Let’s talk money. Not in a vague “it depends” kind of way, but actual numbers. Because if you’re sitting in California or Texas or wherever right now, dreaming about saying your vows in the Scottish Highlands, you need to know what this is actually going to cost you.
Here’s the short answer: most American couples spend between $12,000 and $22,000 to elope to Scotland, including flights, accommodation, photography and everything else.
That’s roughly half the cost of the average US wedding, which now sits at around $35,000 to $40,000. And anecdotally, we speak to clients every week who tell us of venues that cost $50,000 or more in their home state.
But here’s what makes it better than just “cheaper”. You’re not compromising. You’re getting an actual adventure, a proper holiday and a wedding day that’s entirely about the two of you. No awkward speeches from Uncle Dave. No stress about seating charts. Just you, your partner and some of the most stunning scenery on the planet.
So let’s break down where that money actually goes.
The Big Stuff: Flights
Cost: $800 to $1,600 per person (round trip)
This is usually your biggest single expense, and it varies wildly depending on where you’re flying from and when you book.
From the East Coast (New York, Boston, DC): You can often find direct flights to Edinburgh for $700 to $1,000 if you book a few months ahead. Sometimes less if you’re flexible.
From the West Coast (LA, San Francisco, Seattle): Expect $900 to $1,400. You’ll likely have a connection, but that’s just more time to get excited.
From the middle (Chicago, Denver, Texas): Usually $800 to $1,200 with one stop.
Pro tip from us: Fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow, not Inverness. The international connections are better and cheaper. Yes, Inverness is closer to the Highlands, but the price difference will pay for your car hire three times over.
When to book: Our clients have told us best prices are usually 2 to 6 months in advance. Too early and prices haven’t dropped yet. Too late and you’re paying premium rates.
Seasons matter: Flying in November or February? You’ll save a couple of hundred quid each compared to July or August. Oh. And July and August are actually rubbish for eloping in Scotland – midges, crowds and everyone fighting for the same spots. Just saying.
Accommodation: Where You’ll Actually Stay
Cost: $180 to $600+ per night
This is where you set the tone for your whole experience, and honestly, it matters more than you think.
You’re flying thousands of miles to get married in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The place you wake up in, the place you get ready, the place you come back to after your ceremony – it should feel special.
Mid-Range ($180-$350/night): Boutique hotels, well-appointed lodges, or characterful Airbnbs. Think log fires, mountain views and maybe a roll-top bath. For a week, you’re looking at $1,250 to $2,450.
Luxury ($350-$550/night): This is where it gets good. Castle stays, five-star country hotels, or private lodges with hot tubs overlooking lochs. Floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Highlands. Chef’s kitchens. The kind of place where you’ll spend your mornings with coffee just staring at the view. A week runs $2,450 to $3,850.
Ultra-Luxury ($550+/night): Historic castle estates, Michelin-starred hotel restaurants on-site, private spa facilities, the full five-star treatment. This is the “we’re doing this once so we’re doing it properly” level. A week? $3,850 to $5,500+.
Our take: Most of our couples book somewhere mid-range and then opt for luxury for their wedding night and the night beforehand. You’re already investing in this experience, and your accommodation sets the mood for everything else. The couples who try to save money here often tell us later they wished they’d splurged.
Also, and this is important – nicer places often have better locations for getting ready photos, more privacy and staff who understand that this is your wedding trip, not just a holiday.
How long to stay: Most couples do 7 to 10 days. That gives you time to recover from jet lag, have your elopement and then actually enjoy Scotland without rushing. Don’t try to cram it into 4 days. You’ll be exhausted and you’ll miss the whole point.
Photography: The Investment That Actually Matters
Cost: $4,000 to $8,000
Right, we need to be straight with you about this.
Your photos are the only thing from your elopement that you’ll still have in 30 years. The flowers die, the cake gets eaten, the accommodation is a memory. But those images? They’re what you’ll be looking at when you’re old and grey, showing your grandkids where you got married.
So when couples tell us they’re spending $20,000 on their elopement but trying to find a photographer for $1,500, we have to say something.
What we charge (and why)
Our elopement photography packages are £5,000 (approximately $6,300). Here’s what that includes:
Full-day coverage. We’re with you from the quiet moments of getting ready through to the final celebrations. Whether that’s a sunset toast or champagne in the hot tub, we capture it all.
A curated gallery of hand-edited images. Not 500 photos that all look the same. We deliver fewer images, but each one is hand-edited with five times more attention than the typical wedding photographer gives. These are the shots you’ll actually print, frame and look at for decades.
Planning support throughout. We help you choose locations, build your timeline, find accommodation that photographs beautifully and connect you with trusted celebrants, hair and makeup artists and florists. By the time your elopement arrives, we’re not just your photographers – we’re your friends.
Location expertise. We’ve photographed over 200 elopements across Scotland. We know where the light falls, where the tourists don’t go and how to read the weather. We’ll guide you to spots that feel private and magical, not the same locations you’ve seen on everyone else’s Instagram.
Legal guidance. Most of our couples are from the US or Canada. We know the ins and outs of the paperwork, timelines and options for symbolic vs legal ceremonies. We’ll point you in the right direction (though we can’t help you fill it in). Check out our complete legal guide for details.
Why fewer photos is actually better
Here’s something most photographers won’t tell you: delivering 500 images isn’t generous. It’s lazy.
When a photographer dumps hundreds of photos on you, they’re passing their job onto you. Now you have to sort through them, decide which ones are good, figure out which to print. Most couples never do it. The images sit on a hard drive, unopened.
We take a different approach. We cull ruthlessly and edit carefully. Every image we deliver is one we’d be proud to hang on our own wall. The result? A gallery you’ll actually use. Photos that are genuinely stunning, not just “good enough.”
The couples who print their photos, who make albums, who actually enjoy looking back at their wedding day – they’re the ones who received a curated gallery, not a data dump.
What about cheaper photographers?
They exist. You can find photographers in Scotland charging $1,500 to $3,000.
Here’s the honest truth about what you’re getting at that price: they’re either just starting out (you’re their practice), they’re not elopement specialists (they shoot everything from headshots to pet portraits), or they’re based somewhere cheap and don’t understand Scottish locations and weather.
The photographer who charges $2,000 probably isn’t scouting locations for you. They’re not spending 60-90 minutes with you before your ceremony to help you relax. They’re not answering WhatsApp messages at midnight when you’re panicking about the forecast. And they’re certainly not properly retouching each individual image.
If budget is genuinely tight, that’s a valid choice. But understand what you’re trading off.
The Legal Bit: Getting Actually Married
Cost: $550 to $1,100
We can’t help you with the legal paperwork – it’s not allowed for photographers to do this – but your celebrant absolutely can, and they’ll walk you through the whole process.
What you’ll pay for:
- Notice of marriage fee: Around $140 (required by the Scottish government, paid at least 29 days before your wedding)
- Celebrant fee: $450 to $900 depending on their experience, location and how far they need to travel
- Marriage visitor visa: Around $150 per person
Celebrant vs Registrar: Most couples choose a celebrant because they can legally marry you anywhere outdoors. A registrar is cheaper (around $200) but you’re limited to licensed venues, which defeats the point of eloping on a mountain, doesn’t it?
Your celebrant will guide you through all the legal requirements and make sure everything is sorted well before your ceremony. The good ones are worth every penny – they’ll create a ceremony that feels personal, not like they’re reading from a script.
Or, you could skip that part entirely and have a symbolic ceremony instead, signing the legal papers back home. It makes your ceremony no less special – we promise. About a third of our couples go this route.
Flowers, Hair and Makeup
Cost: $300 to $850
This one’s entirely optional, but most of our couples do want at least some of this.
Flowers: A beautiful bridal bouquet from a good florist runs $100 to $180. Buttonholes for your partner, another $25 to $50. Some couples skip flowers entirely, others go all out. It’s your call.
Hair and Makeup: Mobile artists (the ones who come to where you’re staying) charge $250 to $450 for both hair and makeup. The best ones book up months in advance, especially for autumn weekends.
Our take: If having your hair and makeup professionally done makes you feel incredible, absolutely do it. If you’d rather have a quiet morning getting ready together, that’s equally valid. Both look amazing in photos.
Food and Drink
Cost: $500 to $1,800 for the week
Scotland isn’t cheap for food, but the quality is excellent and you’re on your honeymoon, so don’t skimp too much here.
Eating out: Decent pub meals run $18 to $30 per person. Nicer restaurants, $40 to $80 per person. If you want a proper celebration dinner on your elopement day at a top restaurant, budget $180 to $300 for both of you with wine.
Groceries: If you’re staying somewhere with a kitchen, you can keep costs down by cooking some meals. Supermarkets are everywhere, and you’ll spend about $80 to $140 per week on basics.
Whisky: Come on, you’re in Scotland. Budget $50 to $100 for a couple of decent bottles or some distillery tours. It would be rude not to.
Oh and if you’re eloping with us, we may treat you to fish and chips. It makes for fun photos and stops Jodie getting hangry. Win win.
Getting Around: Car Hire
Cost: $300 to $750 for the week
You’ll want a car. Public transport in the Highlands is rubbish, and you can’t elope on a bus.
What you’ll pay:
- Small car: $45 to $75 per day
- Larger/automatic car: $75 to $120 per day
- Insurance: Factor in another $75 to $150 for the week
Fuel: Petrol is expensive here compared to the US. Budget around $120 to $180 for a week of driving, depending on how much you explore.
Do you need an automatic? Most hire cars in the UK are manual. If you can’t drive a manual, book an automatic well in advance. They cost more and there are fewer of them.
The Extras (That Add Up)
These are the little things that aren’t essential but might be on your list:
- Bagpiper: $300 to $600 (absolutely worth it if you want that proper Scottish moment)
- Videographer: $1,500 to $3,800 (if you want film as well as photos)
- Private chef dinner: $500 to $1,000 (instead of going to a restaurant)
- Whisky tasting tour: $75 to $150 per person
- Kilts or Highland dress hire: $250 to $500
So What’s the Grand Total?
Let’s look at three realistic scenarios for American couples:
The Thoughtful Elopement: ~$13,000
- Flights: $2,000
- Accommodation (7 nights, boutique hotel): $1,800
- Photography with The Sassenachs: $6,300
- Celebrant and legal fees: $700
- Car hire: $400
- Food for the week: $600
- Flowers (beautiful bouquet): $140
- Hair and makeup: $350
Total: approximately $12,290
This is a beautiful elopement. Nothing budget about it. You’re staying somewhere lovely, you have professional photography from people who know Scotland inside out, and you’re not cutting corners on anything that matters.
The Full Experience: ~$17,000
- Flights: $2,400
- Accommodation (7 nights, luxury lodge with hot tub): $3,000
- Photography with The Sassenachs: $6,300
- Celebrant and legal fees: $800
- Hair and makeup (top artist): $400
- Car hire (automatic): $550
- Food for the week: $900
- Flowers: $180
- Celebration dinner at a top restaurant: $280
- Bagpiper: $450
- Whisky and extras: $300
Total: approximately $15,560
This is what most of our couples do. A bit of luxury, all the experiences you’ve dreamed about, nothing stressful. You’ll come home with incredible photos, incredible memories and zero regrets.
The Luxury Experience: ~$24,000
- Flights (premium economy): $5,500
- Accommodation (7 nights, five-star castle hotel): $4,800
- Photography with The Sassenachs: $6,300
- Videography: $2,800
- Celebrant and legal fees: $950
- Hair and makeup (top artist): $550
- Car hire (automatic, luxury): $750
- Private chef dinner: $800
- Flowers (bouquet + installations): $400
- Bagpiper: $500
- Whisky tours and extras: $600
Total: approximately $23,950
This is the “we’re doing this once, we’re doing it properly” option. Castle stays, film and photography, private dining, the works. Still less than the average US wedding, and infinitely more memorable.
The Alternative: Our All-Inclusive Packages
If looking at all these moving parts makes your head spin, we get it. You’re planning from 4,000 miles away. You’ve never been to Scotland. You don’t know which celebrants are good, which hotels photograph well, or how to build a timeline around Scottish sunset times.
That’s exactly why we created our all-inclusive Scotland elopement packages.
We handle everything. Photography, celebrant, accommodation, hair and makeup, florals – all sorted by people who’ve done this over 200 times. You show up, get married, go home with incredible photos. Zero stress.
We won’t quote specific pricing here because it depends on your dates and preferences, but if the idea of having everything handled appeals to you, get in touch and we’ll walk you through it.
Is It Worth It?
The average US wedding now costs $35,000 to $40,000. You spend a year of your life planning it, stressing about guest lists and dealing with family drama. Then the day itself flies by in a blur.
For roughly half that cost, you can:
- Fly to Scotland
- Stay somewhere incredible
- Get married on a mountain or by a waterfall or in front of a castle
- Have photos that look like they belong in a magazine
- Spend a week exploring one of the most beautiful countries on earth
- Actually remember your wedding day because you were present for it
We’ve photographed over 200 elopements, and we’ve never had a couple say they wished they’d had a big traditional wedding instead. Not once.
The money you spend on a Scottish elopement doesn’t just buy you a wedding. It buys you an adventure, a holiday and a story you’ll tell for the rest of your lives.
Ways to Save Money (Without Compromising)
If budget is tight but you’re determined to make this happen, here’s where you can cut costs without sacrificing what matters:
Travel in the off-season: November, January, February and March are significantly cheaper for flights and accommodation. Plus, you’ll have the landscapes mostly to yourselves. The light is beautiful, the weather is dramatic (in a good way) and the midges are gone. Read our guide to the best time to elope for more.
Stay longer, spend less per day: Sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re staying 10 days instead of 5, you can spread costs out and find better weekly rates on accommodation and car hire.
Midweek ceremonies: Some vendors offer better rates for Tuesday through Thursday bookings.
Skip some extras: No videographer, no helicopter, no private chef. Just the essentials – amazing photos, a great celebrant and a beautiful location. Your day will still be incredible.
Self-cater some meals: Stay somewhere with a kitchen and cook breakfast and lunch. Save eating out for dinners and your celebration meal.
Symbolic ceremony: Skip the legal paperwork in Scotland entirely and sign papers at home. Saves the visa fees and some celebrant costs.
What You Shouldn’t Skimp On
Photography. We would say that, wouldn’t we? But seriously – this is your legacy from this day. The difference between a budget photographer and someone who knows Scotland intimately, who’s done this hundreds of times, whose work makes you genuinely excited? It’s everything. Check out our portfolio to see what we mean.
Celebrant. A good celebrant transforms your ceremony from “reading legal words” into something that feels personal and meaningful. Don’t just go for the cheapest option.
Accommodation that makes you feel something. You’re going to remember where you stayed. Make it somewhere that adds to the magic, not somewhere you’re just tolerating to save $50 a night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to elope to Scotland than have a US wedding? Yes, significantly. You’ll spend roughly half what you’d spend on a traditional US wedding, and you get a holiday included.
Can we elope to Scotland for under $10,000? It’s tight, but possible with strategic choices – off-season travel, mid-range accommodation, and a less expensive photographer. But we’d encourage you to think carefully about where you’re cutting corners.
What’s the most expensive part? Usually flights and photography combined. These two things often make up 45% to 55% of your total budget. But they’re also the two things you absolutely shouldn’t compromise on.
Do we tip in Scotland? Tipping isn’t as expected as it is in the US. 10% in restaurants if the service was good, round up for taxi drivers, but you don’t need to tip your photographer or celebrant.
Should we bring US dollars or use cards? Use cards. The exchange rate is usually better than currency exchange, and everywhere takes cards. Bring maybe £50 in cash for emergencies.
How far in advance should we book everything? 6 to 12 months is ideal. That gives you time to sort the legal paperwork (29 days’ notice required), book flights when they’re cheaper and secure your preferred vendors.
Ready to Start Planning?
Look, we’re not going to tell you that eloping to Scotland is cheap. It’s not. But it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than a traditional wedding, and you get an experience that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.
The couples we work with don’t regret a single penny they spent. They regret not booking more days, or not splurging on the nicer accommodation, but never the decision to come to Scotland.
If you’re sitting there thinking “this actually sounds doable”, then let’s talk. We’ll help you figure out locations, timing, what you actually need and what you can skip. No pressure, no sales pitch, just an honest conversation about making this happen.
Get in touch and let’s start planning your Scottish adventure.