What's the Best Scottish Island for an Elopement?

I'll be honest with you - I'm biased. I live on Islay, I photograph weddings here, and I genuinely believe there's nowhere else quite like it for couples wanting to elope to Scotland. But let me make the case for why this wee island punches well above its weight when it comes to intimate destination weddings.

Gemma and Alan, 2025. Location: The Strand and Black Rock

Close Enough to Feel Easy, Far Enough to Feel Special

Here's the thing about Islay - it's remarkably accessible for somewhere that feels properly remote. You're looking at just 30 minutes by air from Glasgow (Loganair runs twice daily, more in summer), or if you prefer the scenic route, it's a two-hour drive to Kennacraig followed by a beautiful 2-2.5 hour ferry crossing. That means couples flying into Glasgow in the morning can be standing on an Islay beach by early afternoon.

Kim and Justin’s elopement 2025. Location: near Kildalton Cross.

This matters more than you might think for an elopement. Your witnesses can join you easily. If parents or a handful of close friends want to be there, it's not an expedition - it's a lovely journey. And yet the moment you step off that ferry or plane, you're somewhere that feels worlds away from everyday life. You get that sense of escape and adventure without the complexity of reaching somewhere truly isolated.

Whisky, Wilderness, and Everything In Between

What makes Islay different from other Scottish islands? In a word: character. This is an island that's famous for its whisky, which means it's used to welcoming visitors, but it's still small enough (around 3,000 residents) to feel intimate and unspoiled.

Sarah and Uwe’s elopement, 2025. Location: Bowmore Distillery.

The landscape here is properly dramatic - we're talking endless sandy beaches like Machir Bay where you can walk for miles and see nobody, wild clifftop spots on the Oa peninsula that'll take your breath away, and sheltered gems like Singing Sands that feel like secret discoveries. Every beach has its own personality, from the powerful Atlantic rollers at Saligo to the gentle curve of Kilnaughton Bay.

And then there's the whisky. Even if you're not particularly into it (though you should at least try an Islay dram whilst you're here!), the distilleries give the island this incredible sense of place. The peat smoke in the air, the white-washed buildings dotted along the coast, the warmth of sharing a dram on a windswept beach after you've just said your vows - it's all part of what makes an Islay elopement feel uniquely Scottish.

Scotland's Marriage Laws Are Made for This

Sam and Martin on their Islay Sea Adventure!

One of the brilliant things about eloping in Scotland generally (and on Islay specifically) is the flexibility around where you can legally marry. Beach ceremony? Absolutely legal. Clifftop at sunset? Go for it. Ancient ruins overlooking the sea? That's fine too. You don't need a building or a covered structure - you just need permission to be there (beaches are public spaces, so that's straightforward) and a registrar or celebrant willing to travel to your chosen spot.

This means your elopement can genuinely be about the two of you in a landscape that moves you, rather than finding a venue and hoping it has nice views. I've photographed ceremonies on beaches, on headlands, in distillery courtyards, and every single one has been legal and utterly unforgettable.

Living Here Makes a Difference

I moved to Islay for family reasons and photograph year-round here - weddings, but also the landscapes, the distilleries and the changing seasons. This isn't somewhere I visit for wedding season then leave. I know which beaches catch the best light at different times of day, where to shelter if weather turns, which quiet spots most visitors never find, and how to time things around tides and sunset.

Ted and Tara’s 2025 Islay Elopement. Location: Singing Sands.

When you're eloping with just the two of you (or maybe a couple of witnesses), having a photographer who genuinely knows the island inside out makes a real difference. I can take you to Singing Sands just as the evening light turns golden, or up to a viewpoint you'd never find on your own, or to that perfect sheltered spot when the weather's being properly Scottish. It's the kind of local knowledge you can only get from someone who lives here full-time.

Practical Magic

Here's what an Islay elopement typically looks like: you arrive a day or two before, settle into your accommodation (anything from a luxury room at The Machrie to a cosy cottage), maybe visit a distillery or explore some beaches. On the day itself, we meet for your ceremony at whichever spot speaks to you, then we spend an hour or so adventuring around the island for photos - think scrambling over rocks, walking windswept beaches, maybe stopping for a dram with your feet in the sand. Afterwards, you might have a private dinner at one of the island's excellent restaurants, or take away fish and chips to eat watching the sunset over the Atlantic.

Jo and Robb’s 2024 Islay Elopement. Location: Lower Killeyan, The Oa, Islay.

It's simple, it's authentic, and it's exactly as much or as little as you want it to be. That's the beauty of eloping here - you're not trying to fit into anyone else's wedding template. You're creating something that's entirely yours in a landscape that feels timeless and wild and romantic.

So, Is Islay the Best Scottish Island for Eloping?

Look, I'm never going to tell you the Isle of Skye isn't stunning (it is), or that the Outer Hebrides don't have their own magic (they absolutely do). But Islay offers something special: it's accessible enough to feel easy, remote enough to feel like a proper escape, beautiful enough to take your breath away, and just the right size to explore intimately without feeling overwhelmed.

Amber and Jack, May 2025. Location: Bridgend.

If you want to elope somewhere that feels authentically Scottish - somewhere with character and whisky and wild beaches and that particular quality of light that makes everything look like a painting - then yes, I reckon Islay might just be perfect for you.

And if you'd like to chat about what an Islay elopement could look like, I'm always happy to talk through possibilities. No pressure, just local knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for this place I'm lucky enough to call home.

*Ben Shakespeare is a wedding photographer living full-time on the Isle of Islay, specialising in intimate destination weddings and elopements. Find him at myislaywedding.co.uk or on Instagram @shotbyshakespeare*