How to Choose Wedding Vendors Through Wandering Weddings: Isle of Skye Elopement

Planning an adventure elopement can be a bit intimidating for some couples. You have to decide where you both want to elope, what type of adventure you both want to go on, who you want to invite, and how you’re going to make everything happen. While planning an intimate elopement and wedding is way less complicated than a traditional wedding, there are some logistics couples should be aware of, especially if eloping outside the U.S.

The first step you’ll want to take is teaming up with a wedding vendor. Chelsea and Hunter planned an intimate Isle of Skype elopement using Wandering Weddings as inspiration and a tool when finding their vendors. Let’s talk about how to choose wedding vendors through Wandering Weddings.

How to Choose Wedding Vendors Through Wandering Weddings

If you’re browsing our site, then we can only assume you and your partner love adventures and traveling. While Wandering Weddings caterers mainly to adventure elopements, we also focus on intimate micro weddings, which often include backyard weddings at cool Airbnb locations. The wedding vendors listed in our elopement directory are perfect for helping you plan and document these types of weddings, post elopement adventures, and even engagements.

Chelsea and Hunter wanted an intimate elopement in the Scottish Highlands and after teaming up with David, their photographer, through Wandering Weddings, they spent a lot of time on zoom chats to discuss their overall wedding plan.

That’s the great thing about Wandering Weddings, we feature vendors who specialize in documenting love and adventures around the world.

“The hardest part of planning anything abroad is finding quality vendors and Wandering Weddings has them! David was the perfect person for us, and we are life-long friends now! It also was really helpful to see other elopements and what people were or were not doing – the photos inspired me throughout the entire planning process.” [the couple]

Explore our elopement directory to get started. 

Using Wandering Weddings as a Tool to Plan Your Elopement

When thinking about how to choose wedding vendors for your wedding day, think about what type of wedding day you want to have and then team up with a vendor who shares your same vision. Chelsea and Hunter also recommend choosing vendors you trust and letting them do their thing.

A lot of times, elopement vendors love it when couples give them creative freedom. David and Alex (videographer), for example, didn’t need a “list of shots” or any direction when it came to documenting this couple’s elopement day. The couple also tells us it was easier to be fully present that day because they weren’t thinking about what poses they needed to be in.

“Chelsea and Hunter got in touch very soon after I signed up to Wandering Weddings. They contacted me via my website’s contact form, but noted they found me via Wandering Weddings. I think it’s incredibly helpful for couples planning out-of-state or, as in Chelsea and Hunter’s case, out of country elopements.

There’s so much information on the website, and it’s very easy to find local suppliers in a few clicks. Lots of my couples often express how they feel slightly nervous about planning something from so far away, so seeing other couples who’ve gone down a similar journey and partnering up with local experts is essential. It makes couples relax and feel excited about their elopement!” [David, the photographer]

Check out more inspirational elopement stories to inspire you on our blog. 

About This Elopement Adventure

This Isle of Skype elopement is one for the books. David scouted a quaint spot for the ceremony, away from tourists, the couple got ready together, and read their vows. They also had a traditional hand-fasting ceremony and quaich drink by the river.

After, the couple ventured north to the Trotternish Ridge – an odd-looking landscape formed by an ancient landslide. They roamed the Fairy Glen and then went on towards the Quiraing, where the wind and mist picked up giving Chelsea and Hunter breathtaking views.

This elopement is full of love, intimacy, adventure, and lots of laughter. It’s also an amazing inspiration for couples who want to elope outside the states, but struggle to imagine how it can look like. Remember, all you really need is a great wedding vendor to help guide you through the process.

“We had planned to write our own vows the day before but it felt too forced and rushed after a 30 hour journey, so we scrapped it. Alyson’s ceremony was so perfectly personalized to us and so beautifully done that we didn’t lack a thing! We created a playlist that we wanted to play for post-ceremony hiking and photos. David put his phone in his pocket and we all danced around Skye. We popped champagne immediately after our ceremony and passed local whiskey from a flask.

The entire day should feel true to your relationship and you shouldn’t include any elements that feel forced or stressful. If you follow that golden rule, you will never regret a single choice you make.” [the couple]

Explore more places to elope in Scotland. 

Choosing an Elopement Instead of a Formal Wedding

We always like to ask couples why they decided to elope because it helps other couples resonate with their reason and also lets them know it’s OK to want to elope. For this couple, the idea of standing in front of a room full of people and saying very intimate vows, regardless of who it was, did not appeal to either of them.

Chelsea is Puerto Rican and Scottish. Growing up, she tells us she went to Puerto Rico a lot to see family, but when she looked at pictures of Scotland, it felt unrealistic for her to ever go there. When they decided they wanted to leave the U.S. to elope, Scotland was the first and only place on her list.

“We wanted to be in the moment, feeling everything together, with no distractions or anything to worry about. I love going to weddings, but I always feel a little voyeuristic during the vows. And I feel like sometimes you see couples not being as present or comfortable with so many onlookers – that would have been us.

I also feel like traditional weddings are more for other people than the couple, which is a backwards notion. We had planned a party with loved ones to celebrate after the fact, which was so much fun & still super emotional.” [the couple]

Check out our post-elopement party guide!

Memorable Moments During This Elopement

What really stood out to us is how present and in the moment these two were throughout their adventure, admiring the beauty of Scotland around them. Check out some memorable moments:

Photographer’s Memorable Moment:

“At the Quiraing, I wanted to capture the close bond they shared and frame that within the dramatic landscape as the mist rolled over the mountains. I got them in position and told them to spend a couple of minutes being present with each other, to keep moving, and to not talk (nobody likes photos of open mouths). They hugged and stared at each other with an intensity I’ve not seen in a long time, but with so much peace…

Their ceremony was also incredibly emotional. I captured images of them staring into each other’s eyes like they were in their own world and nothing else mattered. For me, this is the beauty of an elopement… being able to be 100% present and in the moment without the fear of guests looking at them.” [David, the photographer]

Couple’s Memorable Moment:

“The ceremony itself and the amazing people we had traipsing all over Skye with us! Our crew consisted of our photographer David, our videographer Alex Lester, and our Humanist celebrant, Alyson Stewart. We couldn’t feel more grateful to have chosen the perfect vendors and now, friends.

Also, there was a chopper out there that gave us what Aly said was a Royal Salute by circling 3 times! That kind of cool surprise just doesn’t happen with a traditional wedding.” [the couple]

5 Tips for couples Planning a Similar Elopement Experience

So you’re inspired by this couple’s elopement and want to plan something similar, now what?! Well, you’ll want to use our elopement directory and search for your wedding vendor for one!

We also asked David, the photographer, for his top tips when it came to planning a similar wedding day experience in beautiful Scotland:

1 – Research the Local Area

“It’s so important to think about the landscape you see yourselves in. I tell my couples to close their eyes and imagine a single image of their elopement on their wall at home – what’s in it? Is it dramatic or quiet? Are there mountains, waterfalls, rivers, or sand? Are they by themselves?

Location plays such a crucial role in elopements because it’s the place you may return to for years to come, so it needs to match your personality and values. Also, can you do other things there? Couples will likely be making this a trip, so it needs to have more activities you can do outside of your elopement.”

2 – Book Suppliers Early

“From experience, suppliers such as accommodation and photographers/videographers and celebrants/officiants book up way ahead of time. Once you know the location or have a rough idea, lean on the expertise of your suppliers to help put your vision together. Most couples who book me know they want to elope in Scotland and may have a rough idea of where, but they don’t know what date, time, or how to make it happen. I love helping guide couples through this process.”

3 – Research Local Laws/Regulations

“Do you need a permit to have your elopement at a specific location? In Scotland, you don’t, but you likely do in other countries/states in the US. Although it’s the less exciting part of an elopement, knowing the local laws to make your marriage official is crucial.

Typically, your celebrant/officiant will make sure you are on the right track, but every country has its own timelines on when things need to be submitted.”

4 – Weather

“In Scotland, particularly on the West coast where I am, the weather changes rapidly. You can have blue skies one minute and storm clouds the next. This makes for epic photos, but nobody wants to be super cold and miserable on their elopement. So, make sure to bring clothing for different weather conditions so you’re warm and dry. Also, secure footwear is a must because lots of elopement locations are off-the-beaten-track.”

5 – Don’t go With the Crowd

“Just because you’ve seen a cool elopement online doesn’t mean you need to do it that way. Embrace your relationship and values and plan a day that’s true to you. If that’s a quiet walk in a forest, great! If it’s a more adventurous hike, then do that! Imagine a perfect day and work towards that because more often than not we can make it happen.”

Not sure where you want to elope? Explore our top places to elope!

Vendors

Photography | David Conaty Photography

Celebrant | Alyson Stewart

Videographer | Alex Lester

Isle of Skye Elopement Video

More Photos From This Elopement