Intimate October Wedding at Gretna Green, Scotland

Gretna Green Wedding: Elfi + Christian's Intimate October Wedding at Gretna Green Hall Hotel, Scotland

When Elfi and Christian inquired last year about their intimate wedding at Gretna Green Hall Hotel, I was SO excited. I’ve always wanted to photograph a wedding in Scotland and Gretna Green is such an iconic and special place.

The Gretna Hall Hotel is deeply rooted in the romantic history of Gretna Green, a village synonymous with love and elopements. Built in 1710, Gretna Hall was originally a manor house and has since evolved into a symbol of romance, with its history intertwined with the village’s role as a secret haven for young runaway lovers, seeking to marry under Scotland’s more lenient laws. During this time, Gretna Green became famous for its "anvil weddings," performed by blacksmiths who acted as unofficial priests. I’d heard Gretna Green referenced in this way before whilst reading one of my faves, Pride and Prejudice, when Lydia elopes with Mr Wickham and she leaves behind a note saying their elopement destination is Gretna Green. Elfi and Christian also loved the romantic history and travelled up from the south of England for their Wedding.

My partner and second shooter, Joe, traveled with me from Cheshire to Scotland for the Wedding. We stayed overnight at a hotel just outside the Scottish border to ensure we were fresh for the day. Elfi and Christian had chosen my Intimate Wedding Day Coverage package, which provided three hours of photography. We started at 1 PM, capturing Elfi’s getting-ready moments, documenting the heartfelt ceremony, group photos, and wrapping up with couple portraits that included her daughter.

When photographing couples with children, I like to dedicate time to capturing just the couple alone first. Then, I like to bring in their children, shifting the approach to resemble my family photography style. Rather than trying to get kids to sit still for posed shots, I use prompts to encourage natural interactions like cuddling and playing. This documentary-style approach results in authentic, heartfelt images that truly reflect their family dynamic.

A Message from the couple…

“Olivia recently travelled up to Gretna Green and photographed our wedding, and she couldn’t have been more wonderful. She made us feel at ease, as if she were a friend we had known for a long time. She helped us to take the most beautiful photos that captured the love and happiness of our day, and we can’t thank her enough for the incredible images we now have to cherish forever. Everyone who had seen them has mentioned how stunning they are! Not only are they fantastic photos, but we received our preview images really quickly and then our entire gallery in less than a month! We honestly couldn’t recommend Olivia J Morgan Photography enough. 11/10. Thank you for everything x” - Elfi + Christian, 2024