Scotland Elopement Timeline: How a Real Elopement Day Looks Like

Ok, so you decided to elope, but how does an elopement day actually look like? Should you plan the timeline of the day, or just let the day unfold spontaneously? And what about the ever-changing weather of Scotland? Will that affect your plans? Let’s find out!

Elopement: planning or no planning?

Many couples elope exactly because they can’t be fussed over planning a big celebration and worrying about logistics. And it’s true: the beauty of elopements lies in their spontaneous nature. If you have a pure elopement style and no guests whatsoever, you could decide to just give yourself a ceremony time and then let everything else naturally evolve around it. If you decide not to have a plan in place, I would still recommend making your day special somehow. Think of a nice dinner out, an adventurous hike, a sports activity or a social gathering with locals in a pub. You don’t want to risk finishing your ceremony at 10 am, and then ask yourself: “Now what?”

However your elopement will look like, please do consider that you will need some minimal planning if you are involving a celebrant and a photographer. Give them at least a ceremony time and location. Most of us are then quite cool to follow your day as it happens, but it’s good to have a common starting point.

It’s true: the beauty of elopements is their **spontaneous nature…**

If you come from abroad, I would suggest talking to your photographer or celebrant about location ideas for the ceremony, or even involve a planner who can design your day to your desires, talking to locals and finding solutions for you that might be hard to scout on the internet.

What about couples who absolutely dread planning, but want to make sure their wedding turns out well? In that case, I would recommend finding complete elopement packages that, in one solution, give you a complete, fuss-free plan. For many, there is simply no time to travel all the way up to Scotland, hike or drive to different locations, trying to decide what would look best for their ceremony, trying to guess the right time of day, how to avoid tourists, where to sleep, eat, who to rely on for the legal documents, the ceremony, and the photos!!!

Over time, I was helping so many clients with logistics that I decided to create all-in-one, fuss-free elopement packages, complete with a celebrant, traditional rites like handfasting, location scouting, logistics planning, music, and photography included. It came from my desire to be helpful to those of you who want your wedding to be a wonderful experience, with the right location for you, and without the doubts and headaches that planning normally brings. If that sounds like an interesting solution, go check them out :)

Elopement Day timeline

You decided to go ahead and plan your elopement. There are different ways to do it, and they are all good and well. Personally, when I work for a couple, I start by defining the elopement location. I love hiking, so once I get a booking, I grab my boots and walk about the area that the couple is thinking of eloping to. I pick a spot easy to reach, not too far from the car park (unless the couple is planning on hiking to a peak, which is rare), and pin the location on Google Maps or using what.three.words. This is important because, depending on your location, you will select the correct council to send your marriage application to and find your registrar (if you are having a civil wedding). You need the exact location also for the celebrant to know where to go, as well as your guests, if you are bringing any.

The next step is calculating travel and time logistics: how far is your accommodation? How will you get to your ceremony location? And do you need to involve other suppliers (hair and make-up artists, for example) for the morning preparations? All these elements will influence your prep time and, therefore, determine at what time you will most likely be able to have your ceremony.

If you have picked a popular location, like Glencoe, to elope, you have to think the other way around: what time can I have a quiet ceremony before hordes of tourists block all the parking spots? And how early can that be without being bitten by hangry midges? Once you have defined that, you can think of the travel times, and therefore, how early to get up and get ready.

Morning prep notes: consider a couple of hours (at least) to get your make-up on, your hair done, and into your dress. Especially if you have guests, this time can even almost double! Account for your HMUA having to get ready yourself as well as your bridesmaid, and time for chit-chatting with your friends, just to be on the safe side. If your photographer is taking photos from the morning, speak to them beforehand about start times and who is getting ready, and they will silently work around you.

Even for elopements, the morning prep can be a bit nerve-wracking: after all, you are about to be wedded! It’s SUUPER important to select a photographer who feels like a friend and can calm nerves.

Ok great, so you have the location, logistics, and ceremony time in place. What to do after the ceremony? Schedule some time for “just married” portraits with your photographer. They are usually very emotional portraits, as everything has just happened, and emotions are heightened.

Lunch can be a great next-on-the-list: I don’t know about you, but around 1 p.m., I’m starving! It’s good to schedule a break and restore your energy, especially after being outside and exposed to the elements. Find a restaurant not too far with a menu you like. If you are a small group, remember to book in advance to avoid being disappointed. (Should you invite your photographer? It’s really up to you. If it’s just the two of you, you might want to spend time alone. If you have a micro-wedding, it’s usually fun to have the photographer join in. Elopements are so chill, you end up befriending your suppliers by the end of the day.

What about the afternoon? Some couples decide to have only half-day photography coverage, leaving the afternoon free for explorations or a fun activity, just the two of them. Some others prefer a bit of an adventure and to document what’s going to happen. And some others decide to organise their elopement only in the second half of the day, having a slow and relaxed start of the day, an afternoon ceremony, and sunset photos, followed by hitting the local pub with the photographer in tow. Whatever you decide works for you, remember to make your other half of the day special somehow.

If you can’t be stressed with all this planning, and just want a relaxed, bespoke elopement in a fantastic location, I can take care of everything for you, including your photography, booking a celebrant, and a bagpiper. Have a peek at my Scotland elopement destinations here.

Elopement in Scotland: Weather: How to Plan

You guessed it: even in summer, the weather does play a part in how your wedding day will shape up. If you are one that does like a bit of a plan in place, the three things to look out for are: light, temperature, and rain.

In summer, you have lots of daylight (from 5 am to about 9 pm!!), so you definitely have more time to capture incredible photos, plan an activity, and have a very chilled day. If you are planning for golden hour photos, sunset time varies between 6 and 8 pm, depending on the month.

Temperatures are very nice between 10 am and 4 pm, and in the height of summer, they can even reach 20°C. However, because Scotland is on a big island, you have to account for windy, ever-changing weather.

Even in summer, you can expect occasional rain. If you are up for the true Scottish experience, embrace the rain and don’t let it stop your planned activities!! But, if you don’t want to ruin your lovely hairstyle and dress, I would suggest thinking of an indoor activity. There are lots of fun, traditional things you can do, for example, plan for a fancy afternoon tea with bubbles, a tea and a scone, or an historical tour of a castle.

Elopement Timeline: an example

7 am: breakfast, slowly waking up in your accommodation before getting ready in separate rooms

8 am: HMUA arrives. The bride gets her hair and make-up done, while the photographer snaps some pictures. Groom gets in kilt/wedding attire

9:30 am: first look outside your accommodation, before heading to the ceremony location in one car

10:30 am: ceremony by the ruins on an historical loch up North in Scotland. The bagpiper accompanies you to the ceremony location with the haunting notes of the pipe.
Personal vows exchanged, followed by the handfasting tradition and drinking from the Quaich.

11:15 am: You’ve signed the papers and are now husband and wife!! Whohoo! As the bagpipe notes resonate once again, some light mist starts drizzling, making your Scottish wedding truly magical.
Just married portraits sheltered by lovely, clear umbrellas, or perhaps while getting soaked in the fresh rain.

12:30 pm: a lovely lunch starts your afternoon. You planned for a short hike to arrive at a stunning viewpoint.

3 pm: take the views in, before beginning your descent. Your photographer hiked with you and took some stunning sunset photos.

6 pm: end the day with a quiet dinner, just the two of you, or head to a local pub still in your wedding attire and mingle with the locals!