Some of the best moments in life aren’t planned. They just happen. This shoot at Skógafoss waterfall in Iceland was exactly that. No rigid timeline, no expectations, just the right people in the right place at the exact right moment. The kind of serendipity you can’t force, only follow.
Chasing Waterfalls
Standing at the base of Skógafoss, with mist in the air and dark volcanic sand beneath our feet, it felt familiar in the best way. Powerful. Wild. A little unpredictable. And honestly, it felt a lot like an Alaska elopement.
Skógafoss is located on Iceland’s south coast near the small village of Skógar. It is fed by the Skógá River, which originates from the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The waterfall drops nearly 200 feet straight down and spans about 82 feet wide, creating a constant, thunderous curtain of water you can hear long before you see it.
Because of its size and the amount of mist it produces, Skógafoss is known for frequent rainbows when the light hits just right. It is dramatic and cinematic and completely unapologetic. The kind of place that makes you feel small in the best way.
There is also an old legend that a Viking settler hid a treasure behind the waterfall centuries ago. While no one has ever recovered it, it is easy to understand why this place still feels sacred. There is a gravity here, a sense that something meaningful is always unfolding.
Lucky Girl Energy, Always
This moment wasn’t planned. It wasn’t a styled shoot or something carefully orchestrated. It was one of those “we should stop here” decisions that turned into something unforgettable. The wind picked up, the mist wrapped around everything, and suddenly it felt like the rest of the world disappeared.
Those are the moments I live for as a photographer. When couples aren’t performing or posing, but simply existing together. Laughing, holding each other close, leaning into the cold and the chaos. Wet boots, wind in their hair, real connection and real emotion. That is where the story lives, just as it does during an Alaska elopement.
Alaska & Iceland are Long Lost Siblings
Every time I find myself in Iceland, I am reminded why I love photographing Alaska elopements so deeply. These landscapes speak the same language.
Both places are raw and untamed. Both demand respect. You don’t dominate the landscape, you move with it. Waterfalls crash with the same authority. Weather shifts without warning. Glaciers and mountains loom quietly in the background, reminding you how fleeting and beautiful a single moment can be.
If you are drawn to Skógafoss, there is a good chance you would feel just as at home exchanging vows beside an Alaskan glacier, standing at the edge of a remote waterfall, or tucked into a windswept mountain ridge. The energy is similar. Dramatic, grounding, and deeply romantic.
If you are dreaming of an elopement that feels intentional but not overproduced, adventurous without being overwhelming, Alaska offers that same magic, often with fewer crowds and just as much awe.
As an Alaska elopement photographer, I am always chasing these in between moments. The quiet pauses. The laughter carried away by the wind. The way people naturally lean into each other when the landscape feels big. Whether it is Iceland or Alaska, the goal is always the same. To tell the story exactly as it unfolds.
No pressure. No performance. Just you, your person, and a place that makes your love feel even bigger.
If this kind of experience speaks to you, if you want your elopement to feel serendipitous, grounded, and wildly unforgettable, Alaska might be calling you for an elopement.
Documenting epic love stories for adventurous HUMANS
Chelsa Jay is a wedding and elopement photographer based in Palmer, Alaska. Servicing the local areas of Anchorage, Palmer and the surrounding areas from North of the Matanuska Valley to Seward, Homer and everywhere in-between. Often providing services for weddings across the U.S. and worldwide. Chelsa Jay Specializes in capturing artistic and editorial portraits paired with a photojournalistic approach to produce beautiful, emotional wedding photography.
