Elopements

Intimate Wedding Adventure in Lofoten Islands, Norway

Who said you can’t have the best of both worlds? Julia and Chris planned a Lofoten Island wedding adventure in gorgeous Norway. The day before their wedding ceremony, these two went on an epic hike. Despite the rain and fog at first, they were able to see the coolest views for their portraits together.

Thinking about eloping? Are you wanting to mix aspects of a traditional wedding and elopement? Explore our elopement vendors to start planning your own adventure.

Hiking Lofoten Islands Before Their Wedding Ceremony

Photography by TS Foto Design

During their hike, Julia and Chris brought some of their closest friends and family with them. They visit Lofoten every summer, so they chose this location for its dramatic mountain views.

“We fell in love with Lofoten due to its amazing scenery, and we are just adventurous by nature, so it seemed fitting! Also, as we’re from two different countries, we knew that half of the guests will have to travel to the wedding anyway, so it made sense to pick a place so pretty that it’s “worth the travel” for everyone.” [Julia and Chris]

Planning Your Elopement in Lofoten Islands in Norway

“In Norway, you have the ‘right to roam’ which covers most shores, forests, and mountains (though, it doesn’t apply to cultivated and private land). This means you can freely enjoy the great outdoors as long as you show respect for nature and don’t leave rubbish after your visit. Because of that, you don’t need to apply for permits to get married outdoors in Norway.

If you want to have a legally binding ceremony, you’ll need an authorized person from the municipality (where your ceremony would be) and there is quite some paperwork prior to the wedding day – just with any other destination weddings.” [Tanja, the photographer]

Top Tips for Wedding Locations in Lofoten:

Hiking season in Lofoten is from June to the end of September (bonus: from 27th May till 17th of July there is midnight sun season in Lofoten, so you can watch the sun 24/7).
If you prefer winter landscapes though, you can combine your winter elopement with Northern lights chasing. The best time for that is from October to the end of March.
The most crowded month in Lofoten is July, but that’s the warmest month too.

Planning an Adventure Elopement and Small Wedding

“If you want to combine elements of an adventure elopement together with a small wedding ceremony, the easiest way to do that is to have a two days-wedding (or a wedding weekend). One day can be dedicated to pure adventures where you two can enjoy the day just the way you want to. And the other day can be a small ceremony with your family and close friends. But it is also possible to do everything on the same day!” [Tanja, the photographer]

Tips for Couples Traveling to Norway Abroad

For a lot of couples, planning a wedding abroad can seem intimidating. Our biggest advice is to connect with a vendor who specializes in that area. Tanja, the photographer, shares some of her top tips for couples to keep in mind planning their wedding at Lofoten Islands or anywhere else in Norway.

Start planning early, especially if you want to have a legal wedding ceremony in Norway. Planning 6-12 (or even 18) months in advance is ideal.
For symbolic wedding ceremonies, you’ll get away with a shorter timeframe (4-6 months should be fine).
When choosing your elopement location in Norway, look at the map and consider the distances. Depending on where you choose, you’ll need to take either an airplane, car, ferry or a mix of transportation.
If you love Norway, but have no clue about how to start planning your elopement or where to elope, find an elopement photographer or a wedding planner that you love and ask them for help!
Stay in Norway for at least one week and combine your elopement/wedding with a honeymoon or vacation. There are so many things to explore.
Prepare your hiking gear (especially shoes) in advance and be ready for any weather! It’s good to pack rain jackets too because you never know when you’ll need them.
Take care of nature and follow the rules when you’re adventuring around in Norway. If the sign says “private” or “no parking/camping”, please respect that. Follow the hiking trails and don’t make your own, not only for safety reasons but also to decrease your impact on the landscape.
Be careful on your hikes and plan your adventure elopement based on your physical shape and previous experience! Both in Lofoten (and in other places in Norway) there are plenty of mountains with different heights and degrees of difficulty, so pick one that will suit you.

Memorable Moments From This Wedding Adventure

From the couple:

“I would say that what I loved the most was the fact that it felt like the wedding lasted a week, since we stayed in Lofoten for 9 days altogether, and had family and friends arriving throughout the week. This also took pressure away from the wedding day itself, as we got to have so many memorable experiences with everyone already before the actual wedding day!”

From the photographer:

“When the bride and groom were ready for their first look, Chris stood on a rock that juts out above the sea and a breathtaking view to a white sandy beach and peaky mountains.
About the same time Chris’ mother arrived at the top. She told us about Chris’ fear of heights and how impressed she was to see him standing on that rock. ‘With the right woman by your side, you can even forget your fear’, she said.”

Vendors

Photography: TS Foto Design

Venue: Nyvågar Rorbuhotell (in Kabelvåg Norway)

Wedding dress: Niinatar (From Helsinki Finland)

Wedding suit: Sentleman (From Hämeenlinna Finland)

Julia hair and makeup: Ishavsklipp (Svolvær Norway)

Chris hair: Thereses Frisør og Barber (Svolvær Norway)

Cake: Henningsvaer Bakeri (Henningvær Norway)

Florist: Gerds Blomster (Svolvær Norway)