Getting Married on the ISLE of SKYE
A Simple Guide
Planning a wedding somewhere that you have never visited can seem very daunting. Whether you are planning a small wedding with guests or a secret elopement there is so much to think about. Getting married on the Isle of Skye is actually really easy. Here are a few ideas and suggestions to give you a start.
Locations on the ISLE of SKYE for Your Wedding
Where do I start!? Getting married on The Isle of Skye is the easy bit, choosing the right spot is really hard because it’s just plain gorgeous, even in the wind and rain it has a magical and romantic feel. All year round it has something to offer for location weddings.
We have castles, both whole and ruined, dramatic mountains and rock formations, waterfalls, rugged coastline, sandy beaches, cool bridges and ruined buildings and they are all there for you to choose from for the most beautiful wedding photographs you could imagine. Myself and your celebrant can help you make decisions about where is best for you, and your guests if you have them. We also know of secret places, off the beaten track where you will be away from the summer crowds but still have all the best that Skye has to offer.
“Penny was wonderful to work with.”
Jay & Jennifer
All you need to know!
Every wedding ceremony on Skye that I have attended, has been lovely. All the people who conduct them are wonderful, willing to go the extra mile and super helpful. The great thing about getting married on Skye is that you can pretty much hold your ceremony anywhere you like on the island and the people who conduct weddings (celebrants) will make sure you have the wedding that you want. Booking your celebrant is probably the most important thing to consider and you need to make the choice that is right for you.
The Registrars
The Registrars usually conduct simple ceremonies that cover all that you need for legal reasons. They may add special readings etc. if you ask, and for couples who want a no-frills approach, they are a great choice. After the ceremony, they will take your paperwork with them to register the marriage.
Humanist Society
The Humanist Society have a number of celebrants who work on Skye. Their ceremonies not only meet legal requirements but are tailored to you. They also offer traditional Scottish elements to ceremonies such as hand fasting, drinking from the Quaich, jumping the broom and more. They will give you lots of ideas on how to make your wedding unique to you. Each has their own style but their focus is more on the ceremony as well as the legal requirements. I have a few Humanist celebrants listed on my website on the suppliers list I send to couples who book with me.
One Spirit Interfaith Celebrants
One Spirit Interfaith Celebrants marry people of all faiths or none. They are sometimes described as non-conformist and offer a truly unique experience. As with Humanists their ceremonies are tailored to you but feel more spiritual and focus very much on wht is important to you.
Church Ministers
Church ministers may require you to hold your ceremony in church, but I have known them travel about the island. For some it is important to marry with a traditional Christian ceremony and ministers here are happy to oblige.
Accommodation when you get Married on SKYE
SKY ACCOMMODATION
In the summer, Skye gets very busy. Make sure you have somewhere to stay! To give you an idea I have my own accommodation business and it gets fully booked by the end of March for the whole of the summer. You may want to think about eloping out of the main summer season, and my top tip would be to consider Autumn when the colours are amazing.
There are lots of types of places to choose from here on Skye from five-star hotels, boutique hotels, luxury and basic bed and breakfast, and all manner of self-catering options from pods to cottages. A lot of these places can be great fallback locations for a ceremony if the weather proves bad, although most hotels will charge extra for this.
Your ISLE of SKYE Wedding Photographer
Of course, I would love you to book with me, however there are others out there! The local photographers have a huge advantage over those that travel here because we know all the best spots and have the very best inside knowledge. We don’t need to find anywhere to stay, will be sure to get to Skye in all weathers and we know the island. We know people and we can help you plan the wedding of your dreams by making suggestions that help your day run smoothly. The standard of photographers on Skye is very high and they know how to cope with any weather and light situation to get you great pictures of your day.
Use Local Suppliers on the Isle of Skye
Weddings are big business on Skye, happening daily, and the wedding suppliers here are first class. They are used to working with the sometimes limited resources and special issues that island life can throw up. Weather problems, road closures when there are so few roads, boat and ferry cancellations are all inconveniences that can throw a spanner in the works. Local suppliers are used to dealing with these spanners and know how to get around them. When you are getting married on the Isle of Skye using people who know all about the island will make everything easier.
The hair and makeup artists on the island get booked up months and even a year in advance. They own their own salons too so their time is limited, they are also few and far between. If you want to use their services you need to make booking them a priority.
Take a look at my list of local suppliers here to see who I work with regularly. They are a great team and I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Locations Galley
So many places to choose from! I have said it before, bear in mind that the summer is very busy. You may have to get up very early to make the most of the most popular spots on Skye such as the Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools, and Old Man of Storr, or wait until late in the evening (not a problem in June and July when it hardly gets dark). I suggest keeping an open mind about the location and then talking to local people about what will work best for you. If you don’t fancy too much of a hike, but love the drama of the landscape check my blog post here.
Getting Married on the Isle of Skye
Ideas and Stories
Ready to find out more about working with Penny
I would love to hear from you, and if you have any questions at all before booking, please give me a call on +44 (0) 1471 833476 or click the link to fill out the form
Legal Information for Your Wedding on the ISLE of SKYE
Some people opt to get their legal marriage out of the way at home and have a personal ceremony or celebration once here on Skye. Getting married on the Isle of Skye is not complicated but it does require you to complete some paperwork and submit it to authorities within set timescales.
The whole process probably takes less time than you think, but you need to allow up to six weeks. The people who can perform legally binding marriages are the registrars at the local Registry Office in Portree, Humanist Celebrants, and church ministers.
All marriages must be registered and there is lots of useful advice and all the forms you need here on the National Records of Scotland website. It includes information about the timescales you need to allow for, whether you need a marriage visa (essential if you are subject to UK immigration control) and where you need to register.
“Penny photographed our wedding at Eilean Donan Castle along with wedding photos around the South of Skye. She was brilliant – helpful, disarming, and friendly – and the photos are all amazing! ”
Joel and Rachel