WEDDING BLOG

Taylor and Cody’s decision to get married in Scotland was all about following their hearts. They wanted a wedding that captured the moody, dramatic, and gothic romance they love, and their Isle of Skye elopement did just that. Dressed in all black, they embraced the epic, rainy landscape in October, their favorite time of year. Saying “I do” on Friday the 13th, atop a cliff with breathtaking views of the sea and mountains, was pure magic for them.

Picture this: standing in the Scottish Highlands, battling wind and rain, freezing, and practically shouting their personally written vows to each other. The pair were crying, laughing, and completely immersed in the moment, overwhelmed with gratitude that they were in Scotland, getting married. The dramatic, moody weather only added to the magic, making their goth dreams come true in the most unforgettable way.

At the end of the night, the couple retreated to a quaint little cottage, where one of the most emotional and surreal moments of their lives unfolded. After a day full of thrilling adventures, they finally had a chance to soak it all in, wrapped in each other’s comfort. They shared their first dance to “Yellow” by Coldplay, indulged in cake, and savored every moment. If this sounds like your dream celebration, just the two of you, you’ve got to see all the stunning images captured by Junebug vendor Alex Mabrey.

The Couple:

Taylor and Cody

The Wedding:

Isle of Skye, Scotland 

Their Hauntingly Beautiful and Gothic Isle of Skye Elopement Filled with Unforgettable Moments

Scotland was so dreamy, and honestly, every part of our day was memorable. We didn’t have the stress of entertaining anyone but ourselves. We were on our own timeline, adventuring all day across the Highlands. It was just the two of us and our incredible dream team creating such beautiful, raw, and emotional memories. It all felt like a dream. Being surrounded by such ancient history and epic landscapes was truly magical. Seeing Cody standing at the top of the mountain, waiting for me, was incredibly emotional—one of the most beautiful and intimate moments of my life. Standing in the Scottish Highlands, getting whipped by wind and rain, freezing, and practically screaming our personally written vows—we were crying, laughing, and completely at the moment, grateful to be in Scotland, getting married. Scotland’s moody weather was so dramatic during our ceremony, making it all the more magical. Our wedding was a blur of happiness. Our goth dreams came alive, and it was absolutely magical. Our souls are the happiest they’ve ever been.

How This Couple Embraced Scottish Tradition in Their Wedding

We spent the afternoon admiring the incredible architecture and rich history of Dunvegan Castle and Garden Estate, nestled by the sea. It was a chilling experience to explore such ancient history, especially knowing that the McClure surname is connected to it. A cool fact—McClure dates back to the Clan MacLeod, and Dunvegan Castle is the home of Clan MacLeod. We sealed our marriage with a Scottish tradition in the cemetery church ruins, drinking red wine from a Scottish quaich. We were completely in our element, surrounded by old stones and peaceful company. Cemeteries bring our souls pure joy and happiness—a place of stillness, reflection, and beauty. There’s something so beautiful about a creepy, quiet old church ruin in the Scottish Highlands, especially on a gloomy, rainy day. This is our love language. We were completely in our element, dancing in the dreamy Scottish church ruins, with nowhere to be, just enjoying each other’s company and celebrating our marriage after 14 years. We’re all about this kind of energy.

How Their Cottage Retreat Became the Most Surreal Moment of Their Big Day

The moment we celebrated just the two of us back at our quaint little cottage at the end of the night was one of the most emotional and surreal of our lives. The excitement of the day’s adventures had finally settled, and we could soak it all in within the comfort of each other. We had our first dance to “Yellow” by Coldplay—a song that holds a special place in our hearts. We sang, cried, and ate cake, surrounded by candlelight. It was so intimate and beautiful, just the two of us. All my goth dreams came to life on Friday, the 13th of October, 2023. We will forever relive the energy and emotion of that night. Our souls have never been happier. I’ll never get over how special our wedding day was, and we’ll keep celebrating until we’re ghosts. I am incredibly grateful to be loved by Cody.

Embracing Your Unique Wedding Vision: Advice from the Couple

Our advice, follow your heart. Your wedding is for you and your partner. It’s easy to lose sight of your dreams when family and friends are excited to celebrate, but remember, this day is about reflecting on your unique relationship. We don’t regret any of our choices; it was the best day of our lives. We’re incredibly proud of the dream team we assembled. We planned everything ourselves, without a wedding planner—two years of research and planning, managing a 7-hour time difference, and relying on our vendors’ support through countless emails and late-night calls. Trusting everything without seeing it until the big day was challenging, but our wedding team nailed it, and we couldn’t be prouder. Our day wouldn’t have been possible without this talented crew, and we’ve made friendships we’ll cherish forever. We even met up with them at a pub later that evening before heading back to our cottage for a private dinner and dance.

How They Turned Their Wedding into a Month-Long Scottish Journey

Cody and I chose to get married on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, because it holds a special place in our hearts. Dressed in all black, we wanted to immerse ourselves in the dramatic, rainy landscape that Scotland is famous for. October is our favorite time of year, and getting married on Friday the 13th atop a cliff with views of the sea and mountains was absolutely magical. It took our breath away. McClure is Scottish, and our history traces back to Clan MacLeod, who owns the Dunvegan Castle and Garden Estates. We wanted our wedding to be more than just a single day, so we spent an entire month celebrating our marriage and honeymoon, exploring different parts of Scotland. It was an incredibly thrilling journey, and we’ll definitely be returning. These memories are deeply emotional for us, and we are so grateful for the wildly beautiful experience we shared together.

Creating a Gothic Isle of Skye Elopement Look with a Romantic Twist

This might sound a bit morbid to some, but if you know us, it’s totally on-brand! From the start, our goal was to look like we were heading to our own funeral. We nailed it! We wanted to channel all the energy of moody, dramatic, and gothic romance. Our biggest style inspiration was, of course, all black (white just isn’t our color), with lace and velvet trims to add some dimension. We both wore Doc Martens, naturally. For beauty, I opted for a simple, soft, natural makeup look and a sleek low bun to complement, not overshadow, my dress. It was all about elegance and simplicity. Our flowers were inspired by “Corpse Bride,” featuring cool earth tones to contrast with our all-black attire, creating a dead yet edgy romantic vibe.

Congratulations to Taylor and Cody on their hauntingly beautiful and gothic Isle of Skye elopement. Many thanks to Junebug vendor Alex Mabrey for capturing and sharing every unforgettable moment with us. To see more intentional celebrations like this, check out her profile in our directory of the world’s best wedding photographers.

If these heartwarming moments have you thinking about eloping but you’re unsure where to start—we’re here to help. Take a look at our ultimate elopement planning checklist to jump-start your planning and make the process effortless.