Katla Ice Cave Elopement: Mauli and Christian’s Sunset Handfasting and the Photo That Won IWPOTY 2024

Seljalandsfoss, a sunset handfasting on the glacier near Vík, and the blue ice of the Katla ice cave

When Mauli and Christian first told me what they dreamed of for their elopement, the list was short and perfect: glaciers, waterfalls, mountains, and no crowds. In Christian’s words, “We hate people, but we’re nice about it.” I knew right away we’d get along.

They met in college through mutual friends, at a simple get-together, “nothing crazy like from a romance novel,” as Mauli put it. Years later, Christian proposed on a slippery rock next to a roaring waterfall. So on 8 August 2024, they came to Iceland to say their vows on a glacier, just the two of them.

Why they chose to elope in Iceland

They wanted a day that was all about each other, without the frills of a big wedding, and Iceland’s raw beauty did the rest. Mauli told me that more than anything, she wanted to remember that this moment came after many storms they had already weathered together, “a testament of our resilience and love.”

They had such a calm, gentle energy: polite, a little introverted, and so excited about the adventure ahead.

A slow morning and an outfit true to her roots

The day started slowly, with skincare, breakfast and their wedding playlist. Mauli chose an outfit that was true to her roots and her soul, full of natural elements, even though, as she admitted, something else might have been more practical for a glacier. The heart wants what the heart wants. Christian looked so handsome in his suit, with its beautiful contrast of colours.

Seljalandsfoss on the way

Waterfalls were high on their wish list, so our first stop was Seljalandsfoss. We just played, explored and took a lot of photos, and it was so much fun. For a couple who got engaged next to a roaring waterfall, it felt like the perfect start.

A sunset handfasting on top of the glacier

You can’t walk onto a glacier on your own. It always needs a trained glacier guide. Mauli and Christian hired Margrét Gauja from Tófa Travel, who was their glacier guide, their driver for the whole day, and their officiant.

We hiked up onto the ice as the sun was setting. There was no one else around, only the two of them, Margrét and me. Margrét led their handfasting ceremony, they tied their hands together with the cord they had brought, and they exchanged vows and rings with the golden light spilling across the glacier. Then we celebrated with their favourite drink: champagne.

Inside the Katla ice cave

The Katla ice cave sits at the edge of Kötlujökull, a tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier near Vík, with the Katla volcano hidden deep beneath the ice. That summer the cave was small, but perfectly formed, with incredible ice textures and the most beautiful blue colour.

The photo that won International Wedding Photographer of the Year

Here’s a little secret from behind the camera. I was in my first trimester that day, feeling sick from morning to night. I turned up with a bag of snacks and a tiny IKEA bin as my emergency bucket. Mauli and Christian didn’t even blink. They invited me to ride with them all day to make things easier for me. That’s the kind of people they are.

And inside that little blue cave, pregnant and nauseous, I took the photo of my career. It won the Grand Prize at the International Wedding Photographer of the Year 2024, chosen from over 2,000 entries by 450 photographers in 63 countries. The same photo also won the Emerging Artist and Epic Location categories. Since then, I’ve been invited back to judge the competition twice.

I’ll always be grateful to Mauli and Christian for that day. It really was a team effort.

Watch their highlight film

I also created a highlight film of their day, with their own vows woven through it.

Planning a Katla ice cave elopement

• A certified guide is required. You can’t visit the ice cave or hike the glacier on your own. Tours leave from the Vík area, and your guide provides crampons and helmets.
• It’s possible all year. Katla is one of the few ice caves in Iceland you can visit in summer, but the cave changes every season as the ice melts and moves, so no two visits look the same.
• Dress for the ice. Wear warm layers under your outfit and waterproof hiking boots. Your hem might get muddy, and that’s part of the story.
• Summer means golden light. In August the sun sets late, so you can have your ceremony in soft evening light, just like Mauli and Christian.
• Bring something personal. A handfasting cord, a song, a bottle of champagne. Small rituals make an elopement feel like yours.

Mauli and Christian, thank you for your kindness, your trust, and for letting a very nauseous photographer ride along.

Dreaming of your own ice cave or glacier elopement? Let’s plan it together.