✈️ When Work Feels Like Home: Photographing My Best Friends’ Wedding in Iceland

Two Montana wedding creatives, one Icelandic love story. Honored doesn’t even begin to cover it.

There are moments in life when everything lines up just right — the people, the place, the purpose. Iceland was one of those moments.

When two of your best friends — who also happen to be Montana-based wedding photographers and videographers — ask you to fly across the world to capture their wedding, you don’t even let them finish the sentence. You pack your bags, grab your gear, and hop on a plane to Iceland and hope your luggage makes it.

This wasn’t just a destination wedding. This was the kind of story you get to live inside — and one I’ll never forget. And somehow, through 40 mph winds, cliffs that drop straight into the sea, and laughter that echoed across black sand beaches, it felt like we were right where we belonged.

🌋 Why Iceland?

They could’ve chosen anywhere. But Iceland has a magnetism that’s hard to explain — and impossible to ignore. A place of fire and ice, thunderous cliffs and quiet canyons, shifting skies and grounded hearts. As creatives, they were drawn to the drama of it. As a couple, they were drawn to the solitude — a place that felt entirely their own. It was a place that their relationship was built on, a common dream to visit a place that felt incomparable.

Iceland welcomed us with its wild energy: waterfalls taller than skyscrapers, moss-covered lava fields, and golden light that seemed to last forever. Every hour felt like its own little chapter. We road-tripped through the south coast, pulled over at every jaw-dropping viewpoint, and got absolutely drenched by waterfalls in the best way.

📸 The Crew

This wasn’t just a group of vendors — it was us. Me, Will, and Carson. Three best friends who’ve been through it all together. We’ve shot weddings side by side, survived endless editing marathons, and spent so many late Montana nights just talking about life, dreams, burnout, and everything in between. We’ve grown up in this creative world together. We've supported each other through the highs, the lows, the chaos, and the calm.

But this trip? This one hit different. This time, the story we were telling belonged to two of our own. It wasn’t work — it was personal.

We weren’t just a creative team — we were a trio of friends who’ve always shown up for each other. And somehow, freezing our hands off in sideways rain, trying to keep gear dry while laughing through the chaos, became one of the best memories we’ve ever made.

We’ve been completely inseparable for years — each other’s biggest supporters, problem solvers, and safe spaces. I came to film their wedding, but it was more than just documenting a day. The whole week, we passed the camera back and forth, each capturing little pieces of something bigger. We created something beautiful — something raw, emotional, and so us.

💍 The Day Itself

The morning was calm. Carson got ready surrounded by her sisters and mom, her sister carefully doing her makeup while laughter and quiet excitement filled the space. Will got ready separately — no rush, no pressure — just that peaceful kind of anticipation that only comes when you're exactly where you're supposed to be.

Originally, they had planned to get married on the black sand beaches — dramatic, iconic, and beautiful. But a few days before the wedding, their Land Rover broke down during a drive, stranding them in the middle of nowhere. In trying to figure out their next move, they stumbled upon a waterfall — remote, powerful, and completely unexpected. It felt like a sign.

So on their wedding day, they returned to it.

There was no rigid timeline, and even though they ended up waiting hours past the time they thought they’d say their vows, no one was stressed. The energy never shifted — it didn’t matter when it happened, only that it did.

Under that waterfall, mist clinging to their clothes and the sound of rushing water surrounding them, they exchanged vows. No setup. No staging. Just raw, beautiful honesty.

We didn’t need a plan. We didn’t need perfect light or a perfect setting. We had what mattered: two people, wildly in love, letting nature shape their story — one unforgettable moment at a time.

🎥 Photographing Fellow Creatives — and Dear Friends

Photographing fellow photographers and filmmakers is something entirely different. They see the moments you see — the in-betweens, the subtle shifts, the light you didn’t even have to point out. They trust your instincts without question, not because you’re hired, but because they know you.

That day, I wasn’t capturing clients. I was capturing people I love. I wasn’t just documenting a wedding — I was filming a story I’ve lived alongside for years. The weight of that? You feel it in every single frame.

This trip wasn’t about content. It was about connection. About slowing down, being present, and remembering why we do this in the first place. We weren’t chasing perfection. We were chasing meaning — and finding it everywhere.

It was the kind of experience that grounds you. That quietly reminds you of your why — why we shoot, why we travel, why telling stories matters so damn much.

And it reminded me that destination weddings aren’t just about a stunning backdrop. They’re about bringing your love to life in a place that reflects who you are. A place that feels as honest, wild, and beautiful as your story.

✈️ A Love Letter to the Adventure

We laughed until we cried — the kind of laughter that only happens when you're completely in the moment, surrounded by people who feel like home. We filmed in gale-force winds, mist soaking our jackets and gear, and somehow still found ourselves smiling through every second of it.

We didn’t just come to Iceland to work — we came to live. We shared some of the most incredible meals, the kind that make you pause mid-bite just to savor it. We met locals, listened to stories, wandered into bars, and soaked up the culture in a way that made the whole place feel like a memory we didn’t want to leave behind.

There was no rush. No pressure. Just presence. We remembered what matters most — people, connection, and the privilege of turning fleeting, in-between moments into something permanent.

This trip wasn’t just about creating beautiful content. It was about being together. About experiencing life in a place that felt wild and grounding at the same time. It was messy, meaningful, a little chaotic, and absolutely unforgettable.

And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Planning a Destination Elopement or Wedding?

Whether it’s Iceland, Italy, the Pacific Northwest — or just somewhere that feels like you — I’d be honored to help you tell your story through photo, film, or both.

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