A wedding under the northern lights… Sounds exciting, right? Though it is a romantic adventure and a unique experience, northern lights wedding packages require quite a bit of planning. But don’t worry! I’ve got a few good ideas for you!
First of all, what is Aurora Borealis?
I’ll try to explain it in an easy language. The sun releases streams of charged particles (also known as solar winds). When they collide with gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, they travel towards the poles. Therefore we can see Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) in the North and Southern lights (Aurora Australis) in the South.
Good places to see the northern lights in Norway
- Alta (2 hours direct flight from Oslo)
- Lyngen Alps (2 hours flight to Tromsø, then drive in a rental car – ca.1,5 h including ferry)
- Tromsø (2 hours direct flight from Oslo)
- Senja (2 hours flight to Tromsø, then drive in a rental car – ca. 3,5 h)
- Lofoten (ca. 3 hours flight Oslo-Bodø-Leknes)
- Or any other place in Northern Norway
If you go a little further down south, your chances to see the Aurora Borealis will decrease.
The reason I listed up these exact towns/areas are simple: these are the places with proper infrastructure, hence – your stay in Northern Norway will be much more fun. Here is why:
Fun activities to do during your stay in the arctic (besides the northern lights chasing)
- Husky sledding
- Reindeer sledding or just visit reindeers
- Snowboarding or slalom skiing
- Snowmobile driving
- Visit ice hotel or ice domes
- Spend a night in an ice room or go glamping in a northern lights dome
- Enjoy an outdoor jacuzzi
When is the best time to get married under the northern lights?
The typical time for a regular northern lights chasing is from the end of September until the end of March. But for the wedding under the northern lights packages I recommend you to avoid the period between 10th November and 20th January. Why? Let me explain!
Depending on where in Northern Norway you’re travelling to, there is a period of polar night around these dates. Polar night is a phenomenon that occurs within the polar circle when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for more than 24 hours. The closer to the North Pole you are, the longer will the polar night period be.
In simple words: it’s pretty damn dark for large parts of the day, and even when it gets lighter (1-2 hours a day in December) it’s more like dusk/blue hour. Even though it means that you have more dark hours each day for the Aurora Borealis chasing, this also means you won’t see much of Norway other than in the darkness. And when you first come to Norway (maybe it’s your first time?), then it’s good to have a nice experience during daytime as well as the nighttime.
Northern lights wedding packages – how does it work?
Even when you follow all of the advices to have the best chances to see Aurora Borealis, you may still be unlucky. After all, this phenomenon is quite unpredictable. You will increase your chances a lot if you have a longer stay here in Northern Norway!
My advice is a minimum of 3-5 days, and a whole week is even better. In order to see the northern lights, you’ll need some aurora borealis activity as well as clear sky. Neither of that is possible to predict long term. So it doesn’t matter if you’re planning your wedding one year or one month ahead, there won’t be any guarantee that you’ll see Aurora when you’re here. It’s like planning for a rainbow one year ahead. However, the longer you stay, the bigger your chances will be to experience a night with a clear sky and some aurora activity.
For the northern lights wedding packages, I ask the couples to choose a week when they want to get married. Preliminary we choose a 5 days flexibility within that week, and set a temporary wedding date. When we get closer to the date (and it’s possible to see the forecast), we narrow it down to 3 days… Aaaand wait patiently. Every day we check the forecast (both for aurora and the weather) and choose the best option! This 3 days flexibility is great! Even if you don’t see Aurora on day one, you still have more days to go!
What if Aurora doesn’t show at all?
That’s possible, but it’s not the end of the world. And it should not destroy your wedding plans! That’s why I actually recommend you to have your wedding ceremony on one of those flexible days – during daytime. And save aurora borealis chasing for the evening time – either the same day or the following day.
For example, have your wedding ceremony in the daylight among beautiful winter surroundings: mountains, fjords or a forest. Pick one or a few of the activities I listed above and enjoy them! Of course, in your wedding attire! It is a part of your adventure wedding, right?! Enjoy a good meal in a local restaurant after all the fun activities you’ve done during the daytime. And then go Aurora Borealis chasing! Of course, you should wear (or bring with you) your wedding attire for that part too! What is more unique than wedding photos under the northern lights?
But what if all else fails? So, no Aurora whatsoever and no good forecasts for the last night either? Do something fun that evening instead! There are plenty of exotic nordic activities that will make your wedding day memorable! And remember to have your photographer with you so that all memories will be captured!
What to wear for a wedding under the northern lights?
Wool layers are amazing regardless if your wedding is in October or February! Remember, Northern Norway is a cold place! If possible, use thin wool layers under your dress/suit. For the brides: long dresses with long sleeves feel way more comfortable than the short ones! Another option: a skirt with a nice sweater will look beautiful and feel good! On top of it: a warm jacket, wool/fluffy/fur coat – anything that will help you to stay warm! Bring a beanie, scarf and warm mittens, and you won’t regret that!
For the grooms: choose a wool suit if you can, and wear a wool layer under it. Wear a wool sweater as a middle layer and a warm coat on top of it. Again, bring a beanie, a scarf and warm mittens! And the most important for everybody: wear good warm shoes! Another good trick: buy a bunch of hand/foot warmers and insert them in your shoes and mittens. Trust me, it helps!
Some examples of northern lights wedding packages in Norway
Northern lights wedding in Senja or Lofoten:
- Outdoor wedding ceremony among beautiful scenery (civil or symbolic ceremony)
- Husky sledding tour with a warm-up at bonfire and a hot drink/snacks
- Fine dinner in a local restaurant
- Aurora borealis chasing 1-3 consecutive evenings
- One day photography coverage + 2 days with photographer on-hold (or 2 half-days photography coverage depending on aurora forecast – we pick the best dates)
- Wedding bouquet & bouttoniere
- 2 nights accomodation in a fine hotel/mountain lodge
Price: from 10.000 € (for 2 persons)
Northern lights wedding in Alta, Tromsø or Lyngen alps
- Outdoor wedding ceremony among beautiful scenery (civil or symbolic ceremony)
- Husky sledding/rendeer sledding or snowmobile tour with a warm-up at bonfire and a hot drink
- Fine dinner in a local restaurant
- Aurora borealis chasing for 1-3 consecutive evenings
- One day photography coverage + 2 days with photographer on-hold (or 2 half-days photography coverage depending on aurora forecast – we pick the best dates)
- Wedding bouquet & boutonniere
- 2 nights accomodation in a fine hotel/mountain lodge
Price: from 9.500 € (for 2 persons)
Read more about eloping under the northern lights.