Elopement costs
How Much Does It Cost to Elope in Northern Ireland?
Every cost in one place, from your photographer and celebrant to the Dunluce field, flowers and legal fees.
Written by Tommy and Laurene · Updated November 2026
- Typical totalAbout £2,550 to £3,150
- PhotographyFrom £1,050
- Celebrant£500 to £800
- Dunluce fieldFrom £350
- Notice fees£22 each
The short answer
What an elopement here really costs
As a guide, eloping at Dunluce Castle with just the two of you costs about £2,550 to £3,150 for the day itself, before flights and somewhere to stay.
That covers four hours of photography with both of us, a celebrant, hair and makeup, flowers, the field and your notice fees. Bringing guests or adding more time changes the total, so we have set out three example budgets further down.
We are Tommy and Laurene, a husband and wife team of wedding photographers in Northern Ireland. Many of the couples who elope with us travel from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Dubai.
Item by item
Where the money goes
These are typical prices for an elopement on the Causeway Coast. Every supplier sets their own prices, so always confirm the price before you book.
| What you pay for | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Photography, 4 hours with both of us | £1,050 |
| Celebrant | £500 to £800 |
| Hair and makeup | £400 to £600 |
| Flowers, bouquet and buttonhole | £250 to £300 |
| Dunluce field, just the two of you | £350 |
| Notice fees, if you marry legally here | £44 |
Not included in the figures
- Flights
- Somewhere to stay
- A hire car
- A meal afterwards
- An ETA or visa, if you need one
These depend on where you are travelling from and how long you stay.
Example budgets
Three ways to elope here
How the total changes as you add guests and time. Each example includes your celebrant, hair and makeup, flowers, the Dunluce field and notice fees.
4 hours of photography
- Photography£1,050
- Celebrant£500 to £800
- Hair and makeup£400 to £600
- Flowers£250 to £300
- Dunluce field£350
- Notice fees£44
6 hours of photography
- Photography£1,300
- Celebrant£500 to £800
- Hair and makeup£400 to £600
- Flowers£250 to £300
- Dunluce field, 3 to 10 guests£450
- Notice fees£44
8 hours of photography
- Photography£1,550
- Celebrant£500 to £800
- Hair and makeup£400 to £600
- Flowers£250 to £300
- Dunluce field, 21 to 30 guests£600
- Notice fees£44
Notice fees only apply if you marry legally here.
Photography
Our elopement packages
Every elopement we photograph has two photographers, because as a husband and wife team we always work together.
4 hour elopement
- 2 photographers
- 4 hours coverage
- Ceremony and 2 photo locations
- Password protected online gallery
6 hour elopement
- 2 photographers
- 6 hours coverage
- Getting ready and more locations
- Password protected online gallery
8 hour elopement
- 2 photographers
- 8 hours coverage
- Extended full day coverage
- Password protected online gallery
Bespoke coverage
Want us for more than one day?
If none of these options suit, for example you would like us to photograph the day before or after your elopement as well, get in touch with your plans and we will send you a bespoke quotation.
Booking fee
Your date is secured with a £400 booking fee, which is non refundable. The balance is due four weeks before your elopement.
Witnesses
If you need witnesses on the day, we are happy to be yours.
Engagement session
If you are visiting before the big day, an engagement session is half price for our elopement couples.
The ceremony
Your celebrant and the legal side
If you would like a celebrant to lead your ceremony, as a guide that costs around £500 to £800. Our guides to choosing a celebrant and humanist weddings in Northern Ireland explain the options.
To be legally married here, your ceremony has to be led by a registrar, or by a religious or humanist officiant authorised by the Registrar General. A religious or humanist ceremony can take place anywhere in Northern Ireland if the officiant agrees.
Our guides to marriage law in Northern Ireland and getting married here as a US citizen cover the paperwork in full.
Notice fee for each of you, if you marry legally here.
Marriage Visitor visa at the time of writing, if you travel from outside the UK and Ireland.
Most of the couples who elope with us do the legal paperwork at home, because it is far less hassle, then have a symbolic ceremony here.
The location
The Dunluce field
The most popular place to elope on the Causeway Coast is the private clifftop field facing Dunluce Castle, owned by local farmer Sean McKinley. You book it directly with Sean and Christine.
| Field hire | Price |
|---|---|
| Just the two of you | £350 |
| 3 to 10 guests | £450 |
| 11 to 20 guests | £500 |
| 21 to 30 guests | £600 |
| Each extra hour | £100 |
- Exclusive use of the field for a two hour slot
- Transport to and from the field for you and your guests
It is a popular spot, so book the field as far ahead as you can. Our Dunluce Castle guide has Sean and Christine's contact details, the best months and light, where to stay and real elopements on that clifftop.
Read our Dunluce Castle guideThe extras
Hair, makeup and flowers
Every supplier sets their own prices, so ask for a quote for your date. We are always happy to recommend friends in the wedding industry, without taking over your day.
A typical guide price for an elopement bride.
A typical guide price for a bouquet and buttonhole.
Real elopements
Couples who eloped with us
Some of the couples who travelled to Northern Ireland to elope on the Causeway Coast with us.
Travel
Getting here and ways to save
Flights, somewhere to stay, a hire car and a meal afterwards are not in the figures above, because they depend on where you are travelling from and how long you stay.
Visitors from the USA, Canada, Australia and mainland Europe usually need an ETA to come to the UK, which costs £20 at the time of writing, and it does not cover getting married. There are two airports in Belfast, and many overseas couples fly into Dublin instead, which is around two hours from Belfast by road.
Keep it to the two of you
The Dunluce field is £350 for two, rising to £600 for 21 to 30 guests.
Choose four hours of photography
It covers your ceremony and two photo locations.
Think about a symbolic ceremony
Doing the legal bit at home means no Marriage Visitor visa or notice fees here.
Questions
Elopement cost questions
The things couples ask us most about the cost of eloping here. If yours is not covered, send us a message.
How much does it cost to elope in Northern Ireland?
As a guide, eloping at Dunluce Castle with just the two of you costs about £2,550 to £3,150 for the day, including four hours of photography with both of us, a celebrant, hair and makeup, flowers, the field and notice fees. Flights and accommodation are on top.
How much does it cost to elope at Dunluce Castle?
Hiring the clifftop field facing the castle costs £350 for the two of you, £450 for 3 to 10 guests, £500 for 11 to 20 guests and £600 for 21 to 30 guests, with each extra hour £100. You book it directly with Sean and Christine.
Do we need a visa to elope in Northern Ireland?
If you want to be legally married here and you are travelling from outside the UK and Ireland, you usually need a Marriage Visitor visa, which costs £135 at the time of writing. An ETA does not cover getting married. Most of our elopement couples do the legal paperwork at home instead and have a symbolic ceremony here.
Can you be our witnesses?
Yes. If you need witnesses on the day, we are happy to be yours.
Can you photograph the day before or after our elopement?
Yes. If our three options do not suit, get in touch with your plans and we will send you a bespoke quotation, for example to cover the day before or after your elopement as well.
How do we book you for our elopement?
Your date is secured with a £400 booking fee, which is non refundable, and the balance is due four weeks before your elopement. Check your date with us to get started.
Ready to plan
An elopement in Northern Ireland costs a fraction of a traditional wedding, and every elopement package we offer includes both of us.
Prices were correct at the time of writing, but they do change, so always confirm with your suppliers, the registrar and GOV.UK.
Check your dateKeep reading
More help planning your elopement
If you are planning an elopement in Northern Ireland, you might also find these guides helpful.