THE ONE WITH THE CASTLE, THE RUNAWAY PHOTOGRAPHER, AND THE SNAIL TRAIL
Last month, we were at Eilean Donan Castle with Ashley and Hannah for their windy wedding. We had no idea what to expect for this one – we didn’t even know you could get married at the castle, but we were certainly excited about it! Like us, our bride and groom had no idea if weddings were held at Eilean Donan, but they had driven by it long before they were even engaged, and agreed then and there that if they were ever to get married, that is where they would do it. And they did just that! As you can imagine, a wedding in a 13th-century castle is going to be epic, but we were not fully prepared for just how so! To say that the venue was stunning and magical and regal all at once wouldn’t be enough to do it justice. It was the perfect fairytale Scottish venue, perched on an island and surrounded by the merging waters of three lochs; connected to land by a beautiful stone bridge with a scenic mountainous backdrop. Seriously, what more could we ask for?! The pair got ready at the on-site lodges, where we photographed them during the prep. The day got off to a hilarious start when Ashley drove up whilst we were in the middle of getting some shots of the wedding dress outside, resulting in Tonie scooping it up and running away around the side of the building to ensure the groom didn’t catch a glimpse of the dress before he was meant to! I’m sure there was a brief moment of confusion for the bridal party as they looked up to see the photographer running past their window carrying the bride’s dress. All in a day’s work, folks! After the ceremony, we took the couple up to a viewpoint that we had discovered the night before. The pair had arranged for us to stay in a nearby Air BnB prior to the wedding, which gave us time to scope out the area for the best picture points, and when we found one we loved, we emailed Hannah to make sure they’d be up for the trek – and they were! We took them to a brilliant spot looking down on to Loch Duich, where the weather was absolutely freezing, complete with snow, sleet, and high winds. We had to forcibly wrap Hannah up in our tartan blanket, but they couldn’t have been better troopers for braving the elements (and then some!) to let us get incredible shots. When we got back to the venue, Hannah’s dress was soaked, and she walked into the hall leaving a trail of water where her dress hit the floor. A heater was brought in to try to warm her up before the couple had their first dance to a super unique choice of Florence Welsh and The xx. Cute! As if shooting a wedding at one of the most iconic venues in Scotland wasn’t enough, we got to do it alongside a wonderful couple and their lovely guests as well. We won’t forget that wedding in a hurry, guys - and not just because we’re still trying to warm up from it. Stick a jacket on, make a hot drink, and check out our top picks from this perfect North of Scotland winter wedding below!
