Claire and Alasdair’s June wedding at the Lands of Loyal Hotel near Blairgowrie was one of those natural relaxed, intimate celebrations that remind me why I love photographing weddings. Full of warmth, laughter and personal touches, their day truly reflected the easygoing, affectionate nature of their relationship.
‘Awww Wow! We are absolutely over the moon with the pictures. Thank you so much. We are delighted.’
Claire and Alister – Lands of Loyal
The Lands of Loyal Hotel is an old Victorian gem, full of antique furniture, rich wooden details and quirky period charm. It’s a venue with real personality and it suited Claire and Alasdair perfectly. They held their ceremony in the hotel’s main hall which is a striking room with an elegant wooden staircase and old fireplace. Despite the grandeur of the surroundings, the atmosphere was relaxed, informal and very much centred on family and close friends.
One of the standout moments from their ceremony was their fun approach to drinking from the quaich. Instead of deciding in advance who would take the first sip, they settled the question with a spontaneous game of rock, paper, scissors, much to the delight of their guests. Alasdair won but in true gentlemanly style, he let Claire decide anyway. Little touches like this made their ceremony personal and had everyone smiling.
The weather on the day was unpredictable. Rain showers passed by on and off which kept everyone on their toes. But luck was on our side as just after the ceremony, the rain lifted long enough for us to head into the hotel grounds for some portraits of Claire and Alasdair together.
I found a spot with a nice backdrop and lighting and just encouraged them to be themselves while I took some shots. This natural approach allowed me to capture some beautiful shots of them together before the rain returned once more.
Claire and Alasdair chose me as their photographer because of my candid, natural style, which aligned perfectly with the atmosphere of their day. There were so many lovely little moments happening all the time such as guests chatting and children playing, especially their young son who was fun to capture.
Some of my favourite images came from simply observing moments such as shared smile and glances during the ceremony to the reactions of their guests. This kind of storytelling photography suited weddings like theirs well, where the focus is on genuine connection rather than formality.
One of the most touching parts of the day came during the first dance. Just after Claire and Alasdair had started their first dance they were joined by their young son. The three of them danced together creating a lovely moment. It wasn’t just about celebrating their marriage, it was also about celebrating their family.
Claire and Alasdair’s wedding was the perfect blend of family, friends which created a lot of warmth. Even with the unpredictable weather , everything important happened just as it needed to. Their day was a reminder that the best weddings aren’t about perfection. Instead they’re about authenticity, love and sharing moments with the people who matter most.
It was a pleasure to photograph their beautiful celebration and to capture all the genuine, unscripted moments that made it so special to them.
Please below a section of photos from Claire and Alasdair’s wedding. To make this easier to view I’ve edited this down from 500 images to just under 200.
