Seaside Vows: A Sunlit Elopement in Arisaig’s Coastal Paradise

After what seemed like a year of endlessly cloudy elopements something changed and, in just three days, we had two of the sunniest elopements of the year, if not ever! Perhaps whoever is in charge of the weather decided we’d earned a break and cut us some slack. As if the sunshine wasn’t enjoyable enough the blue skies happened to coincide perfectly with Alex and Claire’s sunlit elopement in Arisaig’s coastal paradise!

Elopement on the Beach

Arisaig is blessed with at least seven beautiful beaches. We’ve probably worked on most of them at one point or another, but one that we go to more often than the others is Camusdarach beach. Not the big long part but the smaller, seashell-shaped slice of Scottish heaven that faces directly west towards the islands of Rum and Eigg. Even the walk from the car park, through the coconut scented gorse and tall grasses, makes for an enjoyable part of your elopement day and definitely shouldn’t be rushed. In fact, one of the perks of having no guests to worry about is that you can take your time and be as relaxed as you like.

After a beautiful, and unbelievably sunny, elopement ceremony on the white sands, during which little Isla was looked after by Paula’s mother, and second witness, Patricia, we all walked slowly back to the car park to sign the paperwork (which may have been accidentally forgotten by the groom…). Paula went directly whilst Trevor took the newly-married couple the longer way around so that they could make some stunning photographs along the way. It was all very relaxed (and why shouldn’t it be?) and here at Bog Cotton we genuinely love chilled days like Alex and Claire’s.

Larachmhor Gardens

By this point we were all getting a bit warm (I know, I know. Never happy…) so Trevor drove the short distance to Larachmhor gardens the site of Lesley and David’s Bog Cotton wedding a few years ago. A very beautiful and wild arboretum just on the outskirts of Arisaig. Isla hunted for faeries while he made just a few little family portraits whilst cooling off under the ancient trees and walking alongside the stream that meanders slowly through the forest floor.

Alex and Claire’s beach elopement was, to us at least, the perfect example of a Scottish elopement. You are getting legally married in the most beautiful of places and with the bare minimum of fuss. We can do our job as a photographer and celebrant without interfering and, hopefully, lend a hand along the way if needed too.