There are some weddings where you arrive as the photographer and leave feeling like you've spent the day with old friends. CJ (Carolyn) and Eddie’s intimate elopement at Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages was exactly that.

Set in the beautiful Aberdeenshire countryside near Banchory, Glen Dye is a pretty special place for an intimate wedding. With its woodland, cottages, open estate and wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, it gave CJ and Eddie the perfect setting for a day that was completely about them — with a couple of close friends there to witness it.

And what a day it was.

Getting Ready at Glen Dye

CJ and Eddie got ready separately in one of the beautiful cottages on the Glen Dye estate, and from the beginning there was a wonderfully relaxed feeling to the whole day.

There was no pressure to follow a traditional wedding schedule or spend hours posing for photographs. Instead, the day unfolded naturally, with plenty of time to enjoy themselves, have a laugh and actually be present in the moment.

That’s exactly the kind of wedding photography I love.

Rather than constantly pulling CJ and Eddie away from what was happening, I immersed myself in the day. I hung out with them, chatted, laughed and photographed what was happening around me. The result was a collection of photographs that feel like the day actually felt — relaxed, fun, slightly chaotic in places and full of personality.

Saying "I Do" in the Woods

The ceremony took place in the woods at Glen Dye, surrounded by the trees and the beautiful Aberdeenshire landscape.

With just two close friends there as witnesses, it was incredibly intimate without feeling overly formal. There was something really lovely about the simplicity of it all. No huge crowd, no elaborate production — just two people making a commitment to each other in a beautiful place, surrounded by people who mattered to them.

And, of course, plenty of laughs along the way.

Once the ceremony was over, it was time to properly celebrate.

Glen Dye Wedding and Elopement Photography

Drinks, Games and a Lot of Laughing

The drinks reception took place in Glen Dye’s brilliant BYOB estate bar, which was the perfect place to relax after the ceremony.

But rather than spending the afternoon sitting around drinking champagne, CJ and Eddie headed up to the games room.

This is where things got properly fun.

There was table tennis, table football and all sorts of other games, with plenty of friendly competition thrown into the mix. It was exactly the sort of thing that tells you a lot about a couple — and it gave me endless opportunities to capture completely natural photographs.

There was no need to manufacture moments. They were happening constantly.

Exploring Glen Dye and Taking Natural Portraits

We also spent time exploring the Glen Dye estate together, taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings for some natural portraits.

These weren't formal, heavily posed wedding photographs. We wandered around, stopped when we found somewhere that looked great and generally just had fun with it.

That’s my favourite way to photograph couples.

I know that having your photograph taken can feel awkward, particularly if you're not naturally comfortable in front of a camera. So rather than standing you somewhere and telling you how to pose, I prefer to get involved in the day and let things happen.

With CJ and Eddie, it genuinely felt like I was just hanging out with old pals.

And I think that comes across in the photographs.

A Glen Dye Elopement Full of Personality

CJ and Eddie’s wedding is one of those days I'll remember for a long time. Not just because Glen Dye is such a beautiful and unique place, but because of the people.

They were incredibly welcoming, completely themselves and an absolute pleasure to spend the day with. By the end of it, I didn't feel like I'd simply photographed their wedding — I felt like I'd spent the day with friends.

For me, that's what great wedding photography is all about.

The photographs should bring back the feeling of the day. The ridiculous laughs, the little moments between the big ones, the nerves before the ceremony, the competitive games, the drinks, the walks around the estate and all those completely unplanned moments that you'd otherwise forget.

CJ and Eddie's Glen Dye elopement had all of that in abundance.

And I'm very glad I got to be there to capture it.

Planning an intimate wedding or elopement in Scotland? If you want your photographs to feel natural, candid and genuinely like you, I'd love to hear from you.

Let's talk about your wedding? Get in touch!