Jenn and Scott’s intimate elopement wedding at Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages on the edge of the Cairngorms in Scotland, was filled with rustic woodland romance. From the moment that these two got in touch with their plans for a relaxed and beautifully simple elopement wedding surrounded by nature, we knew that Jenn and Scott’s day was going to be really special. They had chosen the end of April for their wedding date, and their day dawned crisp and bright as is often the case in Scotland at this time of year. Glen Dye lies just outside the south-eastern fringe of the Cairngorms and is a mixture of rolling moors and thick forests. As we wend our way towards the North Lodge, where they were staying, it felt like stepping into a fairytale.
Jenn and Scott enjoyed a lazy breakfast together before getting ready separately. Jenn did her own hair and make-up in the soft morning light, before getting into her Reformation dress, which was completed with an amazing cape that she had designed herself. They had each prepared wedding cards and gifts to open the morning of their wedding day; we loved this personal touch—it’s a really nice way to make the start of your wedding day super-special.
Your ‘first look’ at each other in your wedding clothes is a really special moment during your wedding day. Just because you are eloping, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have that big reveal! We love using natural shapes and forms in the landscape to create the sense of walking down the ‘aisle’. There’s always a sense of excitement and anticipation, and we love capturing the couple’s reaction when they clap eyes on each other for the first time in their wedding finery!
Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages covers extensive grounds and is full of beautiful hidden-way corners for an intimate wedding ceremony. As Scotland elopement wedding venues go, this has to be one of the best! Jenn and Scott chose a woodland glade by the river. It was fringed with ferns and dappled light and protected by the denser forest beyond. It was the perfect setting to exchange their vows and celebrate their love.
One of the beautiful things about having a humanist wedding ceremony is that you can fully personalise it and make it unique and special to you – so that it really speaks to who you are as a couple and the future that you want to build together. Jenn and Scott had written individual vows that they shared with each other in an incredibly moving exchange. We always feel so privileged to be there to witness such an intimate and special moment in our couples’ lives.
Just Married! That ‘just married’ moment is always so much fun to capture. Even with relaxed and intimate elopement weddings like Jenn & Scott’s day, there is always a bit of build-up to the wedding ceremony itself, because getting married to the love of your life is a big deal! And that sense of post-ceremony release and WE DID IT always shines through on people’s faces. The moment always makes for absolute mega-watt smiles, no posing necessary!
One of the things that we love about intimate elopement weddings is that there is no rigid schedule or fixed timeline. You are free to pause and take it all in—feel your surroundings, listen to the natural sounds around you, revel in that ‘just married’ feeling and breathe your partner in.
After their wedding ceremony, Jenn and Scott packed some Champagne and went for a walk in the woods. The rivers and forests around Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages are very typical of this part of Scotland, and are what make it one of our favourite elopement wedding venues, and an awesome place for exploring!
After toasting their marriage, Jenn and Scott had a private ‘first dance’ in the woods. What better place to spin your partner with just the squirrels and birds looking-on! We think it’s really nice when couples choose to incorporate some elements of a traditional wedding day, but personalise them to fit the day that they have chosen. You can either practice something in advance, or just free-style it on the day!
One of the many cool things about Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages is their bring-your-own mini-pub, the Glen Dye Arms! It’s cosy, characterful and very cool—a cross between an alpine bothy and something that you might find in the American mid-West! Although it was pretty chilly outside, we soon got the fire crackling and within minutes it was really toasty.
Jenn & Scott had ordered a delicious wedding cake which they enjoyed with some whisky by the fire while they read cards and letters from family and friends. The low spring light in The Glen Dye Arms was just perfect that afternoon. We felt as though we had stepped into a film set!
Having warmed-up in the Glen Dye Arms and fortified with whisky and cake, Jenn and Scott headed out onto the moors to catch the last of the light. The views from around Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages are amazing, especially at sunset. We couldn’t help thinking of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights as we took these photos, it was so romantic! And Jenn’s amazing cape really came into its own as they ran along the hillside!
As the sun set over the Cairngorm hills, we headed back to Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages. Jenn and Scott settled-in for a cosy, romantic evening of dinner and drinks by the fire and planned their hike the following day. These guys are nature-loving, outdoor enthusiasts and we couldn’t help thinking that they had created the perfect intimate elopement wedding day for themselves, set against a stunning Cairngorms backdrop which has to be one of the most scenic in Scotland.
“We cannot praise The Caryls enough, they made our day truly special. Our whole experience with Jim and Katy was wonderful. We had an initial meeting over Zoom and from that moment we knew they were the right people to have photograph our elopement. They were full of exciting and original ideas, and were extremely easy to chat to. They immediately put us at ease and gave us some great practical advice about eloping in Scotland. They were always easy to contact and responded very quickly to any questions or queries we had. Both Katy and Jim have a remarkable skill set and we felt completely comfortable with them capturing all the emotions of the day. The images they created are incredible and we will cherish these memories for years to come. We couldn’t recommend them highly enough.” Jenn & Scott
If you are planning an intimate wedding or elopement in the Cairngorms (or anywhere else in Scotland) do get in touch! We love helping our couples to create a day that’s truly unique and special.
