Islay (pronounced eye-la) lies on the West Coast of Scotland, within the group of islands known as the Inner Hebrides. Islay, the "Jewel of the Hebrides" was once the Seat of the Lord of the Isles; the ruins of their council buildings can still be seen today on an island in the middle of Loch Finlaggan. More famous now for its Whisky distilling, there are currently eight working distilleries on Islay, all producing very distinctive individual malt.

Where to get Married on Islay?
There are lots of beautiful locations on islay to choose from and following the introduction of the "remote location license" you can choose to marry anywhere, whether it be one of Islay's glorious beaches or a working Distillery. The choice is yours.
At the moment in addition to Argyll and Bute Council's marriage room, two other places on Islay are registered to hold Civil Marriages - Finlaggan and Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile.

Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile
This is the new Gaelic centre for the island, located just outside Bowmore. It was originally built as a fever hospital and was latterly used by Argyll and Bute Council as a service depot. The building was completely refurbished in 2001 and is now a very popular venue for weddings. It can seat approximately 80 people and has wonderful views overlooking Loch Indaal. All bookings for the Gaelic Centre must be made directly with them. A list of contact numbers is available at the end of this page.

Finlaggan - Ancient Seat of the Lord of the Isles
This was the site of the "original Scottish Parliament". Located on an island in Loch Finlaggan, the ruins of the parliament buildings can still be seen today. The Finlaggan Trust also have a marquee that can be erected for larger weddings. If you are looking for something a wee bit different then this may be the place for you. Again, all bookings must be made directly with the Finlaggan Trust. More information on Weddings at Finlaggan is available here

Argyll and Bute Council Marriage Room
In 1994, Argyll and Bute Council converted a room in the former Church of Scotland Manse in Bowmore to be used to perform civil Marriages. The Marriage room can seat 30 people comfortably, but the Registrar must be informed in advance of the number of guests.
To the rear of the Marriage Room are Kilarrow House Gardens. These lovely gardens were created by the local IDEA's group (Islay Disabled Actions and Endeavours) in 1996. For a donation towards their organisation they will allow bridal parties access to the garden to have their photographs taken.

Church Wedding
If you would like to have a Religious Marriage ceremony on Islay there are currently 6 churches on the island to choose from. The most famous of these being the Round church in Bowmore which was built like this to prevent the Devil from hiding in its corners. Presently there is one full-time Church of Scotland Minister, Rev Steve Fulcher who holds services in Portnahaven Church, St, Kiaran’s in Port Charlotte and Kilmeny in Ballygrant. To discuss a religious service he can be contacted on 01496850241. He can also advise on contact details for the other parish churches.

Once you have checked availability for the church of your choice and discussed your plans with the appropriate Minister you need to contact the Registrar for a Marriage pack. It is the same pack for Religious and Civil Marriage ceremonies. Church wedding fees are £60.50, however each church charges a fee for use of the premises. This varies from church to church but generally prices range from £150 to £250. In addition to holding Religious services in the Parish churches, Ministers can also conduct services on remote locations without the need of a special licence. However, it is best to check with the local Minister before making any plans.

There are also two Baptist Churches on the island. One in Bowmore and the other in Port Ellen. The Baptist Minister is George Campbell and he can be contacted on 01496810049.

If you would like a Roman Catholic service, there is a Catholic Church in Bridgend which is also shared by the Episcopal congregation. There is no Priest based on the island but one visits regularly from Campbeltown. To use the church in Bridgend contact Rev Ken Skipper who is the Episcopal Minister on 01496810321.

Planning your Marriage

What do you need to do first?
Once you have decided on a Marriage venue, contact the Registrar on Islay to ensure that your preferred date is free. If you have chosen to marry at one of the Registered Marriage Venues, you will also have to make a booking directly with them. The procedure for notifying the Registrar is called "giving notice". This is done by submitting "M10" forms which can be downloaded from the General Registration Office for Scotland website at www.gro-scotland.gov.uk or can be posted out from the local Registration office. These forms must be received by the Registrar no later than 14 days and no sooner than three months before the Marriage date.

What if you want to be married somewhere different?
If you have chosen a location that is not registered with Argyll and Bute Council to hold Civil Weddings, then you will need to apply for a "Temporary Approval" License. This one-off licens costs £250.00 and forms are available from the local Registrar.
If it is in a very remote location the charge will be £400. Please remember to seek permission from the land owner before arranging the wedding. You will also have to provide public liability insurance and have an indoor venue in case of inclement weather. For more information on this, please contact the Registrar.
Although the costs for this may seem high, your wedding day will always be a special day for you and what could be better than being married in a location of your choosing.

What Next?
After the Registrar receives your M1O forms, she will make up your Marriage Schedule. This is the document that both of ou will sign on the day of the wedding. it is important that you call the Registration Office a few days before the service to ensure that all the details on the schedule are correct and also to go over the last minute plans for your wedding. If you wish to make your day more special, you can add your own choice of readings, poems or songs to the ceremony, as long as there is no religious content. Confetti should only be used outside the building and cameras can be used once the ceremony has taken place, except for official photographers who may take pictures during the ceremony.

Weekdays Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm     Total Marriage Notice Forms £26 per person £52.00   Solemnisation of Civil Marriage £45.00   Registrar Costs £125.00   Marriage Certificate (if purchased within 1 year £8.50       £230.50 Plus Travel Costs from registration office           Up to 5 miles £5.50   Up to 10 miles £11.00   Up to 15 miles £16.50   Up to 20 miles £22.00   Up to 25 miles £27.50   Total including travel

Weekday & Saturday evenings 6:00pm - 7:00pm     Total Marriage Notice Forms £26 per person £52.00   Solemnisation of Civil Marriage £45.00   Registrar Costs £190.00   Marriage Certificate (if purchased within 1 year £8.50       £295.50 Plus Travel Costs from registration office     Saturdays 2:00pm - 5:00pm     Total Marriage Notice Forms £26 per person £52.00   Solemnisation of Civil Marriage £45.00   Registrar Costs £160.00   Marriage Certificate (if purchased within 1 year £8.50       £265.50 Plus Travel Costs from registration office

This page was created in cooperation with the Argyll and Bute Council and the Islay Servicepoint, Jamieson Street, Bowmore, Isle of Islay, PA43 7HP. Tel: 01496 301301. Wedding Photography by Islay Photographic Studio. On behalf of the Islay Servicepoint, I would like to thank all the couples who gave their permission to show their pictures on this page.