Friday, November 19, 2021

An LGBT Elopement In Iceland

Words by Lauren Ertl
Photos courtesy of Christina Biasi Photography

Considering a destination elopement? If you and your partner love to adventure in the outdoors and desire your wedding photos to be absolutely picturesque, look no further than an Iceland elopement. Not so sure? Well, you've come to the right place! We chatted with German wedding photographer, Christina Biasi, who recently traveled to Iceland with her wife and daughter not only to prove how majestic the destination is but also to encourage members of the LGBT community to consider eloping there. Why? Well, you'll just have to read on!

DID: What made you choose Iceland for this styled shoot?
Christina: Iceland has been on my bucket list for a long time since it has a fascinating landscape and stunning nature, and sites that I previously knew only from films or imaged from fairy tales. On top of that, Iceland is full of rich tones, thousands of textures, and a variety of lovely locations within a short distance, which guarantees beautiful pictures as a keepsake of a wedding or engagement. Then, there is the friendly people, good food, rich culture, and, again, amazingly beautiful landscape. Overall, I imagine this as the place to get married for individualists and adventurers like myself.

DID: You mentioned one of the models is your wife. Is this shoot something you envisioned together? If so, how did you collaborate to make it happen?
Christina: Yes, it was something we envisioned together and something we would have dreamed of for our own wedding. We had ourselves a rather unexciting wedding venue in a city, and I always regret not making it more special and individual (and not choosing a more attractive outdoor location). We chose the dresses together for this shoot and the locations, and the other model, Valerie Ósk Elenudóttir, who was stunning and did an amazing job. When she mentioned that she had a daughter (Sofia Anna), we decided to bring our children together to the photoshoot and showcase an LGBT family. I think this is something that we do not see that often in same-sex marriages and wedding photography but it reflects our real-life situation.

DID: Why did you select the locations you did?
Christina: We scouted them online first and then some of them on-site, and I got help from other fellow photographers in Iceland. Valerie lives also in Iceland, so she recommended some of the sites. Our first location, Skogarfoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, and really impressive. There is a smaller waterfall right next to it called Kvernufoss which we chose as our second location. Most people do not notice it because of its bigger brother, but it is particularly scenic. Finally, we shot at the black sand beach which is one of the most iconic places in Iceland to have a wedding. It is simply magical. Of course, also the distance between the locations played a role - we only had one day.

DID: How did the models' outfits come together/ what made you select the specific dresses and accessories?
Christina: We wanted some Boho, vintage vibe in this styled shoot, thus we chose simple dresses made mostly from cotton with a delicate look and touch. The colors were white and ivory, not bright white since they should reflect the nature and adventure feeling we wanted to convey. The dresses also needed to be comfortable to wear for the small hikes which were included in this shoot. Valerie, the model, said that she felt like a Greek goddess in hers- she liked it so much we presented the dress to her after the inspo shoot. As for the bridal bouquets, we simply picked some of the beautiful blue lupines which are growing all over Iceland, to make it feel natural and original, and give the wedding that rustic look.

DID: What do you hope this shoot will inspire in others?
Christina: I hope it inspires others to marry or elope in Iceland because this country truly lives up to all the hype about its unique and stunning nature. If not Iceland, choose another location of your dreams but make it special for an unforgettable experience. Another reason why we chose Iceland for a same-sex marriage styled shoot is that Iceland is a very liberal country, same-sex marriages have been legal since 2010. The position of a country toward same-sex marriages needs to be considered when choosing the destination for an LGBT wedding.