WEDDING BLOG

Some couples love planning every detail of a big wedding celebration, while others feel more connected to a day that’s simple and experience-driven. For Emily and Liam, the most important part was creating a day that felt true to their relationship. Because so much of their relationship had been shaped by trips through the Highlands in their campervan, long hikes together, and the kind of conversations that only seem to happen far from everyday distractions, a Scottish mountain elopement felt like the most honest way to get married.

Long before they became a couple, Emily knew Liam only through his younger brother. Years later, after Emily started spending more time outdoors following the loss of her father, a mutual friend invited her on a climbing trip where Liam offered to drive her there. What could have been an awkward car ride quickly turned into easy conversation, shared humor, and eventually a friendship that slowly became something more.

What We Love About This Scottish Mountain Elopement:

• The way their entire wedding day reflected the life they already loved together 
• Emily’s dress chosen for practicality; even wearing hiking boots to fittings to test mobility
• Their handwritten vows decided by a game of rock-paper-scissors at the summit
• Family letters read aloud on the mountain so loved ones could still be part of their intimate ceremony
• Ending the night at a local pub filled with strangers celebrating alongside them

Featured Vendor:
Wyldbee Photography

Why They Chose a Scottish Mountain Elopement

Scotland had already become part of Emily and Liam’s story long before their wedding day. The couple, who live in North Wales, spent years taking hiking trips through the Highlands in their campervan. It was also where Liam proposed during a hike in Glencoe Valley.

After getting engaged, they spotted another couple finishing what looked like their own mountain elopement nearby. “We just looked at each other and were like, ‘this is a sign. This is exactly what we should do.’”

That moment shaped everything that followed.

Instead of a large traditional wedding, they focused on creating a day centered around the things that already brought them together. They wanted something relaxed, meaningful, and financially realistic. “We really did not want wedding planning to take over our lives nor did we want to put ourselves into debt for one day.”

Once they discovered that couples can legally marry anywhere in Scotland with a celebrant, the vision for their Scottish mountain elopement quickly fell into place. The biggest requirement? Finding a celebrant willing to hike up a mountain with them.

Finding Vendors Who Embraced a More Relaxed Wedding Day

Because their wedding was so intimate, choosing the right people mattered more than building a huge vendor list. Emily and Liam wanted a team that felt easy to be around and understood that they weren’t trying to create a styled photoshoot in the mountains.

“We wanted it to be authentic and the photos, video and ceremony to be a reflection of that.”

Their photographer Junebug vendor Wyldbee Photography, already felt like a natural fit. Emily had known photographer Sophie through her brother for years and had even done a couples session with her early in their relationship. By the time they got engaged, Emily already knew she wanted Sophie there for the wedding.

Finding their officiant felt equally serendipitous. After repeatedly coming across celebrant Rona on Instagram, they reached out despite seeing that she appeared fully booked for 2025 weddings. Somehow, she had one date left available: August 22. Even more surprisingly, Sophie had unknowingly kept that same weekend open.

Their final addition was videographer Nick, whose cinematic approach and drone footage felt perfect for capturing the scale of the Highlands. Since they were eloping, the video also became a way to bring family and friends into the experience afterward.

Planning a Wedding Day Around Hiking and the Outdoors

For their ceremony backdrop, the couple chose Beinn a’ Chrulaiste with views overlooking Buachaille Etive Mòr, one of Scotland’s most recognizable mountains and one that already held meaning in their relationship.

Interestingly, they had never actually climbed Beinn a’ Chrulaiste before their wedding day.

“We had no idea how long it would take us, or what the hike would be like other than what we had read online.”

That uncertainty became part of the experience. Their day stayed intentionally flexible from start to finish, which helped remove the pressure that often comes with tightly scheduled weddings. They even had a backup plan to exchange vows near a waterfall if the weather turned bad.

For couples planning a Scottish mountain elopement, their approach is a reminder that not every detail needs to be controlled for the day to feel meaningful. Leaving room for unpredictability can sometimes make the experience feel even more personal.

Choosing Wedding Outfits That Could Handle a Mountain Hike

Emily approached wedding fashion practically without losing the sense of drama she wanted for the day. Since she knew she’d be hiking through mud, rocks, and changing weather conditions, mobility became just as important as aesthetics.

“When I went dress shopping I told the ladies that I needed to be able to hike and go for a wild wee if I needed to.”

She tested dresses by walking up and down stairs and even wore hiking boots to her fittings. Eventually, she chose the Jesse gown by Watters because of its simple, modern silhouette that still allowed movement. She also modified one sleeve so it wouldn’t restrict her while hiking.

For the evening, she changed into a second dress by Van Der Kooij with dramatic sleeves that felt more comfortable for celebrating at the pub later that night.

Liam also prioritized comfort and movement, choosing a brown tweed suit that suited the surrounding landscape while still being practical enough for climbing.

Bright florals from a local grower in Fort William added bold color throughout the day. Although the couple never planned a formal color palette, Emily’s emerald engagement ring naturally inspired richer tones that quietly carried throughout the design.

Including Family in a Private Elopement From Afar

Their ceremony became one of the most emotional parts of the day, beginning before they even reached the summit. Hikers and strangers along the way cheered for them as they passed in wedding attire.

At the top of the mountain, surrounded by sweeping Highland views, they decided who would read vows first with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Liam won.

The couple wrote their own vows, something that felt especially important to them because it gave them space to fully express what their relationship meant.

Emily also found a quiet way to include her late father in the ceremony by tying fabric from one of his old blue shirts around her bouquet.

After exchanging vows, they read letters written by close family members and compiled into a booklet by their celebrant. Even from afar, their loved ones became part of the experience.

One of the funniest moments came while exchanging rings, when Liam’s swollen hands from the hike made getting the ring on unexpectedly difficult.

Then, as they signed their legal paperwork at the summit, a helicopter flew low through the valley beneath them, a surreal moment that was captured on video.

Revisiting the Place Where Their Engagement Story Began

After the ceremony, the day continued less like a traditional wedding timeline and more like another adventure together.

Although they packed a full picnic hamper, they never actually stopped long enough to eat it properly. Instead, they grabbed snacks from the back of the car before taking a chairlift up Glencoe Mountain Resort.

At the top stood an art installation door where they had taken a photo together the morning of their engagement, completely unaware Liam would propose later that day.

Returning there during their Scottish mountain elopement felt like revisiting the beginning of a completely new chapter.

That evening, they celebrated with their photographer and videographer over dinner before ending the night at Clachaig Inn listening to live local music surrounded by strangers eager to hear about their day. Free drinks and conversations with fellow pub-goers carried the celebration late into the night.

Why They Chose Not to Overcomplicate Their Wedding Day

Looking back, Emily admits there are tiny things she briefly second-guessed afterward. But those thoughts faded quickly once she reflected on what the day actually gave them.

“So don’t overthink things that you could have done differently. Be grateful for the amazing day you had and don’t tarnish the memory.”

Looking back, the day reflected the way Emily and Liam already moved through life together. It was relaxed, a little unpredictable, outdoorsy, and centered more on shared experiences than perfect plans. Even the parts that didn’t go exactly as expected ended up becoming part of the story they loved most.