A Cinematic LGBTQ+ Elopement at Buachaille Etive Beag | Dani & Daisy’s Highland Story

There are days in Glencoe when the mountains feel almost sentient, as if they recognise love when it arrives. Dani and Daisy brought that kind of presence with them. Their elopement at Buachaille Etive Beag was a quiet, cinematic unfolding of devotion in one of the most dramatic landscapes in Scotland, and I had the enormous honour of telling their story through my lens.

This was not a rushed ceremony or a frantic wedding morning. It was intentional, intimate, and deeply rooted in who they are as a family. Their daughter was there, stealing the spotlight with the kind of charm only children possess. Their details were thoughtful, personal, and full of tenderness. Dani had a heart embroidered inside her dress for her mother, a secret stitched close to her skin. Small symbols like that carry such weight in elopements. They remind you that love is never singular. It reaches backwards and forwards at the same time.

Getting Ready at Kinlochlaich House in Appin

Their morning unfolded at Kinlochlaich House, an old stone estate tucked into the quiet greenery of Appin. It felt like stepping into a painting. Soft morning light, the hush of a historic house, a sense of calm before the Highlands swept them into their ceremony.

The quiet moments were my favourite to photograph. Dani and Daisy moving around each other with familiar ease. Touches that said more than words. Laughter that softened the nerves. Their daughter wandering in and out of the room, curious and unfiltered. These small domestic moments are the kind that live in memory long after the day ends. They give the photographs their soul.

Hair and makeup were beautifully crafted by Sophie at Bonny’s Wonderland. The styling felt elegant yet grounded in the romantic tone of the day. Florals came from Folky Dokey, whose arrangements always have a slightly wild poetry that fits the Highlands.

Handfasting and Oathing Stone at Buachaille Etive Beag

The clouds pulled back just enough to let the mountains glow. Buachaille Etive Beag rose around us with its usual quiet authority. It is one of my favourite places to photograph elopements because the landscape shapes the mood without overpowering the couple.

Andrea Taylor led a moving ceremony that featured both a handfasting and an oathing stone. Both rituals felt fitting for Dani and Daisy. There is something ancient and grounding about binding your hands with ribbons and placing your vows into stone. The Highlands have long held rituals of promise and devotion, and their ceremony honoured that lineage.

A Cinematic Approach to LGBTQ+ Elopement Photography

As a Scotland wedding photographer, I approach every elopement with an awareness that representation matters. Dani and Daisy’s love deserved to be photographed with the same reverence and artistry I bring to all my work. They trusted me with the emotional heart of their day. They were never simply clients. They were collaborators in a story we created together.

Working alongside Ben of Breaking Scotland Film meant the visual storytelling flowed effortlessly. His cinematic style complemented my own approach. We moved through the landscape as a team, capturing both the sweeping Highlands drama and the quiet intimacy that defined their relationship.

Portraits Among the Mountains

After the ceremony, we explored the hills surrounding Buachaille Etive Beag. The wind tugged at dresses and ribbons. The light shifted into a soft, romantic glow. Dani and Daisy fell into a natural rhythm in front of the camera, forgetting we were there at times. The joy, the relief, the exhilaration of having spoken vows in a place as ancient as the Highlands poured into every frame.

They laughed. They held each other close. They let the day carry them.
It was everything an elopement should be. Free. Intentional. Beautiful.

For LGBTQ+ Couples Dreaming of a Highland Elopement

If you are imagining a ceremony surrounded by mountains, wrapped in Scottish folklore and cinematic beauty, Glencoe is a remarkable place to begin. There are countless hidden corners of the Highlands that offer privacy and breathtaking views. I would love to help you craft an elopement experience that feels like a story worth telling.

You can explore my Only Lovers Left collection here

Or get in touch through my contact form to begin planning your own Highland elopement

Your story deserves to be told with beauty, care, and artistry. Dani and Daisy reminded me once again that love, especially queer love, shines fiercely in these mountains. Their day was a privilege to witness, and it will stay with me for a long time.