A Beautiful Winter Elopement in the Scottish Mountains

An Elopement in the Scottish Mountains – Lisa and Shane (and Dude)

Winter elopements in the Scottish Mountains are always a slightly risky affair. The weather could be so cloudy that you don’t see the mountain tops at all, just the misty lower glens and their rivers. It might be so cold that you can only be outside for a few minutes at a time or, if you are as lucky as Lisa and Shane, your winter elopement in the Scottish mountains might turn out to be on one of the most glorious days of the year so far!

I am always writing about the weather (well, it’s an important factor for me as a photographer) but, truthfully, whatever the weather is like on the day of your Scottish elopement the scenery will be breathtaking. I have worked in Glencoe, for instance, in every conceivable type of weather and it always impresses me with its rugged beauty. Scotland somehow needs brooding weather – it’s the wind, the rain, and the ever-shifting light that give our landscape its soul.

Lisa and Shane had chosen one of the superb lodges at Glencoe House Hotel as their base. Partly because it was so nice that it would have made a great place for a ceremony if the weather had been really bad, but mainly because it is but a few steps away from the magnificent Glencoe Lochan – home to so many of my amazing elopements over the years.

As the lochan was completely deserted we could choose a spot that gave Lisa and Shane exactly what they wanted – a ceremony with snow-capped mountains in the background. With the recent winter storms depositing some snow over the distant Mamore mountains to the north the views were absolutely spectacular.

After the ceremony, and a few more photographs with their dog, Dude, we headed back to the lodge for the signing of the paperwork. After warming up with a wee dram from the traditional quaich we headed up the magnificent Glencoe valley for a few more shots with even bigger hills behind us. The weather inevitably turned, the wind picked up, but Lisa and Shane powered through—stopping only when they remembered they owed Dude the chicken he had accepted as a bribe for wearing his tuxedo and bow tie.

There were, in fact, two bow ties for Dude that day and it is quite possible that Shane had forgotten his own tie and had to also wear a little pink doggy-version himself. Shane didn’t even get any chicken as a reward.

If the rest of my 2025 elopements are this much fun, I’ll be absolutely over the moon!

Bog Cotton Scottish Elopements

As well as being my first wedding of the year it was also my first Bog Cotton wedding too! Bog Cotton Scottish Elopements is basically me, there as the photographer, working alongside my great friend and Humanist celebrant Paula. Our combined laid-back style works really well for couples who simply want to have their elopement in the wonderful countryside around the West coast of the Scottish Highlands without too much fuss. Our emphasis is in keeping it all relaxed whilst cramming in as much beautiful scenery as possible.

We don’t plan weddings as such – its more like we can call on our years of combined experience of working in dozens of amazing locations to offer loads of advice and help to make your day run as smoothly as possible. Of course, if you want to do as Lisa and Shane did and bring along your dog then that’s even better!

If you’re planning your own elopement in the Scottish mountains give me and shout and I will be more than happy to help.