Duntarvie Castle Wedding with Cute Fluffy Guest

Duntarvie Castle Wedding Photography – Mhari and Stuart

Duntarvie Castle Wedding – It was third time lucky for Mhari and Stuart and they finally got married back in October. Unfortunately they’d had to postpone a few times due to the pandemic. They got in touch with me just a month before their new date as their photographer was no longer able to shoot their wedding. They sounded so calm in their emails to me – I think I would’ve been in full on panic mode at that point – but these two just took it in their stride.

Relaxed and natural photography

Mhari and Stuart met at school and are just the sweetest couple. They both love the outdoors and walking their dog together and absolutely adore spending time with their family and friends. Their initial enquiry talked about how excited they were to finally celebrate their day with everyone and they loved my natural approach. They wanted lots of candids of everyone having the best time!

They both got ready at the Dalmahoy Hotel in Kirknewton. Such a fab location for morning prep! The views across the country estate were beautiful and the interior of the luxury hotel was super cosy and comfortable. Mhari’s room was lovely and spacious too, perfect for me as well as the lovely Rae and Bryony who were there to do hair and makeup.

Weddings at Duntarvie Castle

Over at Duntarvie Castle Stuart was greeting guests, along with Bruce, their adorable cockapoo. Stuart is a bit of a history buff and loves castles so this was the ideal wedding venue for him. Duntarvie Castle, a Scot’s Renaissance mansion, is a historic ruin in the West Lothian countryside. All proceeds from weddings there go into the restoration project which is an idea that Stuart loved, he felt like he was giving something back.

Mhari and Stuart’s ceremony took place in the summerhouse style marquee. Their guests made their way down the pumpkin lined pathway (a nod to the season!) and took their seats before Mhari’s arrival. As I mentioned, family means a lot to them both and so they invited their families to make a bit of an entrance once all the guests were seated. Both mums linked arms and walked in together while Stuart’s Dad had a very important role, he was in charge of Bruce and strolled down the aisle with him. Not to be outdone Bruce made sure he had the most important job of the day, he was their ring bearer!

It was a really personal, beautiful ceremony. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house when Mhari walked in, on the arm of her proud father. I also need to mention Mhari’s bouquet. She’d tied a piece of her mother’s wedding dress around it. Such a sentimental touch.

Autumn wedding Scotland

Typically it was raining for a lot of the day. This is Scotland in the autumn after all! Mhari and Stuart didn’t let that affect their day at all and loved chatting to all their guests after the ceremony. The marquee at Duntarvie is so light and spacious that there was plenty of room for everyone to stay undercover. I must say a huge thank you to the ever so lovely Trisha, Duntarvie’s wedding co-ordinator, and Craig Wood Catering who helped us to clear a space for Mhari and Stuart’s family group photos. It meant that no one had to venture outside into the rain. I love it when us wedding suppliers work as a team!

Luck was on Mhari and Stuart’s side though and we suddenly got a break in the rain. It gave us plenty of time to head outside for some pictures of the two of them (and Bruce!). We made the most of Duntarvie’s location and even got to go inside the ruins for some photos. That made Stuart’s day, well, that and getting to cut the wedding cake with a sword! We also nipped out again after their meal, the twilight sky was a beautiful deep blue and I knew we could get something magical. Both Mhari and Stuart were so relaxed and chilled out, they were just chatting and laughing throughout the pictures. They’re complete naturals!

Castle wedding ideas

This really was the most wonderful wedding day. Stuart and Mhari have been part of each other’s lives for so long that this was a celebration of two beautiful families coming together. There was so much joy and love in the room for them. I loved being part of it and working alongside such a fantastic team of suppliers.

I adore photographing Scottish weddings. If you’re planning your own Duntarvie Castle wedding then I’d love to hear from you.