I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Janine & Karl’s wedding in Scotland. It’s a bit of a funny story about how the bride and I met and like all good ones, our story starts at a bar. We had just completed a two-day wedding photo workshop - Photography Farm - during which, Janine had stumbled across my Instagram feed. With the workshop coming to a close, all the participants went to a local pub for a “wee dram”. Before we walked in, Janine introduced herself and said, “I’ve seen your portfolio and I’m ready to sign a contract. We’re getting married next May”. Without skipping a beat I said, “I’ll be there”.
Fourteen months later, my husband, Jim, and I flew across the Atlantic from Bermuda to photograph their wedding at Errol Park Estate. When travelling for work, I like to arrive early to do some “location scouting” before the big day - A.K.A. “checking out cool spots for photos”. Upon our arrival, it was clear that we’d have lots to work with at Errol Park; the grounds of the rural estate were pristine with some of the sweetest horses and highland cows you’ve ever seen.
Photographer’s Tip - when possible, photograph the details a day or two before the wedding. This will help to save time on the actual wedding day so the photographer can focus on capturing the couple, their family, and friends during the “getting ready” process. This is what I did for Janine & Karl’s wedding; the bride’s shoes, invitation, rings, and two dresses - one for the ceremony and one for the reception - were photographed the day before. A charming note about the second dress: it was the bride’s grandmother’s wedding dress, who would be in attendance but did not know that her granddaughter would be wearing it. (Keep scrolling to see Janine’s grandmother’s reaction to this surprise.)
With the detail photos being taken early, I was able to focus on the “action” that was going on the morning of their wedding - such as, the hair/make-up process and a few champagne toasts between Janine and her ladies.
Once Janine was in her wedding gown and was holding her stunning bouquet, we took a few moments to capture some solo portraits with classic window lighting. After which, Karl and his groomsmen arrived just in time to pin their buttonholes on. The boutonnières were made of baby’s breath, fern, and thistle - Scotland’s national emblem.
Like any good Scottish wedding, it rained a bit - just a drizzle - but it didn’t slow these guys down from having a bit of fun! Decked out in tweed suits, Karl and his groomsmen were ready for the wedding.
With rain in the forecast, the couple decided to get married on the estate’s grand historic staircase. From a photographer’s standpoint, I was very excited about this “plan b” because to me, the staircase was the “heart” of the venue; a natural location for everyone to come together for the joining of the two families. With the arrival of the guests and the quaich in place - the wedding could begin! Following the bridesmaids and flower girl, Janine was escorted down the stairs by her father. Their celebrant, Lucie Johnson, from The Humanist Society conducted a very touching ceremony; it was hard to keep a dry eye for this one!
The wedding was concluded with a quaich ceremony. For this final portion of the wedding, the quaich - a two handed up - was filled with a bit of Scottish Whiskey and Irish Whiskey. The two whiskeys blended together represented Janine’s family from Scotland and Karl’s from Ireland.
The clouds cleared just in time for bridal party portraits and photos of the bride and groom to be shot outdoors. The freshly fallen rain made the new spring growth appear almost "neon” in colour. The Scottish springtime landscape was certainly “showing off” with everything in bloom from the Daffodils, Wisteria, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons. A more romantic atmosphere could not have been asked for on this wedding day!
Months leading up to their wedding, Janine and I chatted about their portrait session being held at Errol Park’s folly, which was built in 1746. If you know me personally, then you know I’m a bit of a “history nerd”. To say that I was excited to shoot at this charming folly with Gothic-style windows is an understatement. In fact, I think all of us - the bride, groom, Jim, the videographers, and Colin, the owner of Errol Park - were all excited about these photos! It provided the perfect backdrop for their fairy tale wedding.
Guests were “pipped in” to the reception space by a Scottish Bagpiper, which was held on the lower level of the circular stable block, which was built in 1811. The reception was “kicked off” with the cutting of the cake; sliced and diced with a very long military sword. The reception continued with speeches, the first dance, and a scrumptious dinner meal.
Remember the second dress I mentioned above? Well- it’s coming up right now! After dinner and a few drinks, Janine swapped her outfit to surprise her grandmother. Everyone lined up for the "rose petal” toss - rose petals that the bride had been drying out for a year (#seriousDIYmove) I might add. The couple walked out with their hands clasped together and big smiles on their faces. Janine rocked the vintage gown with burgundy Prada shoes. Her grandma’s reaction was priceless!
The reception continued with live music and loads of dancing. My favorite moment of the evening was when the band played “Strip the Willow”; a popular dance for large gatherings. It may go without saying that this dance got everyone on their feet! The reception concluded with sparklers, a bonfire, and a few nightcaps.
Many congrats to Janine & Karl! Your wedding was an absolute fairy-tale to photograph; thank you for letting me capture and be a part of your special day!
VENDORS
Photography: Fiander Foto
Bridal Dress #1: Still White | Bridal Dress #2: Grandmother’s Wedding Dress Circa 1950
Bridesmaids’ PJs: Jean Alice | Hair: Carol Zarebski Duffy | Make Up: Catherine McCarter
Rings: T. Paterson Jewellers | Bridal Shoes: Prada | Groom’s Attire: Marc Darcy
Florals: Amy Annand | Cake: Abbie Dobson | Linen & Candleabras: 88 Events
Officiant: Lucie Johnston of Humanist Society Scotland
Venue: Errol Park Estate | Catering: Season Catering
Video: Little Films | String Quartet: Arta | Band: Northern Star