About the author:
We’re Katy and Jim, the internationally award-winning husband-and-wife team behind The Caryls Photography. Based in Perthshire on the edge of the Scottish Highlands, we’ve worked with nearly 300 couples since 2017, planning and documenting elopements and intimate weddings across Scotland, from Glencoe and Skye to Torridon, The Cairngorms, and The Borders, as well as in Italy and France. Our cinematic, fine-art imagery blends Scotland’s epic landscapes with heartfelt storytelling to create timeless, deeply personal photographs.
Where do we begin with Sarah and Luke’s romantic and bohemian Scottish Highland wedding? This beautiful day really encapsulates everything that we love about wild and whimsical weddings in the Highlands of Scotland. A place where the air is fresh, the mountains are full of majesty, the glassy calm lochs beckon, and you will often encounter curious sheep in the middle of the road! The perfect place for lovers to exchange their vows surrounded by nature and away from the crowds. Sarah and Luke had decided to gather their besties and travel to Scotland from the USA for an elopement wedding of their dreams, and the adventure of a lifetime… and this was exactly what it proved to be!
Some kind words from Sarah & Luke: “Luke and I cannot express enough how much we loved working with The Caryls for our elopement! Once we decided we wanted to be wed in the Scottish Highlands, they guided us through the entire process of finding the right spot, lodging, hair and makeup, florists. Coming from the United States, this was IMMENSELY helpful. They kept in contact with us in the months leading up to the wedding as well. On the day of, they took STUNNING photos. I mean, I have truly never felt so beautiful. Their style is dreamy and ethereal, like no other wedding photographers we’d ever seen (check out these photos). If we could keep getting married so that we could keep getting these photographs, we would!”
Read on to see how Sarah & Luke’s incredible Scottish Highland wedding day unfolded . . .
Sarah and Luke had a very clear vision for the Scottish wedding day: they wanted an epic mountain backdrop and somewhere cosy and characterful for their group to stay, to create a weekend house-party vibe, and make it easy for them all to celebrate together in the evening. They had initially considered eloping in Glencoe, which is famous for its classic Scottish Highland views. But precisely because of its insta fame, Glencoe can be very busy. Sarah and Luke didn’t really like the idea of their wedding ceremony being photo-bombed by a bus-load of tourists. So we suggested a location with a very similar look and feel to Glencoe, but one that’s very off-the-beaten track, and completely peaceful as it’s a private estate, so you will be the only ones there. It’s the perfect place to switch-off, unwind and get away from it all.
Sarah and Luke opted to get ready separately, Sarah with her girl gang and Luke with his groomsmen. There was a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement in the air. Sarah and Luke were super-close with all of their guests (many of whom they had completed their doctor training with) and it was lovely to capture the interaction between them, as the guests helped-out and lent their support. One of the things that we always advise our couples is to allow way more time than you think you will need for your morning preparations. Trust us, the time flies-by so quickly! Sarah and Luke allowed two hours to greet ready… and they used every second of it! Also, allowing plenty of time helps to keep things nice and relaxed. Even if there isn’t a church full of one hundred people waiting, you don’t want to be rushing to make your wedding ceremony!
Sarah and Luke wanted to exchange a private ‘first look’ in advance of their ceremony. It’s a great way to have a little moment together, to settle any pre-ceremony nerves. A couple’s reaction when they see each other in their wedding clothes for the first time is always a really fun moment to capture, too. Just as Sarah emerged from the house, a spring shower blew through, which definitely added to the atmosphere and the sense of exhilaration and romance of that moment. Who doesn’t love kissing in the rain?
After their first look, Sarah and Luke’s guests gathered before a stunning Scottish Highland setting for their humanist wedding ceremony. They had crafted it carefully and intentionally with their celebrant so that it really reflected who they were as a couple and the journey that they had taken together to bring them to this moment. We find that humanist ceremonies are always very unique and deeply moving. There is also something very uplifting about exchanging personal vows surrounded by age-old mountains, and imagining the wedding celebrations that may have taken place in the setting before in the days of the ancient Scottish clans and tribes.
After their wedding ceremony, Sarah and Luke’s guests headed back to their accommodation for tea and cake by the fire, while Sarah and Luke had some time to themselves to explore the area with us. It’s always great to allow for some ‘you time’ on your wedding day, it creates some space within the day to relax together and enjoy each other’s company and to revel in the realisation that you are now actually married! It’s also a lot easier to relax and have fun in front of the camera, if you’re not being photographed in front of your guests!
Sarah and Luke got married in April, which is a spring month here in the Scottish Highlands. Theirs was a classic spring day of sunshine and showers. One minute the sun was shining and the sky was blue. . . the next, the dark cloud came rolling-in and a shower blew through. Sarah and Luke were 100% up for the adventure and fully embraced the ever-changing conditions. The one thing that we would say about spring elopements in the Highlands of Scotland is that you often get very dramatic light!
When we returned to their accommodation, the fires were stoked, the table was laid, and the scene was set for their evening celebrations as the rain closed in outside. Candles twinkled, soft music played, and mouth-watering smells wafted from the kitchen. The group sat down to enjoy drinks, toast and speeches, which were by turns hilarious and heartfelt. It was really lovely to see what a close connection the whole group had.
Desert had just been served when we peeked out of the window and saw the most amazing mists rolling-in across the glen. This was a sight not to be missed! We alerted Sarah and Luke, who enthusiastically agreed that we should definitely make the most of this moment. Desert could wait! So we ran out into the glen just outside their accommodation to play in the mist for ten minutes. We’re so glad that we did! One of the things that we love about elopement weddings is that there is the ability to be flexible, and to embrace beautiful, unplanned for and unscripted moments like these. They are often what makes for the best photos of the day. . . which was very much the case here!
Then everyone crowded back inside to finish their deserts, top-up their glasses and settle-in for the night. The fires blazed, laughter rang through the house and Sarah and Luke partied with their guests until late into the night. With a more formal family wedding scheduled to take place back in the United States the following year, this was Sarah and Luke’s chance to have a Scotland Highlands wedding day that was just for them — completely stress-free, amazingly romantic and just the way that they wanted it. It was so special to share this day with them.
If you are planning a Scottish Highland elopement, or a Scotland Highlands wedding with a small and intimate gang of your closet family and friends, we would love to hear from you! Fee free to contact us below, and tell us a little more about your plans!