Winter elopement with wildlife and opera on the Isle of Skye

An Isle of Skye elopement wedding with seals, singing, sailing,  highland cows and black sheep

This was an epic winter elopement with wildlife and opera on the Isle of Skye.

Would we be crazy to elope to the Isle of Skye in January?” was Daidree’s first question to me. My unending optimism made me say “No – it can be really beautiful here is January – low sunshine, beautiful light, snow capped mountains”.

It turned out that January 2020 had possibly the worst, wettest weather ever recorded – but with a little local planning and rescheduling we were to create their perfectly imagined day.

Daidree and K had chosen to elope to Loch Coruisk a beautiful loch in the heart of the Cuillin mountains and accessible only by boat or on foot and I was anxiously weather watching as I knew that winds from the wrong direction would prevent the boat from landing us safely. As my fears were realised I was able to reach out to the celebrant and boat operator and they both agreed that we could hold the wedding safely a day earlier than originally planned. I was a little anxious when meeting Diadree and K for the first time in a local coffee shop as I knew I would have to break the news that the best option was to change their scheduled wedding date. Luckily they could not have been more pragmatic!

The couple hired the most gorgeous renovated thatched cottage nestled in the mountains and surrounded by grazing sheep and cows – Daidree, an opera singer, charmed both the livestock and the wild deer that we encountered on their elopement adventure with her amazing singing

We met at the pier at Elgol and boarded the Eilean a’Cheo which the wonderful staff had prepared and sailed from winter mooring especially for the elopement. Bunting fluttered in the breeze as we set sail for the mountains. We were joined by Sandy the skipper, Davina the celebrant and her husband who was to witness the wedding along with me (witness and photographer!)

Daidree had previously lived on the small island of Eigg that we sailed by en route and it was lovely to be able to take wedding day images with her former island home in the background.

Arriving at the mountains we hiked to the loch. It was the most intensely sunny and beautiful day. The air was crisp, clear and cold and apart from 3 deer who tracked our progess along the lochside the vast area of the Loch and the mountains was empty.

After a wonderfully created ceremony with nods to the many cultural aspects of the couple’s backgrounds, D , K and I hiked further towards the mountains around the loch before sailing home in the afternoon sunshine and exploring some of my favourite hidden Isle of Skye photo locations on the way back to their cottage.

Celebrant : Davina McCluskie Scottish Highland Weddings

Boat travel: Misty Isle Boat Trips

Accommodation: Beinn Dearg Cottage, Torrin