Autumnal Cairngorms elopement at Loch Morlich

Get lost in the woods for this magical Cairngorms elopement at Loch Morlich.

Driving up the A9 To Cairngorms was the exact moment Alison and Chris knew they wanted to elope in Scotland. 

They are big fans of the Cairngorms, especially in the Autumn where those beautiful fall colours interrupt the evergreen landscape. It’s hard not to fall in love with the dense old Scot’s pine woodlands and network of beautiful lochs. It’s no wonder Alison and Chris had their hearts stolen by the area!

Loch Morlich, the perfect sandy loch, for their Cairngorms elopement

They’d chosen Loch Morlich, a rare sandy loch, as their ceremony location. It’s a popular loch in the Cairngorms so they opted for a quiet sunrise ceremony with an intimate group of their family and friends. 

The day started as the couple made their way through the magical forest, across a bridge to meet each other for an intimate first look, before making their way to the sandy shores of Loch Morlich.

All wrapped up and warm, the couple, Pickle (their super cute pupper) and the rest of the folks woke up to a chilly early morning, which meant they had the entire beach to themselves. They shared a beautiful ceremony with nods to Scottish and Chinese traditional elements officiated by the lovely Onie Tibbitt 

The couple included ancient Celtic traditions – oathing stone, handfasting and quaich with tea in it (to combine Alison’s Chinese heritage)

Afterwards, they warmed up with some hot tea and said goodbye to their guests. Asking us to take them to beauty spots nearby whilst chasing beautiful morning light in Cairngorms. 

We love being able to go where the light, the weather and our feet take us – so grateful to Chris and Alison (and, of course Pickle) for trusting us to make the most of that for them. 

Exploring the fairytale-esque woodlands of Cairngorms

We explored the mountains, rivers, dense woodlands and even went in search of some reindeers. The Cairngorms are especially magical in the Autumn – with orange ferns as far as the eyes can see, towering magical Scots Pine trees, and peacefulness of the surrounding lochs.

We had an incredible day soaking up the beauty of the Cairngorms with this wonderful pair, finishing up with a top lunch The Old Bridge Inn (much to Alison’s delight)

If you want to be in fairytale-esque woodlands for your elopement then the Cairngorms is arguably the best place in Scotland. 

But nothing compares to the sheer amount of different mushrooms we found at the height of mushie season. Okay, so maybe that was just a highlight for me 😂 but it is always such a joy mindfully noting nature’s little markers of each season. 

There is always something special to see, no matter the season you decide to elope. Whether it’s the mushies (in Autumn), the frosty leaves, snowdrops (in Winter), cherry blossom or bluebells (in Spring) and the purple heather (in Summer). 

Suppliers for this autumnal Cairngorms elopement at Loch Morlich

Photographer: Raini Rowell Photography

Celebrant: Onie Tibbitt 

Envisioning your own autumnal Cairngorms elopement at Loch Morlich?

If an autumnal woodland Cairngorms Elopement at Loch Morlich 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 the best time of year, ceremony location, timeline for the day, local suppliers as well as lots of advice on how to elope in Scotland.