Edinburgh Wedding Fair

Saturday – I was in Edinburgh for the day, I was a little knackered after driving back late from the Lake District but I had to cover the Wedding Fair in Ingliston for a commercial client, the fashion show is always good so I tried to plan my day to get me there for the 1st showing at 11am.

However, before that I had a few things to do. Firstly I had to find a Church in Rodney Street, I am Photographing a Wedding there in a couple of weeks time and I wanted to check out the area, especially as Parking will be difficult. I was right, parking will be a nightmare, I’ll need to make other arrangements. The reception for this particular Wedding is at Braid Hills Hotel, it’s quite a while since I was there so I drove up to have a look round and remind myself of the layout. Braid Hills Hotel is a very popular Wedding Venue in Edinburgh and I can understand why, it’s set on a hilltop with great views over the city, I hope the weather is nice to me on the day and we can make use of it. I always make a point of talking to the Wedding Coordinator to see what areas other Photographers use, I’m not proud and if another Wedding Photographer is using a particular area then I’ll certainly consider it. She told me that most Photographers use an area by a hedge, it looked pretty boring to me, just a green background. However, there was not much else. I looked round the inside and found a lovely spiral staircase with quite nice natural light – I’ll use that!

One I’d sorted out that I went to Ingliston to the Wedding Fair. I collected my press pass and realised I was just in time for the fashion show so I wandered round a little before it started.

Various suppliers were demonstrating their wares, this Wedding Cake supplier had this mock palace cake on display, he was a really nice guy and I got chatting to him. He had a sign up saying no photography, I asked why that was and he said that  people take pics of his cakes then go to other bakers and ask them to bake it for less, he gets people coming to him with other peoples work. What is the world coming to.


The fashion show started, there was a huge range of Wedding Dresses on display, after a while they all looked the same to me but I saw lots of people taking pics with camera phones, maybe they are doing the same with dresses as they do with cakes! I was collared by security for taking pics but after they say my press card it was ok.


Something for the ladies, this guy flicked up his kilt at the end, that got a load of whistles, I didn't photograph what he had (or didn’t have) on underneath – sorry girls.




One for the flower girls.

And finally, who said being a Photographer was a boring job – I ran out of batteries at this point!

I wandered round a little and on my way up an aisle I happened to see what I thought was one of my photographs on display, I casually walked past but then turned and walked back again, it was definitely one of my shots and there were others too!!!  However, it was ok because the stand belonged to The Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh, I had photographed Jim and Tracey there a while back and had given them some of the shots to use. I stopped and had a chat with Leila Arfa the Events Co-Ordinator, it was good to see her again. IT’s a stunning venue and right in the heart of the City.

On my wanders I heard someone calling me, it was Claire Rennie of Berry Scrumptious, I had Photographed Claire and Ross  Wedding and apparently they have been recommending me to other people, I worked out that they had actually started a little chain of recommendations – so thank you Claire. If you want something truly different for your Wedding day then I cant recommend them enough, I have tasted them and they are wonderful. Clare had a stand at the show and it was very busy.

A little further on this chap made comment about the size of my lens so I stopped to chat, he introduced himself as David Ho, another Wedding Photographer so it was good to chat with him about the market, industry and general photography related stuff.

Then it was time to leave.