Planning A Luxury Elopement In Scotland
Coming to Scotland to host an intimate destination wedding or elope is an idea that many of our clients have had since their first visit to the country, or since learning that their family lineage is linked to Scotland and we are proud to help them make that dream come true!
We believe Scotland is one of the world’s premier locations for luxury destination weddings (We are a little biased of course!) because not only does Scotland have incredible natural beauty and scenery, but also has many luxury and boutique properties, paired with exceptional hospitality service to truly see that your elopement package experience in Scotland will exceed your expectations. This helps to explain why there have been numerous royal and celebrity weddings in Scotland in recent years (Princess Zara was married in Edinburgh in 2011 as well as Madonna and tennis ace Andy Murray).
Let’s take a look at the key things to consider when planning a luxury elopement or destination wedding in Scotland.
How to get to Scotland
Something that many of our destination weddings and elopements clients ask us is about travel to Scotland and getting around the country once you arrive.
Scotland’s key airports (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness) have many direct and indirect connections to the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe. If you can’t find a direct flight to your preferred Scottish airport then connections are almost always easily possible via Amsterdam, Paris, London and Dublin. With that said, we find many of our clients and their guests wish to see and explore a number of locations across the country, so we tend to find flights in and out of different cities to that which is closest to their chosen wedding venue is usually a great excuse to go explore!
When you are in Scotland there are many public transport options to connect you between popular cities and towns through the local train network and bus operators. The larger cities also have taxi services and Uber for getting around the city. If you are selecting a venue in the Scottish highlands, Isle of Skye or west coast, it should be known that these locations are quite remote and it is not always easy to access services like you would in a city.
Our top tip for getting around Scotland though is to brave the concept of driving on the other side of the road and arrange a car rental.
Scotland has so many sweeping, winding and beautiful roads that the ability to pull over and enjoy a picnic surrounded by the natural beauty of the lochs, mountains and lush greenery can be an especially enjoyable treat.
Images by James Frost Photography
Scottish Elopement Wedding Venues
The next thing to consider for your luxury elopement in Scotland is the type of venue that you might be interested in hosting your wedding at.
Scotland has many gorgeous luxury castles and hotels that are only too delighted to host elope weddings, but the country is also populated with many quirky and amazing airbnb properties. Many of these places offer elopement packages in Scotland.
Additionally, all couples whose application for marriage is approved have the incredible right to hold their wedding ANYWHERE they choose without the need for a special license. We’ve had clietns married at the base of a mountain and atop one! We’ve had couples take their vows on beaches, in forests and in the wild open of the Scottish highlands. This is one of Scotland’s most wonderful traits as a destination for weddings as it allows you the flexibility to choose the spot of your dreams.
We recommend the following websites to browse for a wide selection of incredible venues
Scottish Weather and Daylight for Weddings
Something that many clients who are looking for scottish elopement packages ask us is of course about the Scottish weather! It is true that seeing four seasons in any one day is something you might experience but we would also say that every season in Scotland is beautiful – from the crisp, frosty winter to the lush summer in full bloom. There is no secret perfect date for a summer or winter wedding here in Scotland, it is just important to be prepared for the best and worst eventualities.
The most important consideration with the weather is to have a realistic back up or indoor option for your wedding that you really like and to consider the number of daylight hours there will be on the day. During the Summer we experience nearly twenty hours of daylight and in the Winter we find it can be pitch black sometimes by three in the afternoon.
In Scotland our summer runs from June to August, with winter from November to February. Temperatures in Summer tend to average around eighteen degrees celsius and in winter much lower at three or four degrees celsius. We’ve had clients take their vows under a crisp pink sky at dusk in November and we’ve also had clients experience scorching hot days throughout Summer!
No matter what the season is though, if you are looking at an elopement package in the UK, we do recommend having a selection of layers to ensure you are prepared for all events.
Elopement Wedding Costs in Scotland
As an experienced elopement planner, who offers Scottish elopement packages - one of the things we are asked about frequently by our clients is on the issue of budgeting and how to apportion the spend for each aspect of their wedding.
We typically suggest to our clients that they commit no more than 40% of their budget to the venue, food and beverage costs, or 50% if you will be hosting more than one event.
A beautiful elopement in Scotland can be achieved for between £3500 and £7000 – including a venue, photographer, planner, officiant, florist, beauty services and a place to dine together afterwards. For larger wedding parties or groups, we typically suggest multiplying £300 by the number of guests you will have as a good indicative spend that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve compromised too much.
Working with Elopement Wedding Planners in Scotland and the UK
Making a destination or elopement wedding happen can be overwhelming and there are a lot of logistics, legalities and cultural norms to consider. This is why we always recommend seeking the support of an experienced professional who knows the area that you are eloping to well and can recommend everything from the best coffee shops to the most stunning locations to sneak off to for a post wedding photoshoot.
At Timeless White we go on two country wide trips per year to visit new locations to help us better plan and advise our clients who are looking for a wedding planner in Edinburgh, The Highlands or the UK.
The right support is also critical to ensuring that you have made your legal marriage applications on time and will have the right type of visa, if you require one, to come to the UK for your marriage.
This and all of the above are things that we are very happy to assist with and experienced in arranging for our clients.