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 |
A Romantic Country House Wedding in Scotland | Lunga House | Diana + Scott | Scottish Wedding Venue | Scotland Wedding Photographer
A Romantic Country House Wedding in Scotland | Lunga House | Diana + Scott | Scottish WEdding Venue | Scotland Wedding Photographer
Overlooking the water, on the west coast of Scotland, you will find the lovely Lunga House. This incredibly beautiful country house is located on Lunga Estate, just a short drive from Craobh Haven in the heart of Argyll. With Diana being from North America and Scott from Scotland, it was the perfect wedding venue to house both travelers visiting from abroad as well as the locals who maybe haven’t ventured to every inch of Scotland yet. Even my husband, who was born and raised in Scotland, this wedding day was his first time visiting this area specifically, even though he’s driven on the nearest main road and never stopped off to explore. The Scottish nature scenes are stunning in this area (as are most in Scotland), but all of this to say, definitely worth looking into this historic venue if you’re still searching for a coastal, country house wedding venue in Scotland.
Diana started her day with her bridesmaids getting ready in the upstairs bridal suite of the Lunga House, with beautiful views of the ocean from the three large windows in the room. I started my day as I usually do, by getting there a bit early, roaming around the venue to search for the perfect corners and patches of light. I would then head to find beautiful textures of the venue to photograph any details laid out for me, after going to say good morning to the bride to be and her bridal party.
The Lunga House is perfect for any kinds of scottish weather, as you can get married outside in the garden or have your ceremony in one of their lovely, historical rooms for an intimate ceremony. The country house also has many rooms for a cocktail hour, tea hour, cake cutting space and lounge rooms with seating to break up the standing around. The Lunga House Estate has one large hall on the end of the home and that is where the reception dinner, speeches, toasts and dancing takes place. It feels intimate enough for long tables for dinner, but it’s also large enough to have live band play and have a formal ceilidh dance, like Diana and Scott had for their wedding evening. As I was walking away to the car at the end of the night, I caught a glimpse of the two of them dancing together through a window and the way they were looking at each other says it all about how they feel about one another. I truly loved how romantic this scottish wedding day was, and the Lunga House Estate truly made the perfect backdrop for these two to start the next chapter of their lives together. x
Scotland Wedding Venue - Lunga house Country Estate | Scotland Wedding Florist - The Thistle and the Rose Oban | Scotland Hair Stylist - Hair my Yasmin | Bride and Groom Rings - Molome London
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
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 |
Carlowrie Castle Wedding | Will + Lindsey | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Venue | Scotland Wedding Photographer
Carlowrie Castle Wedding | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer | Edinburgh Wedding Venue | Scotland Wedding Photographer
I’ll start this blog post by saying that Will and Lindsey are such a fun couple, that I think we’ve spent the most time with them both then I ever have before with a couple, since capturing their wedding day. And thankfully they live near us in Edinburgh and Lindsey and I can relate to being Americans who married a Scottish man. It’s all very entertaining in the best way possible!
So on the morning of the wedding day Lindsey got ready with her family in a stunning suite at The Bonham Hotel in the west end of Edinburgh. It’s one of the loveliest little tucked away hotels, if you’d like a luxury hotel experience but not in a touristy part of town, as it’s hidden away in a residential area. The lovely team at Hair Beauty & Bridal was set up with the natural light at the windows and everyone had lovely chats, breakfast and a relaxing morning together. After the hair and makeup was done, everyone went in robes and headed to the bridal suite in Carlowrie Castle, as they also have hotel rooms, and that is where all of the family stayed the night of the wedding day. I think it’s so great when a wedding venue, like Carlowrie Castle, has plenty of rooms for the family, so they can just roll into bed at the end of the night, without waiting for a taxi. Once we were in the bridal suite, Lindsey had a drink with her mom and watched out of the window as guests started to arrive. Lindsey’s dress was from a boutique in South Carolina, called Gown Boutique of Charleston. Will was downstairs greeting guests at the front door of Carlowrie Castle, where a bagpiper was playing scottish tunes. As half of the guests, Lindsey’s side, were from the states, It’s the kind of “awe, that’s so Scottish” vibes that I love at a wedding day and could see everyone really enjoying being in this country when they were greeted to the castle with the piper. It was magical!
Carlowrie Castle has so many lovely green houses around the property, and the one connected to the castle is where they had their wedding ceremony. Lindsey’s dad walked her down the aisle and they had a really beautiful ceremony filled with lots of natural light and love from their family members. After the ceremony everyone went out front of the castle for a large group wedding guests photo and then everyone was served apps and the castle bar opened for the guests while Will and Lindsey went for a walk around the castle gardens. Carlowrie Castle has the loveliest gardens for a stroll, so Will and Lindsey were able to get some alone time in as well as a few portraits being taken before they headed back into the castle for dinner. The bagpiper stayed to pipe them into the reception with his majestic tunes. Will and Lindsey chose miniature Lind & Lime Gin bottles for the wedding favors and were placed at everyone’s place setting at dinner. It’s one of my personal favorite local gins and its always nice to see a practical gift for guests, as I am sure there wouldn’t have been any left behind at the end of the night.
Carlowrie Castle is such a beautiful castle
wedding venue in Edinburgh.
To end the night, Lindsey, Will and their friends had some wild dance moves happening to the tunes of DJ Lee Live. As we were leaving Carlowrie Castle to head back into town at the end of the night, we looked back at the moonlit castle. The silhouette of the colorful lights coming from the dance floor with the beautiful, clear blue sky and moon shining brightly gave the most beautiful scene to end this extremely fun and beautiful wedding day at Carlowrie Castle. x
Wedding Venue - Carlowrie Castle | Edinburgh Hotel - The Bonham Hotel | Edinburgh Wedding Florist - Narcissus Flowers | Edinburgh Make-up + Hair Artist - Hair Beauty & Bridal | Wedding Dress Shop - Gown Boutique of Charleston | Groom Outfit - 8 Yards Edinburgh | Bride + Groom Rings - McIntyres | Wedding Catering - Carlowrie Castle | Edinburgh DJ - DJ Lee Live | Wedding Cake Designer - Liggy’s Cake Shop in Stockbridge
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
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
Tarlair Swimming Pool | Open Air Pool in Scotland | Travel Photographer
Tarlair Swimming Pool | Open Air Pool in Scotland | Travel Photographer
I love visiting new places. They don’t need to be the most epic mountains or popular locations in the country, just a place that is new to me. I will always find a way to connect to the atmosphere wherever I find myself, by strolling around the area and taking it all in.
For this trip, my birthday weekend to be exact, we ventured to the north east of Scotland in Aberdeenshire. We stayed in the Aberdeen countryside in a remote hut with a wood-burning hot tub. It was simple and all we needed for a simple and sweet getaway. We stopped at so many abandoned castles, structures and quiet coastlines along the road up north. But one of my favorite places I laid my eyes on was the Tarlair Outdoor Swimming Pool. It was commissioned in 1929 and opened in 1931. Between Tarlair’s Art Deco architecture and the history it has during the war times has made this a Grade A building by Historic Scotland. It’s truly a beautiful sight. Even with all of the buildings and pools clearly unmaintained, there is a bit of happiness that you can still see when imagining all of the times that were had there when it first opened. The designers were so thoughtful with the structure and the location could not be more perfect. It is perfectly placed just below a cliff, right on the beach front. The architects had designed pumps to bring in the ocean water to the multiple layers of pools. The steps into the pool were so thoughtful and well designed. Overall, the Art Deco architecture design had me over the moon.
And as a side note, as there may be others who will visit this beautiful piece of Art Deco architecture in the future, just to remember to be mindful of where you’re walking, because depending on the water and tide, this particular area can be extremely wet and slippery around the pool edges. Locals are there usually walking their dogs and it is a really peaceful place for a mindful stroll, reading a book or taking a few images, but not a place for masses to gather, play loud music or disturb locals in this peaceful little area (as well as any area in The Highlands, truly).
This location was just a dream for me, as someone who loves architecture and the stillness and quietness of a historic, desolate structure. This was such a great place to think. In fact, shortly after Ross and I arrived, we both parted ways to stroll around the area and look at the details of the area, as it felt more like a sacred sanctuary, unlike the usual natural scenery locations in Scotland that we visit. I love visiting places with Ross and love how these road trip experiences bring us closer together with the many memories made. From the music we listen to in the car, to our conversations about how these abandoned structures used to be thriving, to the snacks we choose at local markets, to the crazy weather and random ways we end up spending our evenings (like figuring out how to get the best temperature from a wood-burning hot tub in the rain). We always have so much fun together and make the most of any situation, and I’m so excited to continue to experience new places and making beautiful memories with Ross for the rest of my days. x
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
South Queensferry Elopement | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
South Queensferry Elopement | Those Were The Days Bridal | Scotland Elopement Photographer
I can never get enough of brides who wear vintage. Vintage will always hold a special place in my heart, as I love how you use your imagination of the stories that the piece previously experienced. It really is a beautiful thing. This is another example of how beautiful the vintage wedding dresses from Those Were The Days Bridal can be styled for your elopement. If you from or ever get the chance to visit Scotland, you need to make your way over to South Queensferry. They are a beautiful waterfront town with cobblestoned streets, beautiful bridges, quaint cafes and endless historic architecture that is protected by the Scottish Government. Our friends Ruth and Mark live out there, and we are constantly having sleepovers at their home with delicious meals and endless chats into the night. All this to say, we love South Queensferry and would highly recommend it for your elopement or even just a place to visit for a Saturday stroll.
If you do decide to make it out to South Queensferry, definitely check out The Manna House. It’s the cafe we frequent often when we are there. They have excellent honey lattes, delicious pastries and their French Toast platter is definitely an American portion… which I unashamedly love. Ross also enjoys their fresh baked loafs of bread and salads, you know, the healthier options. Also, if you enjoy walking, the Dalmeny estate has beautiful walkways with gorgeous pathways along the coastline, and we’ve definitely enjoyed some beautiful evenings of S’mores with our friends on the sand. It’s truly a lovely area of Scotland to visit!
Vintage Wedding Dresses - Those Were The Days Bridal | Vintage Menswear - Those Were The Days Vintage | 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!
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!
Scotland Elopement | The Path Less Traveled | Scarlett & Bell Wedding Planner
Scotland Wedding Photographer | Scotland Elopement Inspiration | Scarlett & Bell Wedding Planner
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Robert Frost
This Scotland elopement shoot was inspired by the chilling richness of Scottish spring in the setting of an ancient ruin. We focused on the harmonious coupling of the ancient and modern, combining textures and materials found from the natural setting. The flower pieces incorporated foraged lichen branches, dried bracken and budding witch-hazel, and rich tones from skimmia berries and antique roses. The historic setting and the rich floral pieces were held in juxtaposition with the modern fabrics in the eclectic clothing and jewellery, sourced internationally from independent designers. The tablescape was also inspired by this juxtaposition between the old and new, with the raw wood and moss, and the tangled gold netting and gilded branch candelabras.
If you are searching for a wedding planner based in Scotland but who loves to travel, Mercedes of Scarlett & Bell is a gem of a human! Between her and the lovely Adelaide of Adelaide’s Flowers, who I’ve had the pleasure of capturing her stunning florals for an intimate scottish wedding of mine last summer, are a dream team and provided the setting and vision for this gorgeous shoot and I’m honestly just the blessed lady who was asked to document their romantical vision into memorable stills. I’m so incredibly grateful for the ladies in my life who continue to inspire me, encourage me and collaborate creatively with me. I hope you enjoy this wedding inspiration taken place somewhere deep in the heart of Scotland. And scroll below to see all of the lovely ladies (and my pals, the guys over at Cinemate) who made this session come to life so beautifully!
Photographer @melodyjoyco // Videographer @cinematefilms // Florist @adelaidesflowers // Stylist @scarlettandbell // Hair @pamperpolishbeautybridal // MUA @heathersnowiemua // Stationary @edinburghletters // Nicola's nails @sarahmurrayskinclinic // Jewellery @patiencejewellery // Models Nicola & Anna // Location is a private home in Scotland
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Dunnottar Castle at Dusk | Raw Love
Dunnottar Castle Wedding | Scotland Wedding Photographer
These two are precious humans, whom I adore.
Their love is raw and their sweet joy can be felt by anyone who is in their presence.
The first time I met these newlyweds was literally in the Highlands of Scotland for a shoot when my friends were visiting from LA, Sheri and Nicole, and invited me to join them for a day trip! My main contribution was to suggest that we go to Dunnottar at dusk because of the cliffside views and the skies tones are some of my favorites in the country. It couldn’t have been a better setting to end a day in Scotland with friends visiting and to witness all of them seeing Dunnottar for the first time, under such beautiful dusk light. I honestly couldn’t have even told you their names before I captured these images of them on this day (I’m also just bad with names, it takes me a while, ha). Matt and Tamar are also a talented husband & wife photo/video duo I came to find out later! But there is something so lovely about simply meeting someone in person first before seeing their online presence or scrolling through their life before meeting them. I really love meeting with people in person, in passing. Face to face will always be the truest form of connection and authenticity, and these two’s love for each other was just that, deep and genuine. It was so apparent from the first day I met their bubbly selves cuddling on the mountainside. I just love their perseverance, their joy, their hope and their sweet and kind spirits. I’m so grateful to have met them in the Highlands on this day and for all of our hangouts since! So cheers to meeting people in person, developing genuine friendships and to couples endlessly in love and pursuing their dreams together!
Are you looking for an epic place to elope in Scotland? The outdoors in the Highlands of Scotland is the best Wedding Venue. Dunnottar Castle is the perfect backdrop for a wedding of elopement in Scotland. Dunnottar Castle is perfectly placed on the coast of Scotland and is perfect for couples traveling into Scotland to have an elopement in the Highlands of Scotland. If you are searching for a beautiful outdoor location for your elopement or wedding day in Scotland, Dunnottar Castle is lovely! I remember the first time I went to Dunnottar Castle. It was just to explore the beautiful Scottish coastline and was on a personal road trip to photograph this beautiful country. Dunnottar Castle stood beautifully in the distance as we pulled into the parking lot and I instantly fell in love with its majestic and stoic stance perfectly settled into the cliffside of the Scottish coast. I always love exploring new places in Scotland and those end up being the backdrop for many sessions in the future. Dunnottar Castle, I instantly knew would be a beautiful and romantic setting in Scotland for an engagement session or couples portrait session. I’ve seen many weddings and elopements captured at Dunnottar Castle and they are all so whimsical and lovely. If you are ever wanting any opinions on places to elope or have a wedding in Scotland, just let me know! I have so many outdoor wedding venue ideas in the highlands of Scotland that I stumbled upon, if you want a unique and remote Scottish wedding day or elopement. All in all, Dunnottar Castle will continue to be a beautiful location for an elopement or engagement, and if you need a photographer for your special day, please feel free to reach out. I would be honored to make something beautiful with you and your loved one in Scotland!
Scotland Elopement | A Highland Wedding
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
( These are the kinds of individuals, artists, brides and humans I want to work with, and just live life with. )
You can't beat pure joy, even when it's so cold out!
I can't get enough of shooting the unique details of a wedding day.
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
Location // It's a secret says the building owner, but I'll give you a hint...it's in Arrochar.
Planner + Stylist Fin Flükra (Catrina Duthie) // Website Facebook Instagram Pinterest
Wedding Photography Melody Joy Co. // Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Floristry Posies & Pots // Website Facebook Twitter Instagram
Headpieces + Jewellery Susan Dick Jewellery // Website Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Hair + Makeup Bonnie Brides // Facebook Instagram
Model // Natalie Leask
Featured on - Mrs. P & P Wedding Blog
If you are looking for an elopement photographer in Scotland, I would absolutely love to capture your love in the Scottish Highlands! I have traveled all over Scotland, and not only have shot real weddings, but have done so many trips to explore the land for leisure as well as to scout for future brides who are flying into Scotland. It’s so fun to do styled shoots in new areas of Scotland because you get to find the best areas and scout for unique landscapes that haven’t been shot before by other photographers. It’s so nice to try and find different places for every bride that is traveling to Scotland. The main Scottish landscapes are of course excellent venues to elope, but I really love finding places to elope in Scotland that are more off the beaten path and less traveled to. I just really love going on hikes in Scotland. Just being in the fresh air, experiencing new places and being so far away from the rest of the population is one of my favorite places to be. Capturing weddings started as a way to document people in love and I’ve thankfully with the help of trusting couples, have made a create a career out of it, but now I have started the nature aspect of it just as much. There is something about photographing a couple and their raw love amongst the elements of the mountains and sea coastlines, that truly makes their wedding photos have a raw and authentic feel to them. Scottish elopements are such a beautiful thing to capture, and if you choose to elope somewhere with your best friend, I would love suggest traveling to Scotland and finding an elopement photographer to document your love. And if you need any suggestions for places to elope in Scotland, please reach out and ask! I love to help couples plan their elopement anywhere, but especially in all of the beauty that is the Scottish Highlands.