Dovecot Studios Wedding - Lynsey & Mike

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Lynsey & Mike love colour and music, they wanted a vibrant fun venue which was a bit different. They settled on the beautiful Dovecot galleries, a contemporary art hub and tapestry studio, originally built as a grand Victorian swimming bath where Lynsey’s mum used to swim.

Nestled right in the heart of Edinburgh the Dovecot Studios an easy central location for their friends and family to get to and just round the corner they had Edinburgh’s Old College which was the perfect place to explore for some of their photographs.

The Dovecot is a beautifully light place for a wedding and despite their wedding being in July they were conscious of Scotland’s unpredictable weather.

They knew they would have a great space even if it rained, which it did, a lot!

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Despite the weather, Lynsey and Michael ventured out to explore Old College and just as we got back in, we heard the heaven’s open and the loud patter of rain hit the roof of the Dovecot’s grand atrium.

Smugly and snugly inside, we got to explore the colourful weavers floor, which is where the old swimming pool was.

The weavers floor is a working space full of looms where you can see the tapestries taking shape.

The floor is only cleared for a very limited number of larger weddings each year and we had to be conscious of the artist’s work as we explored with Caitlin from Dovecot as our guide.

Lynsey & Michael aren’t a serious couple who want to gaze into each others eyes all the time and be all serious so we just had some fun exploring to get some photos of them together.

We enjoyed the beautiful architecture of Old College and the Dovecot, I wanted to capture lots of fun and laughter and the colour of the yarns and looms.

They finished the day with a ceilidh and band and a full dancefloor of their favourite people.

The Artistic Team

Venue: Dovecot Studios, coordinated by Caitlin

Dress: Gwenne's, Edinburgh

Kilt: Groom’s Own

Officiant: Kathleen Hood

Floristy: Save The Date Collective

Hair & Make Up: The Beauty Works

Band: Hot Date

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Are you Planning a wedding at Dovecot Studios?

Get in touch today, I’d love to be part of your amazing wedding team.

Wedding Venues Edinburgh - The City Chambers

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Wedding Venues Edinburgh - The City Chambers

Built in 1761 the city chambers sits in an amazing location, right next to St. Giles Cathedral, on the Royal Mile in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. The Castle is a 5 minute walk away and the area is full of beautiful backdrops and atmosphere.

What I love about the city chambers is that one minute you can be in the midst of the Edinburgh crowds capturing some atmospheric shots surrounded by people but then a moment later I can take you to a quiet area where you can have some more intimate photographs taken and you can enjoy some precious moments alone together. If you have guests who are not from Edinburgh you can even plan for them to go out for a half hour explore of the city as part of the day.

Our famously unpredictable weather can be frustrating on your wedding day but the city chamber has lots of lovely areas to explore under the cover of arches or closes or inside the beautiful chambers. Shra & Neil’s beautiful Indian-Scottish wedding definitely had more of the Scottish weather than the Indian but we still got out to explore the city.

The Modern or Historic Ceremony Rooms

The majority of weddings at the city chambers are held by the registry office in the suite on the bottom floor but you can also choose to hire out the grand European Room for a larger ceremony’s.

Attentive Staff - Registry Office Weddings

The city chambers is quite different from most wedding venues as it is a working council office during the week and the security is high especially if the provost is around. When I’ve photographed weddings in the registry office suite their is a lovely lady, dressed impeccably in a tuxedo who attentively welcomes your guests and takes them to a special welcome room. You get married in the suite and then you can have formal photos in the courtyard area after the ceremony.

The Historic Rooms - Large Weddings

For larger weddings you can hire the rooms upstairs, these rooms are full of history and the views are phenomenal. The weddings I have photographed at the city chambers have used the council chambers from the meal and the dancing. The European Room has been used for the ceremony or drinks reception and buffet and there are a number of other beautiful rooms which people use for various parts of the day. All the rooms are linked together by pretty corridors filled with stained glass windows and artifacts from the chambers’ history.

The city chambers is only 4 storeys tall on the Royal Mile side but from the Cockburn Street side it is 12 storey’s high. Underneath the chambers lies the labyrinth of Mary Queens Close, a close closed off when they built the chambers and now open to tourists who want to re-visit 17th century Edinburgh.

Micro Wedding Edinburgh - A Beautifully Small Wedding

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June 2020

Remember when weddings were stopped and we had to hide away at home! It’s such a distant memory now.

When Drew & Diana originally got in touch they were planning a big wedding party but two days after the strict restrictions of spring 2020 were lifted for weddings, they wed in the tiniest ceremony, in a strangely silent Edinburgh with just 6 guests.

It was the weirdest wedding but so beautiful. The city chambers moved it’s registrar’s to a garden on the Royal Mile. I had to shoot from the garden next door but to be out and see a wedding was such a joy!

I remember how the chairs were meticulously spaced out for the ceremony and one of the guest’s left the garden so I could take a couple of pictures of them. Edinburgh was closed so we explored the silent streets and then they headed off and had a little picnic to celebrate.

Over the next year I watched the restrictions change, there were different rules at every wedding. Gradually people were allowed to get closer again and eventually they were allowed to dance and then I watched as people just started to forget about the virus and just get on with life as normal. Fingers crossed we don’t see anything like it again.

“Ali photographed our wedding beautifully. We were one of this few people to get married just after the Covid restrictions were lifted.

She took a tiny group of 8 people and directed us into the most perfect places and positions for the most fun, sweet, touching photos.

She was an absolute joy to have around and work with. She was particularly good with our 8 year old twins (who can be a bit of a handful).

I would recommend Ali without hesitation, an excellent photographer and a fantastic, fun person to have around.

Look no further. You've found the right person.”

- Drew & Diana Long