Elope In Ireland: The Best Places To Elope In Ireland
Would you love a fairy tale Irish elopement?
Eloping in Ireland is one of the best decisions you could make if you’re looking for an epic adventure elopement in one of the most beautiful places in the world!
Ireland is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the world! It’s no surprise that people fly from all over the world to explore and elope here. The word that I often hear couples use to describe Ireland is “magical” and I couldn’t agree more! When you look off the cliffs near Dunluce Castle or look down the valley of Killarney National Park, it truly is a magical experience!
As an elopement videographer & guide, I’ve had the privilege of working with awesome couples to plan the most amazing elopements in Ireland, so have put together a list of my favourite places to help you if you are planning on eloping in Ireland:
Dunluce Castle
Kinbane Castle
Ballintoy Harbour
Dunseverick Castle
Causeway Clifftop Path
Mourne Mountains
Killarney National Park
Menlo Castle
The Dark Hedges
Murlough Bay
1. Dunluce Castle, Co. Antrim
Dunluce Castle has to be top of my list. It was built in the 15th century and is situated on rugged cliffs overlooking the amazing coast of County Antrim. It has so much ancient history and it’s rugged beauty makes it one of the most amazing places to elope in Ireland. You can have a ceremony in the actual castle, which requires you to book a slot for your ceremony, but I always suggest to couples that they have their ceremony in a privately owned field east of Dunluce Castle so that you have the castle silhouetted in the background. With the sun setting in the east behind the castle and the rugged cliffs overlooking the sea, Dunluce Castle is AWESOME for adventure weddings!
** You need to get permission from the farmer that owns the field if you want to have your ceremony there. He usually charges a small fee to access his property, but I think it’s totally worth it as this is the best way to elope at Dunluce Castle! I have the option to arrange all of this with the farmer in my Elopement Packages.
2. Kinbane Castle, Co. Antrim
Kinbane Castle is right up there as one of my favourite locations to elope in Ireland. Built in the 16th century, the castle has stunning landscape surrounding it and is situated on a very small peninsula that juts out of the mainland. There are epic cliffs dropping off into the ocean all around Kinbane, which give it this grand and epic feeling.
It’s a little of a walk from the car park to the castle (around 15 mins), but the walk is so beautiful and the views are breathtaking. There’s a path that goes right up to the end of the peninsula that gives you amazing views of the coastline and ocean. If you’re looking for a picturesque place to elope in Ireland, Kinbane is a great choice!
3. Ballintoy Harbour, Co. Antrim
Ballintoy Harbour is an old fishing village that’s situated on the coast of County Antrim. There are loads of little hidden gems in this place that are really unique, which is why this was chosen for a number of important Game Of Thrones scenes. It’s always fun going to this location with couples that are GOT fans and seeing their faces light up as they get to say their vows in locations that they recognise from the GOT TV show! If you’re looking for an elopement location in Ireland that is jam packed with options in a small area, easy access and beauty, then Ballintoy Harbour is a great choice!
4. Dunseverick Castle, Co. Antrim
Dunseverick Castle is a VERY old ruin, so old in fact that they’re not sure when it was build but there are records of Saint Patrick baptising people there when he came to Ireland in the 5th century. There is not much of the ruins left after it was destroyed as long ago as the 16th century, but the ancient history and ruggedness of this location has a romance that’s difficult to describe without experiencing it for yourself.
A bit like Kinbane Castle, it’s situated on a bit of a peninsula that juts out of the mainland with a beautiful meadow at the bottom that makes for a perfect location for your ceremony.
If you’d like to see an elopement video from Dunseverick Castle, take a look here.
5. Causeway Clifftop Path, Co. Antrim
The Causeway Clifftop Path is the perfect choice for the most adventurous elopers! It’s a hike from Dunseverick Castle to the Giants Causeway on the Clifftop Path. It takes about an hour to hike and for the active adventurers, this is the perfect choice. The wind is usually crazy, the views off the cliffs are insane and it’ll definitely be an experience that you will never forget!
6. Mourne Mountains, Co. Down
The Mourne Mountains are so amazingly beautiful it’s no wonder that C.S. Lewis visited these mountains to gain inspiration for his art. There are a number of little lakes and ponds dotted around the mountain range that make perfect backdrops for elopement ceremonies and they offer a beautiful ruggedness for portraits.
7. Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry
Killarney National Park is a beautiful part of Ireland. Located in Co. Kerry, it’s in a remote and rugged part of the west coast of Ireland. If you’re into hiking and exploring beautiful places, this is a great choice. There are wild Red Deer that roam this park. There are breathtaking views of beautiful mountain ranges and lakes. It’s a GREAT choice for an adventure elopement!
8. Menlo Castle, Co. Galway
Menlo Castle is a GREAT choice for a Castle Elopement. Located just outside of the city of Galway, it’s positioned on the stunning west coast of Ireland. It’s an ancient, ruined castle that’s covered with creepers. It really is a beautiful place for an intimate elopement ceremony.
9. The Dark Hedges
If you’re planning to elope in Ireland and will be eloping on the Causeway Coast, I would highly recommend hitting the Dark Hedges. You get some incredible portraits at the Dark Hedges. Thanks to Game Of Thrones for using this epic location in their series, it’s not pretty famous. A lot of people want to walk down the road to see it for themselves. It is pretty spectacular!
I always advise my couples to plan to shoot the Dark Hedges at sunrise for two reasons:
You have the best light as either sunrise or sunset, which makes your imagery (elopement video or photos) look AWESOME!
The only time you can get the Dark Hedges to yourself [most of the time] is around sunrise because everyone else is still sleeping! The best way to shoot the Dark Hedges is when you’re the only people there, so you don’t have people in the background of your imagery and you don’t have to rush.
** I offer Day After Sessions as an optional extra that couples can add to my Elopement Packages when they book me. More and more couples are choosing this option so that they can shoot the Dark Hedges at sunrise the morning after their elopement.
10. Murlough Bay
Murlough Bay is not a well known location on the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland, but it’s AWESOME! There are so many beautiful places at Murlough Bay that would be amazing for your Ireland elopement! If you’re planning to elope in Ireland and choose to adventure on the Causeway Coast, I’d highly recommend looking at Murlough Bay as an option! It’s beautiful!
If you’re a Game Of Thrones fan, then this should be on your list for your Ireland elopement! They filmed parts of GOT here and when you go, you can see why. It has this ancient, magical feel to it.
If you’re thinking of eloping in Ireland and would like some help planning something epic, please get in touch! I’d love to help you plan your dream elopement in Ireland!
If you’d like to see an amazing adventure wedding at Menlo Castle in Galway, Ireland, you should watch this video:
If you found this blog post useful in planning your elopement, you should check this one out next:
Things To Remember For a Winter Elopement In Ireland