Travel

A Colorado couple knew they didn’t want a traditional wedding, but even they were surprised by the experience and the photos that came with getting married in the Arctic Circle.

Couple Elopes Among Greenland Icebergs

Their love for each other, adventure and nature led a Colorado couple to elope in Greenland, while standing on paddleboards in full wedding garb, with massive icebergs surrounding them during the summer solstice.

“We wanted something that was celebrating the beautiful parts of the world,” said Kimberly Drennan, but she and her wife, Louisa Smith, also admit they had another, slightly embarrassing motivation when they were dreaming up their wedding plans.

Kimberly Drennan (left) and Louisa Smith (right) celebrated their nuptials in Greenland in June 2025.
(Maddie Mae/Adventure Instead)

“Whenever there’s a group picture, one of us is looking weird or whatever and we were concerned that our wedding pictures would be the same,” Kimberly shared.

Weather in your inbox

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

(MORE: A First-Time Guide To Glacier National Park)

So the couple figured if they took their wedding photos in a giant, beautiful landscape, no one would notice if either of them made a weird face or had their eyes closed.

Finding Their Adventure

A drone photo shows Kimberly Drennan and Louisa Smith balancing on paddleboards among icebergs in Greenland in June 2025.
(Maddie Mae/Adventure Instead)

Their search for a photographer led them to Maddie Mae and her company, Adventure Instead.

“So really there's kind of two parts to doing an adventure like this safely," Mae said, “The first part is making sure that, you know, no one was going to ever be in any risk in the first place as much as possible.”

The second was having a plan if the worst happened: one, or both, of them falling into the frigid water. For that, they relied on a local guide company in Greenland.

(MORE: 6 Ways To Explore National Parks For Free)

“They are out there every day safely doing paddleboarding with people in this environment,” Mae explained.

They went out on a boat specially designed to allow them to easily step out onto the paddleboards.

A drone captures a boat navigating through the ice in the Arctic Circle as it transports Kimberly Drennan, Louisa Smith and photographer Maddie Mae to their photo shoot location.
(Maddie Mae/Adventure Instead)

When they were in the sun, Kimberly and Louisa said it felt like it was around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but when the fog rolled in, temperatures dropped to the 20s.

“We got just so lucky, especially that first day with just beautiful clear skies and sun,” said Kimberly, adding that the adrenaline of being out on paddleboards helped them keep warm.

How They Did It

Louisa Smith and Kimberly Drennan also held an elopement ceremony on solid ground in Greenland in June 2025.
(Maddie Mae/Adventure Instead)

So how do you pull off standing on a paddleboard in a full wedding dress and tuxedo?

“Louisa’s dresses both look, you know big and huge, but they’re actually both made of mesh. They do not hold water at all,” Mae explained.

(MORE: The 10 Best Hiking Trails In Nepal)

To keep warm, the couple wore dozens of heat packs and leggings beneath their outfits. They also took breaks so they could hop back on the boat and throw on blankets or coats to warm up.

Kimberly Drennan and Louisa Smith during their second day of shooting their wedding photos in Greenland.
(Maddie Mae/Adventure Instead)

It was such an incredible experience, the couple went back out for a second night, getting photos of Louisa in her black wedding dress: “It felt like all one big day, I mean, the sun didn’t set.”

“Being in the ice fjord is magical,” Kimberly said. “It may not be around when we look at our pictures in 50 years.”

“I just love how nature can continue to surprise me with the different ways it can feel and the different types of awe it can inspire,” added Louisa.