamiest first look right outside the cottage. Before we headed out to start our adventures, Heather gave Zach a surprise gift: cufflinks with a picture of his beloved dog.
Exploring The Dark Hedges
Heather and Zach had originally wanted to do their ceremony at the Dark Hedges – but I strongly advised them against it because it's such a busy location. Unless we got there at the crack of dawn, I knew there'd be tour buses full of visitors. (And for good reason – it's a gorgeous spot!)
But the couple didn't want a super early morning, so instead, we planned our day around lots of time exploring the Dark Hedges, with a more intimate ceremony in the afternoon.
We had perfect moody weather, with little glimpses of sun that created rainbows as Heather and Zach walked the road under the arch of gnarled trees. And as we left, we all agreed it was best they didn't share vows there (there were in fact, multiple tour buses of people).
Unexpected adventure at an Ancient Castle
After exploring the Dark Hedges, we stopped at a coffee shop (our second of the day) to warm up. While we were sipping and chatting, Heather showed me a video of a crumbling castle on an ocean bluff that she assumed was somewhere else in the world, and wistfully said she wished we could go there.
But fate was working in our favor, because I knew exactly where that video was taken. It was Dunseverick Castle, which I'd visited on my last trip to Northern Ireland – and it was only about 10 miles away!
So we headed toward Dunseverick Castle, the ruins of an ancient (literally 1,600 years old) Gaelic fortress. And we had the place practically to ourselves for some stunning portraits. This is one thing I absolutely love about elopements – the ability to pivot!
Northern Ireland Elopement Ceremony
We ended the Northern Ireland portion of Heather and Zach's elopement with their ceremony at Dunluce Castle. This castle is a bit more intact, and visitors can explore the ruins.
But for wedding and elopement ceremonies, you can exchange vows in the meadow at Dunluce Farm, with the castle and the dramatic ocean cliffs in the background.
We arrived at Dunluce Farm, and were greeted with celebratory shots of Jameson (to Zach's excitement & Heather's dismay). The couple took a minute to copy their vows into their vow books, and then we were driven to the field with an incredible view of Dunluce Castle.
It was cold and windy – the weather in Northern Ireland isn't exactly predictable – so we took lots of breaks to warm up in the truck between Heather and Zach's intimate ceremony and portraits on the cliffs.
When we were finally too cold to keep going, they sent us off with some great local recommendations for dinner. After dinner together, we split up for a few travel days before the next leg of this multi-country elopement.
Day Two: Record-Breaking Weather
I met back up with Heather and Zach a couple days later in Iceland, and once again we were on the receiving end of some truly wild weather. Iceland just so happened to experience a historic October storm the day we arrived (it literally broke a snowfall record).
So we had to make some last minute adjustments to our Iceland elopement itinerary. Fortunately, we were still able to do everything we planned – it just took us a little longer!
Heather and Zach's first Iceland activity was a private ice cave tour. We met up with our guide and off-roaded basically through the middle of a snowfield, which was a crazy experience. I snapped a few photos of the guides shoveling snow to pack down the trail, and we even stopped to pull out some tours that had gotten stuck.
Gearing Up for an Adventure
When we finally reached our destination, our guide helped us gear up for our hike to the ice cave with helmets and spikes for our boots. After a short hike through the snow, we stopped outside the cave entrance so Heather and Zach could get ready for photos.
The couple had called me the night before with a minor emergency: Zach had somehow lost his tie in-between Northern Ireland and Iceland. I spent the evening running around the tiniest town in Iceland, and miraculously managed to find a tie! Unfortunately, the only option was an Iceland flag print – but I told the couple I could edit it (and now Zach would have a really cool souvenir).
Portraits in an Ice Cave
Heather and Zach's private ice cave tour was by far the coolest thing I've ever done during an elopement. Ironically, the couple had asked me that question a few nights before at dinner, and I listed a few particularly fun adventures – but the ice cave blew everything else out of the water.
We took a ton of portraits in the cave, and I was stunned by how insanely blue the ice was. The whole experience felt completely otherworldly!
Before we headed back, we snapped a few more photos outside the ice cave, and our guide offered the couple a shot of vodka (this sounds familiar right).
Heather and Zach also insisted on taking a few photos of me at the cave – I thought it was incredibly sweet that they were worried about me having some photos at all the places we were visiting. I've been to a lot of amazing places where I'm so focused on photographing my couple that I don't even think to get a picture of myself!
Sunset at Glacier Lagoon
We had to rearrange our itinerary a bit because of the weather, but it ended up being completely for the best. We got so many gorgeous photos, and it felt like we visited every spot at the perfect time. Initially, the next stop in Heather and Zach's multi-country elopement was a waterfall, but we pushed that to the next day and headed straight to Glacier Lagoon instead.
After a few hours drive, we arrived at the lagoon around sunset. We explored the area above the lagoon for a bit, then went down to a beach where glaciers had washed up in the sand.
You can see the exact moment when we decided to end our day – Heather and Zach were posing on a piece of ice that was barely in the water, where we thought there was no chance they'd get wet. But a huge wave came out of nowhere and soaked both the couple and me!
Fortunately, our hotel was right around the corner, so we could warm up and get some rest (and I could dry my boots out with a hairdryer).
Footprints on a Black Sand Beach
The next morning, we woke up early and drove to another black sand beach! We took photos at a few different spots on the beach – my favorites are of the couple running away with their footprints trailing behind.
We hung out on the beach until the snow got so intense that the mountains were barely visible. Then it was time to move on to our next adventure!
Staying Warm During an Iceland Elopement
It was freezing at the beach (and Heather was in a strapless dress), so we took lots of warm-up breaks in between activities.
I love shooting elopements in cold weather, but they're not for the feint of heart! Fortunately, Heather and Zach were such troopers through all the weather we encountered during their elopement.
And there are lot of strategies you can use to stay warm – like popping on your warmest coat while traveling between locations, and bringing a warm drink (we grabbed hot chocolate from the entrance station).
Wrapping up a Multi-Day Elopement
The last stop on the couple's elopement itinerary was an adventure to a waterfall. We drove back pretty much all the way to where we started our journey in Iceland, stopping one last time to grab coffee (at our fifth coffee shop of the trip).
As we went over the pass, the clouds cleared. Iceland decided to give us beautiful golden light and full sun for our final portraits of the trip (which we hadn't seen all week)! It felt like we'd experienced every type of weather throughout Heather and Zach's elopement.
Heather + Zach's Review
Sam was absolutely amazing! Not only did she take breathtaking photos, she also helped us plan our elopement trip in two different countries. I will forever recommend Sam for photos. We’ve only gotten the sneak peaks back and I am so so excited to get the full gallery. She is such a great photographer and down for anything like hiking up a snowy mountain to an ice cave! You won’t regret hiring her!
- H + Z
