Capturing Magic: A fun-filled, Glamorous Wedding at Edinburgh's Virgin Hotel
Edinburgh, the heart of Scotland, is a city rich in history and brimming with contemporary flair. Its cobblestone streets and stunning architecture create a perfect backdrop for any wedding, but when you add the quirky yet luxury Virgin Hotel into the mix, you have the recipe for an unforgettable wedding. As a photographer who loves to capture editorial and documentary-style photography, capturing a wedding at the Virgin Hotel was a dream. A dream because the venue has so much variety, is thoughtfully laid out, combines history with modern glamour, quirky little accents like red leather elevators and neon signs. And, it was a dream that K & P made a reality for me when they asked me to capture their day there in May 2024. So, let me take you through their flashy, fun, glamorous wedding at Edinburgh's Virgin Hotel so that you can see the magic of this venue for yourself! I'll also add in some of the epic suppliers K & P used for their wedding day that definitely added to the day as a whole!
Bridal Preparations
The day began with the bride and her bridal party getting ready in one of the Virgin Hotel's luxurious suites. The room was a photographer's dream, with large windows letting in natural light. Perfect for details, bridal portraits, a lots of intimate moments between the bride and her best friends. As an editorial and documentary-style photographer, my goal was to capture the authentic moments and the intricate details that make up the bridal preparations without getting overly involved. Fly on the wall (as much as you can be in a busy wedding prep room!). Hair and make-up took over the bathroom portion of the suite so I made use of the wonderfully arched windows for some stunning wedding dress and details shots. And I used the same window for K's bridal portraits.
The Ceremony
The wedding ceremony took place in the hotel's Greyfriar's Hall. If you didn't know already, the Virgin Hotel spreads itself across multiple buildings including the India Buildings and Greyfriar's Hall creating a perfect blend of historic architecture and modern design. The room features incredible arched windows making for a stunning backdrop for the ceremony to play out. The ceremony space is nice and big which is great if you have a lot of guests and makes it a lot easier for photographers and videographers to move around without interrupting any of the ceremony's flow! A perfect luxury wedding venue in Scotland!
K made her entrance through the side doors, her veil softly covering her face whilst P waited at the altar, his eyes filled with anticipation and tears. As the couple exchanged vows, I just snapped natural reactions and moments as they unfolded. This is where documentary style of photography comes into its own. Granny laughing in the crowd, a usually stoic friend wiping away some tears. The focus is always on capturing the raw emotions - the tears, the smiles, and the stolen glances. Every click of the shutter preserves a moment of sincerity, creating a timeless narrative of the couple's commitment to each other.
Editorial-Style Portraits
K & P had sent me a lovely Pinterest board of their wedding inspiration. It was filled with lots of flash photography, with images leaning into old Hollywood glamour, some fun and quirky wedding photos too. The Virgin Hotel, with its chic interiors and dramatic exteriors, provided the perfect backdrop for these shots. So, after the ceremony, we stole away for a quick run around the hotel's many, many floors to capture some fun akin to their inspiration but with their own spin on it. The newlyweds posed in various locations around the hotel. This elevators, red roll top bathtubs, a room lined with all velvet cushions, old mahogany bars. To get the shots we grabbed some drinks, I loosely prompted them into some form of movement and then, just let the magic happen. The photos are the result of a lot of giggles, fun, and cajoling of P. I think they came out great!
They also told me they wanted some wedding photographs with their dog! So we snuck up to the roof terrace, with its incredible view of Edinburgh Castle and their pooch joined us for some wedding photographs. I love a dog on a wedding day (even if they're a bit tricky to get to stay in one place aha!). Seeing his mum and dad married proved to be a bit too exciting for the little guy so we got lots of fun tongue out shots!
For K & P's wedding, Edinburgh itself did not play a significant role in their wedding photographs which was their own choice. But, as you can see from the shot below the city's ancient cobbled street, impressive castle, and old world charm are a stones throw from the Virgin Hotel. Which means, if you are considering it as a venue, you can absolutely get some shots with some key sights in Edinburgh. But, even just from the rooftop of the hotel, the city’s landmarks added a touch of magic to the wedding photographs.
SPEECHES TIME
After our quick tour of the Virgin Hotel capturing K & P's couple's portraits it was time again to return to Greyfriar's Hall, this time for speeches. K & P had organised an excellent toastmaster through Scottish Toast Masters. He announced the couple in to the hall and everyone was on their feet dancing! After their entrance speeches began. The tables in the hall were laid out in a horseshoe shape which was great as everyone could see everyone else during speeches.
A Fun FILLED DANCE FLOOR
K & P'S wedding reception was a true celebration of love and joy. From the minute the DJ turned down the lights and turned up the base the dance floor was filled. The room was transformed into a quirky party venue, with sparkling candelabras, confetti canons filled with silver sparkly hearts, and disco lights that gave the whole thing a nostalgic 80s vibe. K & P had hired an incredible DJ from We Are Tartan who blasted tunes that filled the floor and beckoned guests to let loose and have fun. As a documentary style photographer, I love to just get in the middle of it all. I really feel this is the perfect way to capture the dynamic and lively atmosphere of any reception. Whether you're having a disco or a ceilidh!
As a result, f the couple's first dance to the emotional musical performances by friends, to silly dances with older relatives every moment was documented in a way that felt natural and unposed. Guests laughing, children playing, and heartfelt embraces were all captured, painting a vivid picture of the evening's festivities. The candid shots of the couple interacting with their guests, dancing, and simply enjoying their special day, highlighted the genuine happiness and love that permeated K & P's wedding day.
FUSING DOCUMENTARY & EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
K & P's day was a perfect example of how the hands-off documentary style approach can be combined with the more staged, posed, and prompted style of editorial photography. In the moments where relaxed, candid and unobtrusive moments needed captured I stood back as though I wasn't there and captured things as they unfolded. But during couples portraits I guided K & P to help them create the glamorous and fun vision they had for them. You can have natural and posed, and bring them together into a seamlessly fun gallery that captures every facet of your day. Trust me ;)
Overall, photographing at the Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh was an absolute dream. The hotel is stunning, the staff are incredible, and all its little eccentricities and quirks make it all the more fun. No matter how many more times I shoot here, I honestly know that no two galleries will look the same. There's so many different areas to play with from the Red Room, to the Courtyard, to the restaurant Eve, to Greyfriar's Hall, to the suites and even just the hallways throughout the hotel. Every space is so different and fun.
K & P's day itself was made even more incredible by the insanely talented suppliers they both meticulously chose. I'd recommend every one of them. So, here's a list, in case you'd like to use any yourself!
Suppliers that made the day so wonderful:
Photography - Myself - www.kategodfreyphoto.com
Videography - Ashley Hope Films - https://www.ashleyhopefilms.com/
DJ - We Are Tartan - http://wearetartan.com
Make-up - Glam by Sophie - https://www.instagram.com/glambysophie_x/
Hair - Lisa Ross Hair - https://www.instagram.com/lisarosshair/
Toast Master - Scottish Toastmaster (Alex) - https://www.scottishtoastmasters.com/
Venue - Virgin Hotels - https://virginhotels.com/
Thank you again K&P! And thank you Virgin Hotels, I can't wait to be back for the next few weddings I have with you!