WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE

HOW IT WORKS

GUIDE TO ELOPING IN SCOTLAND

BEST PLACES TO ELOPE

ISLE OF SKYE

OTHER SCOTISH LOCATIONS

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Do you want to elope to Scotland in 2023 or 2024?

We’ve compiled everything you need to know to elope in Scotland, from our perspective as Isle of Skye locals and elopement experts, in our comprehensive guide to planning your Scotland elopement. Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions, or want to get started with your planning.

THIS IS WHY WE BELIEVE SCOTLAND IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO ELOPE IN THE WORLD

Bride and groom embrace at the Fairy Glen, Isle of Skye, Scotland

HOW IT WORKS

Where can I elope in Scotland?

Unlike in the rest of the UK you can elope pretty much anywhere in Scotland– on a beach, up a mountain, anywhere you wish. All you need is a registered celebrant and you are good to go.

Who can elope in scotland?

The great news is that anyone can have a Scotland elopement. If you are not from the European Economic area or Switzerland, there are a few extra steps to take including applying for a Marriage Visitor Visa which costs £95 and can be applied for up to 3 months in advance of your wedding. Read more information about preparing your visa paperwork for eloping in Scotland on the UK government’s website.

How to elope in Scotland

Having a Scotland elopement takes a lot of planning, which can be an overwhelming process and you might not know where to start. Let us take the stress out of it with our 13-step guide to eloping in Scotland, whether you are local, or if you are having a Scotland elopement as a visitor from abroad.

01

Choose your Scotland elopement location

Think of a place that’s special to you. Or a place you’ve always wanted to visit. Close your eyes. Feel the sand in your toes and the wind in your hair. Then imagine saying ‘I do’ right there. That’s the beauty of a Scotland elopement, the world’s your oyster without boundaries or borders. Not sure where to choose? Start with the scenery – mountains, beach, forest, lakes, or city.

If you need help narrowing down a location then we can help, we’re seasoned travellers and can put together a list of personalised locations just for you. It’s important to choose a location early as you need to specify it for your paperwork.

Elopement couple embracing at the Quiraing Isle of Skye

Choose your date/time of year to elope

02

Scotland is beautiful at all times of year – but you should consider the day length (in mid-winter there can be less than 7 hours of daylight), the average temperature, and tourism season. If you want the place to yourselves weekdays and off-season is always quieter.

Our favourite seasons for a Scotland elopement are the autumn (for the stunning colour in the forests) and spring (for the warmer days and wildflowers), but every season has its charm, and there is no bad time for a Scotland elopement.

Couple standing on rock in front of the Cuillin Mountains, Isle of Skye

03

Decide what activities you want to enjoy on your elopement day

Couple running up the hill at the Quiraing, Isle of Skye

Eloping means that you don’t have to stick to the timeline of a traditional wedding day. Planning the timeline of your elopement day is one of the exciting things about elopement planning. Eloping means doing what you love best – walking your dogs, sipping cocktails, dancing, hiking, sailing, exploring somewhere new or wild swimming. Whatever makes you happy, the most important thing is that you do you.

Find your vendors

04

Eloping requires far fewer vendors than a traditional wedding but there are still some things that you will want to book. The only vendor you officially need is a celebrant. In Scotland this can be either a religious or a belief celebrant. We recommend finding a Humanist celebrant through the Humanist Society Scotland to conduct a unique ceremony focused on your love for each other. We can also give our personal recommendations for our favourite Scottish celebrants.

05

Book your accommodation

Eloping couple walk on a beach with a white cottage and mountain behind in Scotland

Scotland has so many accommodation options, from grand old hunting lodges, to castles, to cool Air BnBs to glamping pods. When eloping in Scotland you will likely spend more time in your accommodation than if you were having a traditional Scottish wedding so we think it’s important to pick somewhere really special, and remember it’s going to feature in your wedding photos, so you want it to look cool.

It depends what your location is, but these are some of our favourite resources for finding the perfect accommodation for your wedding.

CoolStays – for extraordinary places to stay this is the definitive collection of amazing places to stay.

Huts and Cabins – for cabins on the shore through to luxury huts in the mountains

Air B n B – for loads of options throughout Scotland

We recommend looking for somewhere fairly close to your elopement location to cut down on travel time on your elopement day. Top tip: Driving in Scotland is slow, so even if it looks close on the map it may take a long time to travel.

06

Do the legal paperwork

If you plan to have a legal ceremony during your elopement then there is some paperwork that you will need to complete, but before you start filling out paperwork you need to speak with your celebrant. They will be able to tell you exactly what you need to do, but if you are keen to read more then all the information you need can be found on the National Records of Scotland website, including this handy leaflet snappily called the RM1 leaflet, and also the Marriage Notice Form which needs to be submitted between 3 months and no later than 29 days before your wedding.

Bride signing marriage schedule on Skye

07

Finalise your timeline with your photographer

Couple running up the hill at the Quiraing, Isle of Skye

Once all the paperwork is organised it’s time to finalise your elopement timeline with your photographer. The timeline will be completely unique to you as a couple, and we will help you craft an experience that reflects you as a couple, your passions, and interests.

Choose your witnesses

08

Oli signing marriage paperwork as a witness

In Scotland you are required to have two witnesses to your wedding ceremony. This can be two of your guests, or if you are eloping just the two of you, then we are very happy to act as your witnesses. You need to decide this before your wedding day as you need to specify who your witnesses will be on your paperwork.

09

Travel to Scotland

Wedding couple walking at Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye

All the planning is over and it’s time to travel to your location in Scotland for your elopement! We can help you with a list of ‘what to bring’ which will be personalised depending on your location and activity choice. Just don’t forget any paperwork and you are set to go! International travel into Scotland is easy as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness all have airports, or you can travel up from London via sleeper train, or normal train. Once in Scotland the best way to get around is by car, so don’t forget your licence if you are going to hire a car.

Collect your marriage schedule

10

Eloping couple embracing in a Scottish woodland

Before eloping in Scotland you need to visit your Registrar to collect your marriage schedule. This has to be collected in person by one of the people getting married in the seven days prior to your wedding, and without it your wedding cannot take place. So don’t forget to allow time in your travel schedule to fit this in.

11

Write your vows

Bride sitting writing vows at a desk with flowers besides her

One of the joys of eloping is that you don’t have to stick to a set wedding ceremony script, your ceremony and vows can be whatever you want. We recommend starting to write your vows well in advance of your elopement day, but finishing them off on your wedding morning, and writing them into beautiful vow books is a great way to kick off your wedding day.

Elope in Scotland!

12

Bride touching grooms face during elopement ceremony

It’s your elopement day, everything is planned, your elopement vendors have everything under control and the two of you enjoy your magical Scottish elopement.

13

Return you marriage schedule and enjoy your honeymoon!

Eloping couple spray champagne into the air at the Quiraing, Isle of Skye

Before you head home you must return your marriage schedule to the Registrar within three days of your wedding. Your celebrant will be able to help you further with arranging this.

Scotland elopement couple at Three Sisters

Best places to elope in Scotland

Hopefully most of your questions about eloping in Scotland have been answered by our step-by-step Scottish elopement guide. Now let us help you answer the question- Where to elope in Scotland?

Isle of Skye Elopement Locations

The Isle of Skye is undoubtedly one of the best elopement locations in the world. Its magical scenery will make you feel like you’re an extra in the Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. If you are thinking of eloping in Scotland you should definitely consider it as your location.

The Isle of Skye is around a 5-hour drive from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and around 2 hours from Inverness. There is so much to see on the island so book a few days here to explore and take it all in.

Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye

Eloping couple with lanterns standing on rocks in front of the Old Man of Storr, Scotland

For the more adventurous couples the Old Man of Storr is a perfect option for your elopement ceremony. It’s a 45-minute hike up the hill, but the views from the top are totally worth it. Get married below the huge stone monoliths (the Old Man) created in an ancient landslide, with views out to sea of the Islands of Raasay and Rona. Top tip: have a sunrise ceremony to avoid crowds, as this is the most popular walk on the Isle of Skye.

Quiraing, Isle of Skye

Just five minutes’ walk from the Quiraing car park and you’re in an otherworldly landscape of high cliffs, and unusual rock formations. The Quiraing is another of Skye’s iconic locations, perfect for an epic elopement.

Although you can get to a great ceremony spot in a few minutes we recommend planning on spending longer and hiking out to discover everything the Quiraing has to offer. Follow the 4 mile loop walk that is one of our favourite hikes in Scotland.

THE FAIRY GLEN, ISLE OF SKYE

Bride and groom embrace at the Fairy Glen, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Fairy Glen (or Faerie Glen) is a mountain landscape in miniature – made up of small, curiously rounded hills. For us it feels like you might see a hobbit at any minute. Yet another magical elopement location on the Isle of Skye.

Just a 10-15 minute walk from the road, the Fairy Glen is close to the village of Uig, and is in our top three elopement locations on Skye.

LOCH CORUISK, ISLE OF SKYE

Eloping couple holding hands looking out at Loch Coruisk, Scotland

To get to Loch Coruisk you have to take a boat trip from the fishing village of Elgol, over to the base of the Cuillin mountains. Loch Coruisk is a short hike from where you get dropped off and as you come around the corner, the beauty of the Loch is revealed.

There is no road access to Loch Coruisk, so going by boat or a long hike is the only way to get there, meaning you'll have a very private place to say your vows.

Other Scottish Locations

Although the Isle of Skye is our absolute favourite elopement location, Scotland is home to countless other amazing elopement locations. From the rugged splendour of the Three Sisters mountains in Glencoe, to the ancient and mystical standing stones of the Outer Hebrides. Scotland has something for everyone, and we loved to help you narrow down your elopement spot.

Glencoe Elopement

Eloping couple kissing underneath an umberella being held by a celebrant at Glencoe Scotland

Driving from Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands takes you through the valley of Glencoe, one of the most beautiful drives in Scotland. Glencoe was created by the explosion of a supervolcano 420 million years ago, and was further shaped by a glacier in the Ice Age 10,000 years ago. What is left are huge peaks towering over the valley floor, waterfalls cascading down the hillsides, and the perfect environment for exploring.

Glencoe is just 1.5 hours’ drive from Glasgow and 2.5 hours from Edinburgh. It can get busy but there are plenty of spots just off the beaten track, including a secret waterfall we discovered away from the tourist spots.

Cairngorms Elopement

Bride and groom kiss standing on a rock with a valley and forest below in the Cairngorms, Scotland

The Cairngorms National Park, in the Scottish Highlands, is the largest national park in the UK, and is twice the size of Luxembourg! The Cairngorms are home to 4 of the 5 largest mountains in the UK, and over a quarter of Scotland’s forest. There are a huge number of location options for your elopement in the Cairngorms and this is our top recommendation for outdoors loving couples.

Outer Hebrides Elopement

The Outer Hebrides are a remote island chain that lie off the North West coast of Scotland. Famed for their vast white sand beaches, ancient standing stones, and slow pace of life, the Outer Hebrides are one of our favourite places in Scotland.

Reached in a couple of hours by ferry from Skye, Ullapool or Oban, or by air, we highly rate the Isle of Harris and Lewis for a Scottish elopement.

Torridon Elopement

Bride and Groom walking together on a mountain in Torridon, Scotland

Torridon is an area in the North-west Highlands that receives far fewer visitors than a lot of other parts of Scotland. We've no idea why though as it has beautiful lochs, epic mountains and pretty villages. If you really want to get away from the crowds, then Torridon could be the elopement location for you.

Oli and Steph looking at the camera wearing jumpers at the Quiraing Scotland

We hope that this list of locations and our 13-step guide to eloping in Scotland has helped give you some ideas.

We’re Oli and Steph Photography, we live on the Isle of Skye and we are Scotland elopement photographers who love nothing more than adventuring with like-minded couples in the mountains, and the forests and the beaches and… you get the idea! If you’re ready to talk more about eloping then get in touch and we can chat about your perfect Scotland elopement experience.

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