The Best Time to Elope in Glencoe

Glencoe works year-round, but some months are significantly better than others. Here’s the honest breakdown from photographers who’ve shot over 150 elopements in the glen. Spoiler: November is our favourite.

The time of year you choose completely transforms your Glencoe experience. We’re not just talking about weather — we’re talking about crowds, light, colours, midges, accommodation costs, and whether you’ll have the mountains to yourselves or share them with forty campervans.

We live on the edge of the Highlands. We’re in Glencoe constantly. We know what each season actually delivers versus what it promises on Pinterest.

Winter (December – February): Drama at Its Peak

Winter in Glencoe is pure, unfiltered drama. Snow-dusted peaks, frosty mornings, and a sun that barely rises above the horizon. The light is golden and low, hitting the mountains at angles you don’t get any other time of year. The crowds are gone. You’ll likely have the place to yourselves — just you, your partner, and the occasional wandering stag.

Yes, it’s cold. Properly cold. But with the right layers (and we’ll advise on exactly what to wear), you’ll be fine. We’ve done dozens of winter elopements and nobody has ever regretted it. The snow, the frost, that winter light — it’s a photographer’s dream.

Daylight is limited (sunrise around 8:30am, sunset around 4pm), so we build your timeline around the light. Every minute counts, and we don’t waste any of them.

Best for: Couples who want dramatic, snow-capped peaks and don’t mind the cold. Genuinely magical.

Spring (March – April): Honestly? A Bit Underwhelming

We’re not going to sugarcoat it — March isn’t Glencoe’s finest hour. The snow has melted, leaving the mountains looking a bit bare and brown. The lush greenery hasn’t arrived yet. It’s that awkward in-between phase where everything looks a bit… tired.

If you get dramatic weather — moody clouds, mist rolling through the glen — it can still look incredible. But if you get a sunny day in March? It can feel oddly flat. The drama that makes Glencoe famous needs either snow, green, or autumn colour to really sing.

April improves slightly, but Easter brings tourists, and the weather remains unpredictable. If spring is your only option, push towards late April or wait for May when the green finally arrives.

Best for: Couples with no flexibility on dates. Otherwise, we’d steer you elsewhere.

Late Spring (May – June): The Green Arrives

Late May to June is when Glencoe comes alive. The hills turn vibrant green, wildflowers bloom, waterfalls are running full from spring rain, and — crucially — the midges haven’t fully woken up yet.

This is Glencoe at its lushest. The mountains look like something from a fantasy film. The days are long (sunset isn’t until 10pm at the solstice), giving you loads of flexibility with your timeline.

Visitor numbers pick up, but nothing like summer. Early mornings or weekday ceremonies avoid most of the traffic. If you want green and pleasant without the chaos of peak season, this is your window.

Best for: Couples who want lush green landscapes and long summer evenings.

Summer (July – Early September): Beautiful but Busy

Let’s be direct: summer is our least favourite time for Glencoe elopements.

The landscape is gorgeous — still green, still dramatic. But the crowds are relentless. Packed car parks. Coach tours. Selfie sticks at every viewpoint. Campervans lining the A82. That secluded, intimate vibe you’re probably imagining? It’s hard to find in August.

And then there are the midges. Tiny biting insects that swarm in their millions on still, warm days. They don’t photograph well, and they make standing still for any length of time genuinely miserable. We’ve had to cut portrait sessions short because couples couldn’t take it anymore.

If summer is your only option, we can make it work — early morning starts (5am isn’t unusual), locations away from the main tourist stops, and constant movement to stay ahead of both crowds and midges. But if you can choose another season, we’d recommend it.

Best for: Couples with no flexibility who don’t mind sharing the glen with a few hundred tourists.

Autumn (Late September – November): Our Favourite

Autumn in Glencoe is absolutely breathtaking. The hills transform into a patchwork of amber, gold, rust, and deep green. The bracken turns copper. The light goes soft and golden. It’s Glencoe at its most photogenic, and we say that having seen it in every season for over a decade.

Late September and October are popular for good reason — the colours are peak, the weather is often surprisingly settled, and the summer crowds have gone home.

But here’s our secret: November is the best month to elope in Glencoe.

The autumn colours usually linger into early November. The air turns crisp. The first frosts appear. You might get snow on the peaks while there’s still gold in the valleys — the best of both worlds. It’s quieter than October. Accommodation prices drop. And there’s something about the quality of November light that makes everything look cinematic.

We’ve shot some of our favourite ever elopements in November. If you can be flexible on your date, this is where we’d point you.

Best for: Everyone. Seriously. If you can do autumn, do autumn.

The Bottom Line

If we had to rank Glencoe seasons for elopements:

First choice: November. Best light, lingering colours, no crowds, potentially snow on the peaks. Magic.

Second choice: October. Peak autumn colour. Busier than November but stunning.

Third choice: Winter (December – February). Dramatic, snowy, and you’ll have the glen to yourselves.

Fourth choice: Late May – June. Lush green, long days, minimal midges.

Approach with caution: July – August. Beautiful but crowded, and midges are brutal.

Only if necessary: March – April. The in-between months. Can work, but not Glencoe at its best.

Whatever season you choose, we’ll make it work. We know Glencoe inside out — the backup spots when the main locations are busy, the times of day when the light is best, the angles that make the mountains look their most dramatic. That’s our job.

Ready to start planning? Get in touch and we’ll help you pick the perfect date. Or check out our Glencoe elopement photography page to see what we do.