Iceland · Glaciers · Location guide

Ice Cave & Glacier Wedding in Iceland

Saying your vows inside a glacier is about as far from an ordinary wedding as it gets: walls of blue ice above you, the sound of water dripping somewhere in the dark, and crampons under the wedding dress. I have filmed elopements in the Katla ice cave, in the ice caves of Vatnajökull and on Sólheimajökull glacier, and the films from these days are some of my most watched. This guide explains how it works – and what to expect.

A bride and groom standing inside the blue ice of the Katla ice cave

Where: Katla near Vík (2.5 hours from Reykjavík) and Vatnajökull near Jökulsárlón (about 5 hours)
Best for: Adventurous elopements for two or a very small group
When: Katla ice cave all year; Vatnajökull ice caves in winter only
Good to know: Always with a certified glacier guide, helmets and crampons

Two kinds of ice caves

Iceland has two quite different ice cave experiences, and the season decides a lot.

The Katla ice cave lies under the Kötlujökull glacier, an outlet of Mýrdalsjökull above the Katla volcano. Its ice is streaked black with volcanic ash, which also slows the melting – that is why it can be visited all year. Tours leave from Vík in a super-jeep: about forty minutes’ drive each way across black sand, a short walk on the ice and around an hour in the cave, roughly three hours in all.

A couple silhouetted at the entrance of the Katla ice cave

A couple among the blue and ash-streaked ice walls of the Katla ice cave

The Vatnajökull ice caves near Jökulsárlón are the clear blue caves you may have seen in photographs. They form inside Breiðamerkurjökull and other outlet glaciers and are only safe in the cold months – tours usually run from around October or November to March. After a fatal accident in August 2024, the rules became much stricter: an experienced lead guide checks every cave each day, and tours go only to caves that have passed a risk assessment. I think that is exactly how it should be.

A couple on the black, ash-covered ice of Kötlujökull glacier — The black, ash-covered ice of Kötlujökull on the way to the Katla ice cave.

How an ice cave elopement works

You cannot visit an ice cave on your own – you always go with a licensed glacier guide, usually on a private tour booked by your planner so the cave is yours for the ceremony. The guides give everyone helmets and crampons. The walk on the ice is short but uneven, and inside the cave it is wet and cold, around freezing.

A super-jeep driving across the black sand towards the Katla ice cave

Dress: brides usually walk in in hiking boots and a warm coat over the dress, and take the coat off only for the ceremony and a few minutes of photos.
Guests: a few guests can come along, but the smaller the group, the more relaxed it is. Children under six are usually not allowed on the Katla tours.
Light: the blue colour comes from daylight passing through the ice, so we film in the daytime and bring small lights for the darker parts of the cave.
Flexibility: glacier conditions change. On the day the guides decide where it is safe to go, and sometimes that means a different cave than planned.

Guides with helmets walking through the ice cave

Glacier walks and ice climbing

If you would rather be on the glacier than under it, a glacier walk is the other option. Sólheimajökull, a glacier tongue on the South Coast about two hours from Reykjavík, is the easiest to reach, and the walks there run all year with a guide. On the bigger glaciers of Vatnajökull we have gone further: Caroline and Daniel started their elopement with ice climbing in a blue crevasse, the bride in her dress with ice axes in her hands, before heading to Diamond Beach and a ceremony by the sea.

A groom ice climbing with axes and a rope on his elopement day

A bride in her dress climbing out of an ice crevasse with ice axes

A couple standing in a blue ice crevasse on a Vatnajökull glacier

Combining the day

An ice cave tour takes only a few hours, so most couples combine it with other places. From Vík, the black sand beaches, Dyrhólaey and the waterfalls of the South Coast are close by – see my guide to black sand beach weddings. Near the Vatnajökull caves, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach are just down the road – see my Jökulsárlón elopement guide.

A couple in front of the glacier ice streaked with volcanic ash

More about the legal side, the seasons and a plan B is in my guide on how to elope in Iceland.

Planning your elopement in an ice cave?

Tell me your date and place – I’ll let you know if I’m free.

Check your date

Questions about ice cave weddings

When can we get married in an ice cave in Iceland?

The Katla ice cave near Vík can be visited all year. The blue ice caves of Vatnajökull near Jökulsárlón are open only in the cold months, usually from around October or November to March.

Do we need a guide for an ice cave wedding?

Yes, always. Ice caves can only be visited with a licensed glacier guide, who provides helmets and crampons and decides each day where it is safe to go.

What should I wear for an ice cave elopement?

Hiking boots and a warm coat over the dress for the walk, warm layers underneath and gloves. Inside the cave it is wet and around freezing, so the coat comes off only for the ceremony and a few minutes of photos.

Can guests come to an ice cave ceremony?

A few can, on a private tour. Children under six are usually not allowed on the Katla tours.