In September I had the great pleasure of officiating the intimate wedding ceremony of Jacqueline and Geoff from upstate New York, at this hidden gem of a wedding venue near Edinburgh, Inchcolm Abbey!

I say a hidden gem, because Inchcolm Abbey isn’t somewhere that you can just swing by. A boat trip’s needed to take you to to Inchcolm Island, which is in the Firth of Forth, north of Edinburgh and east of the famous Forth Rail Bridge.

The Augustine Inchcolm Abbey (and Inchcolm Island) is looked after by Historic Scotland and it dates back to the 12th century. It was abandoned in 1560 following the Scottish Reformation. Many parts of it quite are quite intact including the cloister where Jacqueline and Geoff held their Scottish wedding ceremony.

Jacqueline and Geoff had initially planned to visit Geoff’s sister, Lauren, who lives in Scotland with her husband, Stefan, but then decided they would like to get married in Scotland while they were here.

Living in the US, Jacqueline and Geoff weren’t too familiar where you can get married in Scotland! Credit goes to Lauren for finding Inchcolm Island and conducting an earlier scouting mission!

But it’s fair to say that this wedding didn’t have the smoothest of starts..

Jacqueline and Geoff were super easy to talk to, and we hit it off right away. Despite the time pressure, I had a great feeling about their special day from the start. Over the next two nights, I created a beautiful ceremony for them that included their amazing story of being secret admirers back in school, then going their separate ways as adults, until they finally reunited in 2019.

Jacqueline and Geoff wanted to have a handfasting ritual, and I suggested adding a quaich ceremony and a reading from Lauren, who was instrumental in planning their wedding and initially getting in touch with me.

On Thursday night, just before Jacqueline and Geoff’s wedding, I completed their ceremony, had a quick check-in with them, and then called it a night, eagerly anticipating the next day on Inchcolm Island!

Jacqueline and Geoff didn’t actually hire a photographer for their wedding because they felt it would be too much for their small elopement. Instead, Geoff’s sister, Lauren, planned to take pictures with her phone.

I was really disappointed that they wouldn’t have proper memories of such an important day, and that Lauren, who put so much effort into organizing their wedding on Inchcolm Island, wouldn’t be in the photos she was taking.

But then I had an idea… My sister, Donna, is a professional photographer!

Donna runs her own photography business called Donna Green Photography, specialising in brand photography and headshots in Edinburgh. Unlike other brand photographers who focus on studio work, Donna loves capturing her clients in various outdoor locations, just like Inchcolm Island!

Donna was very keen to help out, and had a chat with Jacqueline and Geoff, who were delighted to secure the services of a proper photographer.

The Friday of Jacqueline and Geoff’s elopement wedding ceremony was a nice and bright day. Their ceremony was scheduled for 2pm, so we all met at the Hawes Pier in South Queensferry at 12pm, in advance of making our way across to Inchcolm Island.

To get to Inchcolm Abbey on Inchcolm Island, you definitely need a boat! Lauren had already booked tickets for us on the Forth Belle, which is run by Forth Boat Tours. The Forth Belle’s skipper is actually the partner of my bagpiper friend Louise. It’s amazing how small the world, especially Scotland, can be! We hopped on board the Forth Belle at 1pm to embark on a 40-minute journey to Inchcolm Island. Along the way, we got to enjoy breathtaking views of the Forth Rail Bridge as we sailed underneath it. The Forth Belle operates multiple trips to Inchcolm Island every day throughout the summer season, departing from the Hawes Pier in South Queensferry, just 12 miles north of Edinburgh.

We had definitely had a smoother crossing to Inchcolm Island than King Alexander the 1st of Scotland, who was forced to take refuge here during a storm in the year 1123. It was he who ordered the establishment of a priory on the island, in thanks for his life being saved. After King Alexander’s death, his brother David became king and invited the Augustine canons to establish an abbey.

It’s wasn’t too long a walk from the island’s pier to the abbey. I went on ahead with Lauren and Stefan to prepare Inchcolm Abbey’s very much intact Chapter House for a wedding ceremony!

With everything and everyone ready to start the ceremony, I stepped outside the Chapter House to chat with Jacqueline and calm her nerves. I also reminded her and Lauren about their entrance.

Then it was time for me to focus on my Wedding Bagpiper duties of playing her up the aisle. I chose to play the Scottish Small Pipes, which have a softer and mellower sound compared to the traditional big pipes. They were perfect for the stone-walled Chapter House at Inchcolm Abbey.

After piping Jacqueline up the aisle to Geoff, it was time to leave the bagpipes behind and resume my role as Jacqueline and Geoff’s wedding celebrant.

All the stress from three days ago when it seemed like they wouldn’t have a real wedding were now just a faded memory!

I truly enjoyed celebrating Jacqueline and Geoff, sharing their love story, guiding them through their symbolic rituals and witnessing them tie the knot in the breathtaking Inchcolm Abbey.

It took some time for me to reflect on Jacqueline and Geoff’s wedding. Yes, going from being in a position three days earlier where I was only to be playing the bagpipes and conducting the couple’s handfasting, to suddenly needing to craft and deliver a full-blown wedding ceremony was a little frantic!

One thing’s for sure. It can be very difficult for overseas couples to visit a UK consulate and arrange all the paperwork and visas necessary to hold a legal marriage in the UK. Unfortunately, I’ve heard of this situation happening before. A little red tape can put a complete kibosh on a couple’s plans, and a registrar who’s job it is to deal with the legalities of a wedding simply can’t do anything.

I was so pleased that the ceremony I created and performed made the couple so happy. They were overjoyed at how I was able to make their ceremony all about them and why they were committing to each other for the rest of their lives, which was they didn’t get from the marriage officer who conducted their legal ceremony back home in the US. Like many people, they may have a had a pre-ordained idea that a wedding ceremony is simply a question of saying “I do” at the appropriate time and then signing their name.

A celebrant-led wedding is so much more than this!

Jacqueline said that she always wanted to get married in a castle… However, I think by giving her a wedding in the ancient Inchcolm Abbey on an island upon which a king of Scotland has walked and taken shelter, she got one better!

The chapter house where Jacqueline and Geoff held their Inchcolm wedding may be small, but it’s spectacular. It’s ideal for small and intimate weddings. Access is via the equally spectacular cloisters.

Capacity: 20 people

The refectory is where Inchcolm Abbey’s monks would eat. This room which is on the first floor of the abbey has an impressive arched ceiling and due to its many windows, the refectory is flooded with natural light.

Capacity: 100 people

The monks’ dormitory is another room on the first floor of Inchcolm Abbey. It also has an arched ceiling, but has more stone work visible than in the refectory, lending an even more rustic feel.

Capacity: 90 people 

Inchcolm Abbey and Inchcolm Island is looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. Contact the HES Wedding Team to book your wedding or vows renewal ceremony at the abbey or on the island.

Remember that the island is only accessible between 1 April and 31 October.

If you would like to renew your wedding vows, or elope to Scotland to hold a symbolic ceremony and have me officiate and play the bagpipes for you, I’d be most happy to help! See my Celebrant Bagpiper page for further details, and for information on how to get married in Scotland, see Getting married in Scotland.