Dundas Castle Wedding in Scotland | Scottish Castle Wedding | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Dundas Castle Wedding in Scotland | Scottish Castle Wedding | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Destination Wedding Photographer
I was so excited for this wedding day at dundas castle! when APhril and graham decided to have their destination wedding in scotland, I knew it was going to be a fun time, but then learning that it was at dundas castle, I knew right then that they had the best taste and it was going to be a stunning wedding day, but also a solid party! Although, this was more of a destination wedding for APhril, as she and her family are all from the los angeles area, whereas graham was born and raised in Scotland. though he now lives in LA, which is where he met his bride, aphril.
a beautiful wedding day at the historic dundas castle
Dundas CastlE has so many rooms to get ready in and all of them are stunning with historical furniture and features displayed throughout. the owners actually live in a part of the estate still, in a private wing, so you can see a few family portraits in the library and living rooms. Aphril choose to get ready in a stunning room with two large windows overlooking the front courtyard of the castle entrance. It was joined to another room that was a beautiful shade of mint, and that is where her dress was hung up, so it wasn’t in the line of makeup while the bridal party was getting ready.
After the bridesmaids were ready, they all helped aphril put her dress on and button her many buttons on the back of her stunning wedding dress by rita vinieris. They held her dress as aphril walked down the grand staircase to head to the wedding ceremony. Her dad met her at the bottom of the stairs to walk her all of the way out of the castle and down the aisle.
The wedding ceremony took place in the tower within the castle. You did have to exit the main dundas castle building and walk through a quaint courtyard garden and then into the tower and up a few flights of a spiral staircase, but it all felt very fairytale-esque. Think, rapunzel barbara, from wild flower workshop, created the most beautiful floral installations at the front of the ceremony space on podiums as well as in the tower walls. Aphril’s wedding bouquet was also an artistic piece of work in and of itself. The staff of the castle rang the tower bell to announce the bride was on her way, as all of the guests were fully packed into the chairs and balcony area of the tower hall. as aphril’s dad walked her down the aisle, graham was so full of emotion and it was the sweetest thing to witness. The kids had bubble guns and an owl flew the rings to the bride’s brother. Overall, a wedding ceremony at dundas castle is a completely unique and customizable experience and one that is forever a memorable story for everyone to tell.
The wedding ceremony took place at the top of a tower in dundas castle
After the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom made their way to the rooftop of the tower for a few couple portraits overlooking the bridges and water of south queensferry, while the wedding guests headed back to the main castle building for cocktail hour. After the wedding portraits the bride and groom had some time alone to themselves before being announced down the grand staircase in front of all of their wedding guests to join them for the rest of the cocktail hour. There were a few speeches at the stairs, a cake cutting with a sword and plenty of shots taken, hugs given and selfies photographed for the next hour before the wedding reception.
Dundas castle has the perfect courtyard for a sunny cocktail hour
There were two scottish bagpipers that led the bride and groom into the pavilion just outside of the castle for a sit down wedding meal, and later that is where the dancing would take place as well. A lot of Irn bru was had, more speeches with tears and laughter and then a delicious meal by the catering team from heritage portfolio. The dessert was a beautiful lavender color that matched the bright wedding bouquet centerpieces from wild flower workshop. Once the dancing began, it was easy for the dance floor to be filled with wedding guests as the jammy devils were just that good! Everyone was instantly out of their seats and having the best time on the dance floor. The party went late into the night where the groom, who is a part of the scottish house mafia DJ Trio, were able to DJ with his friends. You know it’s a good day when the dancing never ends, in the best way possible. unforgettable memories were made all day long, and that is the best kind of destination wedding day. And Dundas castle estate was the perfect location for such a special day in their lives. x
“Dundas Castle is a beautiful castle wedding venue near Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a perfect scottish castle for a Destination wedding day.”
Scotland Castle Wedding VENUE - Dundas Castle | Florist - Barbara Smith of Wild Flower Workshop | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy | Make-up Artist - brook lilias makeup | Hair - abi taylor bride | Bride's Wedding Dress - Rita Vinieris dress | Cocktail Hour + Reception Caterer - Heritage Portfolio | Ceremony and Reception Band and DJ - Jammy Devils Band and the scottish house mafia
If anyone is planning a destination wedding in scotland or a wedding at dundas castle, just outside of Edinburgh, I would love to chat
more with you about your wedding day!
Reach out to me on the link below.
Royal College of Physicians Intimate Wedding Day in Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Wedding Photography
Royal College of Physicians Intimate Wedding Day in Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | DEstination Wedding Photographer
Myranda and paul had the most beautiful, intimate wedding day in Edinburgh, Scotland. The ROyal COllege of Physicians was the main venue for their wedding day, and they had the earlier parts of their wedding scattered all over the beautiful scenes of Edinburgh. Which Jamie, of timeless white, planned the whole day out perfectly, honestly, It was one of those days that just flowed along beautifully, and I think a lot of it was his organization skills, which I really appreciate as a wedding photographer.
First, after getting ready at a flat in New town, Myranda walked over in the lovely rainy weather of scotland, that stopped just before she arrived for her first look underneath edinburgh castle. PauL was waiting for her by standing in front of the ross fountain in princes garden, while he gazed at the castle. It honestly is such a lovely spot for a first look, and the gardens are large enough that you can always find a quiet corner to have an intimate moment for your wedding day.
After the first look, Myranda and Paul strolled through Princes Garden and throughout the royal mile in Old town. They eventually made their way over to the royal cafe to grab a drink while sitting in a corner booth and have a little breather together before heading up to calton hill for the ceremony.
The filmmaker and myself, the talented David James, headed up to calton hill to give the couple some more time to themselves at their rental and to give us time to capture all of the lovely floral installations that Gloam created for their intimate wedding ceremony. The ceremony was set up on the back of the hillside on calton hill, where arthur’s seat was the iconic backdrop. After watching one day recently, I am sure arthur’s seat will be a part of even more love stories now. It really is such a beautiful hill and so close to the city. Anyways, back to the wedding day, Myranda and Paul’s wedding guests all arrived on a double decker vintage bus to the top of the hill, and myranda’s dad walked her down the aisle while paul was waiting at the top of calton hill with the landscape of edinburgh able to be seen within a 360 view all around him.
“After the ceremony on calton hill, the wedding guests headed
over to The Royal College of Physicians in the new town neighborhood
of Edinburgh, scotland for the cocktail hour in the cullen suite
and an intimate dinneR reception in the new library.”
After the ceremony, Myranda and paul joined their wedding guests aboard the vintage bus to drive over to the royal college of physicians in the new town neighborhood of edinburgh, where the guests were having cocktails upstairs in the cullen suite. Because they already had their wedding portraits taken before the ceremony they were able to mingle and enjoy the full cocktail hour with their loved ones.
When the cocktail hour was wrapping up, the opened the doors to the New library, where one long dinner table had been decorated by the edinburgh floral stylists, GLOAm. The long table was full of tall candlesticks, florals and little disco balls The dinner table was surrounded by all of the bookshelves in the royal college of physicians, and is actually a working college and library to this day. from a wedding photographers point of view, having a balcony in the library really makes for great angles of you and your guests if you choose to have your intimate wedding day at the royal college of physicians.
another reason that you would want to get married here, is that they have such lovely caterers, such as saltire hospitality, who not only have delicious and beautiful dishes they serve, but their staff is always so helpful and friendly to work with. Of course, Jamie, of the timeless White wedding planning team, made sure that myranda and paul had a wonderful team of local wedding vendors to make this wedding day run so seamlessly.
Myranda and Paul had the amazing DJ Sam Young, who has DJ’d for “George Clooney, Idris Elba weddings, Elton John’s 60th, events for Gucci, Valentino, GQ ‘most connected men’ event”… just to name a few from his socials. So what I love about this Edinburgh wedding venue that is if you really want to work with someone they are open to it, and I love that Myranda and Paul really wanted an amazing dj, even for how intimate their micro wedding day was.
They danced the night away in the great hall, where the flashing lights of the disco ball sparkled all over the grand pillars that surrounded the room as well as all over the historic and ornate sculptures and detailed cornicing work on the ceilings. Overall, the royal college of physicians was the perfect wedding venue for this intimate wedding day in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“The Royal College of Physicians is
one of the loveliest library wedding venues
in Edinburgh for an Intimate Wedding
Day with your loved ones.”
Wedding Venue / Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Stylist, Florist & Stationery / GLOAM
Wedding Planner / Timeless White
Photography / Melody Joy
Videography / David James
Bride’s Dress / Flora
Groom’s Formalwear / Anatoly & Sons
Wedding Rings / Marrow Fine
Hair & Makeup / Bonny’s Wonderland Hair and Makeup
Catering / Saltire Hospitality
Celebrant / Caroline Lambie
Entertainment / Tartan Entertainment
Transport / The Red Bus
Featured / THE LANE
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DOCUMENT YOUR INTIMATE WEDDING DAY at the royal college of physicians IN EDINBURGH, INQUIRE WITH ME AND tell me all about your LOVELY wedding day on MY INQUIRY FORM.
Royal College of Physicians Wedding in Edinburgh | Edinburgh wedding Photographer
The Royal College of Physicians wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland | Jessica & Lewis | St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral | Edinburgh
wedding Photographer
Jessica and Lewis chose to have their wedding day in their lovely hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland at the royal college of Physicians, A historic wedding venue located in the heart of Edinburgh on Queen Street. Lewis got ready ready in his childhood home with his best friends and they ended up walking to a local pub for pints just before heading to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church to start greeting everyone for the wedding ceremony. Jessica started her day by getting ready in the main bridal suite of the Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel with all of her best friends and family members. the talented Rae Mathieson did an amazing job on Jessica’s makeup and MElanie Herriot did a beautiful job on her long wavy hairstyle.
A vintage car drove Jessica and her dad over to ST. Mary’s Episcopal Church in the west end, for their beautiful wedding ceremony. Then after the vows, the edinburgh string ensemble playing, then being led out of the ceremony by a bagpiper, they had a long sparkler exit all of the way back to their blue vintage car and drove over to The ROyal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for their cocktail hour and wedding reception. The cullen suite is where they had their portraits taken and the late night buffet desert table and the new library was where the guests congregated for drinks during the cocktail hour and room change before and after the dinner in the great hall. All of the rooms were such lovely and unique spaces for the guests to wakl around and mingle.
One of my favorite parts of the wedding day was during the cocktail hour in The New Library room of The Royal College of physicians, because they had a brass band, called Top tier Brass, playing covers of a lot of dance songs from the second level of the library while everyone below with their drinks created a dance floor as soon as the tunes started. It was such a great atmosphere for everyone and it was one of those weddings where everyone danced and was in high spirits the entire evening. they switched up the music again for the main dance floor in the great hall, where they had jonny ross music dj’ing and had two guys on a saxophone and bongos walking around and working the crowd. IT was such a fun evening full of limbos, laughter and learning on the dance floor about guests going “true scotsman in a kilt.” look it up, if you don’t know what that means.
It was also my first time working with Ollie & Ivy on a wedding day, and they did such a beautiful job with the floral arrangements, from the wedding bouquet, to the ceremony, to the floral installations to the dinner table centerpieces. Overall, I would easily recommend them again as a wedding florist in Edinburgh.
In the end, this was such a beautiful wedding day in the center of edinburgh. ALso, Jessica did such an amazing job planning this entire wedding day by herself. Honestly, I’m sure the staff at the royal college of physicians helped a lot, but I was so impressed at Jessica’s eye for detail, understanding of timelines and overall taste and style for the vendors she selected and the vision she had. All in all, this was another lovely wedding day at the royal college of physicians in edinburgh and it’s a bit of “win, win” that I live within walking distance of this wedding venue and could just stroll a few blocks home at the end of the night. x
bridal suite in Edinburgh - Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel // Edinburgh Wedding Florist - Ollie & Ivy // Scotland Make-up Artist - Rae Mathieson // Edinburgh Hair Stylist - Melanie Herriot (MHM Styling) // Wedding Dress - Stella McCartney from Net a Porter and HOM Bridal for alterations and bespoke cape // Groom jacket and waistcoat - 21st Century Kilt // rental jackets for ushers - McCalls Edinburgh Kilt Hire // Bride + Groom Rings - Cara Jewellers, Dubai // Ceremony + Reception Venue - St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral // Edinburgh Wedding Venue - Royal College of Physicians The New Library // Cocktail Hour + Reception Caterer (Including desserts!) - Saltire Hospitality // Ceremony/Reception edinburgh music - Edinburgh String Ensemble - Top Tier Brass - Jonny Ross Music (DJ, Sax and Bongos) // Wedding Filmmaker - Simon Hird // Wedding car supplier - Edinburgh Classic Wedding Cars
“The Royal College of Physicians is one of the loveliest and historic library wedding venues in Edinburgh, Scotland.”
A Winter Wedding in Scotland | Neidpath Castle Wedding Venue | Natalie + Jack | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
A Winter Wedding in Scotland | Neidpath Castle Wedding Venue | Natalie + Jack | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Neidpath Castle was the perfect setting for the most snowy wedding weekend in Scotland that I’ve ever seen. Natalie and Jack started their wedding day by getting ready with their loved ones in two different parts of the castle. Natalie had the highest bridal suite in the tower of Neidpath Castle. Jack spent his morning in the cottage to the side of Neidpath while greeting guests as they arrived to the castle and making the bouquets and button holes for all of the men in the bridal party. Natalie had her hair done by the talented Simon Hill from Sesh Hair Dressing and her makeup was done by Jenny Ross, and both were so lovely to work with! Natalie’s wedding dress and veil were from Jessica Bennett Bridal. The oversized bow in the back of dress and the tiny ruffles on the shoulders were my favorite details. Her shoes were also lovely, by the modern designer Camilla Elphick. Natalie read her letter (read how hilarious their personalities are in the photo of the card below) from Jack in private, had a glass of champagne, had a first look with her dad and bridesmaids in her dress and then made her way down to the main hall for the ceremony with her dad by her side.
The wedding ceremony at Neidpath Castle was held in a beautiful hall that was all candlelit and their was a beautiful Christmas Tree at the alter, where Jack was giving all of the sweet adorning looks at Natalie as she walked down the aisle. They exchanged rings, took part in a lot of historic Scottish wedding traditions and then roamed out of the front door as the bagpiper, Rex Benson, led them through a line of confetti to celebrate them becoming newlyweds! After the confetti line the couple took family portraits at the front door of Neidpath Castle and then Natalie and Jack roamed around the castle grounds for a bit, for a mix of alone time as well as couple portraits together before heading back into the reception with all of their guests. Neidpath Castle has a balcony that guests could walk all of the way up to, and they were cheering Natalie and Jack on as they made their way back into the castle! I think that is a very unique feature of this castle, as the cocktail hour is held in a hall at the very top of the castle, up a long and narrow spiral staircase, where the bagpiper could play in the rafters and the balcony was open to the guests, and that made it feel like it was right out of a storybook.
Neidpath Castle is such a beautiful setting for a romantic wedding day in the heart of scotland.
The floral arrangements in the dining hall and cocktail area were all done by the Neidpath Castle staff and the amazing dinner was catered by Cooks and Co, who were so thoughtful to us as vendors (and they went above and beyond in my book), as well as their whole staff just having the best manners I’ve ever seen. Truly, it’s something I notice and note for everyone that I work with, and only refer kind, genuine and considerate individuals. And the vendor team for this whole wedding day felt like that! After dinner, the evening then moved to another beautiful hall with beautiful tapestries for more drinks and desserts, with a beautiful cake cutting, coffee with shots and a delicious cheese board spread. Once the main hall was flipped to a dance floor, everyone then headed back downstairs to dance the night away to the DJ duo, Bangers & Brass. I was amazed at how atmospheric a live trumpet can make every song, I loved it! Towards the end of the evening we decided to go outside one more time for a few minutes of flash portraits in front of the castle, and in the short 5 minutes we were outside a magical snowfall began and it was seriously a fairytale ending to their wedding day. Neidpath Castle was honestly was such a beautiful castle to house Natalie and Jack’s romantic winter wedding day in Scotland. x
Scotland Castle Wedding Venue - Neidpath Castle (a beautiful castle in Peebles near the Scottish Borders) | Wedding Florist - Neidpath Castle Florist Team and the Groom made the bouquets and button holes! | Scotland Make-up Artist - Jenny Ross MUA | Scotland Wedding Hair Stylist - Simon Hill Hair from Sesh Hair Dressing | Wedding Dress and Veil - Jessica Bennett Bridal | Wedding Shoes - Camilla Elphick | Bridal Jewellry - All borrowed from the Bride’s mother and grandmother, besides the earrings from Monica Vinader | Grooms Entire Outfit - MacGregor & MacDuff | Bride + Groom Rings - Vintage Rings from R T Jewellery Monmouth, Bride's ring is from the 1930s and Groom's ring is from 1890s | Wedding Day Caterers - Cooks and Co. | Reception DJ - Bangers & Brass | Scottish Wedding Piper - Rex Benson |
Winton Castle Wedding | Carla + James | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Winton Castle Wedding | Carla + James | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Carla and James decided to get married near where James grew up in Scotland, which brought them to having their romantic wedding day at the stunning Winton Castle, located just outside of Edinburgh. The grounds are magical. When we arrived in the morning, we were greeted with an epic gate house that was surrounded by the misty fog. We decided to put the drone up to see the castle from overhead and I love the calm and quiet presence that fog makes you feel. It was a beautiful start to Carla and James’ wedding day. Once I photographed a bit of the lovely landscaping, I went straight upstairs inside of Winton Castle to the bridal suite, where Carla was having her makeup done by the talented Lyn Mckenzie Makeup. Truly, it’s always so nice to meet lovely wedding vendors on wedding days. I spent the morning documenting the bride, her sweet child, the family, the bridal party and all of the wedding details, like the florals by Save the Date Collective, in the natural window light of Winton Castle. Truly was a lovely morning of all of the bridesmaids toasting champagne, laughing together and loving on Carla as she was about to become a wife!
Winton Castle has many beautifully designed rooms with historic featured, vibrant interiors and vintage furniture. So it’s easy for any bride to choose a room within Winton Castle to vow to spend the rest of their lives together in. The ceremony was full of many scottish tradtions from the hand tying to drinking whisky out of their monogrammed Quaich. The ceremony was followed by a bit of alone time for the couple, then a few family photos by the fireplace while everyone was well into the appetizers and drinks floating around. After the family photos we did a confetti and group shot out front of Winton Castle. The Castle manager had a ladder ready to go, which I think was very thoughtful and the kind of organization mindset that I love on a wedding day. Then the three of us went for a more quiet stroll through the gardens surrounding Winton Castle. I like to let the couple walk either ahead or behind me for a while and I capture them from a distance, so they have some more alone time to chat and just be with each other before heading back inside to spend the evening with their loved ones.
Once we got back inside, the lovely main dining hall in Winton Castle, was all set up for a beautiful dinner reception. The wine and catering was all from Winton Castle, and everything was incredible, from the actual taste to the artistic plating of the food, which I really appreciated. After dinner there were many speeches, toasts, sparklers, cigars and everyone was able to lounge in all of the rooms of the castle with their teas and coffee. Eventually, the main dining hall was cleared of the reception tables and the set up by DJ Edinburgh was ready to go, as he went room to room inviting everyone to the dance floor! The night was endless dancing, partying and a really memorable time! Truly, Winton Castle was the perfect wedding venue for this lovely wedding day. x
Scotland Castle Wedding Venue - Winton Castle (a romantic castle venue near Edinburgh, Scotland) | Wedding Florist - Save the Date Collective | Scotland Wedding Makeup Artist - Lyn Mckenzie Makeup | Wedding Dress - Cotswold Frock Shop Bridal Gallery | Scotland Wedding DJ - DJ Edinburgh, Jim Henderson | Scotland Wedding Filmmaker - Amarone Wedding Films
Dovecot Studios Wedding | Sara + Gus | Duddingston Kirk Wedding | Halfpenny London Dress | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Dovecot Studios Wedding |
Sara + Gus | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Halfpenny London DRESS | Kinloch anderson | Ochre botanical Studios | DudDingston Kirk
Sara and Gus are such a beautiful couple, inside and out. They started their day with a beautiful view over Duddingston Loch at the lovely historic church hall of Duddingston Kirk, in Holyrood Park. Their wedding guests, local Edinburgh family members to friends who traveled up from London, were all greeted with beautiful music by a local bagpiper and the entire scene was straight out of out an international romance film. The Duddingston Kirk church hall had a loft overlooking the entire ceremony and one large beautiful window, that was perfectly lit with natural light for them to sign their marriage certificate. Sara was wearing a gorgeous wedding dress and blouse from Halfpenny London that also matched the timelessness of the venue. After their sweet ceremony, where one of Sara’s best friends sang a lovely opera piece (one of the loveliest I’ve heard in a long time, as my dad had us listening to opera a lot growing up), and her voice filled the hall. Honestly, the acoustics were perfect in there for opera music. As they exited the front doors of Duddingston Kirk, everyone was waiting outside for them in two rows of sparklers throughout the Duddingston Kirk grounds, all of the way until the entrance gate to the Old Church Lane, where a beautiful vintage Daimler wedding car was waiting to take them to the Old Town of Edinburgh for their wedding portraits.
We strolled around the Edinburgh University Old College, which was perfectly placed down the street from their wedding reception venue at Dovecot Studios. Now Dovecot Studios is one of the loveliest halls I’ve been to in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Dovecot used to be a swimming pool for locals and has now been restored and converted into thriving artist studios as well as an art museum to display the local artists works. Dovecot also have art exhibits as well. The main space in the Dovecot Studios is a large hall with a viewing balcony overlooking a stunning center hall with an immaculately crafted high ceiling. It’s the perfect wedding venue for having a cocktail hour on the balcony before dinner, and then going up to the balcony for coffee and dessert while they clear the main floor for dancing and a live band, like The Jets, who did a lovely job at this wedding. I appreciate ceilidh dances so much. Not only are they a fun time, but ceilidh’s help everyone loosen up and help everyone meet other friends and relatives they hadn’t been close to before. All in all, Sara and Gus had such a beautiful day with their loved ones and Dovecot Studios was the perfect venue to house those unforgettable memories for them! x
Florist Company Name - Julie at Ochre Botanical Studios | Edinburgh Make-up Artist - Sophie Alexis Make-Up | Edinburgh Hair Stylist - Marnie 7 West | Wedding Dress + Sheer Blouse - Halfpenny London | Shoes - Loeffler Randall Shoes | Earrings - Completed Works | Groom's Jacket - Kinloch Anderson | Bride + Groom Rings - Natalie Landale Jewellery | Church Wedding Ceremony - Duddingston Kirk | Edinburgh Reception Venue Hall - Dovecot Studios | Wedding Reception Caterer - Pinkerton's Catering | Edinburgh Wedding Live Band - The Jets
A Beautiful Edinburgh Wedding | The Scotsman Hotel | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
A Beautiful Edinburgh Wedding | The Scotsman Hotel | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Ochre BotanicaL Studios | GRAND CAFE EDINBURGH RESTAURANT
Alana and Les are local to Edinburgh and chose to have their wedding day start and end in the heart of their city, at The Scotsman Hotel. Alana spent her morning in the bridal suite that overlooked the Edinburgh skyline and spent the morning with her daughter and closest family members. She wore a stunning vintage wedding gown and her wedding bouquet was done by the talented Ochre Botanical Studios with silk from Heirloom Silk Ribbons. A cream vintage VW van picked up Alana and her bridal party and took them to the wedding ceremony, at City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, a beautiful church located in a stunning historic hall in the Old Town of Edinburgh. After the ceremony we strolled around one of their favorite gardens in Edinburgh and then headed back to The Scotsman Hotel for the wedding dinner and had speeches overlooking the guests from the balcony of The Grand Cafe. One of the reasons I love the The Grand Cafe is because, since being located within The Scotsman Hotel, it has a stunning view of Edinburgh, as it overlooks The Balmoral, Waverly Station and the New Town skyline. And since Alana and Les had friends from all over the world at their wedding day, and myself still feeling like a tourist after living here for a few years now, the city view from The Grand Cafe really does have such a romantic and magical feeling about it, especially as the skyline lights up as the sun fades into the night. x
Edinburgh Hotel - The Scotsman Hotel | Wedding Dress - Bliss Studio Edinburgh | Wedding Bouquet - Beige Blommer of Ochre Botanical Studios | Floral Designer - Beige Blommer | Floral Company - Root and Branch Flowers | Floral Silk - Heirloom Silk Ribbons | Wedding Reception Dinner - Grand Cafe Edinburgh | Church Wedding Ceremony - City of Edinburgh Methodist Church | Edinburgh Hair - Stefan Hampton of Hamptons Hairdressing Salon | Edinburgh Makeup Artist - Nikki Marshall World | Bridal Headband - Etsy, Design by Hummingbird
The Free Company Wedding | Sally + Kevin | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
The Free Company Wedding | Sally + Kevin | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | justin Alexander wedding dress
The Free Company was the perfect start and end to Sally and Kevin’s wedding day. Sally spent the morning tucked away in the House of Cockburn, a beautiful historic home located just outside of Edinburgh, in. Balerno, and conveniently a few minutes up the road from The Free Company. She spent the morning of her wedding day drinking coffee and mimosas with her bridesmaids, while getting her hair and makeup done by the lovely Megan Neely and Danielle Dickson. After she was finished getting ready she rode with her mom in a vintage wedding car to St Theresa's Church, where her and Kevin said ‘I do.’ They exited the church together as husband and wife by running through a sea of confetti to their getaway vehicle, the previously mentioned vintage wedding car. From there, we all rode together to The Free Company before the guests arrived, to roam around the farm fields and take couples portraits of them as newlyweds. When we pulled up to The Free Company, we were greeted with champagne by Angus, who is one of the original founders of the The Free Company and now runs the farm and restaurant with his brother.
By the time we took portraits around the farm and walked back to The Free Company courtyard, all of their guests had arrived and local canapés were being served. The drinks were flowing in the best way possible. Everyone was smiling and catching up with friends, new and old! Cocktails are one of my favorite times of a wedding day because it’s the first time anyone can run up to the bride and groom and congratulate them on becoming husband and wife. The atmosphere of the courtyard cocktail hour was stunning and full of warmth, as the sun was shining brightly and there was a live band playing beautifully in the background of the lively conversations.
After the cocktail hour everyone headed through the bar area to the main hall of The Free Company where two long tables were formed to create a family style dining atmosphere. And as lovely as the farm setting and beautifully remodeled venue is, the real gem of having your wedding at The Free Company, is the top tier farm to table full course meal that you and your guests will have the privilege of tasting. All of their meals are seasonally set and locally sourced, specifically from their farm. If you are a wedding guest or simply visiting Edinburgh or Scotland for any other reason (and just stumbled upon this blog post), it’s worth having a meal at The Free Company during your stay here. Sally and Kevin spent the evening dancing with their friends to DJ Paddy Gordon and then had fresh pizzas and late night conversations in the courtyard under the stars. x
Edinburgh Wedding Venue - The Free Company | Farm to Table Catering - The Free Company | Florist - The Free Company | Getting Ready Bridal Accommodation - The Free Company Lodging | Edinburgh MUA - Danielle Dickson Makeup | Edinburgh Hair Stylist - Bridal Hair by Megan Neely | Wedding Dress - Justin Alexander | Scotland Church Ceremony Location - St Theresa's Church | Scotland DJ - DJ Paddy Gordon, MPG Entertainments
Barnbougle Castle Wedding | Rosebery Venues | Rosie + Sean | Castle Wedding Venue Near Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Barnbougle Castle Wedding | Rosebery Venues | Rosie + Sean | Castle Wedding Venue Near EdinburgH | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Rosie and Sean decided to fly all the way to Scotland from America to get married at a romantic seaside castle just on the outskirts of Edinburgh, at the lovely Barnbougle Castle. Barnbougle Castle is truly a beautiful piece of history. It’s origins date back to the 13th century and is placed right in the center of the Dalmeny Estate, near South Queensferry.
Before driving over to Barnbougle Castle, Rosie started the morning of her wedding day at The Scotsman Hotel, getting ready in a bridal suite overlooking the Edinburgh city skyline. When I arrived at The Scotsman Hotel, Mercedes (the owner of the design-led wedding planning studio of Scarlett & Bell) was there ready to go with all of the details and plans to make sure their wedding day went by seamlessly, which of course it did. I always love not only working alongside talented individuals, but ones I consider encouraging friends in the industry! Ever since I moved to Edinburgh when I married my (very Scottish) husband, I’ve been grateful to be able to form a small community of like-minded friends who have the same design-led mindsets on wedding days, and of course can run a tight ship with the couple and guests feeling their most relaxed and in wedding bliss selves. Anyways, that was a long ramble, but to conclude, I highly suggest hiring Mercedes of Scarlett & Bell to help with you wedding planning in Scotland, whether you are from here or from abroad. Fina Beauty’s team was also there putting the finishing touches on Rosie at The Scotsman. Once her hair and makeup was completed, we headed over to The Royal Mile to capture a first look for her and Sean. Of course The Royal Mile can be busy, but there are plenty of quiet corners I am happy to suggest so that couples can have an intimate and personal moment away from the crowds.
Once we finished taking bridal portraits on The Royal Mile, a vintage car picked up Rosie from The Scotsman Hotel and drove her over to Barnbougle Castle just in time for the wedding ceremony. I arrived to the venue just before Rosie, alongside Matt Willoughby, who was the wedding filmmaker for the day. He is also someone I would recommend for a relaxed, friendly and unique eye to create a cinematic wedding experience for you to relieve in motion. I was able to capture all of the stunning wedding floral installations that were done by Adelaide’s Flowers just before the wedding ceremony started, which was beautifully held outside on the Barnbougle Castle terrace, overlooking Edinburgh just beyond the waterfront. After the wedding ceremony, which was full of beautiful Scottish wedding traditions, the couple walked out in front of Barnbougle Castle as the bagpiper played and confetti was thrown at them by all of their loved ones.
The rest of the evening was filled with drinking and delicious courses by Wild Thyme with their loved ones in the main dining hall of Barnbougle Castle, sitting outside on the terrace with coffee and Sicilian Pastry Shop cake and then dancing the night away to the live band, The Soul Establishment. It is so beautiful to see so many Americans enjoying the scottish culture and their heritage, and especially in such a romantic history castle, like Barnbougle. x
Scotland Castle Wedding Venue - Barnbougle Castle, Rosebery Venues (a lovely Scottish castle wedding venue on Dalmeny Estate, near Edinburgh, Scotland) | Design-Led Scottish Wedding Planner - Scarlett & Bell, Mercedes Somerville | Edinburgh Hotel Bridal Suite - The Scotsman Hotel | Scottish Wedding Florist - Adelaide Menzies of Adelaide’s Flowers | Luxury Bridal Makeup and Hair Stylist in Edinburgh - Fina Beauty | Edinburgh, Scotland Wedding Reception Catering - Wild Thyme | Wedding Cake - The Sicilian Pastry Shop | Edinburgh Live Wedding Band - The Soul Establishment of Established Entertainment | Scotland Wedding Filmmaker - Matt Willoughby Film assisted by Simon Hird Weddings |
A Design-Led Museum Wedding | Asrai Garden | Chicago Wedding Photographer | Savannah Miller Bridal | Varca Bridal | Destination Wedding Photographer
A Beautiful Design-Led Museum Wedding | Asrai Garden | Savannah Miller Bridal | Varca Bridal | Destination Wedding Photographer| Chicago Wedding Photographer
This design-led wedding day was full of so much love and endless style! Alex chose to get her outfit from the most unique bridal shop, Belle Atelier Bridal, and have the most unique designers to help her create her custom wedding look. The base of her wedding dress was designed by Savannah Miller Bridal and the custom cape and sheer gloves that flowed down to the floor were designed by the incredibly talented Varca Bridal. Sarah Varca is one of my personal favorites, and not just because she designed my custom wedding dress, but I’ve first hand seen how passionate she is about each bride and client she works and it’s so inspiring.
After Alex finished drinking champagne with her best friends in a suite at the Sofitel Hotel, she headed downstairs to see Alex (the groom) for the first time. They wanted to meet casually in the lobby (although, it was still so sweet to see his face in awe of her!) and we roamed around downtown with their best friends before we all headed over to the International Museum of Surgical Science. Once we arrived at the museum we were greeted by the team of Asrai Garden, who had been working for hours on the floral installations on the stairs and floral arrangements in multiple rooms where the ceremony, dessert bar and dancing would be. They are so skilled with transforming a space and their design-led arrangements are always so thoughtful and unique.
Their sweet ceremony took place in a stunning hall filled with marble statues, candlelit light, flowers and loved ones. They also had a beautiful three tiered wedding cake designed and made by Emily from Bon Vivant Cakes. The setting for this wedding allowed for the guests to roam the halls of the surgical museum, and it felt like we were in a noir film. They ended the evening by dancing the night away to her favorite DJ and her dad’s live band. Truly, it was a unforgettable wedding night in a museum! x
Dress Boutique - Belle Bridal Atelier | Wedding Dress Designer - Savannah Miller Bridal | Wedding Dress Custom Pieces - Varca Bridal | Wedding Coordinator & Vintage Rentals - Chicago Vintage Weddings | Museum Wedding Venue - International Museum of Surgical Science | Caterer & Bar - Hearty Boys | Wedding Cake and Desserts - Bon Vivant Cakes | Modern Wedding Florist - Asrai Garden | Hair - Tiffany Evans | Makeup - Gold Dust Woman | Live Band (Father of the Bride’s Band)- Night Crawlers | DJ - Greg Corner | Hotel Suite - Sofitel Magnificent Mile
New York City Elopement | Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar | Moxy NYC Chelsea | NYC Elopement Photographer
New York City Elopement | Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar | Moxy NYC Chelsea | NYC Elopement Photographer | NYC Micro Wedding
This New York City wedding day started in the quaint neighborhood of Chelsea, where the the bride and groom live. Alex spent her morning at The Moxy Hotel with her mom, sister and closest friends. Her wedding dress was from a local Brooklyn bridal boutique , The One Bridal, by dress designer, Cortana Brides. After getting ready they headed over to Hudson River Park at Pier 45, where Adam and Alex’s friends and family were waiting to greet them. After getting married on the pier with the NYC skyline as their backdrop, we walked back into Chelsea to stroll around their neighborhood for portraits. Because they live in that neighborhood, it was meaningful for them to have portraits in a place that was special to them and Chelsea, itself, is just so quaint. We took the subway up a few stops before getting out to hail a yellow taxi to take us to the reception venue. We arrived to Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar just before the guests arrived for canapés and drinks so we could take portraits on the rooftop balcony overlooking the north side of Manhattan. The venue has a lovely modern and a bit of art deco vibe, with wooden walls, records on the walls and colorful velvet couches. It was such a lovely evening of mingling, eating, drinking and sweet memories with all of their loved ones overlooking one of the most beautiful cities in the world. NYC skyscrapers glisten as the sun goes down and it made for such an unforgettable evening full of love. x
NYC Hotel - Moxy Hotels Chelsea | Wedding Dress Boutique - The One Bridal NY | Wedding Dress Designer - Cortana Brides | Hair and MUA - Marin Renee | Wedding Boots - Reikenen Official | NYC Outdoor Ceremony - Hudson River Park at Pier 45 | NYC Wedding Venue - Dear Irving on Hudson Rooftop Bar | Wedding Ring - Shahlakarimi Jewelry
The Tithe Barn Wedding | Bolton Abbey, Skipton | Yorkshire Wedding Venue | Yorkshire Wedding Photographer | Bon Bride
The Tithe Barn Wedding | Bolton Abbey, Skipton | Yorkshire Wedding Venue | Yorkshire Wedding Photographer | English Countryside Wedding
Venue | Bon Bride Dress
Charlotte and Tommy were such a fun couple and their day was a reflection of that! They now live in London but wanted to find a wedding venue closer to where they both grew up in Yorkshire and were able to find a romantic venue called The Tithe Barn. It is a newly renovated barn located in the heart of Skipton, overlooking the stunning Bolton Abbey in the distance. They also have a full kitchen that is open with floor to ceiling glass walls so the guests can admire the chefs prepping the food, which is exquisite from the in house Cripps & Co. catering team.
After the ceremony in the main room of The Tithe Barn, we walked around the property to take portraits before heading back inside to be greeted with cocktails and hugs from all of their loved ones. There was confetti, sentimental speeches, delicious desert and then the dancing began. DJ Tom Byrne, from Wedding Jam, was amazing! He did a phenomenal job of keeping the party alive with everything from disco to soul to rap! In the middle of dance party the venue started up the wood flamed pizza ovens for guests to enjoy as they danced the night away! Truly this day was a memorable one and full of love. There’s nothing like a dance party into the night with all of your favorite people in the middle of the English countryside on your wedding day. x
English Wedding Venue - The Tithe Barn of Cripps & Co. | Leeds Makeup Artist - Amy George Makeup | Wedding Dress Designer - Bon Bride | Wedding Shoes - Russell and Bromley | Hair Slide - Lelet NY | Earrings - JP Brides | Wedding Clutch - Alexander McQueen | Sunglasses - Tom Ford | Nails - Pivoine Nail Spa | Groom Trousers - Carthartt | Cap - Stetson USA | Jacket - Vintage | Groom Boots - Sneaky Steve Shoes | Groom Ring - Star Jewellers | Wedding DJ - Tom Byrne of Wedding Jam | Wedding Caterer - Cripps & Co. | Wedding Filmmaker - Andy Stelmach |
Intimate Scottish Wedding | Altskeith Country House on Loch Ard | Alena Leena Bridal | Scotland Wedding Photographer
Intimate Scottish Wedding | Altskeith Country House on Loch Ard | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park | Alena Leena Bridal | Halo and Wren Bridal
Becca and Omar decided to leave London, to have an intimate destination wedding in Scotland with their closest friends and family. Everyone traveled up the single track Scottish roads that led them to the quaint Altskeith Country House on Loch Ard. This Scottish Wedding Venue is located in the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. It really is a beautiful place to have an elopement or micro wedding in the highlands of Scotland, if everyone wants to see the beauty of the country. From the lawn of Altskeith Country House you can see all of Loch Ard as well as multiple mountain tops in the Trossachs.
Becca’s wedding day attire was so beautiful. She found her stunning wedding dress, by UK designer Alena Leena Bridal, from a bridal boutique in the London area called Halo and Wren Bridal. Her wedding heels were Leather Gucci’s and her hair and makeup was done by Laura Gray of Hair and Beauty Bridal. , who is a such a lovely choice for any bride looking to travel to Scotland to have a destination wedding or elopement.
Becca and Omar were married with the Scottish landscape in the backdrop and their bridal portraits were taken along the pebbled shoreline of Loch Ard. They ended the night with delicious food, sweet speeches from loved ones and a row of twinkling sparklers were lit as they left into the night. It was truly such a beautiful time with them and their families celebrating their love surrounded by the serene Scottish landscape.
Scotland Wedding Venue - Altskeith Country House // Wedding Dress Designer - Alena Leena Bridal // London Bridal Shop - Halo and Wren Bridal // Wedding Shoes - Gucci Leather Mid-Heel // Scotland Destination Hair and Makeup Artist - Hair Beauty Bridal, Laura Gray // Scotland Destination Wedding Florist - Green Pea Studio
Modern Micro Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer | Celeste Chicago Wedding | Modern Rooftop Restaurant
Modern Rooftop Restaurant Bar Venue | Celeste Chicago Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer | Best Downtown Chicago Micro Wedding Venue
Alyeesha and Joe started their wedding day getting ready in a beautiful suite overlooking Millennium Park at the Chicago Athletic Hotel on Michigan Avenue. I absolutely love the details and vendors they chose for their wedding day. By starting at a historic hotel in the center of downtown, they were able to do their first look with the backdrop of the bustling city streets behind them. We then strolled around downtown Chicago for bridal portraits all along La Salle to the Board of Trade. After wrapping up the portraits of the two of them we headed in car over to the venue, where they had their intimate ceremony and reception at the enclosed rooftop of Celeste.
The Florist for the wedding day was Asrai Garden. I’ve done quite a few weddings with them now, and their floristry always amazes me. They not only choose unique and beautiful combination of flowers, but are so good at creating a beautiful space for your personal vision. Alyeesha curated all of the pieces for her long bridal dining table and the florals fit into the table scape perfectly. Her candle and vase options she collected were just lovely together. As for the food, the lovely team at Celeste could not have done a better job. I mean, I’m already a huge fan of fried chicken, but especially when you put it in a beautiful plating and stunning setting… bon appétit!
Between their ceremony and reception, they went down to the second story to have canapés and a champagne tower with their loved ones. While they were all catching up with each other and congratulating the bride and groom, the team over at Chicago Vintage Weddings was busy flipping the space upstairs into a stunning room to dine. When everyone came back upstairs the whole space was transformed into a dinner by twilight, candles and string lights above them. The rest of the evening of was full of laughter and joy as speeches were made, desserts were eaten and endless shots taken. All in all, this micro wedding was filled with all of the love that one would wish to be surrounded by on your wedding day. So incredibly grateful to be a part of this memorable day. x
Wedding Venue - Celeste / Wedding Photographer Melody Joy Co. / Hotel Bridal Suite - Chicago Athletic Hotel / Wedding Dress - Galvan London / Bridal Hair Stylist - Hannah Aubrey Hair / Wedding Makeup Artist - Shannon O’brien Weddings / Henna Tattoo Artist - Henna Tattoo Chicago / Wedding Planner - Chicago Vintage Weddings / Custom Wedding Florist - Asrai Garden / Venue Restaurant Group - Bonhomme Group
City Chambers Edinburgh Elopement | Emily + Laurence | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Harriette Gordon
City Chambers Edinburgh Elopement | Scotland Wedding Photographer | Harriette Gordon Bridal Dress | Snapdragon Edinburgh Florist | The Fall Bride | Edinburgh wedding photographer
Emily and Laurence started their wedding day by meeting two of their best friends, who were their witnesses, on the royal mile in the Edinburgh City Chambers courtyard. I knew Emily and Laurence were having a formal wedding celebration with their friends and family at the weekend, so when she walked up wearing the most chic and fashionable outfit with full hair and makeup and beautiful florals, I was the most pleasantly surprised! I get so excited when couples, even for their intimate Edinburgh City Chambers ceremony, decide to wear something memorable for that day as well as their larger wedding party with their friends and family! Her dress was from purchased from The Fall Bride, which has some of the most unique dress designers around, like Harriette Gordon, which is the designer who made her short, fun bridal gown! And her florals were from an Edinburgh florist, Snapdragon, located in Bruntsfield, where they are also regulars!
After the intimate ceremony at Edinburgh City Chambers, where one of her friends delivered the sweetest poem about their lives, we headed out to take portraits around the old town of Edinburgh. Both Emily and Laurence met in Edinburgh as students putting on a show during the Fringe, so not only is the city a special place for them, but that part of town is as well.
After we strolled around the royal mile for a bit taking their bridal portraits, they mentioned wanting to grab a bite to eat before meeting up with their friends later. I, of course, only try to take on one shoot a day, so was happy to walk over with them afterwards to wherever they were headed to. So we made the journey through The Meadows over to Elliott’s Edinburgh for them to grab food and drinks. Elliott’s is one of their favorite places to eat and the staff knew who they were, which was the best! They ended the day with endless congratulations on their strolls and then I said goodbye so they could enjoy the rest of their intimate ceremony wedding day with just each other. It was a really relaxed and sweet way to have your legal ceremony and I loved how true to themselves they were. These type of days really fuel my creativity and give me so much joy to see couples doing things in their own unique and unconventional ways, and making their wedding day all about each other and what they want, as it should be.
I love living in Edinburgh and being an edinburgh wedding photographer and edinburgh city chambers is one of my favorite wedding venues in edinburgh. x
Wedding Dress - The Fall Bride, Harriette Gordon // Suit - Beggar’s Run // Edinburgh Florist - Snapdragon // Hair & Makeup - Kate Elliot Muir // Edinburgh Restaurant - 27 Elliott’s Edinburgh // Ceremony Venue - Edinburgh City Chambers Weddings // Sunglasses - Ray-Ban
Edinburgh Wedding | Ruth + Mark | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Edinburgh Wedding | Ruth + Mark | Scottish Bride | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Scotland Wedding
Edinburgh Weddings are some of my favorite! The architecture in this city is like no other. But truly, my favorite part of this wedding day is that Ruth and Mark are some of our best friends in Scotland and we were honored that they wanted Ross and I to capture their wedding day! Ruth and I actually were introduced by a mutual friend on Instagram telling us to meet at Cairngorm for coffee simply because he “thought we would get along well.” Well, he was completely right, because now she is one of my best friends here in Scotland!
Ruth started her wedding day at The Place Hotel with a morning of drinking mimosas and having a stunning view of the rooftops of Edinburgh. Mark spent his morning with his groomsmen at his home overlooking The Fourth Bridge in South Queensferry. His guys were doing cartwheels in kilts (good thing Ross was there to capture that craziness in person, because of course I couldn’t post all of those) and drinking coffee from The Manna House, their favorite local cafe. Both Ruth and Mark are such laid back individuals and both just wanted relaxing mornings with their best friends. Those are my favorite kind of mornings.
The Place Hotel is right next door to their ceremony location at P’s & G’s Church, so she was able to easily walk down the street and straight down the aisle for her ceremony. Ruth had the entire sanctuary of P’s & G’s transformed into a whimsical space full of nature and the outdoors. I even spent a day walking along the beaches of Scotland collecting sea glass to use as decor with Ruth. If you are looking for endless beautiful sea glass, the shores of the Dalmeny Estate have a lot that get washed up along the shore. In the end, they were able to gather enough blue and green sea glass to hang on all of the branches that they foraged from a local estate. After their ceremony, everyone caravanned down to the cobblestoned waterway of Quay Commons, in Leith, for an afternoon cocktail garden party in the sun! We then strolled through Custom Lane for their bridal portraits. They played a bit a ping pong in front of Williams and Johnson and just relaxed for a while, just the two of them, before greeting a couple hundred of their closest friends and family back at P’s & G’s for a night of Scottish wedding traditions and wedding party!
The guests (just a few, 400ish of them) were all greeted with a custom drink and handmade wedding favours, a bar of soap from the Isle of Skye company, Skye Soap. There were dances, speeches, a live band the whole evening and some solid ceilidh dancing! It was just the perfect evening and there is nothing better than walking away from a wedding and not wanting it to end. I’m so happy to have celebrated this wedding day with Ruth and Mark. With every unique wedding I capture, I’m left with memories that I’ll cherish forever and I couldn’t be more grateful for beautiful wedding days like this one.
Just in case you wanted to see Ross and I in action, these above photos show us in our happy place, dancing alongside everyone while capturing the fun happening all the way until the final dance, which is my favorite one! I truly love my job and celebrating the couples I’m documenting!
The images below are from the day-after shoot! We started at Fortitude Coffee and had flat whites before we headed off to roam the streets of the city where these two fell in love.
Edinburgh Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy Co. | Edinburgh Wedding Venues - Ps & Gs Church (ceremony + reception), Cafe Tartine (starter), Papillion (main) + Quay Commons (dessert) | Edinburgh Celebrant - Rev. Michael Mair | Edinburgh Wedding Videographer - Sandy Butler Videography | Edinburgh Wedding Dress - House of Mooshki (bespoke) at Edinburgh Bridal Boutique - Pretty Woman | Jewellery + accessories - Róis Scottish Sea Glass Designs | Bridesmaid outfits - Coast | Scotland Groomswear and kilts - The Kilt Store, Edinburgh | Edinburgh Wedding Florist - Narcissus | Edinburgh Wedding Band Entertainment - Corra | Edinburgh Bridal Make-up - Alicia Avenzzano | Custom Scottish Wedding Favours - Isle of Skye Soap Co. | Edinburgh Set design - Big House Productions
Best Vintage Wedding Dress Shop in Edinburgh | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
Vintage Wedding Dress Shop | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
There are so many talented wedding dress designers that I love to recommend to brides, because I love the creativity and uniqueness that the gowns give to each individual. With that said, you know what else is unique and custom? VINTAGE. I have always been a huge fan of vintage clothing. In college, going to the huge thrift stores with friends, I would find the best gems of vintage dresses, denim and purses (that I still have to this day!). It’s always the best feeling knowing that you have a one of a kind piece, or at least for all you know, it’s the very last garment in tact of that vintage piece, in that size, potentially in the world! You just never know. It’s exciting when you find a vintage wedding dress that you love, because the sizes do tend to vary based on the decade the designer lived in.
If you are looking for a vintage wedding dress and are eloping or having a wedding in Scotland, you have to visit Those Were the Days Bridal! Those Were the Days Bridal is a vintage boutique that specializes in hand curated vintage wedding dresses from all around the world. Claire is the owner and I’ve been shooting her beautifully selected vintage gowns for the last few years now. We’ve done so many lookbook editorials for her shop, that I’ve first hand seen how much knowledge Claire has about the dresses. She knows the designers, the decades, the materials and how best to take care of the gowns. She uses gloves and has anyone sifting through the gowns wear them, to protect their quality for their final owner. I respect Claire and her passion for vintage so much. She is the most true to herself person I know and I’m so grateful I’ve been able to work with her beautiful self and her vintage shop for all of these years.
If you are eloping to Scotland, and don’t want to transport a dress, definitely book an appointment to visit Those Were the Days Bridal when you arrive in Edinburgh. I’m sure you’ll find something beautiful! She has vintage gowns that are short and sassy, perfect for a courthouse elopement, all the way to boho and flowing gowns, that are perfect for those Scottish elopements in the outdoors of the Highlands. Also, next door, there is Those Were the Days Vintage next door, that has both vintage women’s and menswear! Sometimes a funky, sparkly or colorful party or evening gown may be the coolest wedding dress for those really looking to stand out from the crowds! Either way, you won’t be disappointed by visiting Those Were the Days Bridal and Vintage boutiques!
Enjoy these gorgeous vintage gowns from Those Were the Days Bridal,
on the serene and majestic shores of Scotland.
Vintage Wedding Dresses - Those Were The Days Bridal | Models - Maggie & Ben
If you’d like me to capture your elopement, wedding, brand, or would simply like a mentor session with me,
reach out on my contact page through the link below! I can’t wait to chat with you!
Wedding Dress Designer | Carolyn Baxter | Edinburgh, Scotland
Wedding Dress Designer | Carolyn Baxter | Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Since I’ve been here in Edinburgh for half of the year for the last few years, until I start living here full time soon, I am always making new friends in the wedding industry! The reason I love genuinely getting to know individuals in the Scotland wedding world, is because when I know who they are as a person, I can confidently refer them to all of my future Edinburgh or Scotland brides here. You can only see suppliers work online, but when you get to know wedding suppliers in person, you will be able to refer them with more confidence and match them to future brides that share the same passions and personalities as them. For example, I’ve been said to be more soft spoken, quirky and silly in person than anticipated. Many say my personality is different than what they expected from my images (in a good way it seems!) when you know me in person, and I think that it’s so important to meet people face to face and have that personality connection, as well as loving their beautiful work online. So if you can meet local suppliers in your community, then I would highly encourage you to spend time with them, not only for shoots (which is a great way to help each other and create beautiful work for fun!), but grab coffee, keep up with them online, be genuinely invested in their life behind the scenes and not just in repeated comments for others to see.
Carolyn Baxter is a dress designer, based in the heart of Scotland. She not only designs, but hand sews all of her gowns in her Edinburgh studio. Carolyn not only designs wedding dresses, but also bridesmaid dresses and event gowns! Her work amazes me because it’s so custom. I love the creativity and admire the craftsmanship that goes into the process of making all of her own gowns. Each dress has it’s own unique details and gives the person wearing it endless confidence. Carolyn’s gowns are a combination of femininity and elegance, while still having an edge to them. If you’re searching for a place to have a locally designed wedding dress from Scotland for your wedding or elopement, you should definitely reach out to set up an appointment to visit Carolyn’s Baxter’s boutique in Edinburgh.
For this editorial shoot, I captured the “Julianna” and “Glimmer” gowns. We wandered the streets of Edinburgh and the harsh Scottish winds really showed all of the texture and movement of these beautiful dresses very well. These gowns are listed under her Event Dresses page on her website, but this shoot is a prime example of how any dress can be styled for your wedding day. You don’t have to just look in the bridal section for your wedding dress. I’ve even seen brides wear dresses meant for bridesmaids and they looks stunning! There are no rules when looking for your wedding dress, if you like a dress, whether it’s labeled for events, prom, balls or bridesmaids, if you want to wear it as your wedding dress, you do it proudly and I promise no one will even tell it’s purposed intention because the only definition of a wedding dress is the dress you end up wearing on the day you get married to your best friend… and that will always be your wedding dress.
Dress Designer - Carolyn Baxter | Makeup - Roo Bell | Models - Sofia + Alishba |
Edinburgh Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy Co.
Scotland Elopement | Lamb's Pavilion | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
The Pavilion at Lamb’s House | Leith | Scotland Elopement | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
We were together.
I forget the rest.
-Walt Whitman
The beautiful wedding vendors involved in this day are listed at the bottom and I personally believe they offer some of the best options for eloping in Scotland. I’m also so thankful for Tamar + Matt’s genuine love for each other, that always comes through every time they are captured. If anyone is eloping or getting married in Scotland, I would love to help plan the day if you are unfamiliar with the area. I hope everyone enjoys these images and would like to thank the Lamb’s Pavilion, Narcissus Flowers, and Those were the Days Vintage Bridal for being a part of this simply elegant + naturally textured elopement shoot!
Getting Ready + Lodging The Lamb’s Pavilion | Vintage Wedding Dress Those Were the Days Bridal | Wedding Bouquet + Florals Narcissus | Groom’s Jacket + Vintage Burberry Coat Those Were the Days Vintage | Portrait Locations Private Historic Home + Holyrood Park, Edinburgh | Lovely Couple Tamar + Matt
Eloping in Edinburgh, Scotland is something I always encourage! If you are wanting something more intimate and looking for a beautiful country and city to spend those precious memories together, this is the place! I would love to help you plan your elopement in Edinburgh or anywhere else in Scotland! There is nothing I love more than to make your wedding day all about you both and any recommendations or suggestions that you may need, I’m here for you! I also can refer Edinburgh wedding planners, florists and wedding dress shops and designers. Just know that eloping doesn’t mean you are on your own and need to feel overwhelmed! Even the smallest Scottish elopement deserves all of the attention to detail as a wedding day does! I assume if you are reading this that you are contemplating eloping to Scotland, so again I just have to say, do it! You won’t regret spending the start of your life with your best friend in the stunning countryside of Scotland.
Edinburgh City Chambers Wedding | Scotland, UK
Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Scotland Wedding Photographer | City Chambers Elopement
This wedding day was filled with so much beauty and stillness.
Victoria and Theo have a beautiful history of love that started when they met in Canada many years ago, then they both eventually ventured down to London to reconnect later in life and are now settled in Edinburgh, Scotland with their incredibly adorable children. I love sweet stories like these. Mainly because no two stories are the same. Every couple inspires me and I am so grateful to be able to not only capture wedding days but to genuinely celebrate their love alongside their family and friends (and maybe, quite possibly, sing and bop around a good bit during the dancing).
And when I mentioned stillness, I meant that, with "The Fringe" happening in Edinburgh, Scotland during the entire month of August, The Royal Mile is completely packed with tourists. But we found the most lovely nooks and alleyways for portraits around St. Giles Cathedral, The Royal Mile and Advocate’s Close, for plenty of quiet spots amongst the noise. It was so fun feeling like we were hidden away when there are thousands of people on the other side of the building. If anyone was concerned about getting married during festival season in Edinburgh because of the tourists, don't be. It was perfect! Their ceremony was also tucked away in the gorgeous hall inside of Edinburgh City Chambers right off of the The Royal Mile.
Victoria and Theo, thank you so much for choosing me to capture your wedding day! It was such an honor to photograph your wedding in the beautifully historic old town of Edinburgh. Wishing you many blessings on the many years ahead of you!
I am officially in love with kids in kilts.
Every dinner table was named after their most memory giving pubs in London.
I'm definitely a fan of men in kilts as well. Especially dancing! Way more entertaining.
Edinburgh Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy Co. | Dress - Charlotte Balbier | Dress Boutique - Kudos Couture Bridal | Shoes - The White Ribbon | Hair - Ceri Sutherland | Makeup - Victoria Watson, Toto Makeup | Groom Kilt & Sporran - Kinloch Anderson | Jackets - Davison Kilt Hire | Shoes - Loake Inverness Brogues | Cufflinks & Tie - Gieves & Hawkes | Ceremony - City Chambers, Edinburgh | Reception - Osteria del Tempo Perso, Edinburgh | Champagne - Alfred Gratien | Flowers - Narcissus Edinburgh