Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach Elopement

Where

South-East Iceland – about 5 hours from Reykjavík, 1 hour from Höfn

Best for

Elopements and small weddings, often as part of a two- or three-day trip

When

All year; the most ice on Diamond Beach in late winter

Good to know

Part of Vatnajökull National Park – events and commercial filming need permits

Jökulsárlón

The lagoon sits right beside the Ring Road, with the glacier at the far end and icebergs of every shade of white and blue floating past. Seals live in the lagoon all year and are easiest to see in winter. Because it is so easy to reach, the car park and the shore by the bridge are busy for much of the day, but a short walk along the shore takes you to quieter spots. In winter, when the lagoon partly freezes, it becomes almost silent.

Diamond Beach

Across the road, the ice that drifts out of the lagoon is thrown back onto the black sand by the waves – blocks of ice the size of a car next to pieces as small as a diamond. No two days look the same. The waves are powerful here too, and the larger pieces of ice can roll, so we keep our distance from the water and never climb on the ice.

Fjallsárlón

Fjallsárlón is my favourite of the three for a ceremony. The glacier tongue of Fjallsjökull comes right down to the lagoon, the shore is more open and there are far fewer people. Amanda and Lucas got married here in February, with the lagoon frozen and covered in snow, their families gathered around them under clear umbrellas – then everyone warmed up at a party at Hotel Katla.

Permits and drones

Since 2017, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach and the area around them are part of Vatnajökull National Park. The park asks for a permit for events, including weddings, and for commercial filming, which should be applied for at least thirty days ahead. Drones have their own rules: they are not allowed at Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach from mid-April to mid-July, during the rest of the year only in set time windows, and commercial filming needs the park’s permit. I take care of the filming permit and plan the aerial shots around these rules, and your planner applies for the event permit.

Planning the trip

• Distance: Jökulsárlón is about five hours’ drive from Reykjavík, so couples usually plan two or three days in the south-east and combine it with the ice caves, Vestrahorn and Múlagljúfur canyon.
• Where to stay: there are a handful of hotels within half an hour of the lagoon, and more in Höfn and around Skaftafell.
• Season: the ice caves of Vatnajökull are open only in winter; the boat tours on the lagoon run from May to October.
• Light: in midwinter the sun stays low all day, and the soft light on the ice can last for hours.

See also my guides to ice cave and glacier weddings and to Vestrahorn and Múlagljúfur canyon, both a short drive away.