Oli and Andrea’s Isle of Skye Elopement

Oli and Andrea found me on Facebook a few months before their elopement. They’d seen my work and liked how I go about things. Quiet, relaxed, and never getting in the way. So they got in touch, and we started planning.

Getting ready for Skye

Skye has a way of throwing every season at you in one day. Dry one minute, pouring the next, and bright sunshine ten minutes later. So I went up a few weeks before the wedding to scout the location. I wanted to know the walk, the light and the spots worth stopping at.

About a week before the day, I phoned Oli and Andrea. It was a chance to check the timings and make sure all was good. Mostly it was just nice to chat. By the day itself, we already felt like we knew each other.

A walk into the hills in early July

The wedding was in early July. We met at the car park under clear blue skies, with just enough wind to keep the midges away. On Skye in summer, that’s a real blessing. It looked so settled that everyone left their jackets in the car. I kept mine in my backpack, because I know what Skye is like.

From there it was about a 20-minute hike to the ceremony spot. That walk turned out to be one of my favourite parts of the day. We walked, we talked, and every so often we stopped for photos. I’d point out a spot, and Oli and Andrea were always happy to give it a go. Some of their favourite photos came from those stops along the way, not just the ceremony itself.

Then the rain came

Halfway up, the sky changed. A sharp shower came in from nowhere, just long enough to soak everyone. I handed my coat and jacket to Oli and Andrea to shelter under. My camera gear is water-resistant, so it was fine.

Five minutes later, the sun was back out. By the time we reached the ceremony spot, everyone was dry, apart from a bit of damp hair. And everyone was in great spirits. The rain even gave us some dramatic skies for the photos.

It doesn’t need to be polished. It just needs to be honest. Soaked hair and bursts of sunlight all became part of their story.

A small ceremony, full of meaning

It was a very small group. Oli’s brother and mum were there, along with Andrea’s sister and mum, who’d flown all the way from Colombia.

The ceremony was full of traditions I hadn’t come across before. One was offering a little chocolate back to the earth. Later, the two of them shared a hot chocolate together.

The part I remember most was the handfasting. It’s an old Celtic tradition, and it’s said to be where the phrase “tying the knot” comes from. Oli and Andrea stood facing each other and joined hands. Then their hands were wrapped and tied together while they made their promises. It’s a simple thing, but it’s powerful to watch. For those few minutes, they were literally bound together, with the hills of Skye all around them.

Magical isn’t a word I use often. It can feel a bit much. But when it comes to Skye, I’ll make an exception. Standing on that hillside, with the sun back out and the people they loved most beside them, it really did feel magical.

In Oli and Andrea’s words

He helped us feel relaxed from the second we arrived, and as we hiked into the mountains to the ceremony location together, he picked out the perfect spots for photos, which we would never have even considered!

Andrea and Oli

If you’re thinking about eloping on Skye, have a read of what it’s really like to have a Skye wedding or elopement. Or get in touch and we’ll grab a coffee.