What does this Journal cover?

Real wedding stories from Edinburgh, across Scotland, the UK and Europe, alongside notes on venues, seasonal light and digital and analogue photography.

Why write about film photography in detail?

Because most couples have never hired a film photographer and reasonably want to know what changes. Explaining the process is more useful than asking anybody to take it on trust.

Can I see a full wedding gallery rather than a highlights set?

Yes. Ask when you enquire and a complete gallery can be shared, which shows consistency across a whole day.

Where do I go if I want to book?

The enquiry page. Send your date and venue, and expect a reply within 24 to 48 hours.

Mansfield Traquair Wedding Photographer

Nicola and Fraser’s wedding began at The George Hotel on George Street before moving to Mansfield Traquair for the ceremony. A city wedding with both of them getting ready in the same hotel, then everyone gathering beneath the painted walls and strings of lights at one of Edinburgh’s most recognisable venues.

There was plenty to photograph beyond the building itself. Nicola’s bridesmaids wore warm gold, Fraser and the groomsmen were in tartan, and the flowers brought soft peach and cream into the day. My focus was on the people within that setting: the last few minutes of getting ready, the faces along the aisle and the reactions during the ceremony.

Stone sign at the entrance to The George Hotel in Edinburgh

Nicola having her makeup applied beside a window at The George Hotel

Nicola laughing with hair rollers in during bridal preparations

Fraser smiling as a guest adjusts his wedding outfit

Fraser wearing his tartan kilt and jacket before the ceremony

Close-up of the groom’s tartan tie and floral buttonhole

Fraser and the wedding party outside The George Hotel

Peach and cream roses in Nicola’s bridal bouquet

Bridal shoes and a ring laid out during preparations

The wedding dress being lifted from its hanger in the hotel room

Nicola’s white wedding dress hanging above a sofa

Nicola sitting with her family during morning preparations

White wedding dress hanging beside gold bridesmaid dresses

Bridesmaid helping Nicola fasten her wedding dress

Close-up of the buttons being fastened on Nicola’s wedding dress

Nicola holding her peach and cream bridal bouquet

Nicola looking down at her bouquet before the ceremony

Nicola standing with her bouquet in the hotel doorway

Family and bridesmaids waiting to see Nicola in her dress

Nicola’s family reacting as she appears in her wedding dress

Guests gathering beneath the murals at Mansfield Traquair

Fraser waiting beside the ceremony aisle at Mansfield Traquair

Nicola and her father smiling before the ceremony

Nicola entering the tiled aisle between seated wedding guests

Nicola and Fraser facing one another during their ceremony

Wide view of the ceremony beneath Mansfield Traquair’s vaulted ceiling

Gina Williams leading the wedding ceremony

Nicola and Fraser holding hands beneath strings of lights

The couple facing their guests during the wedding ceremony

Nicola and Fraser kissing at the end of their ceremony

Black-and-white photograph of the newlyweds walking up the aisle

Nicola and Fraser laughing beneath a shower of confetti

Guests throwing confetti outside Mansfield Traquair

Wedding guests applauding outside the venue

Wedding party posing beneath the lights at Mansfield Traquair

Nicola and Fraser embracing on the tiled floor inside the venue

Full-length portrait of the couple beneath the illuminated canopy

Close-up portrait of Nicola and Fraser together

Nicola’s dress train flowing across the steps inside Mansfield Traquair

Greenery and place cards on the wedding dining table

Long wooden wedding table set with gold chairs and flowers

Green candle and glasses on the wedding breakfast table

Black-and-white portrait of the couple at the stone entrance

Nicola and Fraser standing in front of Mansfield Traquair’s red doors

The newlyweds walking together on an Edinburgh street

Nicola and Fraser walking away along the pavement

The couple looking at one another during their walk around Broughton

Close-up of the bride’s shoes and groom’s kilt as they walk

Nicola and Fraser holding hands during their city portraits

The couple passing the green frontage of Broughton Pharmacy

Family walking together outside Mansfield Traquair

Black-and-white photograph of the couple entering the wedding reception

Nicola and Fraser standing together as guests watch from the tables

The couple addressing guests beneath the strings of lights

Guests seated at long tables beneath the Mansfield Traquair murals

Nicola laughing while Fraser speaks into a microphone

Wide view of the wedding breakfast beneath the painted walls

Black-and-white photograph of Nicola and Fraser’s first dance

Nicola dancing with a guest during the evening reception

Wedding guests dancing together in the darkened venue

Guests laughing and singing on the dance floor

Wedding guests raising their arms beneath the illuminated canopy

Getting ready at The George Hotel

Having both of them at The George made the morning easy to follow. Fraser’s preparations included the tartan and buttonhole details, while upstairs Nicola’s dress hung beside the bridesmaids’ gold dresses. The last fastening of her dress and the family’s reaction when she was ready were as much a part of the story as the ceremony.

From George Street, the day moved to Mansfield Place. Keeping the preparations and ceremony within central Edinburgh gave the photographs a connection to the city from the outset.

A ceremony beneath the Mansfield Traquair murals

Mansfield Traquair gives you a lot to take in. The height of the room, Phoebe Anna Traquair’s murals and the tiled aisle all become part of the photographs. For Nicola and Fraser’s ceremony, strings of small lights framed the space around them, with their guests seated on either side of the aisle.

Gina Williams led the ceremony. I photographed the wider room as well as the closer moments between the couple and their families. Nicola and Fraser had specifically asked for a photograph showing the faces of everyone seated at the ceremony. It was a useful reminder to turn towards the people watching, as well as those getting married.

Afterwards, everyone gathered outside for confetti. The photographs move from the warm interior to the Edinburgh street, with guests crowding around and the couple laughing as they came through.

Wedding portraits around Broughton

We used the venue for portraits before stepping outside. Indoors, the lights and painted walls gave the photographs a sense of where the wedding happened. At the entrance, the red doors offered a much simpler background.

A short walk around Broughton brought a different pace. There were stone pavements, passing pedestrians and the green frontage of Broughton Pharmacy. I like those ordinary city details in an Edinburgh wedding gallery. They place the day somewhere real, and walking together gives a couple something to do while I photograph them.

For couples planning their own Mansfield Traquair wedding, the venue interior and nearby streets offer two useful options for portraits. Leave a little room in the day for both, with outdoor photographs fitted around the weather and available light.

Dinner, speeches and the evening party

Long wooden tables, greenery and candles carried the warm colours from the morning into dinner. The wider photographs show the tables beneath the murals, while the closer frames follow the conversations and reactions around them.

Nicola and Fraser had also planned a short Slido quiz after dessert, with QR codes on the name cards and prizes along the way. That was their own addition to the running order, giving guests something to join in with before the evening party.

The gallery finishes with the first dance and guests on the dance floor. By then, the same room had become a much darker space, with the strings of lights still running through the background.

My approach to Mansfield Traquair wedding photography

I photographed this wedding digitally, following the day as it unfolded and giving a little guidance during portraits. The aim was to keep the building present without losing the people within it. A wide ceremony photograph and a close reaction tell different parts of the same day, and both matter.

If you’re looking for an Edinburgh wedding photographer, you can see more of my work in the wedding photography portfolio. For another city venue, have a look at the Christmas wedding at The Balmoral.

The people behind the day

Preparations: The George Hotel, Edinburgh
Wedding venue: Mansfield Traquair
Celebrant: Gina Williams
Flowers: Lottie Longman
Hair: Nicole McIntosh
Makeup: Jen Ross
DJ: Reel Time Events
Videographer: James Williams
Kilts: MacGregor and MacDuff
Nicola’s engagement ring and wedding band: Lambert Jewels

Planning a Mansfield Traquair wedding?

If you’re getting married at Mansfield Traquair or elsewhere in Edinburgh, I’d love to hear what you’re planning. You can find details of my wedding photography coverage and pricing, or get in touch with your date and ideas.