Írafoss Waterfall Elopement & Wedding

Where

Under Eyjafjöll, South Coast – about 1 hour 45 minutes from Reykjavík

Best for

Small weddings with guests, and elopements with a private feel

When

Greenest from late May to September; possible all year

Weddings I have filmed here

Close to thirty since 2018

Which Írafoss?

There is more than one Írafoss in Iceland. This one – sometimes written Írárfoss – sits on the Írá river, which runs down from the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. It is reached from road 246, the small road up to the Skálakot farm between Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. It is not the Írafoss on the Sog river by the Ljósafoss power station, which is a different waterfall altogether.

Why couples love it

The waterfall drops into a narrow, mossy gorge and opens onto a flat green meadow – a natural amphitheatre with enough room for chairs, a small arch and your guests, and a walk of just a few minutes from where the cars stop. There is no official trail and no visitor centre, so on most days the only people there are your own. That is rare on the South Coast, where the famous waterfalls are busy from morning to evening.

The other reason is how much the place gives you in a single setting: the waterfall behind the ceremony, the gorge above it for portraits, and the slopes of Eyjafjöll all around. When the light is soft, the whole valley glows green.

How the day usually looks

Most of the ceremonies I film here are planned by Pink Iceland, who take care of the setting, the officiant and all the practical arrangements on site. A typical day starts with getting ready at a hotel nearby, then a first look, the ceremony at Írafoss in the late morning or afternoon, and portraits around the South Coast afterwards.

The ceremonies have been as different as the couples. Emilee and Landon walked down an aisle between rows of white chairs. Art and Kat celebrated with musicians and dancing on the grass before a party in a Viking-style hall. Jeffy and Oscar’s officiant opened the ceremony in traditional dress, blowing a horn, before they headed back to Reykjavík for a reception at Iðnó. And some couples come with just their parents, or no one at all.

Getting there and where to stay

The turn-off to road 246 is about 20 minutes east of Hvolsvöllur on the Ring Road. From Reykjavík the drive takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes, so most couples stay on the South Coast for a night or two. Skálakot, a family-run farm that has been in the same family for seven generations, is now a small boutique hotel just up the road – the closest place to stay, with a restaurant, a spa and Icelandic horses. My couples have also stayed at Umi Hotel under Eyjafjöll and Hotel Grímsborgir near Selfoss.

Combining Írafoss with other places

Írafoss sits right between the South Coast’s best-known sights, which makes it easy to build a full day around it:

• Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi – the waterfall you can walk behind and its hidden neighbour, a short drive west. See my guide to waterfall elopements.
• Skógafoss and Kvernufoss – a short drive east.
• The black sand beaches near Vík – about an hour east. See my guide to black sand beach weddings.
• Lupine fields – in June and early July the fields along the South Coast turn purple.

Weather and plan B

Írafoss is outdoors and exposed to whatever the weather brings, but the valley is fairly sheltered from wind. On a wet day we keep the ceremony short, use clear umbrellas and look for a dry window – showers on the South Coast often pass quickly. When the forecast is really bad, the Gígjagjá cave near Vík or an indoor room at your hotel make good alternatives; I once moved a ceremony planned here to the cave on the morning of the wedding.

More about the legal side and the best season is in my guide on how to elope in Iceland.