Steven & Marie at Garvock House

Whilst most of my weddings are booked well in advance, I was delighted to take a number of wedding bookings at the tail end of the 2012 which were booked on much shorter lead times.  With a great venue and a team of wonderful suppliers to help bring it all together, Steven and Marie arranged their wedding in about two weeks, which I thought had to be an all time record (but proved not to be....keep reading my posts!)

I had already booked a stand at a wedding fair on the day in question, but since the couple had planned for a late afternoon ceremony and their wedding was a five minute drive away from where I was exhibiting, I decided that it was completely do-able!

Garvock House Hotel was the venue, (one of my favourite local venues) and the day was bright and pleasant. The Bride had opted for a fantastic 50's style dress with splashy pink flowers, the theme being echoed in the Groom's tie and particularly in the stunning floral displays put together by Vivienne McBride of Lilywhite Wedding Florist.  There were lots of lovely details at this wedding which just goes to show that if you don't have a lot of time to arrange your wedding, it can be done, and done superbly well!  

Steven and Marie literally danced back down the aisle to "Bright Side of Life"....fantastically amusing!

 

The humour just kept coming....don't you just love people who enjoy having fun!

Check out the tiny rosebuds around the favours....it was all so pretty!

Sharlene & Rab Tying the Knot at Edinburgh Castle

I had a very busy September in 2012 with beautiful weddings at The Grouse and Claret in Kinross, Garvock House in Dunfermline, The Glen Pavilion in Dunfermline, and this one at Edinburgh Castle.

 

When Sharlene and Rab booked me to shoot their wedding, I confess I was very excited.  As a total "newbie" to Edinburgh Castle, I knew it would be a challenging day as soon as I looked at the "Photographer's Guide" to shooting at the Castle.  In a nutshell, the regulations about where you can shoot, with whom and when are extremely strict, and just to make sure you adhere to the rules, you get your own "minder".  Oh and by the way, the photographer must not to get in the way of the tourists!

 

So the day dawned, bright and sunny and first up were the getting ready photos with the Bride and her lovely Maids in the outskirts of Kirkcaldy.  Everything was perfect and spirits were high!  Did I mention there was a political rally on in the middle of Edinburgh, the route of which was up the mound and across the Royal Mile?  No?  Well, let's just say that having left the girls in plenty of time to get to the Castle, within sight of the Castle entrance, I was sent on my merry way by a very nice policeman who told me I'd have to go round.  So with white knuckled determination, I wove round Grassmarket and ploughed up the other side, finally to be ushered through the entrance and into my designated space close to St.Margaret's Chapel. 

 

Now, about these tourists....I'm sure I didn't get in their way, but they certainly got in mine. When the Bride arrived the air was thick with excitement and I got a sense of what it would feel like to be a Papparazzi photographer...jostled this way and that whilst obeying the rules, maintaining my dignity and getting a set of photographs that my couple would be proud to own..it was an interesting challenge.

 

I was going to have a little joke and say I spotted this shot when I'd been knocked to the ground by the mob, but it's not true. 

St. Mary's Chapel is the teeniest, tiniest chapel I have ever been in so after the ceremony it was fabulous to be back out in the fresh air...Rab and Sharlene looking so happy...there were about a million people on all sides of me, but you'd never know it. Bride and Groom kept their focus firmly on me. Bless 'em!!

 

On our way to the designated spot for photographs.  It was lovely to have a bit of space to ourselves!

 

 

 

We had just one and a half hours at the Castle, then it was back to the Pitbauchlie Hotel in Dunfermline for the reception.  An amazing couple, an amazing day, a real experience.

 

 

Craigsanquar House Wedding for Tracy and Ryan

It's ages since I've posted on the Blog for which I feel very guilty.  In my defence, I have been extremely busy and for me, client work always comes before blogging!

Picking up the theme of summer weddings, this one was a cracker!  It was my first time shooting a wedding at Craigsanquar House near Cupar, and we had a perfect day for the planned outdoor ceremony!  Tracy looked amazing in her Jenny Packham vintage dress, with hair styling by the talented Alison Stewart and stunning make up by Stacey Whittaker.  Ryan also looked gorgeous and the couple were an absolute pleasure to work with.  It had always been very important to Tracy and Ryan to have time mingling with their guests on their big day, many of whom had travelled from afar to attend the wedding, so they kept their formal photos to a minimum and we took a scant 20 minutes for the Bride and Groom photos.  This is where the pre-wedding shoot reaps benefits...we were already familiar with one another and I was able to direct the shoot for maximum impact using a minimum of their precious time. 

 

 

 

 

The Wedding of Gillian and Andrew

Now and again, a wedding takes me a little further afield than usual, and on July 28th, I found myself on the road to Aviemore and the Boat of Garten Hotel, for the wedding of Gillian and Andrew. This wedding was particularly special for me because two years before, I had photographed the wedding of Gill's sister, Susan. It's lovely to see familiar faces at a wedding, and knowing the family already made for a very relaxed day. The weather was rather "on and off", but we managed to find a rain free window for some photos on the fabulously quaint station platform, and I would like it to be known that the hotel manager went above and beyond the call of duty, personally chauffeuring Gillian, Andrew and I round to the "alternative" access to the station when we found the closest station entrance locked and barred! What a star! Anyway, we got some great photographs...here are just a few....

The Marriage of Naomi & David

Recent internet connection problems have curtailed my posting on the Blog, however, everything seems to be behaving today, so "tally ho". Tinto Country House Hotel (www.tintohotel.co.uk) is nestled at the foot of Tinto Hill in Symington, South Lanarkshire. I met Naomi and David at one of the hotel's wedding fairs over a year ago, and on 23rd June this lovely couple tied the knot. They've had an eventful year with baby Pippa arriving just a few weeks before the wedding, but seem to have taken to the whole thing like ducks to water. Their wedding day was beautiful, relaxed, romantic and great fun. Baby Pippa allowed Mum and Dad to be the stars of the show and what stars they were! The Bride looked absolutely stunning and the Groom was obviously mesmerised...cue the goosebumps!!! Here are a few photos to enjoy!

Turning Japanese - Final Photos

A couple of weeks ago I posted some "behind the scenes" images from a portfolio fashion shoot I put together with a team of talented collaborators...this kind of photo shoot is always great fun and it's so nice to work with a team of people for a change because so much of my day to day work is done alone.  Why Japanese?  It all started with a Twitter post I picked up showcasing some very interesting eye make up.  I sent the image to our model, Nicole and MUA, Susie...what did they think?  They loved it, so the hunt for Japanese inspiration began....it led to me looking at images of Siousxhie Sioux, as I wanted to produce something that was not a straight Geisha look....our stylist Eilidh totally got the vibe I was looking for and combined genuine Japanese kimonos and props (borrowed from a friend who had lived in Japan) with "punk" elements to create our final look.  Hair stylist, Lynn, did a magnificent job with Nicole's hair, producing a fantastic "do" which combined both punk and Samurai warrior really effectively.  We couldn't resist the chop sticks though...even if they did try to slip out of place all the time!  Anyway, a great day and we're all pleased as punch with the final images!

Racecourse Wedding for Michelle & Jamie

First past the post for me this June, (you've got to allow me one pun!) was the wedding of Michelle and Jamie which took place place at my local church in Kinross.  A beautiful ceremony was followed by photos in the church grounds before heading up the motorway to Perth Racecourse for the reception. This was my first wedding at Perth Racecourse and it was an absolute delight because there is so much you can do with the location...sadly Michelle and Jamie had a wedding day to get on with, otherwise I would have dragged them from one end to the other for photographs. As it is, we took photos in the lush surroundings down by the river, on the racecourse itself (no oncoming horses, whew!!) and in the stands, still making the 4.30 p.m. deadline for the sit down! The weather was perfect (seems churlish to moan about bright sunlight) and the balmy evening was perfect to catch up a few extra photos before the dancing kicked off....simply a wonderful day.