Couple embracing during their elopemnt at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland

Cairngorms Sunrise Elopement

HIKING SUNRISE CAIRNGORMS ELOPEMENT

The Cairngorms National Park, a special place to elope in the Scottish Highlands

We love Cairngorms elopements as the Cairngorms National Park holds a special place in our hearts as the first place we ever visited in Scotland together. Located in the centre of the Scottish Highlands, it is the UK’s largest national park and is bigger than Luxembourg!

Visitors travel to the Cairngorms year-round to climb mountains (Munros), explore the native forests, canoe around Lochs, wild camp on inland beaches and enjoy the Scottish wildlife. It’s one of our favourite places in Scotland to explore.

Eloping couple embrace in epic Caingorms elopement landscape

The couple

We are *so* excited to share Mollie and Rob’s Cairngorms sunrise elopement. It was such a relaxed and beautiful day. It was even more special because Mollie and Rob have spent much of the last 18 months apart, with Rob here in Scotland, and Mollie in California, separated by an ocean and a global pandemic. It was a little touch and go as to whether Mollie’s visa would come through, and that travel would be possible, but the stars aligned. Three months after our first call on Zoom, we were meeting for the first time the night before their elopement, ready for an early morning alarm, and an epic day of adventure.

Boho bride gazes into the eyes of her new husband in the Caingorms

Mollie and Rob stayed at the Glen Clova hotel at the foot of Glen Doll in the Cairngorms National Park, Scottish Highlands. We set our alarms for 2 am and all grabbed a few hours of sleep before heading out on our adventure. We met an excited Mollie and Rob outside the hotel at 3 am and drove through the quiet single track lane to Corrie Fee visitor centre where we met Ashton, their humanist celebrant for the day. We pulled on our hiking boots, donned our rucksacks and head-torches and started hiking through the Glen Doll forest. We reached Corrie Fee’s natural amphitheatre and continued our hike through the winding path along the valley floor before heading up to the waterfall near the top of the valley.

Scottish elopement couple hiking through the Caingorms woodland on their elopement

Kind Words from MOLLIE AND ROB

“We couldn’t recommend Oli and Steph more! Their expertise and advice was extremely helpful in guiding us through planning all the small details of our elopement. They were organized, easy-going and accommodating on the day and captured our wedding perfectly; our photos are absolutely stunning. Any couples looking to capture their adventure elopement should work with Oli and Steph!”

  • Elopement couple in the Caingorms setting out on their wedding day hike
  • Couple with their celebrant hiking out in the Caingorms on their elopement Couple with celebrant hiking out in the Caingorms on their elopement
  • Eloping couple in the Scottish highlands hiking to their wedding ceremony
Couple hiking up to their elopement ceremony in the Scottish Caingorms

Mollie and Rob changed into their wedding gear near the top of the valley, before having a first look surrounded by the epic landscape.

  • Groom getting changed in the outdoors for his elopement ceremony in the Scottish Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • The tartan flashes of the groom's family tartan as he prepares for elopement ceremony in the Scottish Cairngorms
Groom getting changed in the landscape on his Scottish elopement in Corrie Fee, Cairngorms National Park
  • Groom prepares vow books before his elopement ceremony in the Cairngorms National Park
  • Bride approaching her groom before their first look on their Scottish elopement
  • Bride placing her hand on grooms shoulder before he turns around for their first look during their Scottish elopement in the Cairngorms
Bride approaching her groom before their first look on their Scottish elopement
  • Elopement couple kissing in front of Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • Elopement couple before their wedding ceremony in the Scottish Cairngorms
  • Eloping bride smiling before her wedding ceremony in the Scottish Cairngorms
  • Eloping couple during their ceremony in front of a waterfall at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms

They found the perfect spot for their sweet private ceremony which Ashton rocked. They read handwritten vows and exchanged rings. We changed locations a couple of times during the ceremony to avoid the pesky midgies, and for the final reading hiked even higher up the valley.

  • Eloping couple during their ceremony in front of a waterfall at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • Eloping couple during their ceremony in front of a waterfall at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • Eloping couple saying their vows during their ceremony in front of a waterfall at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • Black and white of bride in front of Corrie Fee during her elopement
  • Elopement couple saying their vows with their celebrant, with a backdrop of Corrie Fee, Cairngorms
  • Scottish elopement celebrant with eloping couple in vast scenery of Corrie Fee, in the Scottish Cairngorms
  • Groom putting wedding ring on bride during their Corrie Fee, Cairngorms elopement
  • Double exposure of elopemtn couple embracing during their Scottish elopement at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms National Park
  • Elopement couple at the top of Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland
  • Couple embracing after their Scottish elopement ceremony at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland

After Mollie and Rob were officially married! We headed back down the path for a breakfast picnic from the hotel complete with fizz.

  • Eloping couple embracing in front of a waterfall after their wedding ceremony in Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland
  • ELoping couple wearing backpacks after their wedding ceremony staring into each other's eyes at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland

We hiked back down to the foot of the Corrie Fee amphitheatre and Mollie and Rob signed their paperwork, as we did too as their witnesses. We ended the morning hiking back through the Glen Doll forest.

  • Eloping couple's rucksacks on a rock at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
  • Elopement couple's vow books on a large rock with the bride's flower crown in Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland
  • Couple embracing during their elopemnt at Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland
  • Elopment couple holding hands with backs to the camera looking out over Corrie Fee, Cairngorms, Scotland
  • Eloping couple walking through the Cairngorms forest after their elopement ceremony

Mollie and Rob had the most beautiful sunrise Cairngorms elopement and we were so happy to be a part of it. It was unique to them and encompassed everything that felt right to the two of them. If you’re looking for a sunrise hiking elopement then we’re totally up for it! Hiking up a mountain to watch the sunrise is our bag!

We’re Oli and Steph Prince, a married couple who met in Antarctica, eloped in Hawaii and now live on the Isle of Skye with our two rescue pups. We photograph adventurous couples eloping across the Scottish Highlands. You can get in touch with us here, or take a look at our package information here.

If you need an adventurous Scottish celebrant then we can’t recommend Ashton the humanist more.