It was Predictable
It was obvious from the very moment we met three years ago, Cherish, Daniel and I, that these two were a bundle of joy, full of energy and determined to celebrate their love no matter what nature would throw at them.
It started with their engagement session at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve which was full of laughter led us to create some fun and wet photographs.
From a Palace to a Mansion
Initially, Cherish and Daniel had chosen the Atholl Palace in Pitlochry, Scotland, for their wedding venue. One of Atholl Palace’s asset is that it can accommodate a big wedding and has enough lodging for all your guests to stay overnight. However, little did we know when we visited the venue together three years ago that the year 2020 would be affected by the COVID pandemic. What was once meant to be a 120-guest wedding was bound to be a more intimate celebration. While adding some obvious challenges, it did not deter Cherish and Daniel who found a perfect alternative venue in Biggar, Toftcombs Mansion House. This 11-bedroom mansion enabled them to gather their loved ones for a weekend to celebrate their union. It had the luxurious feel of a hotel while offering the advantage of an at-home wedding.
Change of Plan for the Ceremony
Once the choice to hire Toftcombs was made, the plan was to have the ceremony indoors in the large dining room. However, the Lanarkshire Council had decided to ban all ceremony in non-official wedding venue, due to the COVID. So with only a few days before the festivities, Cherish and Daniel had to find an alternative location once again. Luckily, the Cormiston Farm could set up a marquee to host the ceremony. This is now a good time to note that in the midst of the pandemic, that October 3rd weekend was also hit by the storm Alex that flooded the country. We knew it would rain throughout this wedding and it did; hence we could not simply have an open roof ceremony. However we did manage to keep the doors of the marquee open.
The Formals
Due to the pouring rain, we decided to do most of the formals indoors back at Toftcombs Mansion.
The Story is Now Secured in Albums
We live in a digital era, but there is undoubtedly no better experience to revisit your wedding story than through a beautifully handcrafted album and prints. Hence I include a storybook album in all my wedding collections. My wedding albums are lay-flat which means there is no gutter in the middle so you can enjoy your imagery fully spread. The pages are thick (about 2 mm) providing you with a deep experience when turning each one of them. That thickness also means it will last for generations of page-turner. Given the special bond between you and your wedding album, you may want to customise it. Cherish and Daniel choose the smooth aluminium cover with genuine leather binding.
As a fine photographer and printer, I also crafted a series of thank-you cards.
How about you?
If you too have found your life partner and wish to tie the knot, COVID has not made planning any easier but that does not mean you need to put your dreams on hold. As you can see, you too can celebrate your big day with your loved ones even if it means not everyone can attend the wedding. However, this offer you the opportunity to plan for a wedding vow renewal with all your extended guests. Many of my brides and grooms have already booked me for theirs and I look forward to them. As far as I am concerned, your wedding is yours and I am here to assist you to secure your memories, whether there is an ongoing pandemic or a storm, don’t hesitate to contact me. It is your story and it deserves to be documented in photographs by a qualified master photographer.