How to Actually Enjoy Your Iceland Winter Elopement (and Not Just Survive It)

Yaël Bar Cohen
Nov 7
3 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

When people imagine getting married in Iceland, they usually picture dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and windswept romance. What they don’t picture is… their ears disappearing.

Winter here is stunning, genuinely magical. But also: yes, your nose might run, the wind might try to adopt your veil, and at some point you will ask yourself, “Are my hands still attached to my body?”

And still - winter elopements are some of my absolute favorites. They feel intimate. Honest. Close. The cold makes you hold each other tighter. You laugh more. You lean into each other. You remember the day with your whole body.

So here’s how to not just survive your winter shoot but feel amazing in it.

1. Start with Good Layers (Not Many Layers)

This is the number one mistake: People think more layers = warmer. Actually: better layers = warmer.

The formula that works here in Iceland:

Base layer: merino wool (not cotton - cotton is evil in cold weather)
Mid-layer: fleece or wool sweater
Outer layer: something windproof (wind is the real boss here, we all just work for her)

And yes: you can still look beautiful. Warm is beautiful. Being visibly in pain is not.

2. Hands and Feet Decide the Vibe

You can be wearing the best jacket in the world - if your toes go numb, you will not look romantic, you will look like someone trying to remember who they are.

Do this instead:

Bring hand warmers (life changing)
Wool socks (one good pair > three bad pairs)
Proper boots (your wedding shoes can come out later, for five minutes, when we pick a soft patch of ground)

3. Breaks Are Part of the Experience

This is not a military mission. We are not marching across the Highlands with flags.

We warm up. We sit in the car with the heater on. We drink coffee. We listen to music. We talk.

Some of my favorite, most emotional photos happen during these quiet, in-between moments.

The day is not only about posing - it’s about being.

4. The Weather Is a Co-Director - and It’s a Good One

Icelandic winter weather has moods: soft mist, full drama, golden glow, sideways snow, cinematic wind…

We don’t fight it. We dance with it.

If the wind is strong - we go with movement. If the clouds are heavy - we lean into softness. If the snow is falling - congratulations, you just got the most romantic filter in existence.

Flexibility is the true luxury.