Whimsical & Ethereal Hotel Katla Wedding In Iceland

Oh what a day Corey and Laura had. Their Hotel Katla wedding in beautiful Iceland was jaw-dropping – talk about destination wedding goals!

They wanted a natural woodland theme for their day, with decoration that enhanced the natural beauty of the setting. There was greenery, moss, wooden elements and soft lighting at their reception that looked just magical. Not to mention they wore the most stunning outfits!

Their spectacular waterfall ceremony and hike to the Katla Glacier ice cave looked sensational. Also, I must shout out about their proposal story too, which is the sweetest!

Thanks so very much to ISKRA Photography for sharing these epic images of Corey and Laura’s adventurous Iceland wedding.

Hotel Katla Wedding

The Proposal

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with those Adventure Challenge books where you scratch off a date idea, do it, and take a polaroid as a keepsake. Corey created a custom version for a belated Valentine’s Day date, featuring three scratch-off squares.

The night before our date day, he gifted me my dream pair of white ice skates. Excitedly, I scratched off the first square the next morning, revealing an image of ice skating. We spent our time at an ice rink that he rented out just for the two of us.

Later, the second square depicted a dinner scene, leading us to a nice lakeside restaurant.

At home, late evening, I scratched off the final square expecting something like a movie, but instead it showed a man proposing. Confused, I turned to find Corey on one knee, and I ecstatically said yes! We captured each moment of the date day with a polaroid, memorializing that amazing day.

The Vision

When I began planning, I found myself drawn to various and sometimes clashing styles and themes, initially making it difficult to settle on a singular vision for the wedding. I’m a very visual person. If I don’t see it, I can’t imagine it, so the multiplicity of my interests meant that I needed to look up inspiration to find what I truly loved and that felt most like us.

Having vision boards really helped me consolidate my varied preferences into a cohesive theme, and ultimately, this vision for my wedding became a concept I’d call a natural, overgrown woodland look.

Imagine walking into a forest. Greenery and florals appeared to have grown naturally around the settings, creating an overgrown yet beautiful landscape. Using natural materials, earthly tones, and soft ambient lighting brought this vision to life for us. This theme perfectly encapsulated what we love: the wild, organic, and unrefined elements of nature blending into a beautiful wedding celebration with close family and friends.

This theme was more than just an aesthetic choice. When we chose to get married in Iceland, it was important to us to keep the location’s raw beauty and natural essence as the main focal point of the wedding.

The Venue

When we began planning our special day, it was important for us to choose a location that held significant sentimental value. Our hearts were set on a very intimate wedding surrounded only by close family and friends. There were two reasons we chose Iceland as our wedding destination.

Firstly, this beautiful country was our first trip together, a journey that sparked many of our treasured memories. Every waterfall, glacier, and sheep reminds us of those early days of discovering the world and each other.

Secondly, and most importantly, Iceland is where our love story truly began. We met online and developed a long-distance friendship, often traveling to visit each other. One of these trips evolved into a spontaneous decision to travel to Iceland together. Of course, visiting each other over time, we began to gain feelings and formed a more intimate relationship.

Still, it wasn’t until Iceland, amidst the breathtaking beauty of that country, that my now husband officially asked me to be his girlfriend and move in with him. That moment marked the beginning of the rest of our lives, and what better way to honor that than to get married there five years later?

The Ceremony

Heiðrún, our incredible wedding planner with Pink Iceland, found us the most breathtaking private waterfall location for our ceremony. We knew we wanted a waterfall as the backdrop of our ceremony, but it was important for it to have privacy, away from tourists. We envisioned a serene and picturesque setting, so we were thrilled when Heiðrún showed us this place. It’s those hidden special places you find out about when working with a local wedding planner like Pink Iceland.

This enchanting spot was perfect for our ceremony and ideal for an intimate picnic celebration with our guests right after. Every detail of this location was perfect and we are so happy to have been married at a unique and stunning place.

Your Outfits

Bride’s Outfit & Accessories

When I first started the journey of wedding dress shopping, I had only a vague idea in my mind. I envisioned a flowy A-line dress, lightweight enough to hike in, and would make me feel like a fairy princess.

The moment I discovered the dress from La Premiere Bridal in the style ‘Realyn’, I knew it was the one. It’s enchanting design and ethereal elegance not only fulfilled my dream but also inspired the entire theme of my wedding.

For the accessories, I wanted them to blend seamlessly with my dress and wedding theme. The dress featured delicate floral appliques, guiding me to choose accessories that embraced the floral motifs. I chose mother-of-pearl flower earrings with a subtle floral but elegant design perfectly complementing my dress. The necklace was chosen to match the earrings, featuring two dainty mother-of-pearl flowers, furthering my bridal look.

As for my headpiece, I knew from the start that a traditional veil didn’t resonate with my personal style. Instead, I wanted something that resembled flowers blooming effortlessly from my hair, echoing the natural woodland theme. After a lot of searches, I found the perfect solution in these beautiful ivory ceramic floral pins that perfectly embodied the whimsical, fairy-tale ambience we created for our wedding day.

Oh, and the shoes, were just Columbia hiking boots. I wanted to be comfortable on my wedding day with all the hiking we would do. Best decision I ever made! They were barely noticeable under my dress anyway

Groom’s Outfit

My husband’s suit was a custom-made tweed suit at a local place. We’ve always liked the tweed style for its stylish appearance, durability, and, most importantly, ability to keep him warm and dry for Iceland’s unpredictable weather.

In terms of color, we opted for earthy tones to compliment the Icelandic surroundings. His shoes were also hiking boots to ensure he stayed comfortable all day.

Your Photographer & Filmmaker

Capturing our special moments on the wedding day was our top priority. We desired to have these cherished memories so we could relive the day over and over again. I found Jane and Tony on Instagram when I was looking for a destination wedding photographer and immediately fell in love with their work. I knew we had to have them, so they were one of the first things we booked. Jane and Tony were beyond perfect. Their professionalism is unmatched, and we were so grateful to have them be there for our special day.

Same with our videographer! Arnar was amazing, and we couldn’t have been more happy with the photos and video we received.

Memorable Moments

Oh my gosh, the glacier ice cave. The most unforgettable moment of our wedding day was our photo shoot at Katla Glacier inside an ice cave. It was exhilarating and absolutely magical. Picture us in our full wedding attire (yes, I did it in my wedding dress!) embarking on an adventure inside an ice cave! We wore crampons to safely navigate the icy terrain, adding to the exhilarating experience.

The setting was surreal, with the ice formation surrounding us. It felt and looked like a scene straight out of a movie. It was an adventure that brought an extra spark of joy and fun on our wedding day. Reflecting back on our day, this experience perfectly shows our spirit as a couple – always ready for an adventure together.

The Styling & Decor

We really put a lot of trust into our wedding planner, Heiðrún in this department. Planning a wedding from another country would have been nearly impossible if it wasn’t for her. We provided her with inspirational pictures and told her what we envisioned as our theme, and she brought it all to life.

We didn’t really spend a lot of time looking or thinking about color schemes. We just preferred natural, earthy tones with a lot of greenery and a hint of color. My vision for the flowers was a wild, overgrown look as if they had been handpicked right from the ground.

Our guest book was the most unique item that we got. It was custom-made from Etsy and was shaped like Iceland to commemorate where we got married. It had a clear front so guests could write their names on hearts, filling it up to create a cherished memento of everyone who attended.

Advice For Other Couples

Remember that the wedding day is about you and your partner — no one else. At the end of the day, you need to do what makes you both happy.
List and prioritize the details that matter most to you and your partner. Focus less on the smaller or minor details as they often go unnoticed, or you yourself won’t even remember them later.
The wedding day goes by fast, so don’t stress if you overlook or can’t attend to every small thing; it won’t change or ruin your special day.