How to Elope in
Scotland
Considering an epic Scotland elopement?
Heck yeah, you should do it! Scotland is such an incredible place to explore, which makes it an incredible spot to elope. If you love going to totally new places with your partner and want your elopement day to be unreal, you should elope in Scotland!
Scotland is part of the U.K. and covers the northern part of Great Britain, as well as hundreds of small islands off the coast. The mainland is divided into three regions: the Highlands, the Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands – each with their own stunning landscapes, from rolling hills and plains to rocky cliffs and mountains.
I’ll go over all my favorite Scotland elopement locations below, as well as the logistics of an overseas wedding and some fun ways to explore the country. But first – why should you consider eloping in Scotland?





Why Should You Elope in Scotland?
01/
Huge Variety of Landscapes
Rocky coasts, lush green hills and farmland, mossy forests, mountains and lakes . . . whatever backdrop you’re picturing for your elopement, you can probably find it in Scotland!
And because Scotland isn’t that big (smaller than many U.S. states!), we can incorporate a variety of landscapes into your day.
02/
Year-Round Activities
Depending on the season, you can go hiking, mudding, skiing or snowmobiling; take a boat or train ride; or try to spot the Loch Ness Monster (or maybe just some Highland cows). We’ll cover the best times to elope and all the fun activities you can do in this guide!
03/
Easy to Elope
Scotland has the most lax regulations of any U.K. country about where you can get legally married, so you can recite your vows with the gorgeous Scottish backdrop of your choice. (We’ll get into the specifics of getting legally married in Scotland more below!)
04/
Highland Cows
Did I mention the Highland cows? I might be a little obsessed, but this iconic Scottish breed of cattle is fluffy, majestic . . . and could totally be in the background of your bridal portraits.
Where to Elope in Scotland

Old Man of the Storr
The Old Man of the Storr might be the most iconic feature on the Isle of Skye, the largest island connected to Scotland’s mainland by bridge. The entire Isle of Skye is probably what you’re thinking when you picture Scotland: hilly, rocky scenery, quaint villages, and crumbling castles. The Storr is a steep mountain on one of the island’s peninsulas, and the “Old Man” itself is a tower of ancient volcanic rock that juts up from the mountain into the sky. A 3.4-mile loop hike takes you to this amazingly surreal landscape that would make for a dramatic elopement backdrop.

The Quiraing
The Quiraing is another famous hike on the Isle of Skye that takes you to some terrain unlike anywhere else on earth. The area was formed by a landslide that resulted in craggy cliffs, plateaus, and unique rocky formations – a whole buffet of unreal views. The 4.3-mile loop to reach the Quiraing is not for the faint of heart, though – it’s steep, slippery, and involves some serious heights. A Scotland elopement at the Quiraing would be best on a clear day with good weather! (Keep reading to learn about the best times to elope in Scotland.)

The Fairy Glen
If magic is a priority for your Scotland elopement, you’ll definitely want to consider the Fairy Glen, a truly mythical landscape with ties to ancient folklore. Like the Quiraing, this area was formed by a long-ago landslide that created a unique and stunning terrain. Located near the village of Uig on the Isle of Skye, the Fairy Glen is characterized by unusually shaped hills and rock formations, including a “castle” of volcanic basalt. A short loop hike brings you through the most interesting sites (and potential elopement locations!) in this area.

Glencoe
This valley in the Scottish Highlands is my personal favorite part of the country! Glencoe is a perfect Scotland elopement destination if you want a little bit of everything: a quaint village with great places to stay and eat, scenic coastline and lakes, and activities like hiking, skiing, and sea kayaking. It’s also just plain gorgeous, with historic houses and streams dotting a mountainous green landscape. If you bring me along as your elopement photographer in Glencoe, you might not convince me to leave!

Cairngorms National Park
The U.K.’s largest national park covers the Cairngorms mountain range and a terrain ranging from snowy mountain peaks to forests, moorlands, and lochs. Cairngorms National Park not only has thousands of acres of incredible nature to explore, it’s also home to historic castles, breweries and distilleries, museums, and a wildlife park. If your ideal elopement day involves a mix of outdoor adventure and historic sight-seeing, eloping in Cairngorms National Park would be the best of both worlds!

Torridon
Torridon is a small village in the Scottish Highlands on the shore of a tranquil loch. A popular basecamp for hiking and climbing, Torridon is ideal for a quiet, private elopement focused on exploring the Highlands nature on foot. It’s also the site of a secluded boutique resort if you’re dreaming of a luxurious elopement night stay (read on for all my recommendations on where to stay during your Scotland elopement).

Inverness
The largest city in the Scottish Highlands, Inverness is a center of historic, cultural, and natural wonders. If your ideal elopement day (or week!) is jam-packed with a huge of variety of activities, I’d highly recommend Inverness as a home base. Overlooking the city, Inverness Castle occupies the same site as the original fortress from 11 A.D. and has been involved in centuries of Scottish history. And within a 30-minute drive of Inverness, you can visit two major landmarks: the Culloden Battlefield, and Urquhart Castle on the shore of Loch Ness.

The Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides are a chain of islands off Scotland’s western coast with incredible historic and cultural significance. Home to prehistoric structures including the Calanais Standing Stones, the islands are a modern stronghold of Gaelic culture and language – this is a must-see area if you’re interested in Scotland’s ancient history and traditions! Of course, I wouldn’t be mentioning the Outer Hebrides if they weren’t also perfect for adventuring during your Scotland elopement, with activities like climbing and windsurfing in gorgeous landscapes of mountains, moorlands, and even sandy beaches.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park
Scotland’s other national park straddles the boundary between Highlands and Lowlands, so it offers a huge variety of scenery. It’s a perfect setting for an adventurous Scotland elopement – you can go hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddleboarding, fishing, climbing, and camping in the park. Or you can just take in the epic, sweeping views of the green fields in the Lowlands and the craggy cliffs in the Highlands on your elopement day!

Castles
The Scottish countryside is dotted with hundreds of castles, some dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries. Those still standing range from majestic fortresses (including some you can stay in!) to crumbling relics. Some of Scotland’s still-maintained castles are traditional venues perfect for a microwedding, such as the Achnagairn, Glenapp, and Killochan castles. But you can also choose to elope in front of a key piece of Scottish history, like the Eilean Donan or Dunnottar castles.
Did one of these locations strike your fancy? Reach out to me to start planning your Scotland elopement!
When Should you
Elope in Scotland?
There’s no wrong time to elope in Scotland, but each season brings different considerations, especially if you’re picturing an adventurous day. The best time to elope depends on what kind of activities you want to incorporate in your elopement day (I’ve got lots of ideas below)!
Scotland’s weather is fairly moderate – it doesn’t get extremely hot or extremely cold. However, it can change on a whim, so no matter when you decide to elope, we’ll want to prepare for the possibility of rain, wind, or a sudden shift in temperatures. And don’t stress – planning an elopement in uncertain weather conditions is kind of my forte, so I’ll make sure we pack the layers we need.
When you reach out to me to start planning your Scotland elopement, we’ll chat about everything you want to do and see and make sure we choose the perfect time – whether you already have a date in mind, or you’re open to the possibilities! Read on for a specific breakdown of the pros and cons of eloping in Scotland during each season.


Summer
Summer is Scotland’s best season for warm weather, with average highs in the mid-60s. It’s also the season with the most rain – and the most daylight!
Because Scotland is so far north, it averages 17 hours of daylight in the summer, with some of the farthest north areas never experiencing complete darkness in the middle of summer. You could really maximize the concept of an “all-day elopement”!
Summer is also festival season – including Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, which takes place in August.
Fall
If one of the biggest things drawing you to a Scotland elopement is how stunningly green the landscapes are, then fall is the ideal time to elope! Fall also brings changing colors in the leaves – truly the best season if bold and colorful photos are your priority.
Average temperatures in Scotland in the fall hover in the 40s and 50s, which is still great weather for lots of outdoor fun like hiking or climbing. It’s also the perfect time to take a four-day scenic train ride through the countryside with your new spouse.


Winter
Winter in Scotland is chilly, but not freezing, with average temperatures in the 30s and 40s and snow dusting the Highlands.
You may not think of Scotland as a skiing destination, but it’s home to several winter resorts, including Glencoe Mountain (in my very favorite part of Scotland). If one of the things tying you to a Colorado or Utah elopement is snowsports, don’t discount Scotland!
Spring
Spring brings spectacular wildflowers to the Scottish countryside, including the iconic bluebells. These delicate flowers cover some meadows and forest floors in the foothills and mountains, creating a stunning field of violet.
Fortunately, with average highs in the 50s, it’s typically warm enough in the spring to adventure through the Scottish Highlands to find amazing wildflower backdrops for your elopement photos.


Elope on a weekday!
One of my biggest pieces of advice for couples choosing when to elope is to pick a weekday! Unlike with a traditional wedding, you don’t have to worry about guests’ schedules, so there’s no reason to limit yourself to weekends.
Weekdays are typically cheaper for booking vendors and accommodations, and the most popular sites and trails, like the Fairy Glen or Loch Ness, will be less busy with other visitors.
And because you’ll most likely elope as part of a longer trip to Scotland or other parts of the U.K. (I highly recommend this!), you’ll have ultimate flexibility in choosing a day with the most privacy and serenity for your elopement.
Got a season in mind for your elopement? I’d love to chat about all the pros and cons and help you pick the perfect time of year for your Scotland elopement!


Adventuring during your Scotland elopement
So many of my favorite recommendations for places to elope in Scotland are amazing specifically because of their unique opportunities to adventure.
Whether you want to hike into the backcountry, see as many historic castles as possible, or take a boat to another island, there’s plenty of options for all types of adventure-lovers. So let’s get into all the fun things you can incorporate into your elopement day!


Hiking
Some of the coolest places to see in Scotland are only accessible by hiking trail! Whether you’re planning to elope at one of these amazing places, or just start your elopement day with a sunrise hike to find an amazing view, I highly recommend adding a hike or two to your Scotland itinerary.
In addition to the Old Man of the Storr, the Quiraing, and the Fairy Glen mentioned above, here are a few of my favorite hikes in Scotland! (And of course, I’m always happy to provide specific suggestions that fit perfectly into your day when we start planning your Scotland elopement.)
- The Lost Valley (3.9 miles) – Glencoe National Nature Reserve
- The Cobbler (7.2 miles) – Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
- Devil’s Staircase and Ciaran Path (14.7 miles) – Kinlochleven
- Hebridean Way (156 miles)* – Outer Hebrides
*The Hebridean Way is kind of like Appalachian Trail of the Outer Hebrides – walking the whole route would take a ton of planning (though how fun would it be to elope along the way?), but most people hike just a shorter section of the trail as it meanders across 10 islands.
Off-Roading
Off-roading is another activity you might think of as “classically” Colorado or Utah, but Scotland has its own spin!
One of the funnest activities I experienced in Scotland was an eight-wheel-drive off-road tour with Glenlivet Hill Trek in Cairngorms National Park. The tour takes you through moorland to the summit of Carn Ghrantaich for panoramic views in a super unusual vehicle.
Highland Safaris also offers group and private charter tours that will get you up close to the wildlife in the mountains of the Scottish Highlands.


Skiing
When the mountains in the Scottish Highlands get snow in the winter, several resorts open up for skiing, snowboarding, and other snowsports.
- Cairngorm Mountain
- Glencoe Mountain Resort
- Nevis Range Snowsports
- Lecht Ski Center
- Glenshee Ski Center
Other fun snow activities include feeding the reindeer in the Cairngorm mountains and dog sledding near Inverness!
Boating
Whether you prefer to paddle your own vessel or hop on a boat tour of a scenic loch, there are lots of fun ways to get out on the water during your Scotland elopement!
You can go sea kayaking on the Isle of Seil, spot seals off the coast of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, or take a steamship cruise of Loch Katrine in the Trossachs.
If you’re looking for a truly unique and private experience, you can even book a day trip to St. Kilda, the most remote part of the British isles, either with a group tour or private charter boat.


Train Rides
A scenic train ride has got to be one of the most romantic ways to experience the Scottish countryside during your elopement.
There are plenty of routes through gorgeous scenery, but hands-down, the coolest one is the Jacobite Train, the real-life Hogwarts Express that crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct in several iconic scenes in the Harry Potter movies. The 84-mile round trip route runs seven days a week and is packed with incredible views!
Or for an unbelievably romantic honeymoon, check out the multi-day train routes from the Royal Scotsman with luxury sleeper cars and an on-board spa.
Loch Ness Monster
Did you really go to Scotland if you didn’t even try to spot Nessie? Just 14 miles outside Inverness, Loch Ness is a huge freshwater loch and the home of historic Urquhart Castle. There are several great ways to experience the loch (a.k.a., excellent viewing points for monster-hunting), such as a tour and deepscan cruise at the Loch Ness Centre, or a walk near the Change House with sweeping views of the loch and castle.
Highland Cows
I absolutely can’t forget to mention Scotland’s fluffiest attraction: the Highland cows! Some of the best places to spot these cuties in their prime are in the village of Duirinish near the Isle of Skye bridge, on Cow Hill near Fort Williams, or at the Glen Tanar estate near Cairngorms National Park.


Where to Stay During your Elopement in Scotland
Whether you’re looking for an esthetic getting-ready space or a romantic room for your elopement night, Scotland has a variety of hotels, bed and breakfasts, and private vacation rentals to rest your head.

Castles
Staying in a real-life Scottish castle would be an ideal way to end your elopement day! Several historic castles and estates have been converted into hotels or private rentals – here are some of the coolest:
- Achnagairn Castle & Estate in Inverness
- Kincraig Castle in Inverness
- Glengarry Castle Hotel in Invergarry
- Inverlochy Castle in Fort William
- Duchray Castle near Loch Lomond
Bed & Breakfasts
You can experience Scottish hospitality firsthand at a quaint bed and breakfast in the countryside. I had an incredible experience at Heathpark House near Cairngorms National Park! Other cozy accommodations in amazing locations include the Galson Farm Guest House in the Outer Hebrides and Beachwood Cottage in Glencoe.


Airbnbs
There are endless options on Airbnb no matter where you’re eloping in Scotland, but I was lucky enough to stay in two particular standouts during my trip: this rural cottage in Portree with views of the Old Man of the Storr, and this amazing house in Uig literally feet away from the shore of the Isle of Skye.

How to Plan your
Scotland Elopement


Step 1:
Contact me
First things first, fill out my contact form! No worries if you don’t have all the details figured out yet—reach out to me with your ideas, and I can help walk you through the rest of the steps from inquiry to elopement day. I pride myself on being not just an elopement photographer, but also a local expert, planner, and my couples’ best friend as they navigate the elopement planning process.
Step 2:
Pick a time & Place
This is where I come in to help make your elopement planning experience fun and stress-free! I’ll create a personalized location guide based on your preferences and priorities. If one of the locations above has piqued your interest, awesome! But I’ll also share some hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path ideas, and help you choose the perfect spot for a Scotland elopement that’s uniquely you.
Once we have the location nailed down, if you don’t already have a date in mind, I’ll help you choose the perfect timing for whatever activities and backdrop you’re envisioning on your elopement day.


Step 3:
Book Lodging & Flights
Once we’ve picked an elopement location, I can help you sort through accommodation options and discuss a timeline for travel to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time and wake up for your elopement day comfortable, refreshed, and stress-free.
There are a few airports in Scotland that make sense depending on your elopement location. Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow are Scotland’s major airports for international flights, but there are smaller airports throughout the Highlands and isles, including in Inverness and the Outer Hebrides.
We can also chat about rental cars, ferries, trains, and anything else you need to get around during your Scotland elopement!
Step 4:
Find other Vendors
If your dream elopement includes florals, hair and makeup, a boat tour, or a romantic dinner, I can provide tailored recommendations for local vendors to make it all happen—or vendors like me who would love to tag along while you elope in Scotland.



Step 5:
Learn How to Get Married Legally
You’ve probably never considered the legal implications of getting married in another country – and that’s okay! The easiest way to legally elope in Scotland is to sign your marriage license at home, either before or after your elopement. You can still exchange vows and rings – and even plan a symbolic ceremony like a traditional Scottish handfasting – so your elopement won’t feel any less special than if you signed your papers day-of.
However, if you’re dead-set on getting legally married during your elopement, it’s not impossible – and Scotland actually makes it a bit easier than other U.K. countries. You can get married anywhere in Scotland as long as the ceremony is conducted by a registered celebrant, which makes an off-the-grid elopement a real possibility!
In addition to finding a celebrant, you’ll need a Marriage Visitor Visa. The process involves quite a bit of paperwork, so you’ll want to start early – you can apply three months before your ceremony date, and you should get a decision back within three weeks (though you can pay extra to expedite it). The application fee is £115 per person.
The other key legal step is submitting an M-10 Marriage Notice Form, which costs about £100, in the district you’re eloping in between 29 days and 12 weeks before your ceremony date.
Step 6:
Prepare for International Travel
Make sure all your ducks are in a row for your Scotland elopement! I’ll send you some reminders along the way – and bring some extra supplies – but here are a few lessons I learned during my own Scottish adventures.
- Buy some wall adapters—you can find U.S. to U.K. (type G) adapters on Amazon
- Plan to buy any hair hot tools (like curling irons and straighteners) when you arrive in Scotland—you won’t be able to use ones from the U.S. even with an adapter
- Check with your cell carrier about international service charges and decide whether to purchase an eSIM
- When renting a car, verify whether it’s a manual or automatic transmission—stick shifts are much more common in Scotland than in the U.S.
- Prepare to drive on the left side of the road—it’s not that scary, truly the worst part is trying to leave the airport!



Step 5:
Elope!
With all the planning out of the way (and me on your team to tackle any last-minute emergencies), all that’s left to do is have the adventure of your lifetime with your person!
Hey there, the name’s Sam! I cannot wait to chat with you.

This is gonna be epic.