Emma is from Israel. Zaeem is from Pakistan. They met in London, built a life there, and when it came to getting married they invited exactly one guest. She has four legs and her name is Aurora.

We like a short guest list. This might be the shortest we’ve had that still needed its own lead. Aurora is a husky, which means she has opinions, a lot of fur and absolutely no interest in standing still for photographs. She was perfect.

Why the Borders

Emma and Zaeem don’t drive. Neither of them. Which rules out a fair bit of Scotland if you’re not careful, because the Highlands aren’t really built for train timetables. So we pointed them south of Edinburgh instead.

The Borders get overlooked, and we’re not sure why. Rolling hills, quiet lochs, old stone everywhere, and you can get there on public transport from London without losing a day to it. They did the whole thing by train and bus, dog included, and still got married somewhere that looks like the far end of nowhere. If you’ve been told you need a car to elope in Scotland, you don’t.

A loch, a kilt and one very good girl

They got ready together in a big old room with bay windows and trees outside, Emma at the dressing table, Zaeem sorting his cufflinks, Aurora supervising from the chaise longue. No rushing about. Just the three of them getting ready for the same thing. Then a first look out on the lawn, Emma’s train trailing across the grass and Zaeem trying very hard to keep it together.

Then out to Megget Reservoir, a long stretch of water in the hills above St Mary’s Loch, with the cloud sitting low on the tops. Their celebrant stood at the water’s edge in his kilt. Emma and Zaeem said their vows on the grass. Aurora sat at their feet for most of it, which we’re counting as a witness. A quaich, a handfasting, then the rings, and that was them married.

“Israel, Pakistan, London, and then a reservoir in the Borders with their dog. No car, no fuss, and nobody else needed.”

After that we wandered the hills with them. Wind in the dress, cloud on the tops, a husky trying to get in every frame. It was quiet and it was theirs, which is the whole point of doing it this way.

Don’t drive? Bringing the dog? Neither is a problem. Here’s how eloping in Scotland with us works, or check your date and we’ll work out the rest with you.