Windswept April Elopement on the Isle of Skye, Scotland

After 2+ years, I finally got to adventure with Nina and Derek on the magical Isle of Skye in Scotland. After a couple of hiccups in scheduling (mainly because Nina had the absolutely kickass opportunity to study ecology IN Scotland), we met up during a wild and blustery few days in April. From Nina on planning their wedding:

We began planning a traditional wedding, before becoming quite frankly OVERWHELMED with the complexity and cost of the whole affair. It became clear that the more traditional aspects of a wedding did not really appeal to us (especially Nina), and seemed to detract from the two of us actually enjoying our moment. After doing some more research, Nina discovered blogs that described other couples’ elopements and those stories really resonated with her. We discussed what we envisioned for our day, and decided that an elopement to the wilds of Scotland would be a fantastic way to celebrate our marriage on our own terms before we plan a micro-wedding with just close friends and family down the road.

For their elopement, Nina wore a beautiful bodysuit and skirt combo, while Derek donned a dapper charcoal suit. Both sported Chelsea-style Wellington boots to combat the wet conditions we experienced!

Getting Ready & First Look

Their first look was intimate and cozy, in their Airbnb nestled below the Quiraing:

This day had nearly all the weather. While it was snowing in higher elevations in the Highlands, we experienced 30-40mph winds at times, 15-minute stints of downpours, and we even ended up ducking behind cars to avoid hail pellets falling at a 45 degree angle.

We headed off to multiple locations across Skye, including the Quiraing and some castle ruins, where they had their ceremony and drank from the quaich (a Celtic tradition!). As we dodged squalls, we reveled in where we were and the beauty that storms can bring. Without the storms we face earlier in the day, we wouldn’t have been greeted with such a spectacular sunset! These two jumped over boggy creeks, scrambled up ruins, and embraced in the wind while the sun set at their backs.

Weather on Skye

The Isle of Skye is also called The Misty Isle. See what I’m getting at? No matter what time of year, there is a possibility of running into adverse weather. But – don’t let that deter you. Like I said, without those storms, the beautiful sunsets and rainbows don’t happen! And if we’re being honest, I’m a big fan (ha, get it) of wind in images. It evokes a wildness that is present on your day.

Summer obviously has more of a chance for better weather, but the concept of eloping on Skye in the summer has me already cringing. Why? Because the sheer crowds. It’s a madhouse. Driving can take twice as long due to traffic, people are impatient, and it’s difficult to get any type of privacy. You also have to consider the fact that the best light is at sunrise and sunset (also coincidentally when there are fewer crowds), and in the summer the sun rises very early and sets very late.

Vendors

FLORALS: Meadowsweet Croft
MAKEUP/HAIR: The Bride (I normally don’t advocate for this but Nina killed it!)
SKIRT/BODYSUIT: Stylish Bride Atelier
SUIT: Walker Slater

If you’re dreaming of a day like this, full of intention and connection with a splash of “epic” thrown in, reach out, and let’s adventure together…