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Old Course Hotel Wedding | A Photographers Guide

A little guided tour of weddings at The Old Course Hotel. Wedding photography highlights from one of the most stunningly situated wedding venues in Fife, The Old Course Hotel in the heart St. Andrews.

Couple walking across the old course at their old course hotel wedding

couple on the beach near old course hotel wedding — Here’s my little guide to Old Course Hotel Weddings
The Old Course Hotel is a luxurious hotel full of amazing spaces, surrounded by amazing spaces and it has the only Kohler Waters Spa outside the USA so you can also be pampered during your stay, bliss!.
I hope this guide will give you a good view of the hotel and the places you can explore on your wedding day from the beach to pub to the golf course.
Please get in touch if you’re planning a wedding at the Old Course Hotel as I’d love help you make your day amazing.

Couple wedding photo at Old Course Hotel

Variety of Spaces

The Old Course Hotel has a great mix of spaces to explore and the extremely friendly team make the vast hotel feel like a lovely welcoming home.
One moment you are in the light airy conservatory with stunning views, the next you can be in the cosy historic pub with a pint and a fire or in the upstairs bar enjoying panoramic views and a whisky or cocktail.
Outside there is the famous golf course or you’re just a 2 minute drive from the stunning & vast **West Sands Beach**, used famously in the movie ‘Chariot’s Of Fire’.
They have space for every size of event from the little snug library to giant Hall of Champions.

black and white portrait photos at old course hotel wedding — The Suites

The suites at the Old Course Hotel are spacious with panoramic views over the golf course, St. Andrews and the beach.
As you’re getting ready you can watch golfers try to shoot their ball over the replica railway sheds which house the Hall Of Champions event space into the famous 17th hole.
The rooms have good natural light which is essential for your hair & make up team. There is also lots of space for bridesmaids, hair & make-up to work.
The rooms I’ve been in have all been split into two spaces giving you different spaces for different functions during your prep.

Wedding Packages

Want to know more about Fife weddings?

Guide to Fife Weddings

Ceremony at the old course Hotel_Ali Jay Photography_0008.jpg — The Conservatory

The conservatory overlooks the Old Course and the St. Andrews skyline.
It’s a beautiful airy space with pretty details like the chandelier to add some grandness.
I love that it is a very neutral space so it can be dressed up or left super simple with just a few flowers.
The layout suits small intimate weddings & big weddings of up to 190 people.
There are no awkward pillars blocking the guests view like I’ve seen in other venues. No ugly signage or dark corners. It’s clean and it’s pretty!

Wedding Venues Fife_The Old Course Hotel_Ali Jay Photography_0003.jpg

Conservatory at the Old Course Hotel Wedding_Ali Jay Photography_0000.jpg

The Ballroom

The ballroom is an internal room close next to the main reception which has an attached room with a bar.
It can sit up to 130 people.
For even bigger weddings there is also the Hall of Champions which sit’s up to a massive 450 people.

Wedding Venues Fife_The Old Course Hotel_Ali Jay Photography_0040.jpg — Beautiful Views

Lynne & Steven loved leaving their guests to go and explore the hotel, which they visit so often they know the majority of the staff.
Steven grabbed a bottle of champagne and headed out onto the golf course to pop the bubbles on the famous **Swilken Bridge**. They then went to the **Jigger Inn** and bought their registrar and drink and chatted to the other drinkers and staff.
After that they headed upstairs to the bar to catch up with all their guests.

The Jigger Inn

In 1850 there was a station where The Old Course Hotel now stands.
The snugly traditional **Jigger Inn** which was once the station master’s lodge stands as a reminder of the site’s history.

Wedding Photography Prices

The Road Hole Bar

The **Road Hole Bar** is on the top floor of the hotel and has panoramic views of the sea, the golf course and **St. Andrews** along with a massive collection of 250 whiskys.

Wedding Venues Fife_The Old Course Hotel_Ali Jay Photography_Sands.jpg — Sands

The **Sands** is a restaurant on the ground floor, right at the entrance. It’s a great size for a smaller meal like Lynne & Steven had.
Lynne & Steven decorated their table with gin bottle decorations and very tasty cupcake wedding favours.

Wedding Venues Fife_The Old Course Hotel_Ali Jay Photography_0063.jpg — The Beach

I love the beach beside the Old Course.
It’s a little walk but it’s another beautiful place for photos and if you want a little bit of time to yourselves, I’d definitely recommend walking through the dunes or exploring the beautiful rocks.
It’s a great place for **engagement shoots**. Kyle proposed to Rike at the Old Course and it’s was very fun to explore the beach to record the day.

Find Out More | Engagement Shoots

St Salvator's Chapel

St Salvator's Chapel is part of St. Andrew’s University. The chapel was founded in 1450 and sit’s in the University’s quad and the entrance is from North Street.

It’s a 3 minute drive from the hotel. As University alumni it was the perfect place for Georgia & Julian’s ceremony before their reception at the hotel .

Visit the Old Course Hotel's Website

Get In Touch?

Are you looking at the Old Course hotel or another great venue? Please get in touch if you have any questions of would like to check your wedding date?

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Alison Edward 11/01/2021 Alison Edward 11/01/2021

Forbes of Kingennie Wedding - A Vintage Style Wedding

The highlights from Kate and Sean’s vintage themed Forbes of Kingennie Wedding.

Forbes of Kingennie_Vintage Wedding — Vintage Vibes

What can I say about this stunning vintage themed, Forbes of Kingennie Wedding.
Well, it was super hot, fun and beautiful!
This was my first visit to Forbes of Kingennie which is set within a country resort with beautiful lakes and woodland and it was one to remember as the bride was an old friend.

Wedding Price List

Forbes of Kingennie_Stella York Dress — Old Friends

I went to school with Kate so I had a lot of fun planning the photography with her and Sean.
6 weeks before the wedding we had a fun evening in St. Andrews, where we did an engagement shoot and had a fun time talking about life, weddings and our old school days.
On their wedding day I stayed up way too late so I could catch up with people I hadn’t seen for years.

Enquire

Forbes of Kingennie_Wedding Venue — Forbes of Kingennie

Kate and Sean looked at lots of venues before settling for the lakes and woodland backdrop of Kingennie just outside Dundee.
As soon as I looked at it, I could see why they chose it; the fishing lakes, woodland and boathouse created the most beautiful backdrop and they could also accommodate lots of people on site in the beautiful woodland lodges.

Forbes of Kingennie_Wedding Morning photographs — Rescue The Speech

When I arrived in the morning, Kate was getting her makeup done and her mum and bridesmaid Hayley were drying out her dad’s speech which had accidentally been soaked.
Hayley was walking around holding pieces of paper like wings while her mum used the hair dryer to try to dry them out.

Forbes of Kingennie_Stella York Dress_002.jpg — Kate’s Stella York Dress

You’ve got to love a pretty dress and this Stella York wedding dress is one of the prettiest I’ve seen. The detail and cut suited Kate perfectly. We had some laughs messing around with her veil, wrapping it around Sean and trying to get it to catch in the wind.

Forbes of Kingennie_Groom — The Guys

Sean and the groomsmen were in a lodge 5 mins from Kate’s so when they were almost ready I popped along to get some pics of them.

Forbes of Kingennie_Hip Flasks — Ribena or Whisky?

Once they were all ready Sean gave each groomsmen a hip flask but with Sean’s teenage nephew as one of the groomsmen they had some chuckles trying to distinguish which contained the Ribena.

Forbes of Kingennie_Glen Isla Lodge — Looking Across The Water

The girls were in the Glen Isla lodge which had a great view across the water.
They could watch the boys walking to the venue to meet the guests and the kids loved watching the fish jumping in the water.

Forbes of Kingennie_Getting In Wedding Dress — Favourite Photo

My favourite photo from the wedding is Kate’s bridesmaid Hayley doing up the buttons on her dress.
At school they were always laughing together and Hayley’s attempts at doing up the tiny buttons on Kate’s dress caused a lot of entertainment.
This photos reminds me of the silly things we laughed at when we were at school. In the end she managed none of the buttons and the other bridesmaids stepped in.

Forbes of Kingennie_Buddon Burn — Buddon Burn Ceremony Room

The ceremony room has a majestic vaulted ceiling and wide doors which back onto one of the fishing lakes.
It was a super hot, sunny day so the doors were swung open and the room was decorated with beautifully simple decorations giving the perfect summer wedding vibes.

Forbes of Kingennie_Ceremony Photographs — Personal Moments

Sean’s dad had sadly passed away the year before so they had a traditional quaich ceremony to celebrate his 40 years working in the whisky industry.
One of their friends also read a poem they had written as surprise for Kate and Sean.

Forbes of Kingennie_Wedding Speeches — Talented Friends & Partying

The reception was held in the Inglesmaldie events suite and was full of unusual and vintage style details.
They had a sweet geometric cake created by her bridesmaid (also called Kate) who runs Gorgeously Sweet Cake Emporium.
There were lace decorations created by our lovely mutual school friend and a previous Ali Jay bride Angela Clarke and whole load of other cute details.

Suppliers List

Photography: Ali Jay Photography

Bespoke lace decorations: Angela Clarke (check out her amazing decorations and interior design @the_upside_down_house on Instagram)

Cake: Gorgeously Sweet Cake Emporium

Dress: Stella York Dress

Venue: Forbes of Kingennie

Decor: Celebre Weddings and Events

Flowers: Forget Me Not, Dundee

Find Out More

Are you having a wedding at Forbes of Kingennie? please get in touch if you’d like more information about my wedding photography.

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Micro Wedding Edinburgh - A Beautifully Small Wedding

Drew & Diana had planned a big wedding in June but with that on hold they decided to have a micro wedding in Edinburgh as soon as the lockdown lifted.

The beautiful thing about micro weddings is they are simple and you can enjoy the day with your absolute closest people.

Micro Wedding Edinburgh_0005.jpg — 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

Alison Edward 11/09/2020 Alison Edward 11/09/2020

Family Photo Shoot Elie

This family photo shoot in Elie was taken at dusk. We explored the ‘Lady Janet Anstruther’s Tower’. The shoot is full of adventure and I love the lovely dusk atmosphere.

Elie

Elie is one of the many beautiful towns which make up the stunning East Neuk of Fife.
Elie has lots of lovely walks including the Elie chain walk to the west and this walk to the east.
It’s also worth a visit on a nice day as the beach is gloriously big and sandy and there are some lovely pubs too.

Dusk Light

Scott and Jaimie moved from Canada to Kirkcaldy when Scott got a contract with the Fife Flyers Ice Hockey team.
This was the second family photo shoot I’d done with them and for both shoots they wanted a photo shoot to capture the beautiful Scottish landscape.
It was the first time I’ve done a family shoot at dusk but it was really nice to capture the photos as the night started to draw in and they cosied in together.

Family Photo Shoot Elie_0066.jpg — Max

This was my second shoot with Max and we enjoyed messing around and he thought it was great fun playing silly games with me.

Family Photo Shoot Elie_0065.jpg — Jaimie’s Words

It turns out Max just thought I was his friend which was a lovely thing to hear :-)
“We can’t say enough good things about Ali. Not only is she an amazing photographer, but she is also a wonderful person who makes you feel at ease while having your photos taken. She takes the experience of having your photos taken and turns it into an adventure. Our children loved her, **our three year old actually asked why she wasn’t in the photos with us** We absolutely love our photos and will always cherish them.” - Jaimie Aarssen

Family Photo Shoot Elie_0063.jpg — The Tower

The path we took was from the east side of Elie.
We walked along the path to explore the little tower called ‘Lady Janet Anstruther's Tower’.
The tower was bulit in the 1770’s as a changing room for Lady Anstruther.
She would use the tower for for her sea swims. It’s basically an ancient beach hut!

Kid Fun & Cuddles

As we explored the tower Jaimie and Scott hugged and played with Gracie and Max.
The tower also made a great for pirate ship lookout.
As the night drew in, Gracie cuddled into her mum and Max carried on exploring the lighthouse and rockpools.
This was a beautiful shoot and one I hope they will treasure as the kids grow up.

If you like this family photo shoot in Elie and you’re interested in your own shoot you can book one in or buy a gift voucher. All the information is over on my family page.

Alison Edward 01/09/2020 Alison Edward 01/09/2020

Dunfermline Photography

I grew up exploring Dunfermline and Edinburgh and I took them for granted. Dunfermline is so undervalaued, nowadays Pittencrieff Park is one of my top places for photo shoots so click here to see why.

Abbot House Dunfermline — Dunfermline

Dunfermline is such an under appreciated town, it was once the home of Kings.
I grew up with the story on King Malcolm III offering shipwrecked Margaret (Saint Margaret Of Scotland) shelter in Dunfermline. She created a new church which became Dunfermline Abbey which is where Robert The Bruce is buried and his name is round it’s spire.
I also loved the story of Andrew Carnegie sneaking into the gardens of Pittencrieff House to play and later returning as a rich tycoon to buy the house and grounds and gift them to the people of Dunfermline.
The colourful ancient buildings of Abbot House and Pittencrieff house are so fun for photos. Personally I wish every building was this colourful!

Pittencrieff Park Photo Shoot — “The Glen” Pittencrieff Park

I love this park!
It’s my favourite place to photograph people enjoying themselves as there are so many brilliant places to explore.
Kids love to explore the paths, feed squirrels, follow the peacocks or play in the playparks.
It’s full of beautiful plants, historic buildings and a river which runs down the dark moody valley called Dunfermline Glen.

Dunfermline Wedding Photography — Dunfermline CITY CHambers Weddings

The Dunfermline City Chambers is the prettiest registry office I have photographed in. It’s a far cry from the boring office like rooms of many other registry offices.
The ceremony room has stunning vaulted ceilings, historic artworks a grand staircase to lead you up to it.
Outside the building has beautifully detailed turrets and an incredible clock tower with four faces which is prominent when you look at the Dunfermline skyline.
Dunfermline Abbey and the Dunfermline City Chambers are right next to the park.
There are also some other churches close by including St. Leonard’s Church and the Catholic St. Margaret’s Memorial Church.
The Glen Pavilion is within the park and is a popular place for Dunfermline Weddings. It has lots of different spaces you can book for an event.
If you want to find out more about my wedding photography, please click the button below.

Wedding Photography

Dunfermline Abbey

The abbey is the most prominent building on the Dunfermline skyline with it’s distinctive tower and spire.
It is one of Scotland’s most important cultural sites and in the grounds you can also see the ruins of Dunfermline Palace.
The abbey looks different depending on the angle you look at it from, so it is fun to capture in photographs from around Dunfermline
The abbey is Church of Scotland and maintained by Historic Scotland and you can find out more about getting married there by visiting their website.

Pittencrieff House

Pittencrieff House is bright orange and I love using it as a backdrop for photos especially in the autumn.
It has a massive lawn at the front perfect for babies to crawl on or for a picnic or for flying a kite.
Next to the house you’ll also find the hot houses, formal gardens and routes off to Dunfermline Glen.

Beautiful Paths To Explore

Pittencrieff park is always changing and the gardens around Pittencrieff house are full of seasonal planting which is brilliant to explore during shoots.
I think this is why I love it so much as with the house and the planting, I can guarantee to get some lovely colours in your photos, but I can also get some moody dark photos too if desired by exploring the more natural woodland areas.

Dunfermline Graduation Photography — Graduation Photographs Dunfermline

Rachel’s gran gifted Rachel a graduation shoot to celebrate her COVID affected graduation so we explored various parts of the park.
Rachel wanted photos to reflect her personality as-well as some more traditional photos.

Graduation Photography

Dunfermline Dog Photography — Dogs Photo Shoots In Dunfermline

You can’t visit the park without seeing dogs and it’s a great place to explore for a dog photo shoot.
Often people ask if they can bring dogs along to family shoots and yes, you can, but you can also book a specific dog photo shoot if you really want some special dog photos.

Ask about pets?

Peacocks & Squirrels

When I was a child the park was filled with the distinctive noise of Peacocks and they are the symbol of the park with the Peacock Cafe named after them.
They have been absent for a long time but recently they have bred new birds and it’s lovely to see them parading around happily exploring the park.
The squirrels are also great fun and are very friendly and fun for kids to watch and feed.

Dunfermline Maternity Photography — The Moody Forest Maternity Photo Shoot

When Magda & Javier wanted a moody outdoor flamenco maternity photo shoot we chose the Glen and loved exploring the dark moody greens of the darker forest areas.
Visit my family page for more about maternity and baby photo shoots.

Family Portraits

Alison Edward 16/09/2019 Alison Edward 16/09/2019

Weddings by The Sea - A Secret Wedding in South Queensferry

Nikki and Ian met at school when they were 5 years old and decades later they secretly eloped to South Queensferry for their wedding.

Nikki and Ian met at school when they were 5 years old and decades later they secretly eloped to South Queensferry for their wedding. From our initial conversation I could hear how passionate Nikki was to marry Ian and to have their wedding in South Queensferry, a place which she just loves.

South Queensferry Registrars Office

Nikki and Ian eloped from South Shields to have their secret ceremony at the Registry Office in the beautiful coastal town which is dwarfed by the magnificent Forth Bridge. Nikki’s only photo request was to make sure I got the bridge in the background of the pictures as she loves how it dominates the views.

The ceremony was so short and sweet and with no guests the second registrar and I stepped in to witness the marriage. Nikki says she’s loved Ian since she was 5 years old and they’ve been together for the last 14 years so they decided they just wanted to get married without much fuss. They kept their plans secret, even from their children and decided to just surprise them by sending a picture.

After the ceremony we explored some of their favourite areas of the town to capture some photographs. I’ve spent a lot of time in South Queensferry and I’d never been down Harbour Lane before, this cute little lane was introduced to me by Nikki and I can see why she loves it.

The Boathouse

After a lovely walk around South Queensferry we went to the Boathouse for a little mini wedding reception. I joined them for a wee celebratory drink before leaving them to enjoy the rest of their trip to Scotland and some fun in the Edinburgh Festival.

Alison Edward 04/04/2019 Alison Edward 04/04/2019

Newborn Photo Shoot with Sunshine Yoga

A gorgeous newborn photo shoot at home with Stephanie, Matt and Granny

Newborn Photo Shoot - family photos 3 generations

When a new baby arrives your life is suddenly turned upside down and you are bound to your babies every need. It’s a beautiful time to get a shoot so it can be documented and remembered, as moment by moment your baby changes.

When I arrived for Jasmina’s shoot, she was needing a little clean, so I captured her having a little bath. Matt delicately washed Jasmina as she kicked so happily in the water.

I spent an hour or so with Stephanie, Matt, Jasmina and her grannies and observed all their little interactions and activities.

At home shoots are great. You don’t have the stress of getting everything ready and getting out the door and you capture your baby’s first home, their nursery and their first toys. When you look back in years to come, you’ll see their favourite toy all fluffy and new before the years of love wear it down to a fabulously floppy, loved looking rag.

Stephanie is from the Netherlands so I was offered a lovely beschuit. Giving a beschuit is a tradition in the Netherlands to celebrate the birth of a child. They are sprinkled with pink and white muisjes when a girl is born, and with blue and white muisjes when a boy is born. Muisjes are seeds from the anise plant which are covered in a sugary coating.

“The pictures are absolutely beautiful and we feel so blessed that her 7 day birthday got captured in such a wonderful way.”

Newborn Photo Shoot with Sunshine Yoga - bathtime

Newborn Photo Shoot with Sunshine Yoga 03

Newborn Photo Shoot - family photos 3 generations 02

Alison Edward 09/05/2018 Alison Edward 09/05/2018

Graduation Photography

Alternative graduation photography in Edinburgh and around Scotland, opt for something different, choose to have photographs that tell the story of where you lived whilst at university. Much more exciting than the traditional white background graduation photographs!