Some elopements are planned with months to spare. But Christina & Dustin decided to embrace spontaneity and in less than a month they had pulled off their dream elopement up in the arctic circle in Lofoten in northern Norway.
A Winter Solstice Elopement in Lofoten
Christina & Dustin were planning a big wedding at home with their friends and family. But as wedding planning became more and more stressful, they became less and less excited about their day. With a winter trip to Norway already booked, one month before they were due to fly over, they had an idea. What if they eloped while they were there?
Within an hour of reading their initial email, Christina & I were on a Skype call and talking about their options. They didn’t have a particular location in mind, but one of the reasons they had chosen Norway for their trip was because they were both really keen to see the northern lights. That meant we’d need to go north. Far north, to the arctic circle. But there’s one big catch with travelling so far north in the middle of December – it was during the polar nights, where the sun wouldn’t rise above the horizon. After a small amount of deliberating, they chose the epic Lofoten Islands for their stunning winter elopement, where the dramatic towering mountains drop into the ocean, and quaint fishing villages decorate the rugged coastline.
On the morning of their elopement, they started the day in their favourite way. Enjoying a cup of coffee together and talking about what they had planned for the day ahead. They helped each other get ready for the most part, but Christina saved the finishing touches so that they could have an intimate first look in their rorbu cabin.
They wanted the rest of their day to be relaxed and spontaneous, so while they had planned a couple of locations that they wanted to visit, Christina & Dustin just wanted to go with the flow and enjoy the few daylight hours they had exploring this epic place.
Their first stop was in a little village almost at the far southern tip of Lofoten, where they met with a wonderful lady who hiked with them and her adorable goats. After that, we headed back a little further north to explore some of the picturesque fishing villages that are an iconic part of the Lofoten scenery. At a moment where it felt right, Christina & Duston picked a beautiful spot to say their vows to one another. Braving the cold Atlantic wind, they read their hand-written vows to each other and took off their gloves just long enough to exchange rings.
After their ceremony, we ran to a nearby restaurant to warm up with some fresh Lofoten fish for lunch, and in true Christina & Dustin style, they toasted to the start of their new adventure with a couple of bottles of the local beer.
As the light started to fade, and the polar night started to creep back in (at 2pm in the afternoon!), their last stop for the day was to visit a traditional Norwegian fishing village museum. With a family history in the fishing industry, Christina & Dustin wandered through the museum, admiring the similarities and differences between the lives of fishermen in the Norwegian arctic compared to back in the warm state of Florida in the USA.
The rest of their afternoon was spent relaxing in their beautiful AirBnB, and their perfect day was brought to an end with dinner in one of Lofoten’s top restaurants, sampling local foods and drinking cocktails made with the best local spirits.
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Want to know more about getting married in Norway?
Norway Elopement Guide
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How To Plan A Backpacking Elopement
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This Lofoten elopement looks amazing and they are so badass for sticking out that cold! Also, those landscape photos of Norway and the cliffs are amazing! Definitely adds to the story of their love 🙂
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