Rachel and Andrew
Into the Wild –
Norway Mountain Elopement in the Lyngen Alps
Rachel and Andrew first reached out after stumbling onto my website while planning a trip through Northern Norway. They told me they wanted a day that felt like them – adventurous, calm, unposed, and full of the little moments that make a relationship what it is.
They wanted a way to get married that felt real, relaxed, and rooted in experience. Something that told the story of who they are – not a performance for others, but an adventure they would never forget.
They were dreaming of mountain backdrops, open landscapes, and that feeling of standing somewhere vast and wild. They didn’t want a rushed day or a packed schedule. Instead, they wanted space: time to breathe, time to feel everything.
From the beginning, it was clear they weren’t just looking for pretty photos. They were looking for a meaningful experience. And that’s when I knew I would love to meet them.
Why they eloped
Their wedding story
The road to Lyngen Alps
STEP 1: FINDING THE PLACE
I sent them a personalised list of lodging options across Lofoten, Tromsø area, and the Lyngen Alps – from cozy cabins to remote islands only reachable by ferry.
Each option came with context:
How secluded it was, what hikes were nearby, what to expect, how accessible the ceremony spots would be, and what the landscape around each felt like.
They were immediately drawn to the idea of the Lyngen Alps: dramatic peaks, fewer people, and a feeling of real wilderness while still being reachable from Tromsø.
STEP 2: GIVING THEM TOOLS
I shared my elopement guide: ideas, activities, timeline examples, and ceremony inspiration – but I made sure they didn’t feel pressured to plan everything. They wanted flexibility, and I encouraged that.
What stood out to me was their idea of turning the day before the ceremony into a scavenger hunt through Tromsø – collecting flowers, pastries, champagne, and anything they might want to bring into their vows. A simple, fun way to start the story. In the end, they didn't end up doing it, but what a great idea it was!
How I helped them plan their Experience
They told me what mattered most:
- Happy
- Relaxed
- Excited
- Energetic
- Not rushed
So we planned their day around slow moments:
- making breakfast (yes to pancakes!) together
- picking flowers from the garden
- writing their vows
- making dinner together
- getting ready in their cabin
- a quiet first look by the water
- and later — the hike into the mountains
They wanted a ceremony with a vast view and were ready to hike hours to find it. I scouted locations, checked sun angles, looked at weather patterns, and found places where we’d have the light we needed even late at night.
We planned to keep everything flexible and adapt to conditions – and that’s exactly how the day unfolded.
- 10:30: Pancakes for breakfast + picking flowers from the outside + making a bouquet
- 12:00: Writing a clear copy of their vows outside
- 14:00: Making dinner together
- 16:00: Dinner at their Airbnb
- 17:30: Getting ready
- 18:00: First look near the water
- 18:30: Driving to the ceremony location
- 19:30: Relaxed hike out to the ceremony location, exploring along the way
- 21:30: Ceremony (vows, hand fasting, rings, some personal traditions, popping champagne/sparkling, cake, first dance...)
- 22:30: Exploring the area, taking some photos in the evening light, midnight swim...
- 23:00: Sunset
- 23:30: Heading back to Airbnb, if you have energy, maybe we can do something fun and visually interesting to end the day.
- 00:30: Evening snack back at Airbnb.
Timeline plan for their mountain elopement
Lyngen alps Mountain Elopement Story
A slow morning + Pancakes
Rachel and Andrew began their elopement day the best way possible: slowly with their favorite breakfast. Before we ever stepped into the mountains, the day already had this softness to it – the feeling that nothing needed to be rushed.
Flowers from outside
Before getting ready, Rachel stepped outside and picked a handful of wildflowers. She bought some flowers from Tromsø and combined them with the wild flowers from their Airbnb's backyard. Those flowers ended up being one of my favourite details of the whole day.
Selfmade dinner at their Airbnb
Since this Airbnb was quite far away from restaurants, Rachel and Andrew decided to make dinner together. What a wonderful way spend time together!
Getting ready
After dinner, they moved into the slow rhythm of getting ready. Rachel did her hair and makeup herself, standing by the cabin window with soft light falling across her face. In another room, Andrew was getting ready too. We kept them separate so they wouldn’t see each other before the first look, and the cabin made it easy — two people moving through the same space, yet tucked just out of sight.
First look by the water
We walked down to a quiet shoreline for their first look, just outside of their Airbnb. The mountains across the water were partially covered in clouds, and the light was unreal. Just after their first look, it started raining, and we had to run to the Airbnb for quick cover.
The hike into the clouds
After the softness of the morning, their Lyngen Alps elopement shifted into adventure mode. We packed backpacks, checked the weather a hundred times (a habit on days like this), and began the long hike toward an alpine lake hidden deep in the mountains.
The forecast had been unpredictable all day — short bursts of rain, rumbling thunder, breaks of sun. When the sky finally gave us a small window, we went for it. The trail climbed more than 700 meters (+2300 ft), one of the steepest elopement routes I’ve ever done. Rachel and Andrew really wanted to hike to the mountains, and that's what we did!
Fog thick enough to get lost in
Halfway up, the world disappeared. Fog rolled in so quickly that it felt like the mountain swallowed us whole. Visibility dropped to a few steps. The ridges faded into white. This is where I’m grateful I carry Garmin GPS gear. When the trail becomes a suggestion, not a path, navigation matters more than anything.
But Rachel and Andrew kept smiling. They held hands. They took in the atmosphere as if the fog itself was a gift. “It’s a mountain elopement,” Rachel laughed. “You never know what you’re getting — and that’s part of why we’re here.”
The moment the world opened
The fog was super thick. After reviewing our options, I suggested that if we hike higher, there is most likely less fog, and we can still see the views. Luckily, I did a massive 7h hike the day before, and I had multiple options for the ceremony location. The glacier lake seemed the best option, even though there was no trail to it. We decided to go there, and after 45 minutes we could see that there was less fog.
And then — almost suddenly — the fog tore open. A glacier appeared ahead of us, glowing blue in the evening light, as we had stepped through a doorway into another world. We stood there in complete silence for a moment, just taking in the scale of it.
Rachel and Andrew read their vows with the glacier as their witness. It was everything we hoped a mountain elopement would feel like in the north — vast, wild, and deeply, quietly meaningful.
Wedding Cake at the cabin
To finish their amazing day, the only thing that was left was the cake! Since the sun didn't really set at all, I took a few pictures on my way to my own lodging.
"Working with Jaakko for our elopement was one of the best decisions we could have made. The quality of his work speaks for itself - his talent is remarkable. What you don't get to see in the photos is the amount of work he puts in behind the scenes to make sure you have the best experience. Planning an elopement in another country was very intimidating for us, having no idea what the location is like or what you need to plan for. Jaakko guided us through it all, helped us find suitable Air BnBs, scouted ceremony locations, and gave us tips on how to prepare for the day, some things we would never have considered on our own.
For two people who were not so sure about being in front of a camera, Jaakko made us feel comfortable and and ease the entire day. We never felt rushed or set to a specific timeline, and when things (the weather) didn't work out exactly as planned, he was always quick with solutions, which in the end turned out more beautiful than we could have imagined.
For those on the fence, I promise if there's one person who is going to take your elopement as serious as you and your partner, who would be just as invested in you having the most beautiful and memorable day, it's Jaakko."
Rachel's & Andrew's Reflections – In Their Own Words
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I’m Jaakko.
A husband, father, orienteer, and elopement photographer in Norway who learned the hard way how precious time is on a wedding day.
Over the last ten years, I’ve helped couples find the quietest, most meaningful places across the Nordic countries — the spots where you can breathe, settle into the moment, and feel like the world belongs only to the two of you.
Most of my couples have never been to Norway before. They’re trying to make sense of fjords, mountains, weather, ferries, and flights — and it can feel like a lot. My job is to make it simple. I guide you through the planning, the locations, the logistics, the pacing of the day, and the moments in between.
You show up for each other.
I make sure the rest feels effortless.
