Lighthouse of love
Hungarian couple Norbert Zohó and Viktória Komjáti had been traveling all over the world, but after they stayed in Iceland four years ago they fell in love with the island. “We don’t have the sea around us or mountains in Hungary,” Viktória explains. She studied philosophy and literature but ended up in marketing after they started to take photos and write about their travels on a blog site.
Nearly three years have passed since the couple moved to Iceland. What they like most about the country is the short distance they have to travel to enjoy spectacular and diverse nature.
On an unusually bright and sunny September day (8 degrees Celsius) Victoria and Norbert enjoyed a long-awaited trip to Westman Islands. “I really love volcanoes and had been waiting to hike one for a long time. It was there where he proposed. It was an amazing moment and the view was breathtaking.”
When it came to the wedding the couple decided not to wait and started looking around for a unique place. A church was not an option. A friend told them a story about someone getting engaged in one of the oldest lighthouses in Iceland, at Garðskagi. Victoria thought that might be the perfect place for a wedding. “We think Reykjanes is a hidden gem in Iceland and have often visited the lighthouse and the area around. We wanted the whole experience to be Icelandic, and what more Icelandic than a lighthouse.”
The lighthouse was turned into a cafe a few years ago and restored to its original state by the caretakers. “People are starting to refer to our little lighthouse, as Lighthouse of Love, we kind of like the sound of that,” says caretaker Sigurður Þorsteinsson. The small and charming lighthouse has been featured as one of the most romantic places in Iceland.
Viktória and Norbert did not want the ceremony to be religious so they sought assistance from Siðmennt, which is an Ethical Humanist Association independent of religious creeds and offers secular and Humanist ceremonies.
The ceremony was simple and beautiful. Just Nobert and Viktória, a celebrant from Siðmennt, and all their closest relatives watching live via the internet. After the ceremony, they embarked on a road trip around Reykjanes to take some pictures while all dressed up. The photographer came all the way from their home country so another road trip was scheduled the next day, so the wedding dress and the tux came to good use again the next day.
“It's such a good and funny wedding story and people are in awe when I tell it, the responses have been just super nice,” says the newlywed Viktória.
Photos from Renáta Török-Bognár.
“More people from all over the world are coming to Iceland to celebrate love. Last 2-3 years weddings in nature and unusual places have become much more common. In Reykjanes there have been ceremonies in Reykjanesviti, Garðaskagaviti and by Kleifarvatn, just to name a few,” says Siggeir Fannar Ævarsson manager at Siðmennt .
