Canadian icon Jann Arden marries Icelandic author Thordis Elva: ‘Wife and wife’

Those who follow Canadian music icon, actor, author and overall delightful human Jann Arden on social media would likely note the dirt road as much as they took in the happy couple posing on it.

“Jann’s road,” as Arden calls it, is more than a secluded rural stretch near her property in Springbank, Alta., west of Calgary. It’s a character in and of itself. It’s where she posts video walks and updates, photos of her beloved dogs at various stages in their lives, where she reflected on the heartache and humour of caring for her aging parents, and then grieved them.

Jann’s road is also a place of joy, where more recently, the singer has posted smiling photos with her partner, and then fiancée: Icelandic author and digital rights and gender equality advocate Thordis Elva.

So, as many of her followers noted, it was fitting that Arden announced she and Elva had married over the weekend with a photo of the white-clad couple on none other than Jann’s road.

“Wife and wife,” Arden posted on Instagram Sunday, along with their wedding date: Aug. 15, 2026.

“Well, this is maybe the most joyous #Jannsroad yet!” commented TV host Jessica Allen.

“#Jannsroad has never looked better!” commented TV and radio host Meredith Shaw.

In a statement to CBC News Monday, Arden said she and Elva had a “beautiful, kickass gathering with dear friends and family.”

“It could not have been more magical or surreal,” she added.

“We are looking forward to doing it all again next weekend!!! We wish!!!”

Couple met at writers’ retreat

Arden, 64, who is best known for ballads like Insensitive, Good Mother and Could I Be Your Girl, announced her engagement to Elva on Dec. 31, 2025. The couple initially met at a writers’ retreat in Iceland, with former Icelandic first lady Eliza Reid as the inadvertent matchmaker.

Reid was one of many notable guests at the wedding, writing on Instagram that she always joked she started the Icelandic writing retreat “so that two people might meet there, fall in love, and then invite me to the wedding. AND IT HAPPENED!”

Several Canadian celebrities and media personalities also posted images and comments from the wedding, including Syrian Canadian novellist Danny Ramadan, actor Dani Kind, talk show host Cynthia Loyst, MLA Janis Irwin and CBC chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault.

American comedian and actress Chelsea Handler was also evidently in attendance.

“WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY,” Handler commented on Arden’s photo.

“So glad you could make it Chelsea. Meant the world to us,” Arden replied.

Congratulations also poured in from Canadian singers k.d. Lang and Bif Naked.

Arden posted a second photo Monday showing the couple holding hands in front of a gazebo laden with colourful flowers.

“What a day!” she wrote.

‘Insistent I carry a bouquet’

Elva was voted Iceland’s Woman of the Year in 2015 for her work on gender equality, and Person of the Year in 2017 for her part in the #MeToo movement. Elva is also a playwright, and co-author of the non-fiction book South of Forgiveness.

The couple discussed their upcoming wedding in an Aug. 11 episode of Arden’s podcast titled Pre-wedding Jitters and Shitters. They joked that Arden was “the groom,” but Elva added that Arden would be the one carrying the bridal bouquet.

“She is insistent that I carry a bouquet,” Arden said.

Later in the podcast, Arden said she thought same-sex love should be as normalized as “a sandwich.”

“The one thing that I’m very proud of is how much we’re just normalizing this.… Normalizing people being in loving relationships and normalizing how society is structured and that we need to do a lot better for all people,” Arden said.

“We’re both in positions of privilege…. we have power, we have access to media. We’re not fu–ing taking any prisoners with us. We don’t tolerate it.”

They’re planning a honeymoon in Edinburgh, Arden said in a previous episode.