ELOPING TO IRELAND GUIDE

Ireland is a mystical magical ethereal wonderland and it is one of my top favourite places to elope to. I’ve put together a little guide to help you with your elopement planning 🙂

WHY ELOPE?

Elopements bring the focus of a wedding day back to you two without your day being a performance or a production of a traditional wedding. You can create the best day for the two of you from start to finish with or without guests. You can check out my elopement guide here.

There are many ways you can make your elopement unique. You could hand-fast, which is where the phrase ‘tying the knot’ came from. Write your own vows, celebrate with a picnic, hike and fizz. The possibilities are endless.

CREATING AN ELOPEMENT TIMELINE

Elopements aren’t a photoshoot, you deserve way more out of your wedding day and have your whole story told from start to finish. Your experience of getting married is still a full day, just like a wedding day. Your activities might be different but it’s more than taking pictures of just your vows and some portraits after. It’s a chance to capture the essence of what you really love doing as a couple. What would your perfect day look like? If you’re having a late afternoon ceremony, then how would you spend your morning? There’s so much to capturing your full story like the getting ready, first look, ceremony, portraits, evening dinner.

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE TIMELINE…

10am: GETTING READY IN A LOG CABIN. Document you both in a relaxed way.

12/ 1pm: LUNCH. A lovely cosy lunch.

2pm: Travel to ceremony

2:30/3pm: Go to your location

3:30pm: Photos at location ceremony

4pm: Drive and explore some beautiful areas to soak in the scenery and to have some photos. t

6:pm: Sunset picnic, or find a cosy restaurant.

TOP LOCATIONS NORTHERN IRELAND 

The causeway coast is one of my favourite locations in Northern Ireland. Theres a reel ethereal feel to this beautiful place and is a filming location for the Game of Thrones. The Giants Causeway has the unique jagged dark rocks and I beautiful cliff coastal path along the sea.

Dunluce Castle 

Set on the Causeway coast, Dunluce Castle is a beautiful and romantic spot to have your elopement by the ruins.

Murlough Bay 

A quiet beautiful bay accessed by a narrow road. Murlough Bay is another Game of Thrones filming location and on a clear day, you can see views of Scotland.

Cushendun caves

Beautiful dramatic caves set on the beach in the North, offering a very unique elopement location.

Mourne Mountains 

A beautiful mountain range to immerse yourself in the beautiful Irish scenery. In the autumn you get beautiful autumnal colour and low light.

Dunseverick Castle 

Another beautiful spot on the clifftop with a castle ruin.

Tollymore Forest Park

It feels like a step back in time to the gothic era. With beautiful woodland. bridges and grottos Tollymore in a stunning place to elope to.

Kinbane Castle 

Set on the Causeway coast, another stunning and dramatic place to elope.

LEGAL

Northern Ireland makes it relatively straightforward for couples who are overseas to get married. You will of course need to be over 18 and will need to look into visas, but you can check out the legal info here. Your ceremony must be held my a humanists if you are wanting to make it legal you can find a directory of humanists here.

PERMITS

You may need to require a permit so you can get married on the land which would cost around £250.

TRAVEL

Airports

The best international airpot to fly into is Belfast.

Car hire

You can find a car hire company here. 

TOP LOCATIONS REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Cliffs of Moher

On the Atlantic way, these dramatic cliffs are a popular elopement spot for that true authentic Irish feel.

Aran Islands 

Inis Mor is a lovely little island situated off the coast of Galway. The Aran Islands have it all, beautiful cliffs, white sand beaches a beautiful chapel ruin.Your can get to it by a ferry

The Dingle Peninsula

Set on the Wild Atlantic way, this beautiful spot you’ll often see in photos with it’s beautiful craggy cliffs.

The Conor Pass

Immersed in beautiful scenery and mountains, it’s one of the most stunning places in Ireland to elope to.

The Wicklow Mountains 

A lovely spot overlooking the mountains for a ethereal moody feel.

Killarney National Park

A beautiful poetic location with a sense of calm. The landscapes are stunning with a mountain drops and lakes.

LEGAL

Ireland makes it relatively straightforward for couples who are overseas to get married. You will of course need to be over 18 and will need to look into visas, but you can check out the legal info here. Your ceremony must be held my a humanists if you are wanting to make it legal you can find a directory of humanists here.

ACCOMODATION

There are plenty of airbnb and beautiful quirky accommodation you can rent in Ireland and you can find a link here

TRAVEL

Airports

The best international airpot to fly into is Dublin.

Car hire

You can find a car hire company here. 

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO ELOPE

Ireland is stunning no matter what time of year you visit. If you go in the summer months, you will experience green lush scenery but with that more tourism. Autumn and winter are quieter but shorter days and colder weather, which is great to capture that ethereal Irish feel to your pictures.

I hope this guide has been helpful and has inspired you to plan an elopement in Ireland.  If you would like to get in touch about your elopement photography, I would love to hear from you.