A beautiful ceremony, some of my favourite portraits of the year so far, a very chilled little boy and a best man's speech that nobody was prepared for


Some weddings have a little bit of everything, and Niamh and Liam's was certainly one of them. I joined them at St John's Roman Catholic Church in Larkhall before heading to the Strathaven Hotel for their reception. They were an absolute pleasure to work with, their little boy was ridiculously cute, and the day was full of the kind of moments that make wedding photography so rewarding.


A beautiful church deserves beautiful photographs

I arrived early, as I always do, with my son Adam to photograph the chapel before the guests arrived. From the outside, you could easily underestimate this lovely church. Step inside, though, and it's a different story. The space has a beautiful atmosphere, and I wanted to make sure the photographs did it justice. One of the advantages of being a wedding photographer who also works in property and interior photography is that I can bring those skills into a wedding day. I used my experience with wide-angle photography to capture the architecture, layout and atmosphere of the ceremony space.


Couples spend a lot of time, effort and money choosing their venues. I believe those spaces deserve to look just as good in their photographs as they do in person.

Before the ceremony, I also met with the priest to discuss where I could work and what he expected from me. It's important to remember that a church wedding is not simply a photoshoot. It's a religious experience, and my job is to document it respectfully without getting in the way.

Aerial view of a grand Georgian country house hotel with manicured lawns, outdoor seating, and a busy car park surrounded by trees.
Elegant Catholic church interior with marble floors, floral arrangements, altar, and religious artwork in a bright white sanctuary.

Laughter, happy tears and a very important first kiss

As the guests arrived, I concentrated on the candid moments. One of my favourite things about weddings is watching family and friends reunite. People who haven't seen each other for months, or sometimes years, suddenly find themselves together in the same room. Those little interactions are often every bit as meaningful as the big moments.


Adam had positioned himself at the back of the church, ready to capture Niamh walking down the aisle from behind, while I worked from the front to capture the ceremony from different angles.


The ceremony itself was full of laughter, helped along by a priest with a brilliant sense of humour. There was a lovely warmth to the whole occasion.


Then came the vows and ring exchange. I was ready for the first kiss, but there was no formal announcement of "You may now kiss the bride". Catholic wedding ceremonies don't always include that familiar line, so you need to be ready for the moment rather than waiting for someone to tell you it's happening. I just caught it when the Priest Whispered "Ye can gie him a wee kiss if ye want".


It's a good reminder that wedding photography is about anticipation as much as taking pictures. You can plan your positions, check your settings and prepare your equipment, but you still need to react quickly when the moment arrives.

Five groomsmen in matching kilts and jackets stand side by side on a curved stone step outside an arched church doorway in black and white.
Bridesmaid in a satin gown holds a bouquet and walks hand in hand with a toddler ring bearer down the church aisle at a wedding.
Smiling bridesmaid in an olive green one-shoulder dress holds a pink bouquet while walking down the church aisle at a wedding ceremony.
Bride in a long white gown and veil stands beside the groom at the church altar while wedding guests watch from the pews.
Wedding guests stand in wooden pews decorated with white ribbons and flowers as a couple faces the altar in a bright chapel.
Bride in a long white gown and groom in a kilt stand before a priest at the altar during a Catholic wedding ceremony with guests watching.
Congregation seated in wooden pews inside a church with arched ceilings, stained glass windows, and an altar at the front during a service.
Bride in a long white gown and veil sits beside her groom in a church pew during a wedding ceremony, with groomsmen seated behind them.
Groom in a tweed jacket and kilt slips a wedding ring onto the bride's finger as an officiant looks on during the ceremony.
Bride in a long veil and groom in a kilt stand before a priest holding a book during a wedding ceremony in a church, in black and white.
Bride in a long-veiled white wedding gown embraces the groom in a tartan kilt at the church altar while guests watch from wooden pews.
Smiling bride in a white gown and groom in a kilt walk down the church aisle past seated wedding guests after their ceremony.

Two photographers, two cameras and plenty of video

Adam spent much of the day filming, recording almost 200 short video clips that I would later combine into a wedding highlight film.


We also arranged audio recording, with the priest kindly agreeing to wear a microphone so we could capture the important words from the ceremony. Good audio makes a huge difference to a highlight film. It allows you to hear the vows and the emotion behind the words, rather than simply watching a collection of pretty clips set to music.


Having a second photographer who understands the plan makes a real difference here. While I concentrated on the still photographs, Adam could focus on capturing the movement, atmosphere and little details that would bring the film together. The result is one of my favourite highlight films I've created so far.


Confetti, an empty church and some favourite portraits

Straight after the ceremony, we gathered everyone outside for a lovely confetti photograph in front of the church. While the guests made their way to the reception, Niamh, Liam and I took advantage of the quiet church to create some portraits together. These were some of my favourite bride and groom portraits of the year so far.

The area around the sanctuary, the space surrounding the altar, offered a gorgeous backdrop. There was a soft green glow in the background that added depth and atmosphere without needing anything artificial.


I love finding little pockets of light like this. You don't always need elaborate decorations or a dramatic location. Sometimes the best photographs come from noticing what's already there and knowing how to use it.


Niamh and Liam were relaxed and happy to go with the flow, which always makes a portrait session easier. We could take our time, try a few different compositions and create something that felt natural rather than overly posed.



Bride in a white gown with a long veil and groom in a kilt and tartan jacket pose with a bouquet inside a church with a crucifix.
Bride in a flowing white gown and groom in a Scottish kilt pose together at the altar of a bright church with a crucifix and statues.
Bride in a white gown with a long veil and groom in a green jacket and tartan kilt pose with a bouquet inside a church.
Bride in a white gown and long veil holding a pink bouquet gazes at her groom in a green tartan kilt inside a church.
Smiling bride in a white gown and long veil embraces a bearded groom in a gray jacket and tartan kilt inside a bright church.
Bride in a white satin wedding gown with a long veil and train stands before the altar of a Catholic church with a crucifix above.
Bride in an elegant white satin wedding gown with a long sheer veil stands inside a bright church with a crucifix and stained glass windows.
Black and white photo of a bride in a ball gown and long veil standing in a church aisle beneath a crucifix.
Black and white portrait of a smiling bride in a satin gown and lace-trimmed veil, glancing aside in a church.

A warm welcome at the Strathaven Hotel

Next, we headed to the Strathaven Hotel, a venue that has a special place in my heart because I've visited several times for family celebrations. It's a lovely setting for a wedding reception, with its country house character, gardens and flexible reception spaces. The hotel's Strathaven Suite has large windows and direct access to the gardens, making it a great option for couples who want a reception space that feels bright and welcoming.


It's also a venue where the staff can make a real difference to the day. I need to praise the team for their friendly service and organisation, as well as the gardens and relaxed atmosphere.


While Niamh and Liam took a well-deserved breather, I photographed the reception room before everyone came in. These photographs are often overlooked, but I think they're important. Couples spend time choosing their decorations, table settings and finishing touches, and I want them to have photographs that capture all that effort before the room fills with people.


We then headed outside for family group photographs and a few more portraits of the happy couple, while everyone else enjoyed cocktails and live music.


An impromptu football match

One of the best things about a wedding is that you can never completely predict what will happen next. At one point, an impromptu game of football broke out on the front lawn. Niamh and Liam's little boy was delighted to get involved, chasing the ball around and having the time of his life.


He was such a chilled, happy little boy for most of the day, and it was lovely to capture him enjoying himself. Of course, as any parent will know, a game involving a young child, a football and a group of enthusiastic adults can only go one way for so long. The inevitable tears arrived!


But that's family life. Not every moment has to be perfectly posed or picture-perfect to be worth remembering. Sometimes the photographs that make you laugh years later are the ones where things didn't quite go to plan.

Black and white photo of a bride in a lace-trimmed veil and full ball gown sitting in a garden with her arms outstretched.
Smiling bride in a white strapless gown holds a toddler in a tweed kilt outfit beside a bearded groom in a green Scottish tweed jacket.
Black and white wedding photo of a bride in a veil sitting on stairs, playing with a toddler in a kilt as the groom smiles.
Smiling bride in a white lace veil laughs joyfully at a wedding reception table with candles, glassware and a green bottle.
Laughing man in a green tweed jacket, tartan kilt and floral boutonniere sits at a white-clothed table giving a thumbs up at a wedding.
Man in glasses and a green tweed jacket with a floral boutonniere reads from paper while speaking into a microphone at a wedding.
Woman in an olive green off-the-shoulder dress reads from her phone while holding a microphone to give a wedding speech.
Emotional bride in a white strapless dress and lace veil wipes her eye with a tissue at a wedding reception table with candles.
A bride laughs joyfully beside a smiling groom in a vest at a wedding reception table while guests listen during the speeches.
Smiling bride in a lace veil and a bearded groom in a tartan kilt and vest laugh while holding speech cards at a wedding reception table.
Black and white photo of a bride in a strapless gown and a groom in a kilt and tweed jacket cutting their white wedding cake together.
Bride in a strapless white gown and groom in a green tweed kilt outfit cut their white wedding cake together beside a sunlit window.

Speeches that left nobody untouched

Once everyone was back inside, it was time for the speeches. There wasn't a dry eye in the room during the maid of honour's speech. It was heartfelt, emotional and clearly meant a great deal to everyone listening. Then the best man took over. His speech had a rather different effect on Liam. A selection of photographs from the groom's teenage years, including a few that were best left in the family archive, made an appearance. Let's just say Liam was laughing, cringing and wishing for the ground to swallow him up in roughly equal measure. :-)


It was exactly the sort of speech that gets everyone talking long after the microphone has been put away.


As a photographer, I love these moments because the reactions are just as important as the person speaking. The laughter, the embarrassment, the proud parents and the friends trying not to spit out their drinks all help tell the story of the day.


Cake, dancing and a perfect end to the day

The day continued with the cake cutting before the DJ took over and the evening celebrations got under way. That was my cue to wrap up, leaving Niamh and Liam to enjoy the rest of their wedding with family and friends.


A huge thank you to Niamh and Liam for having me along to document such a lovely day. You were both an absolute pleasure to work with, and it was wonderful to see your family and friends come together to celebrate with you. A big thank you to the team at the Strathaven Hotel, too, for helping everything run smoothly.


A couple of things I've learned along the way

I'm always looking for ways to improve. First, have someone from the family help coordinate the group photographs. It saves time, makes sure the right people are in the right place and means you spend less of the day calling names across a garden. Second, trust your second photographer. When you're working on both photography and video, you need someone who understands the plan and can confidently capture the moments you need. Adam did a fantastic job, and the footage he captured helped create one of my favourite wedding highlight films to date.


Most importantly, leave room for the unexpected. Some of the best photographs from Niamh and Liam's wedding came from the moments nobody had planned.


Niamh and Liam, thank you again for letting us be part of your wedding. I hope these photographs and your highlight film bring back all the laughter, happy tears and wonderful memories for many years to come.