An Affordable Elopement on The Isle of Skye

One of the reasons that elopements appeal is that an elopement can be much cheaper than a big wedding with lots of people to feed and entertain. Your wedding should be about you, your marriage, but it is easy to get sucked up into the party and the trimmings and you lose focus on what is important.

If you have a tight budget here are some things to bear in mind:

What are the Essentials?

The absolute essentials are licences, a celebrant and two witnesses. The first two you have to pay for. It is worth bearing in mind that witnesses give up quite a lot of their time to travel to your ceremony and it is customary to offer them a gift to show your appreciation (although your photographer won’t expect anything for this service!).

The All Important Extras

Up to this point you have a highly affordable elopement. Here is where the costs start to add up. You need somewhere to stay and don’t forget to factor in the the cost of travel (I was amazed at how much money I spent on fuel travelling to Skye from Hampshire on my first visit).

You will, most likely, want to wear something special for the big day.

Without friends or family there you will need to capture the memories to share, and that’s where I come in! You will probably want a photographer!

Flowers.

A piper or other musician adds atmosphere and a sense of occasion to any ceremony.

Rings, hand fasting cords, quaichs… all the ceremonial bits and pieces.

A special dinner or lunch.

There may be costs for your chosen location such as boat tickets or hire, parking fees, hire charges.

My Tips for an Affordable Elopement

Celebrants

You can’t do this without a celebrant who is qualified to legally marry you. The cheapest option is to ask a registrar to perform the ceremony. They charge travel expenses if you marry away from the registry office (which are worth every penny!). If you want a quick no frills approach they are great. The Humanist celebrants charge around £450 plus expenses and offer a more personal, tailored ceremony that is all about you and how you want to exchange your vows. Take a look at independent celebrants too, I have listed some great ones on my suppliers list here. Their prices vary.

Where to Stay

Accommodation isn’t particularly cheap on The Isle of Skye, but self catering and bed a breakfasts can be found all over the island and they vary greatly in price. Sometimes it is worth finding your ideal spot, within in budget on Airbnb or Booking.com but then Google the best options to see if they have a better rate for direct bookings. Accommodation is sometimes cheaper during the winter months. The weather may not be so great but there are no midges to contend with.

What to Wear

Another tip for an affordable elopement is not to go too mad on the dress. You can find some great dresses second hand or in the sales. You will probably get your dress wet and muddy and you don’t want the worry of that spoiling your day. Sensible shoes are the order of the day and many many brides on Skye wear their walking boots under their dresses. With all the amazing scenery, dress blowing in the wind etc no-one notices your feet! It’s easier for the guys, but again don’t worry about lovely leather soled shoes…

Photography

Most photographers, me included, recommend a half day package of pictures. It allows for a relaxed ceremony and time to get to a few iconic locations. I offer a two hour package meant for ceremony and a few ‘wow’ portraits straight afterwards. This package is ideal for those on a budget or who hate having their picture taken. There is greater flexibility with a half day (which can be split over two days if the weather is bad) you will have some great pictures at an affordable price. My prices are here.

Flowers

Flowers are an optional extra. They look amazing but remember you will have to carry them about! Prices locally vary but all the florists here do a great job. If you really want flowers but just can’t afford someone else to do them think about making your own posy from supermarket flowers or a dried bouquet.

Pipers and musicians add real atmosphere. They are not as expensive as you imagine and make a Scottish Highland wedding complete.

If you want more ideas check out my elopement guide here