S+A from NantesArctic Winter Elopement Under the Northern Lights, Lofoten
Lofoten Islands, Senja
Norway - January 2024
Above: Elopement Wedding Film of S&A by Il était un Pixel in Norway, 2024
Below: Photos by Il était un Pixel
S & A are probably the newlyweds I have spent the most time with in my entire career: nearly two weeks together, between their Vendée wedding and twelve days above the Arctic Circle chasing the northern lights. Here is how you get there.
A winter wedding, fully chosen
Their wedding was held at Domaine de la Chopinière, surrounded by all their friends and family, and in winter, by deep conviction: for them, winter meant warmth, the fireplace, gathering close around good food. They served a giant tartiflette to every guest, which is not something you see at weddings every day, and which no guest will ever forget. It is exactly what I tell couples who hesitate about the quiet season: a winter wedding chosen on purpose is not a compromise, it is an aesthetic.
Then, the Arctic Circle
A few weeks after the wedding we left for their honeymoon in Norway, above the Arctic Circle, with one simple, non-negotiable dream: to see the northern lights. Twelve days, because auroras do not take orders: depending on place and weather they can be easy or impossible, and winter, the best season for them, is also when Norwegian skies are at their cloudiest. An aurora behind clouds does not exist.
The tale of those twelve days reads like a gentle epic: auroras on the very first night, outrageous luck; then day after day of nightly expeditions, hours in the snow and cold without a single green ribbon, the weather against us; and the final reward, on the last day, beautiful auroras to close the journey. It took patience, perseverance and real courage from two snow-soaked newlyweds, but the sky eventually paid its debts.
Photographing an aurora, a craft note
Photographing a couple beneath an aurora exists in no wedding manual: it takes the tripod, long exposures, a couple able to hold still in polar cold, and a permanent negotiation between a sky that moves and faces that must stay sharp. S and A were perfect partners, and the frames where the green ribbon dances above them are worth every hour of waiting they cost.
Wedding Team
Photo/Video: Il était un Pixel, Jérémie
France:
Flower design: Sophie, L’Hortensia Blanc
MUA: Audrey Langouët
Hair: Mélanie, Cannelle Coiffure Mariage
Gown: L’Atelier des Noces
Suit: Blandin & Delloye Nantes
Nails: L’Or des sens
Singer: Voicycle
Caterer: Atelier Désiré Frisque
The vows: a mountain, a frozen lake
S & A had chosen not to choose: a wedding AND an elopement, because living something as two mattered as much as the party. So they said their vows again at the top of a mountain, beside a frozen lake, under driving snow, drenched and radiant: one of the strongest, most romantic moments I have photographed. The journey added its Nordic-tale chapters, reindeer, a dog sled, and snowed-in fjords beyond counting.
"Jérémie helped us throughout our entire wedding journey (engagement session abroad, photos/video/photobooth on our wedding day, then day-after session abroad) and it was the best choice we could have made: a true love at first sight! Jérémie is an undeniably talented photographer: he knows how to capture, with discretion, emotions, life moments, making the best use of light, etc.
Before reaching out to him and seeing the photos on his website and social media, we said to ourselves: 'This is beautiful, but with us, it's not possible, it will never look as good.' In the end, our photos and videos are incredible, and will allow us to relive this so important moment of our lives!
Beyond his talent, Jérémie is truly available, thoughtful, organized, funny and very respectful. All these qualities make him a wonderful person and a great professional, someone we could have complete trust in.
So we can only recommend you 1000% to hire him to immortalize the important moments of your life! Jérémie, we don't have the words to sum up the magical experience we had with you. So simply, thank you for everything..!"
- S+A, 2024
Twelve days, honestly described
For couples dreaming of an aurora elopement, the honest arithmetic of those twelve days matters more than the highlight reel: two nights of auroras, ten nights of cold patience, and a couple whose morale never cracked. That ratio is normal, not unlucky, and it is why I advise real duration for aurora trips rather than a long weekend and crossed fingers. The Norway guide carries the full strategy; this gallery carries the proof that the strategy pays.
A story that continues
S and A are among my favorite couples, and the bond outlasted the thaw: we have since photographed their maternity session, and we see each other regularly. Two weeks of shared life create something other than a client relationship; they create friends whose chapters I document.
And for your adventure?
If the auroras are calling, my Norway guide covers the destination in depth, seasons, locations and honest weather truths included; and if combining a wedding and an elopement tempts you, S & A are proof it is the finest of indulgences.