Isle of Iona Elopement
In the middle of a mini Hebridean storm, on the flower moon of 2024, we had our dream elopement on the Isle of Iona.
Earlier in the week, without our families or friends being aware, we got a train, a ferry, a bus and then another ferry with just a rucksack each. We stayed at the Green Shed, the most northern building on the island, the perfect cosy hideaway.
We walked down to the Iona Village Hall for our ceremony. Veronica of Argyll and Bute Registrars had written such a personal ceremony; with vows, personal promises, a hand fastening and ring exchange. We created our own hand fastening ties using a traditional weaving technique and finished them with hand carved wooden beads from the tree in our garden.
Our photographer Eilidh Cameron and her partner were our witnesses and their Labrador, Feorlinn was our only guest.
Eilidh was the photographer of dreams making us feel so comfortable.
We chose to have Cara of Wilt & Wild who specialises in dried flowers create a stunning bouquet which was posted ahead of our arrival to our accommodation. Composed of daisies, sea lavender, phalaris grass, white ruscus, eucalyptus and asparagus fern, the bouquet complimented the sage green of my dress. Dried flowers can last forever if you look after them, so it’s a lovely keepsake to have.
I made our rings, recycling the gold from Callums’ great grans’ and my grannys’ wedding bands. They are carved by hand and created using the ancient process of lost wax casting as eternal circles. They are both planished using a rock from the Isle of Iona to connect us back to our special place.
As highly sensitive people we always knew we would be so overwhelmed and uncomfortable with a bigger wedding. Eloping just the two of us was the perfect way to celebrate love in our own way. Returning home, our families and friends were deliriously happy and even happier that we chose to do it our own way.
Click on the links throughout the blog to connect with all the small businesses that made our Elopement so special. Drop me an email at hello@caitlinhegney.co.uk if you would like to find out more about working with me to create your wedding bands for you - I can’t wait to hear from you!