The Best Elopement locations in Northern Ireland and Ireland * Updated for 2024 *
the Best Elopement Locations in Ireland & N. Ireland
i love a good adventure and any chance i get, I am outdoors to explore this amazing island we get to call home. Ireland has some well known locations for sure, but how do you choose when there are so many on offer? There are certain locations i just love to go back to with couples eloping or adventuring while on their travels. From the rugged edges of Malin Head, the furthest point at Kinbane Head to the misty mountains at Conor Pass this island has a serious amount of breath taking views on offer.
i have created this guide to show you the best locations in Ireland and Northern Ireland for an Elopement or couples session, to help in that search for your perfect location to document your love. Whether you are planning to Elope in Ireland, go on an epic adventure and celebrate your love, document that freshly engaged feeling or want to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary, these locations will make your heart skip and beat and take your breath away!
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Northern Ireland
Ireland
Northern Ireland Elopement & Adventure Session Locations
Dunseverick Castle
This lesser-known Castle ruin sits just 5miles from the Giants Causeway and the North Antrim Cliff Path walkway links the two! We love the natural Valley and the jagged ruins that remain that look like something from Lord of the Rings! When the light hits just right this location is incredible and we totally think it makes a perfect setting for a first look, check out Sophie & Michael’s first look at Dunseverick when they Eloped to Ireland earlier this year! Dunseverick is a total hidden Gem on the North Antrim Coast and well worth considering as a location to include for photos!
Kinbane Castle
Kinbane head is quite possibly one of our favourite locations on North Antrim Coast. Situated just outside Ballycastle and with spectacular views of Torr Head, Rathlin island and Dunagregor Iron Age fort, Kinbane Head has stacks of personality and so much to explore. With its incredible land formation, secret cave, old fisherman’s cottage , waterfall and castle ruin this one is firmly planted in our hearts, even if the steps back up are a crossfit class! This Kinbane Castle couples session might have happened during a storm but it was so worth braving the wind and hailstones!
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is Possibly the most popular castle ruin on the Causeway Coast, we can see why this is so popular with couples visiting Ireland. Sitting right on the cliff edge just outside Portrush this medieval castle with its roofless jagged shape makes for quite the spectacular backdrop to say your vows! Dunluce Castle is very popular but visiting after hours, when the evening sun is coming into play gets the most magical images, or even when Northern Ireland is throwing some stormy weather into the mix, it is even more breathtaking! Check out this intimate elopement on the Cliff Edge at Dunluce Castle to see it in all its glory! This popular spot is the one location on the North Coast that is bookable for your elopement, meaning you have the whole place to yourself ensuring intimacy and privacy for saying those all-important vows
The Giants Causeway
In our opinion, the Giants Causeway gets the BEST sunsets on the North Coast! This iconic National Trust site made of basalt stone columns and incredible cliff edges is not to be missed. Visiting the Giants Causeway after hours is a must, its extremely popular with tourists and getting to see it in the early evening light is unreal! With its incredible Cliff edge walk ( that stretches to Dunseverick castle) and unusual rock formations this location has so much on offer for packing a lot into your session! Exploring further than the usual tourist parts of this place will reward you with the most breathtaking views, sunsets made of dreams and your heart full of love for this place! Want to see how lush the Giants causeway is at sunset? pop over to this pre wedding session to see it in all its glory!
Murlough Bay
For all you Game of Thrones fans, Murlough Bay is a hidden gem and better known in the Seven Kingdoms as Slaver’s Bay. There is so much to explore in this vast cliff side area and if you’re lucky the sheep will come and say hi too!
Ballintoy Harbour
For all you Game of Thrones fans, you will not want to miss out on visiting this beautiful harbour and surrounding coastline which is home to so many scenes of the Iron Islands. The harbour is super quant with its little blue boat house but exploring a little further will take you to some awesome rock formations, caves and beaches, make sure to look out for Elephant Rock while you are there! Suzie & Michael got engaged at ballintoy harbour, you can see their full story here!
Dunlewey / Mount Errigle
If you are up for exploring a little further a field Mount Errigal and the surrounding areas of Dunlewey and Gweedor are phenomenal! The rolling Irish mountainsides meeting beautiful lakes is a view to behold! You’ll need to get your Hiking boots on for this area, but the views and landscape experienced are so worth it!
The Mourne Mountains - The bloody Bridge
We’ve talked a lot about the North Coast but if you travel in the complete opposite direction you’ll be taken to the highest and most dramatic mountain ranges in Northern Ireland. We know not everyone is up for hiking an entire mountain for a photoshoot, but if you start at the Bloody Bridge and head on up the mountain path you are treated to really incredible views out to the Irish Sea and some Beautiful rolling hillsides.
Tollymore Forest Park
Tollymore holds a special place in both of our hearts, we each spent summers here as children, we even considered having our own wedding here. Nestled at the base of the Mourne Mountains this Forest Park is magical! There are plenty of trails to follow but If you’re brave enough to follow the trails up to the top you will be rewarded with some pretty magical Landscapes and views in the mountains! click here to see this epic windswept engagement session in Tollymore Forest where we adventured right to the top!
Ireland Elopement Locations
Cliffs of Moher
Go big or go home right!? We couldn’t not mention this epic location in our list! The cliffs of Moher are something else, you really have to see them in person to get the incredible scale and vastness of these cliffs. Sitting on the Wild Atlantic Way in Co. Clare the Cliffs stretch from Hags Head to Doolin with over 8km of cliff Edge to explore. You could pretty much stop of at any point on the cliff walk and get an incredible view but as always our favourites are on the road less traveled! The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland most popular tourist attractions, to beat the tourists we highly recommend planning to visit them off season or during off peak times, you cant beat a good evening sunset session late autumn!
We hope our top list of locations in Ireland & Northern Ireland have inspired you! Planning on adventuring with your love on this beautiful island and getting some rad images too? Hit us up we would love to go exploring with you!
The Wicklow Mountains
