Cairngorms mountain elopement – wild hearts, bold choices

How do you want your elopement day to flow? I talk a lot about the experience of an elopement day but flow is a really interesting thing to think about! When you imagine your favourite days, are they jam-packed with lots of different activities and places? Or are they slower days where you savour the time spent in a favourite spot or two? Maybe it’s a day of journeying – enjoying an A to B route?

A wild, yet quiet, Cairngorms mountain elopement

For keen hillwalkers, S+F, the latter is what captured their imagination for how to celebrate their marriage. They hoped for somewhere quiet, with epic vast views, in a place that was new to them. After sharing a few options, they chose a quieter spot in the Cairngorms. They loved the idea of walking a path together that leads somewhere special – reminscent of how they like to spend a free weekend.

We loved exploring this particular trail, revelling in its diversity… there was a lovely wee woodland walk with a river flowing by before we emerged in to a beautiful natural ampitheatre.

There is a waterfall in the distance, heather in full glorious purple bloom and soft sunlight peeking over the craggy ridges.

Personal vows amongst the peaks

For all its drama, this walk was actually pretty easy – even the ascent past the waterfall. Once up there, S+F found a perfect spot to share their vows to each other, with an incredible view back across the valley. They had gotten legally married a few short weeks beforehand, witnessed by their nearest and dearest. But eloping gave them space to celebrate their marriage privately, surrounded by the type of nature which inspires them as a couple.

This is something which I love about eloping, it’s extremely flexible! It allows you to enter marriage on your own terms. Free from the expectations of what a ‘wedding’ is. The opportunity to mix’n’match, carve time and put emphasis on different things is unmatched when you introduce eloping into your plans.

Summer evenings for quiet mountain elopements

Despite being summer, there was barely a soul around, meaning S+F practically had the glen all to themselves. This was made possible by choosing a later start to their adventure. One of the benefits of a summer elopement is the long daylight hours which means you can be out adventuring when most people have gone home for the day.

We were lucky to be chasing the sunset for most of our time together, giving everything an ethereal cinematic glow. It definitely added to the adventurous romantic tone of the evening! We returned back just as the last light was peeking through the trees.

It was such a wonderful summer’s evening spent with two incredible people. Their natural ease and flow with each other was so obvious and an utter joy to capture!

Envisioning your own adventurous Cairngorms mountain elopement?

If a Cairngorms mountain elopement in Scotland sounds like your idea of an ideal wedding day then get in touch to start planning now. I’ll be there to help you figure out the best time of year, ceremony spot, timeline for the day, local suppliers as well as lots of advice on how to elope in Scotland!