AN ATMOSPHERIC ISLE OF SKYE ELOPEMENT IN THE SNOW
FEATURING
Casey + Christina travelled all the way from America for their snowy Isle of Skye elopement
“Remain open-minded, because nothing you do will ever go precisely according to plan.”
~ Casey + Christina
We Fell In Love With…
An epic ceremony location, that black ball gown, and the magnificent snowy backdrop of the Isle of Skye.
Casey and Christina fell in love with Scotland’s beauty from a far and decided it was the perfect location to get married. Even the snow decided to arrive for their Isle of Skye of elopement which made it all the more magical.
Read on to see some beautiful inspo and stay tuned to the end to get some really good advice from this lovely couple.
TELL US ABOUT YOU TWO + YOUR WEDDING JOURNEY
We initially met in an ambulance whilst working together, and a year later started dating.
We decided to get married on our five year anniversary. Our elopement and honeymoon were both chaotically planned in the most ADHD way possible. We settled on three locations: the Isle of Skye for our wedding ceremony, then Budapest and Reykjavik for the honeymoon. The craziest part of it all was that we based our honeymoon around a band called Sleep Token. They were playing a concert in Budapest so we bought gig tickets without passports, hotels, or plane tickets. From there we just picked other places we would like to travel to! Scotland was always in the back of our minds because of how beautiful it is. We didn’t really factor in seasons or themes, instead we just planned travel arrangements and locations we liked with our photographer.
As far as challenges go, we wouldn’t recommend planning an international elopement/honeymoon in only 4 months. Logistics wise, there was also the small issue of transporting a big ball gown dress half way across the world. In the end it had to be vacuum sealed and took up half a suitcase! However, Christina had bought the dress two years prior and nothing was going to make her give up her dream dress.
The weather was not something we really planned for. We had been told it doesn’t usually snow that much in Scotland in November … but it just so happened to start the night before we got married. Casey had to quickly learn how to drive in the snow.
Even with all of the chaos the day couldn’t have been more perfect and we wouldn’t change a thing.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS
Christina had found (and bought!) her absolute dream wedding dress two years before our wedding. There wasn’t a chance she was getting married wearing anything else, even though it had to travel halfway across the world with us!
It’s a stunning black ballgown by Martin Thornburg with intricate embroidery and a beautiful full skirt. To complete the look Christina wore a black sapphire necklace, bracelet, earrings and ring set from Macy’s. There was no way she could wear heels or dainty shoes due to the terrain, instead she opted for trusty black boots with a chunky heel.
Casey bought his sage green suit from StudioSuits with matching Merrell hiking shoes – an essential item when you’re on the Isle of Skye!.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CEREMONY
Our ceremony was perfect for us. Completely private, just us, our photographer and the sheep – of which there are many on the Isle of Skye!
We had planned our location with the help of our wonderful photographer Ieva Marija, who specialises in Scottish elopements. To reach our chosen spot overlooking the shore, we walked down the hiking trail, across the rocky shoreline, up another small hill and finally crossed a stream.
It was a cold November day and with the freezing wind blowing at our backs we read each other our vows. The snow we woke up to that morning was a complete surprise but really added to the atmosphere
TELL US ABOUT THE RECEPTION
As we were eloping, just the two of us and no guests, we didn’t factor a reception into our plans. We spent some time exploring the area with Ieva for our photographs and then spent the rest of the day basking in newly wedded bliss and enjoying some cosy Scottish hospitality. The Isle of Skye is the most incredible location and we feel so lucky that we got chance to explore it.
ANY LESSONS LEARNED OR ADVICE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
Our biggest challenge was carrying more than we needed halfway across the world through multiple countries. The more you travel with, the more baggage fees you will have to pay. If you choose to elope with a ball gown, just be aware ahead of time how much space it will take. If you can, travel light and be prepared for the unexpected.
Remain open minded, because nothing you do will ever go precisely according to plan. Instead, roll with the punches because that may make your experience even better.
