A winter elopement at The Fife Arms in the Cairngorms

Discover Courtney and Luis’s winter elopement in the Cairngorms, featuring snowy landscapes, personal vows and beautiful moments at The Fife Arms

Courtney and Luis travelled across the world for a romantic winter elopement in the Cairngorms, choosing the Scottish Highlands for its beautiful landscape.

With snow on the ground, personalised vows and unforgettable photographs around The Fife Arms in Braemar, their Scottish wedding for two was everything they had dreamed of – simple and meaningful.

Wide shot of the couple walking together through a snowy Highland valley under a soft winter sky

Wedding highlights at a glance

Wedding venue | The Fife Arms, Braemar
Date | 6th December 2023
Photography | Emma Lawson Photography
Guests | no guests – just the couple and two witnesses
Ceremony | Humanist ceremony led by Brian Baxter at Fuze Ceremonies with personalised vows

Bride holding her gown and bouquet as she walks arm in arm with the groom on a snowy track in the mountains

Bride and groom walking arm in arm along a snow-covered path, looking out over a Highland valley at sunset

Eloping in Scotland’s Cairngorms from overseas

“Scotland is breathtaking, and the idea of an intimate ceremony with just two people and a celebrant seemed like a dream.”

So says Courtney, who married Luis in a December ceremony in the Cairngorms. Thoughts of marrying here were sparked by seeing the wedding photos of a friend who’d eloped to the Isle of Skye.

Courtney was blown away by the natural beauty that shone through in all the pictures, and realised it would be a dream come true to tie the knot here too. Luis, thankfully, was quickly sold on the idea.

“When we talked about getting married, I mentioned eloping to Scotland, and he was 100% on board. We both wanted a winter wedding, so somewhere in the Highlands was ideal for us.

"And we didn’t bring any guests – it was just the two of us.”

Bride and groom smiling closely together, the bride holding a textured bouquet of white, burgundy and green flowers

Planning a winter elopement at The Fife Arms, Braemar

Determined not to waste any time, the couple began putting their plans into motion in March 2023, booking their wedding for the end of that same year.

Some overseas-based couples can find the process of organising a wedding here tricky, but it turned out to be fairly straightforward for Courtney and Luis.

How to plan an elopement in Scotland

“Honestly, everything was surprisingly easy,” smiles the bride. “I found our photographer, Emma Lawson, through Pinterest. Scrolling through her work, we saw some photos she’d taken of an elopement at the Fife Arms in Braemar. We were sold instantly.

“Our ceremony, held in the hotel’s Fire Room, was conducted by Brian Baxter of Fuze Ceremonies. We wrote our own vows and it couldn’t have gone any better.

"We then headed outdoors for photographs – moments we’ll never forget – before returning to the Fife Arms. The events coordinator, Katie, did a fabulous job with planning everything. All we had to do was show up.”

Bride and groom walking arm in arm down a patterned rug towards their ceremony space, surrounded by warm candlelight

Celebrant tying tartan ribbons around the couple’s hands during the Scottish handfasting ritual

Bride and groom lifting tartan ribbons together in the ceremony room, surrounded by candles and eclectic lighting above

Scottish wedding suppliers for a Highlands elopement

As for other suppliers, Courtney quickly tracked down exactly what she was looking for.

“To find a hairdresser and makeup artist, I joined a local Facebook group in the Aberdeenshire area to ask for recommendations. Numerous people recommended Avant-Garde Studio.

Search for your own wedding suppliers on Tie the Knot Scotland's directory

“For everything else, such as a florist (Floral Alkimi Design) and a cake (Love Laura Lane), we hired the services of Amanda at elopement planning specialist Coorie With Us.

"She was a dream to work with and made the process feel seamless, even from nearly 6,000 miles away.

“Since we didn’t necessarily have a theme for our day, we were happy to leave the creative details to our vendors, and we couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.”

Bride wrapped in a red tartan shawl as she embraces the groom on a snowy hillside above a frozen river

What to expect from a winter wedding in the Highlands

Thankfully, the weather was in a good mood. “It had been raining for nearly the entire duration of our trip… up until the morning of our ceremony!

"We woke up to a bright sky and a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. Luis did some hiking around Braemar that morning while I got ready.

“One thing that stood out for me was how incredibly helpful everyone was.

"Our photographer and makeup artist helped me into my dress as that was quite the task, and Brian, our celebrant, gave us a good few laughs.”

Close-up of gold wedding bands in a velvet ring box beside textured white and burgundy flowers and a perfume bottle

Check out this Scottish elopement in Glencoe

After soaking up the magic of the hills with photographer Emma – and wrapped up in a cosy tartan blanket – Courtney and Luis headed back to the Fife Arms for an unforgettable dinner.

“It was part of our package at the hotel, and was easily one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Even now, all this time later, we both still think about the beef fillets!”

The newlyweds loved everything about their “private and perfect” day. If they were to change anything about it, it would simply be to have planned an even longer stay in Scotland.

“We understand that eloping isn’t for everyone, but if it’s something you want to do, we’d encourage you to go for it,” concludes the bride.