The weather in September can be unpredictable, but Deborah and Mia rolled with it for their clifftop elopement in Ireland. The day was grey and overcast—which is great, moody light is good light—but the wind was out of control. Out on the cliffs, Deb & Mia had to turn themselves carefully to keep their hair out of their eyes long enough to see their vows.

Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly love really blustery, windy days like that.

Their original ceremony location had to be scrapped last minute (more on that in a second), but we pivoted to the cliffs, and, personal opinion here: it worked out better. (Why is that always the way? Plan B ends up being the best plan.)

When Plans Change: From Bog to Cliffs

I’d scouted their original clifftop ceremony spot a few days before, at a different cliff, and it was a disaster. We’d all been so very excited for this place, so the disappointment was real when I showed up there in person. A storm the week prior had turned the whole area into more of a bog than it usually was—deep water, thick mud, and worst of all, thousands of tiny midges. The biting kind. Not ideal for exchanging vows.

I was bitten over 200 times while hiking, on my face, neck, ears, arms…They descend any time you stop moving, so bog aside, their presence alone made it “immediately no” for a ceremony location. I’m all for pretty photos with epic views, but experience is everything. (Plus, who wants a bunch of photos of you flailing around trying to get away from insects?)

So we pivoted. Different cliffs, equally dramatic, and crucially: swapped the bug swarms for sheep. This is one of those things about eloping in Ireland: you need flexibility built in. Both in the itinerary and in your brain. Weather happens, conditions change, and if you can adapt, you’ll be fine. Honestly, better than fine, most of the time. Expect changes, but also expect that it’ll all work out for the best; mindset is everything.

A Clifftop Elopement in Ireland, But Make it Botanical

After getting ready together, Deborah and Mia started the day at Cluain na dTor, a seaside garden and nursery in Donegal. These two love visiting botanical gardens together, so building that into their elopement day made sense. We wandered the paths and took some photos among the plants. It was a delightfully grounded way to begin their elopement before heading out to the dramatic cliffs.

From there, we stopped in the village for a quick bite, which was charming.

Then: the cliffs.

The wind was relentless, but they leaned into it. …Literally. Vows on the edge of Ireland, hair whipping around, the ocean crashing below. Classic Ireland vibes, friends. Everything you could want and more.

After the ceremony, we headed to a local pub for trad music and a pint. Because what else are you going to do after a clifftop elopement in Ireland? It was the perfect way to end the day. Warm both physically and emotionally, lively, and a great atmosphere. Every single time I go to a pub with couples, there’s an older Irish lady who has to come up and congratulate them, and someone always buys a round.

Why Clifftop Elopements in Ireland Work

Saying vows on the edge of cliff really emphasizes: you are in Ireland. You’re in this magical, ancient place, the wind is howling in off the Atlantic, and you are alive. You’re literally on the edge—of land, of an ocean, of something big. It feels significant without needing any setup or decor. The landscape does all the work.

I’m nothing if not honest and up front, so brief sidebar for the downside: weather. Wind, specifically. If you’re planning a clifftop elopement in Ireland, accept right now that it will probably be windy. Maybe very windy. Your hair will do things. Your vows might try to fly away. Your bouquet may not make it. And that’s part of it. Sometimes it’s totally still, but as I say when it comes to rain: assume it’ll be windy or rainy, and then be surprised when it isn’t.

This elopement was an exercise in flexibility. Original location didn’t work out? Fine, we’ll go somewhere else. Windier than expected? Great, let’s use it. (And it was exhilarating.) They showed up for what the day actually was.

Details

• Season: Late summer (early September)
• Weather: Grey, overcast, very windy on the cliffs
• Guest count: Just them
• Locations: Seaside botanical garden (Cluain na dTor, Donegal), village stop for food, coastal cliffs for ceremony, pub with trad music
• Special elements: Garden visit (something they love doing together), trad music and pints at a pub afterward
• Timeline: Single-day elopement
• Challenges: Original ceremony location had to be changed last-minute due to boggy conditions and midges
• Why it worked: They stayed flexible and embraced the actual conditions instead of fighting them