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
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
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 |
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
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
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
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!
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