It’s common to visit a location and then leave a little piece of your heart there. For Emily and Hayes, one of these places for them was Scotland. They fell in love with the country, particularly Isle of Skye up in the Scottish Highlands. Emily and Hayes both have a deep love for adventure and exploring new places together, so having a big, traditional wedding just didn’t feel right for them. They dreamed of returning to Isle of Skye, but this time, they wanted to share the experience with their friends and family.

We first started talking to Emily and Hayes before they were even engaged. You see, Hayes was holding onto the ring for a long time, planning the perfect proposal for Emily. But for some reason, the rain kept getting in the way. Finally, they were officially engaged and it was officially time to jump into wedding planning. Because we also got married in Isle of Skye, we immediately bonded with Emily and Hayes over our shared love for Scotland. We all shared our favorite places and discussed how they envisioned their wedding day.

It’s never a good sign when even the locals are surprised by the weather. Our Airbnb host mentioned that we were unlucky with the weather because the previous week was warm and beautiful, another person told us that they hadn’t seen rain like this in a long time, and two people on the train said that this is the most rain they’ve gotten in a hundred years (obviously this was a bit of an exaggeration). Emily and Hayes joked that they brought the rain, because it seemed to follow them through every wedding-related event (mostly their proposal).

On the morning of the wedding, we met Emily and Hayes before sunrise at their Airbnbs in Waternish, which is near the very top of Isle of Skye.  They got ready in neighboring houses surrounded by darkness. Once everyone was ready, we all drove to the Quiraing for their sunrise ceremony.

With all the rain, the walk to Emily and Hayes’ ceremony site was soggy and muddy. The rain continued to fall and everyone huddled together in the cold. But we were all determined to tough it out! The ceremony started with bagpipes, which immediately set the tone. The sounds of the bagpipes echoed through the empty mountains as Emily and her dad crested the hill. It was hard to tell if everyone was crying or if it was just the rain, but we can at least tell you for a fact that tears were welling up in our own eyes.

The ceremony was officiated by our favorite Isle of Skye officiant and included traditional Scottish hand fasting, drinking whiskey from a Quiach, and reading handwritten vows to each other. After the ceremony, they had their first dance to the song of the bagpipe (which they found is not the easiest to dance to), and then everyone joined in and danced together!

After the ceremony, everyone returned to the rental houses to warm up, dry off, and eat breakfast. They hired a caterer who made them an incredible Scottish breakfast. After everyone was warmed up and full of delicious food, they gathered around the living room for toasts and stories. By then, everyone was exhausted from the early morning, and we all parted ways to take a well deserved nap.

Later that evening, we met back up with Emily and Hayes at the Fairy Glen outside of Uig for the adventure part of their wedding day. By that time, the storm had moved through and we saw the sun for the first time. We hiked through the mud, explored valleys covered in ferns, and even got to pet an adorable dog.

We wrapped up the day by playing some music and letting the newlyweds sit and reflect on the day. An often overlooked part of any wedding day is taking the time to just soak it in. To really feel everything, without distraction or obligation. Sitting with your new spouse with views of rolling hills and a waterfall in the distance is a pretty good way to end your wedding day.

Photographs

Isle of Skye Elopements

Colorado Elopements

Destination Elopements