How to bring your Scottish Elopement to reality

If you have made it to this blog then the chances are you’re considering an elopement Wedding. Elopements are an adventurous and wildly romantic way of saying ‘I Do’ with the people that matter to you the absolute most. And what better way to begin your life together than in stunning Scotland?

Scotland is one of the world’s most popular destinations to elope to as you can legally be married anywhere, without the need for one off licences. Wild Hearts Elopements specialise in the planning and arrangement of fiercely beautiful elopement weddings in Scotland so don’t worry if this blog post seems complicated, we’ll help guide you through the marriage application process. Here’s our tips and advice on how to elope to Scotland with your one true love.

Are you Eligible?

To be legally married in Scotland, you must fulfil the following criteria:

●      You and your partner must both be single, divorced, widowed or have dissolved a previously legally recognised partnership.

●      You must be over the age of sixteen.

●      You must not be closely related to each other.

●       You must be capable of understanding the commitment of marriage.

Types of Ceremony

All Civil, Religious, Humanist and Same-Sex marriages conducted in Scotland by a person recognised as a legal officiant are legally recognised throughout the world, therefore making Scotland one of the most attractive locations for amazing destination and elopement weddings.  

As long as this criteria is met and you and your partner are prepared and committed, you can begin the legal paperwork process to obtain a marriage visitors visa (if you live outwith the EU economic zone) and get your marriage schedule to sign on the day. 

Simple steps to take

Making your captivating Scottish elopement a reality is only a few steps away, with some planning and preparation it is feasible that you can arrange a legal destination or elopement marriage in Scotland within three months.  

●      Where and when - Firstly you need to look into where in Scotland you want to get married. If the abundance of gorgeous scenery and castles is making this decision too difficult, visit Destination Wedding Scotland to be paired with a venue that suits your needs, free of charge! Once you have named the date you will also need to book your suppliers such as flowers, a photographer, someone to officiate the marriage etc.

●      Obtain your Visa – Good news, you can skip this part if you live in the UK or EU economic area! For all other international couples, three months before your wedding day (and no earlier) you can apply for a marriage visitors visa. These cost £85 per person and you need 1 each. Documents you will need to make this application include a passport, proof of identification, bank statements and pay cheques. It is also worth reminding friends and family that may be joining you to apply for their visas to ensure everyone can make it. 

●      Tell the local Registry - Once you have applied for your visa you should get in touch with the registry office local to your chosen venue and submit a marriage notice form, also known as an M10 form. This includes visa confirmation, witness details and any information about past marriages and you must ensure you submit this no later than 29 days before your wedding. The cost to submit the notice forms is £70 per couple, however you will need to fill out 1 form each. 

●      Collect the Schedule – This is the certificate that you sign on your Wedding day to make it completely legal. The week of your Wedding, your marriage schedule will become available for you to collect – note it must be one of you who collects it and if you have not provided original documents to the registry office before then, they will need to see your physical passport and birth certificate. This must be returned to your local registry office either by your Registrar (in the case of a Civil ceremony) or by you no later than 7 days after your wedding (in the case of a Religious-Belief or Humanist ceremony).  

As long as you are prepared with your supplier bookings and personal documents, this process should go very smoothly and you’ll be ready to have the elopement wedding you’ve always dreamed of!