Eloping to the Isle of Skye with Children – It Works So Well!

Eloping doesn’t always mean just the two of you. For a lot of couples, there are small people involved too!

Children who are very much part of your story together, and can be a big part of your wedding day!

And while that might change how your elopement looks, it can also make it more special. And something that you will all look back on and celebrate together.

If you’re still figuring out how a Skye elopement works, this guide is a good place to start:

Guide To Eloping On Skye

It’s Still an Elopement (Just a Slightly Noisier One)

I sometimes get frustrated when couples ask about an elopement, but plan to bring 25 friends and family. This isn’t eloping – it’s a small wedding! BUT, when you bring your children, that’s not the case.

An elopement is about choosing something for you AND your family. And if “right” includes your children being there with you, then that’s exactly what it should be.

It might involve:

a few snacks tucked into pockets for little ones
a small amount of chaos
someone asking a question right in the middle of your vows!

But it also brings something else. It beings the HEART of your family to your marriage!

Why Skye Works Beautifully with Children

The Isle of Skye isn’t a place that expects children to sit still. If you choose a town hall for your wedding, your kids may have to sit still and quiet. Wear uncomfortable clothes and tight shoes. Making this happen, when you don’t have lots of people around you to help wrangle the little ones, might feel like an impossible task!

It’s not like that on Skye. Here, they can:

run
explore
climb (within reason!)
be part of what’s happening
bring the joy (and a little chaos)
be themselves!

Which means they don’t feel like they’re being asked to behave in a way that doesn’t suit them. And when children feel comfortable, it becomes easier!

Your Day Can Still Feel Calm!

When you decide to bring the kids, you may not think that your elopement will be calm… but it can – I promise!

It can be easier than you might think, because everything on the Isle of Skye is more laid back! We won’t be working to a tight schedule, with the next couple queueing up for their “turn”.

There’s no long guest list. No formal structure. No expectation that everything happens at a certain time. So the pressure is off.

Instead, the day can be flexible around what’s needed for you AND your small humans.

We might:

take things a little slower
pause when we need to
follow what’s working, rather than forcing a plan

And that usually results in something that feels far more relaxed than a traditional wedding. Something that feels like it’s right for your family.

Children Bring Something You Can’t Plan

Couples can worry that bringing their own children when they elope can be a distraction. In contrast, I find that adding in the children is how much they add to the experience

Not in a staged, picture-perfect, “look at this perfect moment” kind of way, but in unexpected ways.

the way they hold your hand without thinking
the way they react to what’s happening
the way they make everything feel a little more real
the way your whole world is there on your most important day

It’s not always tidy. They may not be perfectly behaved. There may even be tantrums! But it’s what is important. It’s the building blocks of your marriage – and you’re all in this together.

What your elopement with kids might look like

Every family is different, but most elopements with children follow a similar rhythm. The important thing is to relax, and everyone will enjoy the day.

You might:

get ready together
head to your ceremony location – somewhere with a space for the kids to let off some steam!
have your vows with your children watching, holding your hands, or they can be involved, if you’d like that!
spend some time exploring afterwards, while we capture some fun photographs of your adventure together!

I’ll usually spend around two hours with you, which works really well with children. It’s long enough to capture everything that matters, but not so long that it becomes tiring or overwhelming.

Keeping It Simple Makes All the Difference!

With children, simplicity really is the key. too much fuss and pressure and they might not cope, but with the pressure off and fun to be had, you can have the perfect day!

You don’t need multiple locations that are far apart, a complicated timeline or lots of “things to do”

What works best is:

one or two carefully chosen places
space to move and explore
a relaxed approach to the day

And that’s when everyone relaxes and enjoys the day, and you can stop worrying about the kids and concentrate on your special people being there at this moment.

A Few Practical Things

I’ve been an Isle of Skye elopement photographer for 8 years now, so I’ve got enough experience to know what works!

bring snacks (always bring snacks!)
layers for everyone. This is Skye, after all – and little ones aren’t happy if they are shivering!
shoes that work for walking, or scrambling, splashing, running…
a sense of humour!

And perhaps most importantly, let go of the idea that everything has to be instagram-model perfect. Because it doesn’t need to be a magazine photoshoot, to be absolutely perfect for you.

When it comes to clothes and footwear, this guide can help:

What To Wear To Elope on Skye