When is the best time of year to elope in Scotland?
I often get asked by my couples which season is the best to elope in Scotland or what is the best month to get married in Scotland... and I’m afraid there is no clear-cut answer for this! It’s often difficult to say just one month, season or time of year that is perfect, as they all offer their own unique magic (and each brings their own challenges).
Spoiler alert, though: I personally think summer is the worst time of year to elope in Scotland… and I won’t hold back when I tell you why that is.
To make your job a wee bit easier, I’ve put together this guide to help you decide when to elope in Scotland! Included are practical considerations, symbolic elements you may want to keep in mind, and a quick glance at the weather through the seasons. Every season holds its own spiritual significance as well as unique Celtic traditions, so I’ve not skipped out on mentioning those as well.
Fear not – you’ll leave here ready to roll & choose your perfect time of year to elope amongst the enchanted landscapes of Scotland!
Why Choosing the Right Time of Year to Elope in Scotland is So Important
I felt it was important to include this section before we even talk about what each season has to offer for your elopement… it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all and forget to carefully consider the logistics of your celebration.
Picking a season for your adventure is about much more than just the colours of the foliage, or the weather you’d ideally like to experience. Scotland is famous for its unpredictable weather, able to change on a dime and make you feel as though you’ve experienced all four seasons in a day! This is why it’s crucial to keep an open mind and go into your elopement without expectation. Otherwise, you might be disappointed if the conditions don’t go according to plan – even though it’s completely out of our control!
I find that many couples also come to Scotland with a certain picture in their mind about what the landscape will look like… but then choose to elope in the wrong month, and are devastated to see that the hills aren’t lush green, or that the waterfalls aren’t at their most abundant. Knowledge is power, so it’s key to always do your research ahead of time and be keen on what to expect.
All in all, outdoor elopements in Scotland are as unpredictable as can be – but it’s SO exhilarating and freeing to let go of control and perfection in exchange for being entirely present in the moment. That’s what the magic of eloping is all about, isn’t it?
Worried your adventure will be a wee bit dreich and dreary? Let’s talk about how to cope with rain on your Scotttish wedding day.
Spring
Autumn
Summer
Winter
Practical Considerations When Choosing a Time to Elope in Scotland
Work commitments
Of course, you’ll need to consider when you can take time off work for your elopement – and I suggest taking more time off than you think you’ll need (if you’re able). The more time you can get to explore, enjoy the fruits of your labour, and be present together as newlyweds, the better. You deserve the whole lot of a celebration, even if your elopement day itself will be short and sweet!
Book an extended stay in a colsie cottage, enjoy delicious local dishes and a nightly dram o’ whiskey at a nearby pub, find activities and excursions that tour you around the prettiest parts of Scotland… there are endless ways to spend your time here.
Daylight
It’s a delicate balance when it comes to how much daylight you want on your elopement day… too much and it becomes tricky to create a comfortable timeline if you want to catch that beautiful sunset light (especially when the sun sets at 10:30pm). However, too little and you could lose out on hours you could spend roaming whimsical landscapes if you want a full day adventure (like 4:00PM sunsets in Winter).
There’s no right or wrong here, it’s simply up to what you’d like the unique flow of your day to look like, and the location(s) you’ll be exploring. Keep in mind the harsh daylight sun as well, especially during the summer when the blaze is harsh and unforgiving in its brightness. I always say that I think the luminance is turned up with Scottish sun – it might not be high temperatures, but it is very bright! (Think shadows under your eyes, lots of squinting and potential sunburn!)
Availability & prices
Airfare, lodging, and transportation are three key logistical elements you’ll want to consider when picking a date for your elopement in Scotland. Rates are often higher during peak tourist season, holiday seasons, and festival season, and activities/restaurants may also be booked up further in advance. So be sure to get ahead of it and book the essential parts of your itinerary ahead of time when you can!
Tourists & crowds
Tourist season in Scotland peaks during the summer, especially in hotspots like Edinburgh and Glasgow – and no one wants to be overlooked by snaphappy tourists on a special day. Avoid planning a weekend elopement in city locations, and watch out for seasonal tourist events that could affect the busyness of the area you’re eloping, such as holiday markets around Christmastime.
Future anniversaries
Many couples don’t think about this, but it’s important: consider when you’d like to celebrate future anniversaries. Maybe you often have time off during the winter months that would be perfect for anniversary bashes, trips, celebrations… maybe it doesn’t matter much to you at all, and you don’t take it into consideration when choosing your elopement date. Something I like to mention just in case!
Weather
Clearly weather will play an important role in the mood of your elopement day… I’ve got a whole section dedicated to this in a wee bit, so hold yer horses for a moment longer!
When is the best time of year to elope in Scotland?
I know this is what you came here for, hopefully, now you have a better idea of why it’s so essential to spend time picking your date with intention, care, and forethought.
I’ll get straight to it: November & February are my favourite months for Scotland elopements (and summer might be the most challenging season!). And the most popular months for Scotland elopement enquiries are May and October – which usually book up very quickly.
But truly, Scotland is beautiful in all months and seasons – it really comes down to what suits you best! And making sure you are prepared for what to expect (this is where I come in…).
You’ll learn quickly that I’m very passionate about this subject in the following sections, detailing what each unique season brings!
Eloping in Spring (March-May): A season of renewal
Spring is a lovely time to elope in Scotland, with the transition from winter to spring always bringing the most noticeable transition of the year. The collective sigh of relief we all share as warmth and colour starts to emerge again… a wee bit of magic every single time.
Known as a time for new beginnings, spring brings fresh life to the landscapes, the people, and the culture of Scotland, making it a beautiful time to step into your journey as a married couple & share a deeply special new beginning as a pair. During this time you’ll experience lush landscapes embracing the warming weather, vibrant blooms, enchanting light, and snow-capped mountain peaks (especially further north). Crowds tend to be lighter during this time of year, with most hotspots getting busier as spring goes on.
Spring generally has less crowds which means you are more likely to enjoy a greater sense of privacy for your day, and who doesn’t want that? That also means cheaper accommodation and more options available. But our absolute favourite thing about Spring is the ethereal stormy light. So if you want those dramatic cinematic images, it’s hard to beat early Spring for bringing the epic atmosphere.
Spring weather is hugely unpredictable – swinging wildly between stormy rainy days or long stretches of summer-like sun. You might even catch a flurry of snow in the earlier part of the season! Tourist season kicks in earlier and earlier every year – May, and increasingly late April, are becoming as busy/expensive as peak Summer season.
In the beginning of Spring the glens will be a deep yellow-brown shifting to light green as the season goes on. There may be sprinklings of white snow on mountain peaks too.
Spring brings lots of blooms, here are few of the most notable ones… A clear symbol that Spring is here is with the arrival of vibrant yellow daffodils followed quickly by colourful crocuses. In late April you’ll find cherry blossoms trees in bloom, especially around Edinburgh. Out in the moors and glens you are likely to see bright yellow flowers on thorny Gorse bushes, which last for a few months into early summer. As May arrives you’ll also spot groves of bluebells in the woodlands.
Ostara: Also known as the Spring Equinox! Ostara is a Pagan festival celebrated all around Scotland to mark spring’s arrival and the air of abundance, growth, and expansion that comes with it. A lovely opportunity to celebrate a new dawn in your relationship as well as the Earth around you.
Beltane: Celebrated on May 1. Beltane honours the return of summer and the returning fertility of the land, and is most known nowadays for the annual Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh.
Eloping in Summer (June-August): A season of abundance
Summer in Scotland may be abundant in beauty… but it’s also abundant in tourists. And midges! Those nasty little buggers sure know how to ruin a mood, and they won’t stop just because it’s your special day (how rude).
While summer boasts long daylight hours and warmer temperatures, it also brings crowded tourist spots and higher accommodation prices. We believe that eloping outside the peak summer season gives you the best possible Scotland elopement experience – so let’s explore the quieter, more intimate seasons instead. For this reason, we only take on a couple of, if any, elopements over this season.
If you’re willing to start your day much later and aim to finish up around sunset (c.10:30PM) you can enjoy places after the majority of the tourists have headed off for dinner and settled in for the evening. This can be a really beautiful peaceful experience.
Summer is extremely busy in Scotland – whether in the cities or in the Highlands. This can really affect the kind of experience you have on the day. Whether it’s dodging bus loads of tourists, struggling to find parking at your desired spots or battling midges. We avoid it for the most part.
If you want to experience the famous lush greenery of Scotland then Summer is absolutely the season for it!
The bright yellow gorse flowers and the invasive-but-beautiful rhododendron bloom through most of the summer. But let’s not forget the famous purple of Scottish heather which blankets the glens. It’ll be in peak bloom Aug-Sep.
Lughnasadh: Celebrated around the 1st of August, Lughnasadh is the harvest festival which marks the beginning of the harvest season. It represents abundance and preparation for the winter ahead.
Litha: Also known as the Summer Solstice or Midsummer. Litha celebrates the longest day of daylight hours around the 20/21st of June.
Eloping in Autumn (September-November): An invitation to turn inward
From time to time I get queries from fellow autumn-lovers asking me when the ‘best’ time in Scotland is for peak Autumn colours. There’s no precise answer as it can vary by a couple of weeks each year. But if you aim for mid-October to mid-November, you should find yourselves face to face with the best colours. I, personally, love the very last of the Autumn days, just as the winter chill is about to set in as that’s when the weather + light can be dramatic, moody and all sorts of fun!
The sun still has an edge of warmth to it which brings energy to the day but the wind has a coldness that encourages people to cosy up and enjoy a wee snuggle. Meanwhile the daylight hours are getting shorter, and the peak daylight is getting softer so it can create the most magical (and flattering!) atmosphere. It can often be the best of all worlds. If I could shoot all my couples in the first couple of weeks in November then I 100% would… especially thanks to the quieter days lacking tourists.
We absolutely adore the rich warm colours that Autumn brings. And the slightly shorter days mean being able to enjoy sunsets then heading for dinner at a fairly reasonable hour!
The ‘peak’ tourist season in Scotland has been extending over the last few years due to its high profile on social media. This means that Autumn is becoming increasingly busy – it is the most popular season for elopements, so it’s likely you may spot other elopers if you elope in a popular area of Scotland.
Make way for rich burnt oranges/deep yellows blanketing the moors and the trees as the bright green of summer dulls.
There may still be some purple heather flowers in early Autumn (Sept) on the moors. And the ferns will be turning a vibrant shade of orange. There will be bright red berries on rowan trees. Meanwhile, there may be some edible berries in the bushes at the start of the season! Don’t forget that Autumn brings mushroom season so beware of mushroom circles unless you wish to be captured by the fae!
Mabon & Autumnal Equinox: Mabon is a Celtic harvest festival observed around the autumnal equinox, marking the slow, gentle transition into the autumn and winter months. Daylight gives way to darker mornings and evenings, temperatures get chillier, and snow begins to fall high up in the mountains. It’s a lovely way to slow down, let go of control, embrace the beauty around you, and reflect on the journey that’s brought you to this special day in your lives.
Samhain/Samhuinn: For my spooky season lovers, Samhain is celebrated the evening of October 31 through sunset on November 1, honouring the passage from autumn to winter. Many Western celebrations of Halloween actually come from this ancient Celtic festival!
Eloping in Winter (December-February): A season of rest and rejuvenation
You may not think that winter is the right time to visit Scotland, but give me a chance to prove you wrong will ya?
While winter isn’t for everyone, it certainly has its own magic: quiet days without many tourists, cool temperatures that encourage warm & colsie snuggles by a fireplace, long and dramatic sunsets, mild weather, and a lively festive spirit during the holidays… don’t automatically discount these months in favour of the warmer ones. With fewer people in the popular hotspots (except at Christmas markets in places like Edinburgh) and minimal snow at lower elevations, Scotland in the winter is enchanting as can be.
Read up on why I believe winter is actually the perfect time for a Scottish adventure here!
Who doesn’t love epic sunrises and sunsets? Well in Winter, there’s a chance you can enjoy both without a crazy long day! We love the cosy quiet vibes that Winter brings. And that risk of slight turbulent weather often brings the most stunning ethereal light for peak *atmosphere*.
It’ll come as no surprise when I say the weather can be the biggest challenge – it can be cold / windy / wet. You have to be confident in your ability to enjoy the day regardless of what Mother Nature will throw at you. This is 50% preparation and 50% attitude. We can help with the first one but you need to bring the latter!
The deep rust colours of Autumn are still around (albeit a bit faded). As it gets closer to spring you might see some light yellows creeping back into the landscape in preparation for new life. Despite it being winter, there is still a lot of green around – especially with evergreen trees!
You can perhaps guess that there are less flowers to be spotted in Winter. But come February you’ll spot the first blooms in the form of snowdrops which you can find in woodland areas. Pine cones also continue to fall into early Winter.
As well as Christmas (Yule), we also celebrate Imbolc – also known as Candlemas – here in Scotland on the 1st of February. This ancient Celtic festival marks the start of spring and is often honoured through the lighting of candles and fires, representative of the coming warmth and light of spring.
As you can see, there is no one perfect time of year to elope in Scotland (Maybe aside from it not being summer haha! – unless you feel summer is perfect for your special day, you know yourselves best!)
You have the freedom to choose a time of year that really means something to you and your relationship… and will mean something to you in the future. Maybe you tie the knot during the Spring Equinox to honour this new beginning in your life, or bring an ancient Celtic tradition into your ceremony that holds a special place in your heart.
However (and whenever) you choose to celebrate, it’s important to have a local Scottish photographer by your side to guide you through it! To support you in finding your perfect date, a magical location, a meaningful ritual to include… I’m here for it all.
If you’re ready to rock and roll let’s share a (virtual) cuppa, and chat to see if we’d be a good fit together. I’d be chuffed to celebrate with you!
Symbolic and Spiritual Aspects Throughout the Seasons
This one’s for my couples who love a bit of hippie sh*t like I do… below are a few symbolic and spiritual elements you may want to think about when choosing a time of year to elope in Scotland, depending on what speaks to your soul. Seasonal symbolism can be honoured in a variety of ways, whether you include any of the following aspects in your elopement or not.
Numerology
Numbers can hold significant meaning to many folks, offering a sense of divine guidance and insight into life, and might be special for you to honour during your elopement. You may have a set or series of numbers that derive from important dates in your life, birthdays of people you hold close, angel numbers… whatever they may be, why not choose your elopement date around them? Maybe this looks like choosing a date based on its numerical format, or a location whose coordinates include your significant numbers that is only accessible during a certain season.
Astrological alignment
Similarly, for couples who find meaning in their astrological charts, signs, or symbols (be it based on Western astrology, Celtic astrology, etc.), astrological alignment may be something to look into when choosing your elopement date. This might entail considerations of the moon phase, planetary placements, zodiac seasons, retrogrades, the alignment of you and your partner’s charts/astrological signs… why not sprinkle a little divine magic into your celebration?
Seasonal symbolism
If it’s important to you to honour a certain season that calls to your heart, or that holds special meaning to your relationship, consider choosing a date during that season and including a symbolic ritual in your ceremony. This may look like a reading that acknowledges the changing of the seasons and the beauty of the landscapes around you at this moment in time, or it may be through giving thanks to the season through some sort of visual representation.
Celtic traditions
There are many ancient Celtic traditions you can honour with your Scotland elopement, bringing the rich history of this beautiful land and its people, into your marriage. Read about my personal favourites & how to bring them into your ceremony here, and take a deeper dive into handfasting rituals here!
Elemental influences
This is one Dave and I incorporated into our own marriage ceremony, asking four of our friends to bring a token representation and speaking on how that element is connected to love. It was a beautiful way for us to acknowledge the four elements and the cycle of nature, both of which ancient Scotland has a strong affinity with. Think about the different elements that come alive during each season, and what meaningful ties those may hold to your relationship, or to your elopement.
Now that you have a better idea of what season suits you… take a wee look at my favourite Scotland elopement locations below:
How to Elope in Scotland
How to Elope in Glencoe
How to Elope in Edinburgh
How to Elope on Isle of Skye
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