After popping the question in Iceland – perfect snow-covered views of Kirkjufell mountain and all – Josh and his bride, Amelia, knew that their wedding would be far from traditional. With the freedom to make the experience their own and an opportunity to capture some incredible photos, the couple considered a number of European destinations as they searched for the ultimate elopement location. Discovering Scottish photographer Rosie Woodhouse of Love Skye Photography made their decision easy – the Isle of Skye was calling to them!

According to Rosie, the couple’s Fairy Glen nuptials offered, “…the most ethereal of Skye landscapes… An early morning ceremony [ensured] a peaceful start to their day, followed by a fun drive across the island to the Fairy Pools…” After exchanging personal vows, Josh and Amelia tied the knot in a traditional handfasting ceremony, performed by their celebrant, Davina. The newlyweds toasted with local whisky, shared from a customary Scottish quaich, before exploring the surrounding trails and waterfalls with Rosie as their guide. “It is so important to me that the couples and I are on a shared journey to create their images,” she says. “It’s about their love and our landscapes… [Eloping] is a deeply moving and personal experience and every session encourages my conviction that the most important aspect of my role is to reflect the relationship of the couple.”

Photography by Love Skye Photography

CHOOSING AN ELOPEMENT:

“…we both knew we did not want to go through the stress of planning a wedding. We [have] both seen first-hand the financial hardship couples put themselves through to plan their special day, which ends up turning into a celebration for the guests rather than the bride and groom. With this mindset, we decided that eloping was the perfect fit for us – an intimate celebration of our love for one another with the added pleasure of traveling to a beautiful location and having amazing pictures.”

[Amelia]

CHOOSING AN ELOPEMENT LOCATION:

“Josh and I have been fortunate enough to travel to many different countries, so when it came to choosing a location, we knew we wanted it to be in Europe. After researching photographers, we stumbled upon Love Skye Photography and immediately knew the Isle of Skye was the perfect location with its beautiful, moody landscape and weather to match. It also helped [that] our photographer was from the area and knew all the magical locations to take us!”

[Amelia]

PLANNING AN ELOPEMENT:

“The planning process was extremely smooth – more so than I had imagined. Our photographer gave us contact information [for] vendors she had used previously, which was extremely helpful… Our favorite part of the experience was our ceremony that took place at 8am at Fairy Glen… This location is usually very busy, but at this early morning [time], there was only us and the livestock that roamed freely around the glen. It was so relaxed, and the nerves we had building up to that point were washed away by the beautiful ceremony…”

[Amelia]

PARTING THOUGHTS:

“For any couples considering an elopement, I would advise them to go for it! I know it is not an easy decision for some whose families expect them to have a traditional wedding, but at the end of the day, it is [your] marriage… Both my husband and I wanted beautiful pictures and memories that would be our own, and our experience of eloping gave us both! We would do it all over again in a heartbeat!”

[Amelia]

Celebrant | Davina McCluskie of Scottish Highland Weddings

If you are interested in eloping, then check out our elopement resources.

Thank you to Rosie Woodhouse for sharing this Isle of Skye elopement session, and congratulations to Amelia and Josh!

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