Guide to a dreamy northern lights wedding in Norway
Are you longing for an elopement under the northern lights? This is your how-to guide on where, when and how to get the wedding photos of your dreams!
People from all over the world are enchanted my the mysterious northern lights. And with good reason. As a child I was told by my grandmother that if I waved to the northern lights with something white, it would come and get you! As you might know, when children are told not to do something, they will definitely do it! So I waived to the northern lights when walking our dog, and ran home with with my heart beating like crazy.
I never got caught though, and it is a good thing that this is a myth (probably). Because getting wedding photos under the northern lights is something couples have started craving! Lady Aurora can definitely be mysterious, but here are is my how to-guide to getting wedding photos under the northern lights.
Where should we go to get a northern lights wedding?
You might have guessed it: to the north! Your chances are definitely stronger if you travel past the polar circle. But there are more factors to consider to heighten your chances:
What do you need to see the northern lights?
Darkness from the sun! The northern lights travel as a belt around the pole, the geomagnetic field. Commonly, the northern lights appear at around 21-23 in northern Norway. This is the sweet spot, because it is both dark and it is not so late that you would rather be sleeping.
You also need darkness from man-made light. But commonly air ports are situated in big cities. So you need to make sure that the population in the area is small and widespread so you don’t get any light pollution. Having a guide who knows scenic spots away from cities is a big plus!
The last thing you need is a clear or semi clear sky. There can be an amazing northern lights show on the sky, but if the curtains are closed, you can’t see them!
Want to know what season is best to get your northern lights elopement? Read here for more
What is the best destination for getting married in northern lights?
When deciding where to go for your northern lights wedding, there are several things to consider. As you read earlier, you need darkness and a clear sky. So you need to consider to go to a place that has less frequency of storms and bad weather. If you compare Norway to Iceland, Norway has less storms, but Is still in the temperate zone due to the Gulf Stream, so you won’t freeze your buts off as in Finland and Russia. And wearing wedding attire in the night, that matters!
But there are more things to have in mind to have a successful northern lights wedding or elopement. You might think that avoiding civilization is a good thing for northern lights, but where would you find vendors to accommodate your wedding day?
Going to a spot that is set up for northern lights tourism and weddings is a huge win-factor. You will be able to find gorgeous Airbnb’s that look great on photos. You will find vendors like restaurants, make-up artists activity providers to make your experience everything you want it to be. Last, but not least you will also be able to find a local photographer who knows all the good spots.
this is why Tromsø is the best hub for your northern lights wedding. Being the main capital of northern Norway, Tromsø is a fantastic base to get northern lights wedding photos. It has an airport with several flights every day, the population around the city is widespread and has so many beautiful spots that are easy to get to. There are plenty of hospitable vendors to make your Northen lights wedding a dream come true.
3 top northen lights locations
I have lived in northern Norway and experienced so many beautiful spots throughout life. From my time as a nature guide I am used to navigating nature safely with groups of people and having fun along the way. From this experience I will give you my top three general locations for your northern lights wedding:
- Lyngen: it is close to Tromsø by car. You can sleep in beautiful glass igloos and watch the northern lights through the ceiling at night. There are whale watching, huskies and lots of other fun activities to make your experience of Norway complete. Light pollution is low. This location is not crowded at all and most of all Lyngen is known for their beautiful mountain ranges.
- Senja: Similar to Lyngen, Senja also has fantastic mountains, but also magnificent long fjords to experience. There are some really great vendors here I love to work with when having intimate weddings or elopements. Senja is also quite close to Tromsø by car.
- Vesterålen: The islands of Lofoten might be the most popular place to visit when coming to Norway. And yes, it is really beautiful. I love doing elopements in Lofoten, but it does require some planning, because it can absolutely get crowded. That is why I adore Vesterålen! It is just north of Lofoten with similar nature as it is in in the same archipelago/island group. It is just as beautiful, but less crowded AND there is a possibility to go whale watching in the day.
How do we find the northern lights?
As stated earlier you need clear skies. This is the main factor when looking for the northern lights. Therefore you absolutely need time and patience when you want wedding photos under the northern lights. Do not take a chance on one single date and count on getting northern lights then!
What if it is cloudy on our wedding day?
My highest recommendation is to work with a photographer who is willing to set aside a whole week in advance to increase your chances of getting northern lights photos! In advance I block my calendar for a week, and when the dates are closer we narrow the time frame. We will use up to three days to get the photos we want!
Apps to use for finding the northern lights
I frequently use two different kinds of apps in collaboration with each other. One is the Norwegian weather app: YR. This one I use to find the days with best weather condition. Then I compare to the data I get from the app Hello Aurora. It lets me know which days has the highest chance of having aurora activity on the sky. Then you just need to pick the best combo of weather and aurora chances and cross your fingers for the green lady to show up!
What to wear for your northern lights photos
Wedding dress tips
- Long sleeves are a must!
- A dress that is easy to move around in. Think A-line or ball gown rather that a mermaid dress.
- If you want photos in snow, consider wearing a dress that has a little bit of color in it, to stand out from the white snow.
- Lace is often a comfortable and stretchy fabric to wear when walking around in nature.
- As you might walk for a bit and then put your dress on at the right spot, get a dress that is easy to get in and out of! Buttons are cute, but opt for the ones with a hidden zipper!
- A big bouquet that doesn’t hide away. It tends to be darker in northern lights photos, so get one with good size and some pop of color!
What to wear for the gents
- Consider getting a suit that is not too dark to make it stand out from the dark shadows in a northern lights photo. There are so many lighter colors that work great for elopements where you can show off your personality more than in a black suit.
- When trying out your clothes, do a squat test to make sure it is easy to move around in.
- Make sure there is room for undergarments!
Layering
Everyone in Norway knows this from early age: wear wool as your inner layer! It is thermal and holds heat even though you get sweaty. Get it in a color that matches the other garments you wear so it doesn’t show.
Then you want a coat or poncho to wear as well. My top recommendation would be to borrow one of the furs I have inherited from my mother and grandmother. It is not the vegan option, but it is insanely warm, and the animal has not been alive for decades. But, if that is not your thing there are many other options as well! We would get photos both with and without them to show off the dress as well. You should also consider getting matching mittens and ear warmers!
Snowshoes
To get around to the best spots you might have to walk a little in deep snow. I am always prepared for snow and have snowshoes with me in my car. There is really nothing worse than sinking down a meter for every step you take. They are super easy and convenient to use!
How to get the best northern light photos
Doing photography at night is challenging! Even without people in them. It requires great equipment and a lot of knowledge on how to use it. When you add in two people, that makes the technicalities even more difficult. Hiring a professional photographer who is both used to taking northern lights photos with people in them and who knows the are is your best bet!
Scenery for your northern lights elopement
To get amazing northern lights photos, you don’t only need Northern lights, you need the surroundings to look good on camera as well! Mountains, fjords, beaches, a frozen lake or tundras are great backdrops for your northern lights photos. But the aurora can appear towards all directions, so getting to a place where the scenery is beautiful at most angles is a huge plus!
1-2-3- breathe out
To be able to take a northern lights photos with people in it, the shutter speed (the duration for the camera to take the shot) needs to much longer than usual! Normally you take photos at one hundredth of a second, but when taking photos of northern lights, you might have to stand completely still for 2-3 seconds. If not, you two get blurry.
In order to be able to stand still, people think they need to hold their breath. But in reality, that makes you tense up and shiver. The trick is to breathe out and be completely relaxed. When you are relaxed, you stand still and your photographer is able to get a clear and crisp shot of both you and the green lady!
Manage your expectations
During a photoshoot in daytime, the end results would be a big chunk of photos. But the way northern lights photos are taken, and the level of technicality and difficulty of it means that the number of photos you get is a lot lower. The goal is to get that one great shot of you! And even if that takes time to get, it is worth it!
Planning and flexibility
All in all you see that having a northern lights elopement is absolutely achievable, but it does require great planning, a little luck and flexibility from both you and your photographers side. It is important though to have other things than your Northen lights photos planned in case you are very unlucky. When it comes to mother earth, no one can tell her what to do, but you can do your best to have her on your side. Want to talk more on how to get your northern lights wedding photos? Click the button below to reach out and have an exciting conversation about the aurora and your dream day!
