Royal College of Physicians Wedding Ceremony | Gleneagles Townhouse Wedding Reception | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Royal College of Physicians Wedding Ceremony | Gleneagles Townhouse Wedding Reception | Marissa and Mike | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Marissa and mike had their wedding ceremony at The Royal College of PHysicians on Queen Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Royal College of Physicians is one of the most iconic library’s that you can get married at in all of Edinburgh. They were married in “The New Library”, which is ironically one of the oldest libraries in Edinburgh as well. It is actually still being used as a functional library today for the college. And of course, The New Library is perfect for an intimate wedding ceremony, and Marissa and Mike had just 10 of thier closest friends and family members with them on their wedding day.
Earlier that day, Marissa got ready in a corner suite at The Cheval the Edinburgh Grand on St. Andrew’s Square, which is just around the corner from The Royal College of Physicians. She had the talented Rae Mathieson doing her makeup and the lovely Stacey Deane do everyone’s hair. They also had the talented Emma, of Timeless White wedding planners, there with her in the bridal suite when I arrived, and of course, she was making sure that every detail was taken care of the entire wedding day. Mike and Marissa had a first look in the Games Room on the 4th floor of the Cheval Edinburgh Grand and then afterwards had a private moment to say their vows to each other with no one else in the room. After they were finished we took a few photos by the elevator in the lobby, which is an image that is sentimental to them both.
The team at Timeless White made sure that the bride and groom were driven around during their wedding portraits by the friendliest taxi service in town, Butlers Chauffeur Hire. Once we got in the car, I had already pre planned with the couple over multiple zoom calls and emails about exactly where they would like to take their wedding portraits in Edinburgh. We started on the old town side of the city first, and roamed around the royal mile and vennel lookout point with the edinburgh castle perfectly placed behind the couple. We then drove over to the new town side of town, where The Royal COllege of Physicians is located, and stopped at both Circus lane in Stockbridge as well as the SCottish National POrtrait Gallery on queen street. THe portrait Gallery is one of my favorite spots to take portraits, as there are so many lovely murals and multiple floors of artwork for every couple to find a lovely corner that they appreciate. The Portrait Gallery is also just one block away from The Royal College of Physicians, so we were able to walk over to the wedding venue.
All of the wedding guests arrived to the new Library ceremony space, which is filled with books, floral installations by The Petal Shoppe, live music by the Capella String Quartet, a surrounding balcony, windy staircases and ornate marble ceilings, while the bride and groom were tucked away in a suite. The wonderfully charming celebrant, Andrew Scott, made the ceremony incredibly scottish and heart warming for these two americans, who have heritage in scotland, with all of the scottish traditions that he shared with their loved ones. After the ceremony, the couple were greeted with confetti outside of the royal college of physicians before their guests headed off to the cocktail hour. But before leaving the stunning architecture of this historic wedding venue in the heart of edinburgh, the couple had one more roam around the new library by themselves to take a few more couple photos and have a private first dance with the live musician still playing in the background.
After leaving the Royal COllege of PHysicians, the couple had a taxi take them around the corner to The Gleneagles Townhouse for a few portraits at The Spence bar. The couple was also able to see all of the lovely floral installations and table decor in the courtyard of the spence restaurant before everyone else, and timeless white and The Petal Shoppe did such a wonderful job with everything. There were figs, grapes, and a soft palette of florals that perfectly matched the Spence’s palette of napkins and interior decor. BAck at the lounge tables by the spence bar, the wedding guests were all enjoying drinks and canapés before they were all escorted down to the courtyard for their seated dinner.
There were many heartfelt speeches, and even a few surprises for me personally, as the groom was from a place I never thought I would hear of again, but was from a small town that I used to live at for a few years in middle GA, and his two friends that gave speeches were also from there. The world is a really small place, and wedding days always remind me of that, especially when so many lovely american couples come over to scotland to get married in beautiful and historic venues in Edinburgh. IRonically, I have zero heritage in SCotland or the UK as a whole, as I’m all Mexican (mom’s side) and Norwegian (my dad’s side), via the DNA test that I took, and just in the last few generations had moved over to America and ended up in chicago, where my parents met as kids. but so many americans have british heritage and I love that they love to all come here to experience this culture. With my husband being scottish and us about to have a child in the next few weeks, I know that our child will love exploring all of the different cultures that make up their historical DNA, just as these two sweet gems did on their wedding day in Edinburgh. x
“The Royal College of Physicians has one of the most historic library spaces for anyone to have an intimate wedding ceremony and is conveniently located in the heart of edinburgh, scotland.”
Edinburgh Wedding Venue - The Royal College of Physicians | Destination Scottish Wedding Planners - Timeless White | EDINBURGH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - MELODY JOY CO. | edinburgh Hair Stylist - Stacey Deane | Makeup Artist - Rae Mathieson | edinburgh Wedding Florist - The Petal Shoppe | Clothing & Fashion - Sophia Grace Couture | Entertainment - Capella String Quartet | edinburgh Officiant - Andrew Scott Celebrant | EDINBURGH COCKTAIL HOUR AND Reception Venue - The Courtyard at Gleneagles Townhouse | COcktail Hour - The Spence | Taxi - Butlers Chauffeur Hire | Getting Ready Bridal Suite - Cheval the Edinburgh Grand
Edinburgh Wedding Venue - The Royal College of Physicians | Destination Scottish Wedding Planners - Timeless White | EDINBURGH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER - MELODY JOY CO. | edinburgh Hair Stylist - Stacey Deane | Makeup Artist - Rae Mathieson | edinburgh Wedding Florist - The Petal Shoppe | Clothing & Fashion - Sophia Grace Couture | Entertainment - Capella String Quartet | edinburgh Officiant - Andrew Scott Celebrant | EDINBURGH COCKTAIL HOUR AND Reception Venue - The Courtyard at Gleneagles Townhouse | COcktail Hour - The Spence | Taxi - Butlers Chauffeur Hire | Getting Ready Bridal Suite - Cheval the Edinburgh Grand
Bonham Hotel Wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland | Eilidh + Ryan | Edinburgh City Chambers Ceremony | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Bonham Hotel Wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland | Eilidh + Ryan | Edinburgh City Chambers Ceremony | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
Eilidh and Ryan had the most beautiful wedding day celebrating in Edinburgh at The Bonham Hotel and had their wedding ceremony at Edinburgh City Chambers. They started their wedding day by getting ready separately, so they could have the first look as Eilidh walked down the aisle. So I met the bride in the courtyard and photographed her entire grand entrance as she walked through the Edinburgh City Chambers courtyard, strolled up the beautiful grand staircase with red carpet and followed her all of the way up to the European Room Suite, which is the loveliest room at the City Chambers. It is filled with large, historic painted murals and elegant cornicing and detail along every inch of the walls and ceiling.
I was then able to angle myself in the front of the ceremony, to capture Ryan watching his soon to be wife stroll down the aisle as he saw her in her stunning wedding dress for the first time. She had the loveliest puff sleeved wedding dress and the most timeless princess cut and neckline that was so incredibly beautiful and flattering. I also loved her headband! After the vows, signing the registry and saying I do, the couple had their first kiss and then we took a few family portraits before we headed back outside for portraits.
We strolled over to the National Galleries of Scotland Portrait Gallery. The National Portrait Gallery of Scotland is one of my favorite places for natural light in an indoor setting of Edinburgh. So whether rain or shine, you can always rely on the Scottish Portrait Gallery to have beautifully lit couples portraits in front of floor to ceiling murals and large ornate windows. I regularly visit The Scottish National Portrait Gallery with my husband to see the latest portrait exhibits and the fact that it's only a few minutes walk away from our home.
After strolling around Edinburgh for wedding portraits, Eilidh and Ryan had their friends and family meet them at The Bonham Hotel, a beautiful boutique hotel located in the stunning West End neighborhood of Edinburgh. I love the Bonham Hotel because of how quaint the interior is, but also the staff is always so hospitable and helpful when catering to your guests. The dining hall of the Bonham hotel has a beautiful bay window overlooking a private garden on Drumsheugh Gardens.
At the end of the day, the couple was able to cut their cake, laugh with their friends and celebrate their wedding day with all of their favorite people, sweetly tucked away in the beautiful interiors of the Bonham Hotel. x
“The Bonham Hotel is a beautiful spot for an intimate wedding day in the west end of Edinburgh, Scotland.”
Intimate Hotel Wedding Venue in Edinburgh - The Bonham Hotel // Edinburgh Wedding Ceremony Venue - Edinburgh City Chambers on The Royal Mile in Old Town // Edinburgh Wedding Portrait Location - National Galleries of SCotland, scottish national portrait gallery // Edinburgh Wedding Photographer Based in Edinburgh - Melody Joy Co.
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
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
Scotland Elopement | Lamb's Pavilion | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
The Pavilion at Lamb’s House | Leith | Scotland Elopement | Edinburgh Wedding Photographer
We were together.
I forget the rest.
-Walt Whitman
The beautiful wedding vendors involved in this day are listed at the bottom and I personally believe they offer some of the best options for eloping in Scotland. I’m also so thankful for Tamar + Matt’s genuine love for each other, that always comes through every time they are captured. If anyone is eloping or getting married in Scotland, I would love to help plan the day if you are unfamiliar with the area. I hope everyone enjoys these images and would like to thank the Lamb’s Pavilion, Narcissus Flowers, and Those were the Days Vintage Bridal for being a part of this simply elegant + naturally textured elopement shoot!
Getting Ready + Lodging The Lamb’s Pavilion | Vintage Wedding Dress Those Were the Days Bridal | Wedding Bouquet + Florals Narcissus | Groom’s Jacket + Vintage Burberry Coat Those Were the Days Vintage | Portrait Locations Private Historic Home + Holyrood Park, Edinburgh | Lovely Couple Tamar + Matt
Eloping in Edinburgh, Scotland is something I always encourage! If you are wanting something more intimate and looking for a beautiful country and city to spend those precious memories together, this is the place! I would love to help you plan your elopement in Edinburgh or anywhere else in Scotland! There is nothing I love more than to make your wedding day all about you both and any recommendations or suggestions that you may need, I’m here for you! I also can refer Edinburgh wedding planners, florists and wedding dress shops and designers. Just know that eloping doesn’t mean you are on your own and need to feel overwhelmed! Even the smallest Scottish elopement deserves all of the attention to detail as a wedding day does! I assume if you are reading this that you are contemplating eloping to Scotland, so again I just have to say, do it! You won’t regret spending the start of your life with your best friend in the stunning countryside of Scotland.