The Ultimate Guide to Eloping in Scotland
“The mountains are calling & I must go.” (John Muir)
Are you engaged and considering eloping in Scotland? Perhaps you knew straightaway that this was how you wanted to say yes to forever, or maybe this is just one of the options you are considering. Whether you already have a pretty good idea of what your elopement is going to look like or whether this is something you would love to do but are not sure if it is possible for you, as a Scotland elopement photographer I am here to guide you as you make these important decisions about your wedding day.
Overview
What is an elopement?
Traditionally, elopements were marriages that were conducted in a somewhat secretly fashion. Eloping couples would run away from England to get married in Gretna Green on the Scottish Borders, often because their families disapproved of the union.
Nowadays, eloping is seen much more as a wonderful alternative to a traditional wedding – a way to celebrate your love in a way that is beautifully intimate and completely personal to your relationship, either with just the two of you or a couple of witnesses if you are planning a legal elopement ceremony. Some elopements are still secret and the couple will only announce the news to their family and friends after tying the knot. Most of the modern elopement ceremonies, however, are not so secret and often will even include parents, siblings or close friends as witnesses. I have worked with couples whose parents even encouraged them to elope, seeing this as truly beautiful way to celebrate their marriage.
Why should you elope to Scotland?
I could give you many reasons but the one feels true to my heart is this: it is SO incredibly ROMANTIC! I cannot imagine a more romantic way to get married than the two of you with a couple of close friends surrounded by mountains, forests, lochs or the sea. Exchanging personal vows, feeling completely free to say exactly what you feel, crying tears of joy without worrying about everyone looking at you and also having the most incredible photos that will decorate your walls and make you feel that you are right back in the moment when you look at them.
Following up on that, there are some very good reasons to choose Scotland for your elopement. The most important of which is the fact that you can get legally married anywhere outdoors which is not currently the case in many other countries. Secondly, if you adore the wild outdoors, I cannot think of a more perfect country to tie the know. The beauty of Scotland is just astounding and if you grew up loving movies such as The Lord of the Rings, the Highlands of Scotland really make you feel like you are right in the middle of one of them, living out your own fairytale.
Legal or non-legal elopement ceremony?
If you are not from the UK, the first question you could ask yourself is whether getting legally married on the day is important to you or whether you would be happy to have the emotional ceremony and sign the legal documents on separate days. While the legal route is certainly possible, it will require more work and paperwork. As a Scotland elopement photographer, I have observed that a lot of the international couples I work with do not attribute as much significance to the legal paperwork as to the emotional, intimate ceremony which they see as their real wedding day. This route is certainly easier. You could signed the legal paperwork back home in your country either before or after your Scottish elopement in order to avoid having to deal with visas and then have your vow exchange ceremony with or without ceremony wherever and however you wanted.
How to get legally married in Scotland if you are from overseas
If you decide that your preference would be to exchange your vows and sign the legal paperwork on the same day, the next thing you could do is to check what the specific requirements are for your country. Firstly, you may want to use this UK Government page to check whether or not you will need a Marriage Visitor Visa to get married in Scotland. Choose your country and the reason for your visit - to “get married or enter into civil partnership” and you will get the relevant information for your country. You can also visit this page to find out more about marrying in Scotland.
Step 1. Choose your elopement location
Once you have set your heart on eloping in Scotland, the first step is to choose the location where you would like to get married. The good news is that in Scotland you can get married almost anywhere and there are SO MANY amazing options - lochs, mountains, rivers, beaches, forests, ancient castles - you name it! The (sort of) bad news is that with so many options it can be hard to decide where would be perfect for you, especially if this will be your first time visiting Scotland. I have prepared a helpful guide to the best Scotland elopement locations from a photographer’s perspective which you can read here. You will also find some of my favourite areas below:
My favourite Scotland elopement locations
Isle of Skye
2. Glencoe
3. The Cairngorms
4. Edinburgh
5. Torridon & Assynt
6. East Lothian coast
7. The Scottish Borders
Step 2. Set the date
When is the best time to elope in Scotland?
April-May
These two Spring months in Scotland are usually when we get the best weather of the year, with the temperatures varying between 15 and over 20 degrees (though we also had occasional snow days in April some years), most days filled with sunshine with occasional rain. The Highland landscapes are usually coloured in beautifully fresh green hues and there are lots of spring flowers blooming all around the cities. It is a less busy time of year to elope than summer and you do not have to deal with the midges (read about them in the next section on summer). This is my second favourite time of year for elopements after autumn.
June-August
The summer is a beautiful time in Scotland but it is also the busiest time of the year. The Highlands and Edinburgh alike are swarming with crowds of visitors – both from overseas and from other parts of the UK as this is the time for long school holidays. If you are planning to elope in summer, I highly recommend choosing a weekday and avoiding between Friday night and Sunday to have more privacy and a better experience of Scotland. The landscapes in the wild outdoors are very rich green in summer with purple heather decorating a lot of the hills and mountains in late summer. You also have to be prepared for midges – tiny flying insects that bite and leave unpleasant and itchy mosquito-like marks if you do not use suitable protection. I always recommend smidge spray to defend yourselves against the little pests and will most often have some in the car to help my eloping couples. If you are coming to Edinburgh in August, you will find that it is several times more expensive than any other month of the year because of some huge festivals, including Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival taking place in the city and making it as busy as somewhere like New York for this one month.
September-November
Late September to early December is my favourite time of year for elopements. The Highlands get painted in the most incredible autumn colours, with orange, yellow, rust and copper tones dominating the landscape. Edinburgh, too, becomes the perfect dark academia city with the dark architecture looking very beautiful surrounded by autumn leaves. Autumn in Scotland is usually relatively mild – there is as much of a chance of rain as it is of sunny days. The temperatures tend to stick around 10-17 degrees. The Highlands are usually quieter than in the summer and incredibly picturesque, with smells of burning fires and damp autumn leaves making the scenery a feast for all senses.
December-March
Between late December and early March, the tourism season is officially over so you will find both the cities and the countryside much quieter than other times of the year. However, it is quite a bit colder (the temperatures usually vary between +10 and -5 degrees Celsius) and there is a risk of the weather being less than ideal. Storms are very common this time of year with high winds that often reach 50-60mph. Certain roads in the Highlands on some days can become impassable with ice on the road and blizzards making the visibility very poor. There is also a moderate chance of landslides and flooding in certain parts of the Highlands. While it is a beautiful time to elope, especially when fresh snow falls making the world seem ever-so-magical, you have to be prepared for unexpected detours or potentially having to change your elopement location with short notice if the roads become impassable.
Step 3. Book your elopement suppliers
Now it is time to start booking your suppliers! As a Scotland elopement photographer, I know that often couples decide to elope with shorter notice than is required for traditional weddings. However, it is still important to give plenty of notice if you want to book your dream suppliers. The most important suppliers to book well ahead of time would usually be the celebrant and the photographer/videographer. Ideally, you would want to book with around 12 months notice but if you are flexible with the dates, 6-12 months should also be enough time to book your perfect suppliers. As a Scotland elopement photographer, I have worked with many celebrants, florists, dress designers and make-up/hair artists and will always be happy to provide my couples with recommendations.
Step 4. Complete your paperwork and apply for your Marriage Visitor Visa (if required)
In order to get married in Scotland you will need to complete a Marriage Notice Form. This must be sent to the registrar no later than 29 days before your marriage but it is recommended to give 10-12 weeks notice to allow time to check your notices and relevant documents. You can find the current cost for Marriage Notice here.
If you need a Marriage Visitor Visa, you can apply for it no earlier than three months before you travel to the UK. It currently costs £100 to apply for the Marriage Visitor Visa.
Step 5. What should you wear to elope in Scotland?
If you’re planning an adventurous elopement, you may want to consider the terrain and the season of the year when choosing your outfits. If you're eloping outdoors, I would always recommend some sturdy boots so you can hike around with confidence! There are many different options for boots that both look beautiful and will be comfortable to wear when walking around (one example being Dr Martens).
It is no secret that weather in Scotland can be moody and changeable, even in summer! I believe the moody skies makes up a large part of Scotland’s charm. That being said, it is a good idea to have some cute yet practical coverups if you get chilly and for moving in between locations. Waterproofs are always great to have on the day just in case. For brides I always recommend Tartan Blanket Co or similar tartan shawls - they look great with Scotland’s landscapes and will keep you nice and snug.
Step 6. Choose your witnesses
In order to get legally married in Scotland you will need two adult witnesses. These can be either family and friends or complete strangers! As your photographer I am always happy to witness your marriage, and for a second witness you can ask your celebrant for help with finding one.
Step 7. Collect your marriage schedule
In order to get legally married in Scotland you will need a Marriage Schedule which can be collected from the registrar of your ceremony location in person from 7 days before your wedding.
Step 8. Return your completed marriage schedule after your elopement
The marriage schedule will need to be returned to your local registrar within 3 days of your elopement. You can either return it in person or send it by post.
About Scotland Elopement Photographer Ieva Marija
Hi! I’m Ieva - an elopement photographer in Scotland and the author of this guide. I photograph relaxed and romantic couples all the way from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye, Torridon and beyond. My photography style is cinematic storytelling, capturing authentic moments in your relationship in a way that looks like they belong in the movies.
I hope you found this guide helpful. If you connected with the images throughout this post and are still on the lookout for your Scotland elopement photographer, I would love to hear from you!