strengthen your bond through an ancient Celtic handfasting ceremony

Handfasting photographer Scotland

Handfasting cord with handwritten detail for handfasting in Scotland

Reconnect and recommit your love – beyond official pieces of paper

Your love isn’t a scripted romance – it’s tumultuous in the best kind of way. You love deeply, laugh heartily, hold each other through the hard times and sometimes, frankly, annoy the sh*t out of each other! And yet you always return to one another.

But how do you celebrate this extraordinary connection outside of the fanfare of weddings or cliché romantic gestures?

Enter the handfasting session

Turn your adventure in Scotland into a memorable experience

Having your photos taken doesn’t have to be a cringe-worthy time – instead, create a ritual and experience that feels deeply meaningful and celebrates your love and commitment to one another.

You don’t need a reason, but perhaps you are celebrating a milestone or embarking on a new season of life together. Or perhaps choosing to renew your vows in Scotland. Either way – a handfasting ritual is an intentional way to mark this moment in time.

Couple standing epic glen after handfasting session

Let’s create rituals that are worth documenting

your images will symbolise a promise made – a day filled with adventure, and a reminder to keep choosing one another

Why choose a handfasting with me?

I sense you’re not after the Hallmark version of a handfasting

You’re drawn to understanding and honouring this ancient tradition. It’s not just about the ribbon tying hands together; it’s about weaving together a promise—a commitment that echoes through time.

Going back to its ancient roots – it’s a meaningful ritual to use at any stage of your relationship. Not just reserved for weddings and vow renewals!

From committing to a year and a day to embracing a love that spans beyond this life, this one-of-a-kind handfasting ritual grants you the freedom to choose the pledge that speaks to your hearts.

(Important note, this package is not suitable for people who want to have a wedding experience – whether legal or not. Our elopement packages will serve you best for this.)

What a handfasting session could look like…

Handfasting photo session Scotland

Couple standing on a mountain in scotland during handfasting session

Air

Imagine standing on top of the world with the wind blowing through your hair. Embracing the wild romance of it all

Or how about…

Earth

Tramping through Glencoe’s moors after your handfasting, immersing yourselves in Outlander-esque escapades

Couple running through glen in Glencoe

Or maybe…

Couple during handfasting ceremony kissing by the water in Perthshire

Water

Listening to the soothing sound of rushing water going by as you seal your words with a kiss

Or there’s…

Fire

Snuggling by lantern light as the last of the daylight fades over the moor

Couple cuddling with lanterns in a moor at dusk for Scotland handfasting elopement

Is this the right adventure for you?

handfasting VS. elopement

Handfasting is right if you…

  • Are looking for a meaningful way to celebrate your love in Scotland
  • Want to connect to each other through beautiful Scottish rituals
  • Have been married a while or not planning to get married in the near future
  • Want a short photo session after your handfasting to explore the area
Contact me to book a call
Couple during handfasting standing by the water in Perthshire

Handfasting is not right if you…

  • Are getting married or seeking a commitment/spiritual ceremony before or after a legal ceremony at home
  • Plan to wear wedding attire for the session
  • Want a location more than 3-hours from Edinburgh
  • Looking for a longer fuller adventure – i.e. more than 3-hours
See elopements instead

Perfect for vow renewals in Scotland

Kind words from other couples

Don’t just take my word for it…

Eloise + Raif

Our handfasting adventure with Raini exceeded all expectations, leaving us with unforgettable memories. She introduced us to Fiona, a celebrant with vibrant enthusiasm and cheerfulness who conducted our ceremony with warmth and authenticity. The thoughtful touches, such as the quaich, the flowers and the handfasting ribbons, added meaning and magic to our ceremony at the foot of a majestic castle.

Gen + Ant

The whole experience was just FUN. I feel like many times in life you don’t get to have that childlike fun anymore and we definitely got that on our special day. We enjoyed every bit of it and getting those pictures back and video let us be sucked back in time.

Autumn + Ian

Meeting your photographer in person on such a special day can be intimidating but Raini really made us feel at ease and comfortable in the shoot. It truly felt like even in the busy streets of Edinburgh, we were the only people there. When it came to our handfasting ceremony that she coordinated for us, we did not fully understand how special it was going to be until we were in that moment.

Meet your handfasting guides…

Your handfasting photographer

Hi! I’m Raini

I grew up exploring the nooks and crannies of Scotland – I’m hopelessly in love with its wild landscapes and the almost magical way it can make people feel like they belong. A sense of home that feels ancient.

Having been a member of a Celtic-heritage performance charity for over 10 years, you could say that keeping ancient Scottish traditions alive is a passion project of mine.

Handfastings are especially close to my heart after I was handfasted to the love of my life, Dave, 6 years ago.

Your handfasting celebrant

and this is Fiona…

Fiona is a licensed Scottish celebrant who has been performing heartfelt ceremonies for couples for the last few years.

She is deeply passionate about sharing ancient Celtic rituals with couples in an authentic and respectful way.

Her connection to the land and the true history of these beautiful ceremonies is unrivalled, which is why I am so pleased she has agreed to join me in providing this unique package.

Scottish handfasting celebrant in front of romantic Scottish castle

How this all works

Step one

Let’s have a virtual cuppa and have a casual chat about your ideas. I can answer any of your questions.

Step two

If I’m the right fit for you then I’ll get your date booked in. And we’ll get to know each other better before your session!

Step three

The fun part – we start planning! I can help with finding the ideal location and planning out your adventure.

Step four

ADVENTURE TIIIIIIME! You’ll have a blast exploring and connecting with each other with a beautiful ceremony.

Step five

Within 6 weeks you’ll receive your lovingly-edited gallery. Ready to download to keep and print.

Handfasting Pricing

Step 1: Confirm handfasting is right for you

Handfasting adventure session

Edinburgh handfasting session

Each handfasting session includes:

  • 3 hour session (including ceremony)
  • 120+ photos
  • Planning guidance for making the ceremony and session special
  • Handfasting ritual – performed by an experienced Scottish celebrant
  • Optional rituals for a tailored unique ceremony to suit you
  • Handfasting cord keepsake
  • Adventure photo session before/after the ceremony

Please note: these handfasting sessions are exclusively available for couples who are not combining with wedding celebrations (i.e. a handfasting session cannot be used for an elopement).

Edinburgh & nearby

Whether it’s old town architecture or the city buzz that appeals to you, Edinburgh and the surrounding areas are a wonderful versatile option for a handfasting session.

Available within 45 mins drive of Edinburgh City Centre, including places such as:

  • Edinburgh City Centre
  • Midlothian
  • The Pentlands
  • East Lothian coast
  • West Lothian

Into the wilds of Scotland

Imagining being out in nature with barely another soul around? Head further afield in search of hills, glens, ruins or woodlands out in the wilds.

Available within 3 hours drive of Edinburgh City Centre, including places such as:

  • Glencoe
  • The Trossachs
  • The Cairngorms
  • Perthshire
  • Scottish Borders + more

(not available for further away places like Isle of Skye, Wester Ross or the Isles)

prices starting from £1600

Additional beautiful rituals

Customise your handfasting experience by adding on optional Celtic rituals for a truly unique ceremony

Hands with handfasting cord waiting to be tied

Handfasting ritual

Oathing stone - hands holding

Oathing stones

personal letters during scotland handfasting session with couple

Personal letters

Cleaning ritual with sage during handfasting ceremony

Cleansing ritual

pouring whisky in a quaich during handfasting ceremony

Drinking from the quaich

elemental blessing for handfasting ceremony

Acknowledge the elements

Real stories + inspiration

From the blog

Castle handfasting adventure session in Scotland

Read more

Scottish Highlands foggy handfasting ceremony in Glencoe

Read more

Questions & answers

Coupel cuddlign int the heather after handfasting ceremony

The session is 3 hours including a ceremony which typically lasts 30-45 mins

For couples sessions, you’ll get little ole me! But Fiona will be present for the ceremony itself.

Our handfasting sessions are exclusively available to couples who are not getting married or haven’t recently gotten married. This purpose of this package is to celebrate your relationship outside of anything wedding related. This means that if you’re hoping to wear wedding attire or you’re hoping to use this as a form of ‘commitment ceremony’ preceding or following a legal ceremony back home (i.e. within a year of a handfasting session) then I’m afraid this package is not available. Our elopement packages truly provide the absolute best experience we can give for couples who are making that lifelong commitment to each other.

I offer adventure handfasting sessions in and around Edinburgh or within a three-hour drive of Edinburgh. I will help you to find a location that suits your vision.

Your photos will be 10x better if we shoot early in the morning or in the couple of hours before sunset. The time of the year has a big impact on the specific times but we can chat about that at our booking.

This is the most asked about topic…Rule number 1: dress for comfort! Of course, you want to look good on your shoot but not at the expense of feeling awkward in your outfit. If you feel great in what you’re wearing, odds are you will feel more comfortable in front of the camera.

Some general notes:

  • It is not permitted to wear wedding attire for this session.
  •  It’s Scotland… and we all know what that means! Bring some layers and a brolly.
  • Choose an outfit that flatters you and makes you feel amazing. Try it on beforehand and ask yourself, does this outfit make me feel good? Confident? If not, try another.
  • This doesn’t mean rushing out to buy an expensive or trendy outfit – you should wear something that is a reflection of you and your own style. Don’t be afraid to go really dressy if that’s what you want. Or casual. This is all about what you want.
  • I recommend staying away from anything which is too distracting i.e. large logos, words or loud patterns. Wearing all one colour (i.e. all black or white) or super bright block colours can also be a bit distracting.
  • Lastly, it’s best to avoid clashing with each other – easy to forget this one! On the other hand, try not to entirely match (if you decide to both wear jeans, try wearing different colours so they don’t blend together into one large set of legs). If you’re feeling super prepped, lay your outfits out to make sure they look nice next to each other.

Absolutely not. Almost all couples feel this way (to start with!) – It’s such an unusual situation to be asked to be in front of a camera with your partner for longer than 30 seconds.

I usually start the session with a few silly photos to get used to the camera and then the rest of the session will be getting cosy, having fun and getting to know you as a couple. I’ll have a few cues and prompts along the way to help you feel more comfortable.

Don’t worry about awkward giggles, they look great in the photos!

Handfasting session are available to book up to 12 months in advance. The best place to start is by sending me an enquiry here.

To book your date we’ll need to have a chat to see if the session is right for you and answer any questions. After that, I’ll pop you over the booking details and we’ll get started on the planning!

Once your images have been culled down and edited, I’ll send you a link to a private gallery with the final high-res images for download.

With your permission, there will also be a few popped up on social media and the blog so you can easily share with family and friends.

Ready to tie the knot

Is a handfasting session sounding like your next adventure together?

Whether you are ready to book, or simply curious, hop on a call and we can design an adventure session around you!

Contact me to book a call

Helpful advice for adventuring in Scotland

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Couple being handfasted in a Scottish glen by a handfasting celebrant

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