A bride in a non-traditional yellow wedding dress and groom in a formal blue suit walk towards one another to meet in the middle of a street during their destination elopement in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland.

Top 10 Best Reasons To Elope Instead | Iceland Elopement Photographer & Planner

One of the biggest decisions you can make after the big proposal is whether to throw a full-scale wedding or save those hard earned dolla bills and elope instead. There is no right or wrong answer, as long as you do what feels right. Over the years however, more and more couples have been choosing to elope for a variety of reasons. If you’re in the process of making the big decision for yourself, check out these top 10 reasons to elope, as explained by my wonderful couples.

Reason to Elope #1 : The Money

Let’s get the most obvious out of the way first. It is no secret that weddings are freakin’ expensive! Most catering companies charge over $20 a plate for burgers, and you’re looking at $40+ for fancier menu options. Add in the cost of appies for cocktail hour, the dessert and midnight snack, and of course the taxes and fees and — just like that — you’re easily exceeding $10,000 for a 200-person guest list!

That’s not even including all the other costs (liquor is freakin’ expensive yo!!!). In other words, you can buy a new car or put a down payment on a house for the same cost of a wedding these days.

Couples with a budget often end up cutting out the things that truly mean something to them, just so they can afford the traditional aspects which tend to mean more to their guests.

It’s not really a surprise that so many couples list the expense of a traditional wedding as one of their top 10 reasons to elope. After all, you can basically choose the destination elopement of your dreams, with all the meaningful details included, AND experience an adventure-filled day crammed with memories and moments, all for less than the cost of a large-scale wedding.

That $10,000 you saved on dinner just bought you the most badass elopement and honeymoon you can dream of.

A bride and groom stand together in the distance on top of the natural bridge formation at the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. during their Iceland Elopement

Reason to Elope #2 : It's about YOU

Some people dream of the gigantic wedding at the insanely expensive and exclusive venue that has a six-year waiting list, others dream of something simpler and more true to themselves. There is nothing wrong with either of these choices, but what irks me, above all else, is family and friends who unintentionally bully couples into a wedding that just isn’t them.

It happens ALL THE TIME. Sometimes it starts off simple and innocently enough, a mother who makes passive-aggressive comments on how she has always dreamed of her daughter getting married at the family church, and next thing the bride knows, there she is, ceremony booked at the venue of her mother’s dreams.

It doesn’t stop there either. What about the bride who has never really been a fan of cake and chooses to go with a selection of pies instead, but the next thing she knows, a friend ‘graciously’ offers to pay for a five-tier wedding cake because the couple absolutely ‘needs’ to have those cake cutting shots. How does the bride say no? If it’s so important to the family friend that she is offering to pay, maybe the bride believes she should just say screw it, scrap the pies and add the cake.

Next it's the DJ, which the couple knew from the moment of the proposal that they were completely opting out of because the lovebirds have a major love for music and know for a fact that their playlists will be better than anything a DJ could provide. But then another family member steps in, strongly ‘suggesting’ they go with a live band and, after numerous confrontations — I mean, helpful suggestions — they finally ‘compromise’ and hire a DJ.

I want you to listen to this next part very closely.

You are allowed to be selfish.

This is something I believe to my very core. It is something I base every one of my elopements around and it’s the number one piece of advice I give every. single. couple. I speak with, whether they book me or not.

It is YOUR wedding day, not theirs. Make your own dreams come true, not theirs.

Elopements have this magical way of giving the power back to the couple. It gives them full control over all the things they truly want in their day, and grants full permission to cut loose all those pieces that just don’t fit.

Reason to Elope #3: The Romance

I am not here to say that big fancy weddings with a zillion guests in attendance are not romantic. I’ve been to many and, yes, I have teared up on more than one occasion, but let me just say elopements are different.

They are deliberate and concentrated. They are 100% about love and one another. You’re not spending the day running around playing host and making sure everyone else is happy, fed, and feeling welcomed. Your only focus is on your person. The person who fills you with happiness and lights your soul on fire. What could possibly be more romantic than that?

A bride and groom stand in a grassy field as they take part in their first dance after becoming husband and wife during their Iceland Adventure Elopement. The bride is in a white wedding dress and holding a bouquet while the groom is in a dark colou…

Reason to Elope #4: Time

Most weddings come with an itinerary that is set out months in advance. It schedules out every minute of your day, from what time you wake up, to when you have a morning snack, and even when you get dressed. This is normal and let’s be real, it's necessary.

There are SO many moving parts to a wedding that sticking to that schedule is basically a requirement, especially if you want time for photos. Typical weddings will have a photographer there for the Getting Ready photos, followed by the First Look — if you’re going that route — then the wedding party photos, before being whisked off to your ceremony. Once the ceremony is over, you’re in for your next photo blitz with all your family and friends.

While there are plenty of opportunities for photos on a normal wedding day, they’re also scheduled down to the minute, and depending on exactly what you want done, it can sometimes feel rushed and unnatural.

Elopements give you all the time in the world. You can have your ceremony at 8 am and continue on for a full day of excitement as a newly-wedded couple, or you can decide to say your vows under the stars and document your day leading up to those wonderful moments.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have a schedule with my couples. We need to know when to book the officiant after all, and if you want to see several Iceland locations during your day, we need to have a loose idea on when we should be heading off to the next site. That said, the majority of our schedule is just a guide more than anything. If you plan to visit five sites during your adventure, but end up falling in love with the third location and desperately want to explore it more, guess what, we’re doing that.

Reason to Elope #5 : Less planning

Yes, you need to plan the day and all the details you want to include, but believe me when I say that elopement planning is nothing compared to planning a full-on wedding. There is so much to consider when planning a large-scale event, and the bigger the guestlist gets, the more complicated things become.

If you don’t have the budget for a wedding planner, then the chaos of it all can be overwhelming. Booking the venue, the caterers, the rentals, the photobooth, the bartenders, the DJ, the flowers, and all the rest of it gets to be a bit much. Wedding planning is a beast and it can suck the fun right out of the experience for a lot of couples.

I do my absolute damndest to help my couples plan out their day and navigate all the requirements to make sure it’s done legally. In fact, planning is part of my services. You aren’t just getting someone who is handy with a camera, but someone who can recommend the best accommodations, who can suggest stunning locations to visit, or the best local restaurant to reserve for your first dinner as a married couple. I can help you nail down all the details, recommend officiants who match your personality and do all those little things so you don’t need to worry about it.

Fuck the stress! Leave that behind and let’s have some fun instead.

A bride and groom jump out of the way of a wave rolling onto an Icelandic beach during their adventure elopement with Steph Zakas. The bride is in a floor-length white wedding dress and the groom in a black suit. The couple are exploring the shoreli…

Reason to Elope #6 : All Things Authentic and Intentional

Remember, this day is about you. If I can do anything for you, please let it be that I empower you to have the wedding of your dreams, on your terms, and immersed in your own “you”ness!. Every single minute of it. Not just the part where you say your vows. Every goddamn second of the day is YOURS.

When my couples ask me what they need to bring with them (beyond the legal necessities), or what they should wear, or where they should go, or any of the other questions, my response is always the same. Whatever you damn well please.

From the dress you wear (or don’t wear), to the button hidden inside your pocket as a reminder of someone who is not with us anymore, to the decision to wear work boots rather than dress shoes — every decision should be based on you and YOUR preferences.

In fact, if you aren’t making every decision based on what you as a couple want, you aren’t doing it right. Elopements can be absolute magic, and it's 100% because it filters out the bullshit and concentrates the love.

I love what I do and I chose it because I wanted to help couples strip away the frivolous and the material and focus on the feeling.

Elopements are intimate, slowed down, and intentional. Elopements aren’t about going through the motions, they’re about letting your heart guide you; they’re about the quiet moments where words don’t need to be spoken because it is all said through the squeeze of a hand.

Reasons to Elope #7 : The Spotlight

Some people just hate being in the spotlight. The idea of standing in front of hundreds of people with all eyes on them, while attempting to read vows that come straight from their heart, is a literal nightmare. I’ve heard this so many times that I knew I had to add it to my list of top 10 reasons to elope!

For these peeps, elopements are the cats meow! Your elopement can be completely private or you can invite a few of those closest to you; either way, your introverted selves won’t need to deal with a crapload of anxiety throughout your entire day. #problemsolved

A groom helps guide his bride up a hillside in rural Reykjavík, located in Iceland. The bride is wearing a nontraditional wedding dress with a floral pattern and the groom is in a dark grey suit. A lake can be see in the background during this adven…

Reason To Elope #8: You Get to Skip Out On The Drama

Isn’t it odd how an event centered around love can sometimes cause hostility between friends and family? Who knew your family felt THAT strongly about tacos as your wedding meal, or that your grandma would take direct offense with the fact you left your fourth cousin, Randall (whom you’ve never met), off the guest list.

Some people have complicated family dynamics that create unwanted drama, even with the best of intentions.

Elopements, thankfully, help eliminate all that. You can’t have family drama if your family isn’t around! It simplifies things.

Your friends and family will get over it, especially when they see your photos and all that love just shines through and fills them up too.

Reason to Elope #9: The Memories

I challenge you to walk up to 10 of your married friends and family members and ask them about their wedding day. I bet the majority of them will say it went by in a flash. Most won’t remember how the food tasted, or what songs the DJ played. They won’t remember that the glasses were clear rather than the blue tinted ones they painstakingly sought out for months but were overlooked in the setup.

Most will tell you it all just sort of blends together and it’s over in a blink.

This is why my business isn’t just about the pretty photos, it's about the adventure. I want every single client to walk away with memories to last a lifetime. You get to slow down and experience every part of your day at your own pace. Relish the moment, take it all in. Explore Iceland together and witness its incredible landscapes and breathtaking views, all the things you will be able to tell your grandkids about one day.

A bride and groom say their vows to one another while on their adventure wedding in Iceland. The skies are dark and moody but a rainbow can be seen stretching through the clouds. The couple stand at the doors of the famous black church in Búðakirkja…

Reason to Elope #10 : There Are No Rules

Some couples want to save all the intimate stuff for when they’re alone, just the two of them. They want their elopement to be short and sweet when it comes to their ceremony, and save their personal vows for when there are no other ears around to hear it.

Some couples want to bring elements of their first date to their big day, like enjoying a picnic with a scenic view.

Some couples want to have their immediate family there for the entire adventure (all 30 of them).

There is no right or wrong way to elope! Elopements are meant to make things easier for you, to boost the magic, minimize the stress, and make your dreams become reality.

A bride in a non traditional yellow wedding dress and groom in a blue suit sit on a blanket and enjoy a picnic while on their adventure elopement in Iceland. In the background you can see a spectacular view of the waterfalls located at Kolugljúfur C…

If you’re here and reading this, you probably already know that my specialty is adventure elopements. I didn’t just fall into this very specific niche — I ran to it. I chose this area because it embodies all the magical things I love most about eloping. It strips away the distractions and gives couples the chance to just ‘be’. Be themselves. Be together. Be in love.

Couples who book me aren’t getting a photographer who will push locations at them and demand the same set of poses that are used on every other couple, because that's not the purpose of the day. Remember, if I’m gonna demand anything from you, it’s that you be selfish. It's that you tell me all the places YOU want to see. We will snag a few posed shots, but the majority of your day is exactly that, YOUR day. Adventure elopements aren’t just about getting to those killer views, they’re about the overall experience.

You and your person get to explore something entirely new and it allows you to lean on and into one another in such an honest and intimate way. You stumble together, you help each other through the rougher sections, and you take in the natural beauty before you, hand in hand. I’m just there to capture the scrunched-nosed giggles, the forehead kisses, the deliberate looks, and all the tiny moments that define YOU. It's your story. It's your day.

Elopements allow you to remove all the extra things that mean nothing, and focus on the smaller moments, the ones that don’t need words, the ones that mean everything. It's about the memories that continue to give you goosebumps even years later. It’s about magic and romance.