Scottish Highland wedding at Alladale Wilderness Reserve

Isla and Greg’s rugged and romantic elopement wedding at Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands had everything we love about adventurous outdoor weddings in Scotland. After exploring numerous venues, they found that they couldn’t get Alladale out of their heads—it was something truly special, the perfect place for them to celebrate their wedding with just their closest friends and family.

Our photography takes us to so many incredibly beautiful locations, for which we are truly grateful, but the moment we drove through the gates of the Alladale estate, we were touched by its very special beauty, too. Alladale Wilderness Reserve is a 23,000-acre estate 1.5 hours north of Inverness, which conveniently has an airport! The team behind the estate are really committed to keeping their corner of Scotland truly wild, or ‘re-wilded’, by replanting indigenous forests and reintroducing Scottish highland plant and animal species. Arriving at Alladale is like stepping back in time—the whole valley is yours (without tourists or other visitors) and the dramatic landscapes, rich colours, and general sense of calm that completely takes your breath away! We could not envisage a more perfect setting for an intimate elopement wedding celebration.

Isla and Greg’s day dawned peacefully. They began their morning preparations separately: Isla with her bridesmaid Gael in their cosy cottage, while Greg and his brother and Best Man got ready in a neighbouring farm house. Greg opted for traditional Scottish tweeds and kilt, while Isla had chosen a gorgeous bohemian wedding dress from Unbridled Boutique. After opening gifts and personal notes from each other in they, Greg and Isla stepped out into the majestic glen for their ‘first look’, before accompanying each other to their stunning ceremony location framed by an incredible floral arch created by florist extraordinaire, Wild Gorse.

After the ceremony, Isla and Greg took some time our to explore the beautiful glen. We feel it’s so important for couples to take a little moment to themselves during their wedding day, just to pause and enjoy that feeling on being newly married. Being November, the days are short in Scotland, and with the twilight closing-in we made our way back to the main lodge where the Alladale team had created a sumptuous feast using delicious locally sourced ingredients. After a riotous round of speeches, and the cutting of their cake, the evening ended with a sparkler exit as darkness fell over the valley, and they adjourned to the neighbouring farmhouse to party into the small hours.