Discussing Elopements and Small Intimate Weddings in Scotland

For a number of centuries, Scotland has drawn lovers in their thousands across its borders to elope. Scotland became a young lovers paradise when the Marriage Act of seventeen fifty-four prevented English citizens under the age of 21 from being married without their parents’ consent. As a result, thousands of rebellious couples would cross the border from England to Scotland to be legally wed, where sixteen was still the age of being able to personally consent to a betrothal. While Gretna Green still has its place as a runaway setting, the modern eloping couple seeks something more picturesque, adventurous and off the-beaten-track.

In recent times, the demand for elopement weddings in Scotland has surged. The allure of the misty mountains is a huge draw for some couples, while the enchanting history and fairy-tale appearance of the countries many castles is a dream for others and the quirky cobbled streets of Edinburgh’s city centre alone mean it too has huge appeal. All this combined with the inspiring romances and scenery in popular television shows such as Outlander, Game of Thrones and Harry Potter has left the international eloping audience lusting after their own Scottish romance story.

Other factors which have contributed to the popularity of being married in Scotland are that there are no requirements about the length of time couples need to be in the country before or after their Wedding day (meaning it really can be a quick in-and-out timeframe), that same-sex marriages can be legally conducted, that no special licenses are required to be married in an unusual location, that the majority of ceremonies can be conducted in another language (with only the vows having to be spoken in English) and that all legal weddings conducted in Scotland are recognised legally throughout the world.

FEATURING // Zach and Jodi’s wedding that took place at Loch An Eilein. 

LOCATION // Loch An Eilein is located in the Rothiemurchus Forest about 5km south of Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park. To give an idea on travel time, see distances below:

ACCOMMODATION // Inshriach House, Inshriach, Aviemore PH22 1QP (approx 12 minutes from Loch An Eilein.) 

PHOTOGRAPHY // To find out more and to see more photos of this enchanting wedding, please visit thekitcheners.co.uk instagram: @thekitcheners

LEGAL WEDDINGS 

For those wishing to officially tie the knot on Scottish soil, there are four legal formats that a wedding ceremony can take. These are Civil, Religious, Humanist and Inter-Faith. Civil ceremonies are the equivalent of an American courthouse wedding, typically short and sweet, without mention of religion and conducted by an officiant from the local registry office to your wedding location – a small advantage to this option is that your marriage license will be brought to your ceremony by the officiant and returned to the registry office, for other ceremony formats, the couple have to collect and return this documentation. Religious ceremonies can be conducted by any person who is ordained to do so and an active part of a religion that is legally recognised in Scotland. Humanist weddings have experienced enormous growth in Scotland and are conducted by a qualified Humanist celebrant who will typically invest a lot of time and effort in understanding the couple’s story, their quirks and personalising a service to fit them perfectly. Finally, inter-faith ceremonies are available for those who may wish to infuse two religions in their wedding ceremony. In all cases, legal weddings must be conducted by a person legally permitted to officiate a wedding ceremony in Scotland. All formats of legal ceremony require that the same paperwork and documentation are submitted no later than twenty nine days before the marriage is due to take place. The amount of documentation that is required depends ultimately upon your citizenship status.

OBTAINING A MARRIAGE VISITORS VISA 

For those who do not have citizenship of a country within the EU economic area or commonwealth states, a Marriage Visitors Visa should be applied for from the UK government, one is required per person and the fee is £95 each. Citizens of the EU economic area and commonwealth countries do not need to undertake an application for a Marriage Visitors Visa. The application for a Marriage Visitors Visa opens no earlier than three months before your ceremony is due to take place and typically the application takes three to four weeks to process. As a part of the Marriage Visitors Visa application, you will be required to provide; your birth certificate, current passport, 1 passport style photograph, proof that you can financially support yourself during your trip, proof you have reason to return home and details of where you intend to be married and stay during your trip to Scotland. You will also be required to book a Biometrics appointment to have your fingerprints taken at your nearest UK embassy.

OBTAINING A MARRIAGE SCHEDULE 

All persons being legally married in Scotland are required to apply for a marriage schedule, including those who are and are not citizens within the EU economic area or commonwealth states. The process is extremely straightforward and should be done in partnership with the local registry office to your wedding venue or location. Each partner is required to submit an ‘M10’ form and a witness details form as part of this process. They will also have to provide original viewing of their birth certificates and evidence of past marriages having been dissolved (if applicable) along with a certificate of no impediment if your country of citizenship will provide one and a valid marriage visitors visa (if not a citizen of the EU economic area or commonwealth states). The fee for applying for a marriage schedule is £70 per couple. All documents must be submitted no later than twenty nine days prior to the marriage taking place.

OTHER PRACTICALITIES TO CONSIDER 

There are of course a number of practical considerations to make before whisking your love on an adventure to bonny Scotland for the elopement of your dreams and we are happy to share some of our top tips! The first of the considerations should be for the local weather and daylight time. Scotland is known the world over for the sensational experience of “four seasons in one day” and it is always advisable to bring practical footwear as a backup, along with optional layers if you intend to be married outdoors or spend a lot of time outside for photography or picnicking. Additionally, Scotland experiences broad differences in daylight hours in Summer versus Winter, so it is wise to understand what the sunset time will be on your Wedding day and ensure that you have at least two daylight hours after your Ceremony completes to be able to really enjoy your portrait photography time and get the most out of the natural light. Scotland also has some age old traditions which you may well want to integrate into your Wedding day and we always recommend doing a little research on what these are, to fully personalise the ceremony and day to your Scottish delight! Some of the most popular rituals include a traditional handfasting ceremony (also known as tying the knot), drinking from the quaich, having a Bagpiper play some music before, during or after your Ceremony and having some lucky white heather in the Bridal bouquet or a sixpence in the Brides shoe for luck! The final consideration that we would suggest it is important to make, is getting around while you are in Scotland and knowing what to expect of each locality you intend to visit during your trip. Scotland’s cities and towns are well connected with trains and buses but many of the rural locations that are on couples’ wishlists to see are best experienced with the use of a hire car and some good route planning, including fuel stops!

FAVOURITE LOCATIONS 

Scotland is bursting with breath-taking spots for elopements to take place and with the ease of being able to be married just about anywhere, you really can pick your spot. In terms of popularity (and good reason for it!) some of our most favourite locations for elopements in Scotland include The Isle of Skye (Dunscaith Castle ruins on the shore are truly spectacular), the Glencoe area for its vastness and rugged landscape, Eilean Donan Castle with its iconic bridge and views to the Isle of Skye, Dunnottar Castle ruins on the dramatic cliffs of the northeast of Scotland and Edinburgh City itself (There are some stunning urban and rural backdrops to choose from). Each of these locations has its own quirks and considerations for couples to make but each is truly bewitching in its own way and ultimately will give the couple the chance to be the envy of all their friends with a spectacular backdrop for saying their “I do’s” Wild Hearts Elopements are wedding planners who specialise in supporting couples who are planning intimate weddings in Scotland. With a wealth of experience spanning the country’s best locations such as Isle of Skye, Glencoe, Edinburgh, Eilean Donan Castle and Dunnottar Castle, as well as others. 

For more details on service packages and locations, visit their website at www. wildheartselopements.com or follow them on Instagram @wild.hearts.elopements