Montreal-based wedding, family and portrait photographer Gabrielle Desmarchais got the chance to travel to Iceland for an elopement shoot and, being someone who has always been captivated by waterfalls, she says, it was a great opportunity to visit Skogafoss, the iconic falls location that’s been a backdrop for many getaway ceremonies. What’s unique to Skogafoss is how close you’re able to get to the falls, Desmarchais notes. For this elopement, she went for a photo op that was unique and personal to the couple by timing a whimsical shot of them in motion.

[Read how to scout locations you’ve never been to as a destination wedding photographer, and how to break from cliché photos in iconic spots around the world.]

“I asked the newlyweds to run toward the falls and on the count of five, to throw the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s hat in the air,” the photographer explains. “The conditions were quite rough with the wind, the rain, and the bride’s big and long dress. But on the third try, we were able to catch the action.”

Desmarchais remarks that having a couple that’s willing to try something a few times—in this case, to make sure the timing is just right—was key. “I just love when the couple is adventurous and is willing to go along with my crazy ideas,” she says. “This photo symbolizes for me the fun, the adventure, the powerful, the magnificent that characterizes Icelandic elopements: a couple running happily to a future together, ready to embark on a new life’s chapter.”

Check out more Photos of the Day, and email submissions to RF’s senior editor at libby.peterson@emeraldx.com.