Isle of Skye elopement
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Annette and Kyle chose to elope on the Isle of Skye from the USA with their sisters and closest friends. They got ready at an apartment in Portree overlooking the harbour and then had their first look inside. The original plan was to hike the Old Man of Storr at sunrise but the weather forecast wasn’t good for that so they had a later start to the day.
They had a humanist ceremony at the Quraing with their friend Blake acting as an interpreter as both the bride and groom are deaf, as were many of the guests. After the ceremony they celebrated with their friends before heading off on an adventure around the Quiraing with Oli and Steph. They also went to Loch Fada, which has great views of the Old Man of Storr, before taking them back to their accommodation to get ready for dinner.
After dinner, they met their photographers at the Fairy Glen, where they took some sunset portraits and group shots with their friends.
Tell us a bit about the location?
From Oli and Steph, the photographers: Annette and Kyle had a vision of a natural, peaceful, lush and green landscape for their ceremony with rock and water formations. As they were bringing a number of guests along, the Quiraing made the perfect location, as it doesn’t require much hiking to get to, and fit their vision well. We chose a spot that is away from the main tourist area, as it can be a busy location, but privacy for the ceremony is of upmost importance to us.
You can have a legal ceremony as long as you have a registered celebrant and two witnesses.
The location is around a 10-minute walk from the car and is suitable for most people. The first couple of minutes involve an uphill rocky path, so it is not suitable for wheelchair access or people who are very unsteady on their feet, but there are other areas close by that are accessible to all.
What leave no trace considerations are Important in this area?
Leave No Trace is always important to consider, and in particular in this area is to be considerate of others, as it is a special place for many people, and we do not want to impact their enjoyment of the location. We also always ensure that any waste is disposed of properly and we leave nothing behind at all.
What are your top tips for planning an elopement in This area?
From Oli and Steph: Our top tips for planning an Isle of Skye elopement would be to book things in this order: photographer and videographer, accommodation and celebrant. That is because all of these things book up quite quickly and you will need to have your photographer booked so that you can choose a location, and then book your accommodation.
Skye is a very popular island, so if you are coming in the tourist season then booking accommodation well ahead of time is important so that you get the best choice, and so you don’t have to do as much driving on the day. Our other top tip is to embrace the elements and stay flexible in your mindset. Skye can throw lots of different conditions at you any time of the year so if you are mentally prepared to change plans on the day and trust your photographers to take you to the best locations and to give you the best experience then you will have the best day.
The Quiraing is beautiful at all times of year but our favourite time is late Spring when the landscape is vivid green and there are lambs everywhere. In winter it is much quieter and sometimes we have snow which can look beautiful, but we’re also subject to more stormy and cold weather over the winter months.
how did the couple meet?
They met in college and remained friends afterwards particularly as their respective best friends were married. Annette moved within a four-hour drive of Kyle for work, and a romance was kindled from there. Within a year and a half, Kyle moved to be with Annette in Indianapolis.
why did they decide to elope?
From Annette, the bride: We decided to get married on Skye after a lengthy period of looking for an appropriate venue for our wedding. We realized after a period of time that wasn’t what we wanted to do. We wanted to celebrate our love and union in a place that made US happy. With our love of theater and film, we’ve always been awestruck at the beautiful scenery on Skye, and even though we’d never visited before, we couldn’t turn down the prospect of getting married in such a beautiful locale.
We were not disappointed in the least bit. Skye was awe-inspiring, friendly and a dream. We could not have chosen a better location (and elopement guides/photographers) for our special day!
The vendors:
Photographers and Videographers: Oli and Steph Photography
Celebrant: Francesca Leigh and Blake Nitko (family friend)
Hair and Make Up Artist: Bonnys Wonderland
Dress Boutique: Davids Bridal
Flowers: Meadowsweet Croft
