Laura & Henry's Wedding At Balbirnie House Hotel

I always love returning to Balbirnie House as it is one of those wedding venues that has everything. Beautiful building, always welcoming staff and a stunning interior which includes that gorgeous staircase. Laura & Henry tied the knot in The Orangery at Balbirnie with drinks reception in the main bar. We couldn't have gotten the weather any better for this time of year with only a few spots of rain and the sun even made an apperance.

I met Laura in her room with all the girls as the hair and make-up was all going on. Always a great time to meet everyone and grab a few candid shots before heading downstairs to meet the boys. Henry was in the bar with all the groomsmen and other guests enjoyong a drink while the wedding hour fast approached.

The Orangery was beautifully prepared for Laura to walk down the aisle with her father. The ceremony was expertly conducted by Graham Duff from The Humanist Fellowship Of Scotland culminating in the traditional hand fastening. This is where the phrase "Tying The Knot" comes from.

After the ceremony all the guests headed outside for the big group photograph but then as it was a little chilly, we did the group shots in small bursts to help keep everyone nice and cozy indoors as well as making sure everyone could relax and enjoy the day instead of standing around for photos. It was a great atmospher and a fantastic day.

Huge thanks to Laura & Henry for making me part of their special day at The Balbirnie House Hotel.

Venue: Balbirnie House Hotel Celebrant: Graham Duff Flowers: Bonnyrigg Flowers

Glenbervie House Hotel Wedding Photography - Angela & Joe

Angela and Joe's Glenbervie House Hotel Wedding must be a contender for the most fun wedding of the year. It was also nice to be able to go to a wedding where there are guests there who's weddings I had photographed in the past. Thank you all for the referrals guys, you know who you all are. We started at Angela's parents house for hair and make up. Lucinda was busy in the kitchen working her magic with make-up and my good friend Helen Woodland from City Brides was making sure all the girl's hairstyling was perfect. Amazing Job as always.

It started to chuck it down with rain as we were leaving to head over to Glenbervie where Angela and the girls would finish getting ready. I headed up to Joe's room to capture the boys in the final throws of getting ready. The tone for the rest of the day was set in that room. I knew it was going to be a brilliant wedding once I saw the selfies, the jokes and the hilarity. Just brilliant.

The wedding ceremony itself was so laid back and fun. Angela and Joe got a selfie with the guests all cheering in the background... it looked awesome.

The rest of the day was just fun photographs as the guests chatted and mingled but as it was still raining outside we did the group shots in the drawing room but managed to take the key family and bridal party shots again outside after the meal when the rain had stopped. Only took a few minutes but was well worth it.

I've got to know Angela, Joe and all their friends over the last few years and really mean this when I say, Thank you! Not just to Angela and Joe but to everyone else who was there to make this the best, fun wedding of the year!

Glenbervie House Hotel Wedding

Suppliers:

Venue: Glenbervie House Hotel

Hair: City Brides

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Murthly Castle Wedding Photography - Jennifer & James

This was a very special wedding. Jennifer & James had arranged the perfect wedding at probably the best venue I have ever shot at. Murthly castle is just out of this world! The drive to the castle once you turn in from the main road must be around a half a mile at least but then you turn the corner to see this stunning house set in a beautiful walled garden. That's not all though. Beyond the house itself is a pine-tree lined drive to Murthly's own private church. Everywhere you looked there was a photograph just begging to be taken.

The girls were getting ready in the room when James and his family were arriving. Getting the button holes pinned to the lapels properly is never an easy task but thankfully Mum was a dab hand and had the boys all kitted out in no time at all. The guests arrived and made their way down the drive leading to the church to meet James and have a peek inside the beautifully decorated church interior. The Jennifer's brother Daniel arrived and was very keen to show the piper his skills and really looked the part with his very own Glengarry.

Peter knocked on Jennifer's door to escort her to the church and give her away to James. It was an emotional when Peter saw his beautiful daughter in her wedding dress and I don't think there was a dry eye in that room for those few seconds. Yours truly included.

After the ceremony the guests enjoyed drinks and canopies back at the castle then on the lawns and then nipped back to the castle then back out the lawns.... Ok, let me explain. It was like someone had a rain button and was pressing it every time we set foot outside. It didn't matter of course as with such a gorgeous venue we could photograph the families in the drawing room. Luckily, after the meal the rain was gone and it turned into a beautiful evening so we grabbed a few duplicate shots of the family photos we did inside then went for a wander around the stunning gardens with Jennifer and James.

A very special day indeed on so many levels. Jennifer & James... I can't thank you enough for inviting me to your wedding. It was very emotional and we know why but it is a day I'll never forget and am so glad I was a part of. Looking forward to seeing you and your family soon after the new year for a catch up.

All the very best

Derek

Murthly Castle Wedding Photography

Check out these suppliers who all helped make this wedding so special. All highly recommended by Jennifer & James.

Wedding Dress: Gwenne Wedding Services

Piper: Ian Sinclair - 07743 099880

Kilt Hire: Perth City Kilts

Flowers: Coach House Flowers

Cake: Greens Deli

Wine: Majestic Wines in calais Money saving tip for other couples: it was £3 less a bottle so the 5-day trip to France with friends paid for itself several times over

Catering: Gourlay Catering

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Melissa & Steve's Wedding At The New Drumossie, Inverness

I do actually love heading out on little adventures to shoot weddings for clients. The trip to Inverness for Melissa & Steve's wedding was brilliant as I got to travel up past the Drumochter Pass and catch some views of that Iconic scenery. I first met Melissa & Steve at Camperdown Park in Dundee for the Engagement Shoot. I've done a quite a few shoots there now as it's lovely and I don't need to use satnav any more to find it. I knew right away we are in for a brilliant wedding day as both Melissa & Steve just relaxed into the shoot. Boy, was I right! The wedding day was easily one of my favourites of 2014. The New Drumossie Hotel is a perfect wedding venue, Melissa and Steve are just a brilliant couple who could not have been any nicer or accommodating both on the day and the build up. The day started with the bridal preparations and some gorgeous and unusal bouquet designs that looked amazing! Then I headed downstairs to meet the boys and grab some shots of the rest of the guests arriving.

After the ceremony and group photos Melissa & Steve smashed a cake with a big wooden rolling pin sending Maltesers everywhere. I did pinch a couple but aren't they the lighter way to enjoy chocolate?

After the speeches and dinner we took a stroll around the grounds for a few minutes to get some shots of the sky that was starting to form a lovely sunset, which would be perfect some more dramatic wide angled shots. Before we knew it, it was time for the first dance and the party. Time to let your hair down and enjoy the rest of the night.

As I said before, easily one of my favourite weddings from last year. I'll be back in Inverness this year and I can't wait for another wedding like this up there!

Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

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Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

Inverness Wedding Photographer

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All the suppliers who helped make it happen:

Hair design: Glamorous - Jacqui Wedding Venue: The New Drumossie Hotel Dress Suppliers: Avorio Bridal Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero Kilts: Ben Wyvis Kilts ltd Florist: The Flower Basket Cake Designer: Bakerris's Cake Shop Catering: The New Drumossie Hotel Shoes By: T.U.K Wedding Band/DJ: Roya Mclean Band with The Entertainment Experience (Andy Belby) Wedding Celebrant: Jackie Goode Reception Decorations: Black Orchid Photo Booth: Taken Cubed Photography

Wedding favours and stationary by Melissa - The Bride.

Janette & Stuart's Balbirnie House Wedding

Back to one of my favourite venues, Balbirnie House, to photograph Janette & Stuart's wedding. It turned out to be a perfect day with a lovely couple and great guests. I was especially delighted to meet up with previous clients and friends Nerissa & Kenny who's wedding I had shot a couple of years earlier..or was it three years earlier? Time flies I guess. Janette was getting ready in one of the rooms on the ground floor so I decided to go and meet Stuart and the guys as they arrived. I hardly recognised Stuart! He was looking very trim indeed. I'll need to ask him his secret one of these days. I took some shots of Stuart and the groomsmen as they greeted and chatted with newly arriving guests. Janette was almost ready so I took the opportunity to get a few shots of the finishing touches and I have to say, she looked incredible, just incredible.

The ceremony was in the Long Room at Balbirnie which had been beautifully prepared by the staff as always. After the ceremony we headed outside for confetti and group shots followed by bride and groom portraits around Balbirnies beautiful lawns and gardens.

Finally after the wedding breakfast it was time to party and make no mistake, they partied alright. Some awesome dance moves were on show and it was great fun jsut gliding around the edge of the dance floor picking of shots as the guests let their hair down.

Another perfect wedding.

Houston House Hotel Wedding - Lauren & Jamie

The Houston House Hotel is a wedding venue I haven't been to for almost exactly a year now. Always have a great time there but this time it was mostly due to Lauren & Jamie. Hopefully the fun of the day shines through the photographs as it was a day when time just flew by. Started off at Lauren's parents house for the getting ready photos before heading to St Mary's at Dalmahoy for the wedding service. A beautiful little church just inside the grounds of the Dalmahoy Golf and Country club. Once we arrived at The Houston House Hotel, Lauren and Jamie were greeted by their guests before the wedding breakfast. The speeches were brilliant and the same can be said for the dancing too. Just brilliant!

The Roxburghe Hotel Wedding - Sarah & Sam

Now and then I get asked to cover a wedding at fairly short notice but these are usually small, intimate weddings mid-week at a registry office maybe. Sarah and Sam had planned on their father taking the wedding pictures but decided at the last minute that the he really needed to be there to enjoy himself, (he is the Father of the Bride after all) and the pressure of it not going well would have been epic! What can I say about The Roxburghe Hotel near Kelso? I have photographed a few weddings there now and every one has been just fantastic. Lot's to do with the brilliant couples I get to work with but this venue has it all. They also offer clay pigeon shooting as a warm up for the boys before the wedding while the girls get ready in the morning.

I was only there to photograph from arrival at the church to the reception back at The Roxburghe but everything ran so smoothly from the the race to the Mertoun Parish Church, the race back to the Roxburghe (The beat me!) and the group photos. Fantastic family and a genuinely lovely bride and groom.

I'm so glad they asked me to photograph what is one of my fave weddings of the last year. Thank you both so much for having me along to your brilliant wedding. It was a blast from start to finish.

Lorne & Mark's Wedding at The Macdonald Marine Hotel - North Berwick

Weddings at The Macdonald Marine Hotel are always special and Lorne and Mark's was no different. A perfect day in one of the east of Scotland's premier venues. I met Lorne and the girls in her room while Jenni Muir was busy applying Lorne's makeup. I have worked with Jenni before and I think she's brilliant. I headed down to meet the Mark and the lads for some photos on the lawn before heading back up to Lorne's room to follow her down to the ceremony.

The wedding Ceremony was beautiful and expertly conducted by Ivan Middleton of the Humanist Society Scotland. After the ceremony we got all the family shots and then very bravely, Lorne and Mark followed me down to the beach for some romantic beach wedding photos. Well, that was the idea. Just as we got there a gale whipped up and before you knew it we were all struggling stay on our feet! It was hilarious but we still got a few good shots and agreed to head back out for a few minutes after the meal to wait for the hurricane to subside.

During the meal we were treated to spectacle that I don't really want to give away too much detail about as the whole point of it is that it's a big surprise. So for future brides to be, I'll say nothing, except.....I was actually astounded by what I witnessed. I can't give any higher praise. I never ever use the word astounded. So there you go.

Lorne and Mark are a special couple, they really are. They made me feel so welcome and a huge thanks to everyone involved and that has to include Jackie who had me in stitches all day!

Balgeddie House Hotel Wedding Photography - Mari & Greg

Mari and Greg were married at Leven Parish Church before heading off to The Balgeddie House Hotel for the drinks reception and wedding breakfast. Balgeddie House has beautiful gardens to the rear of the property which are fantastic for group photos and bridal portraits. Mari & Greg had a fantastic wedding day, celebrated with all their friends and family. They are a great couple, so accommodating and warm. All day there were fantastic when it came to the photos. I try to stay in the background as much as possible and only stepping in for the posed photographs when needed. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Mari and Greg though. They even arranged for me to sit with the guests for dinner, a lovely touch.

A warm thank you to you both for everything guys.

Huntingtower Wedding Photography Laura & Scott

Huntington Tower is situated just outside Perth and has beautiful grounds, perfect for a big wedding. Laura and Scott's wedding was certainly big but what stays in my memory more than the number of guests is the sheer hilarity of the wedding.I was actually surprised I got any shake free shots from laughing so much. From the getting ready shots in the morning, the ceremony and the saga of the lost music to the party in the evening. It was just so much fun! Hopefully you'll see what I mean from the photos below but this was definitely the most fun I had all year. Brilliant!

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Aswanley Wedding - Lois & John

Aswanley is one the best venues in the north of Scotland. You really can't go wrong with a venue that caters only for your wedding guests and therefor giving their full attention to you, your friends and family. It's set in stunning countryside around 7 miles south of Huntly. Inside it's beautifully set up for you. Long tables where guests can chat and laugh along with the speeches. I was delighted to be asked to photograph Lois and John's wedding reception at this beautiful venue. First it was off to Lois' parent's farm in Muiryfold. It was quite calm and relaxed as the girls were pampered and sipped champagne before getting ready to head to the church. On the way to the church, I popped in to see how John was getting along with his preparations at his parent's farm. he was all ready by the time I got there and looking very smart indeed. We grabbed a few fun shots with his family before it was time to take the short trip to the church.

Lois arrived looking absolutely stunning. It was a glorious day day too , it really couldn't have gone any better.

After the ceremony we took the 25 minute drive to Aswanley where we took more family photos while grabbing little candid shots of guests mingling and sipping champagne, not to mention the odd single malt. the sun was shining down on Lois and John's wedding day. Lois, John and I then grabbed a few portraits before it was time for the speeches.

After the meal, the guests danced the night away to a traditional ceilidh.

Angela & Jamie - Stair & Enterkine House Wedding

The perfect Autumn wedding! Picturesque church situated in the countryside of Ayrshire followed by a big reception bash on the lawns of Enterkine House a few miles away. I had such a brilliant time! The leaves were turning red and orange, the sun was shining and to top it all off, Lisa and Jamie were great. It was such a happy but funny, laid back occasion. To be honest, it couldn't have gone any better.

Enterkine House is an amazing location and definitely worth your attention if you are from that part of the world. Stunning place. Below are just a few highlights from the big day.

Katie & James' Wedding at Yester Parish Church, Gifford, East Lothian

What a great day, Katie and James' wedding was. I think they spent the whole day laughing and having a ball and I loved every minute of it! Superb. They were married at Yester Parish Church in the beautiful little village of Gifford in East Lothian. Quite a few of the guests arrived early on for a wee dram in the Goblin Ha' Pub to maybe settle the nerves. That's where I found James. We then headed to the Church for a few photographs of the guests arriving before everyone went inside to await Katie's arrival.

After the ceremony, the wedding party headed back to Katie's parents farm, just outside Tranent where a huge marquee had been erected to facilitate the evenings entertainment. With the speeches, the best band I've heard in a long time and everyone being brilliant on the day, it all amounted to the perfect wedding day.

Gabrielle and James Marine Hotel Wedding

St Mary's Cathedral in the East End of Edinburgh is simply stunning. A traditional Cathedral with all the character and ambience you'll ever need for your ceremony. It was my first time inside and it really impressed. Gabriella and James then headed down to the Marine Hotel, North Berwick for the reception. It has the perfect grounds for your traditional family shots but then you can head down to the beach for some fun Bride and Groom portraits. It's only a 5 minute walk but if you are getting married at The Marine Hotel, it's well worth the short walk. It almost looks like some far away beach paradise! Ahem, weather dependant of course.