Capturing Love at Kilmartin Castle: A Historic Scottish Wedding

A wedding adventure in the wild parts of Scotland. A 16th-century castle with unique bedrooms. St Conan’s Kirk built in 1881–1914 by Walter Douglas Campbell, a breathtaking church with four chapels and hidden surprises in every corner. A ring carrier out of the ordinary (a white owl), and on top of it all, a private Italian chef. This wedding had all of the vibes one would hope for in the mystic parts of Scotland.

When my colleague contacted me and told me about this American couple that planned on getting married in Scotland, at this gorgeous castle, and wanted a second shooter, there was really nothing holding me back. Scotland is one of my absolute favorite locations in the world, and privately I travel there as many times as I can and as often as I can. I accepted to second shoot. And the more info I got, the more excited I became.

A few times every other year, I get these special, different, and wonderful opportunities to capture weddings & elopements that I know will stay in my heart for as long as I live. This is one of them.

We flew to Glasgow, and the moment Fran and I got to talk, I knew we had a similar eye for the style of photography she wanted. They chose Scotland for the historic and Scotland-loving Dan, and they decided to have a medieval theme in a historic and intimate setting.

When they found Kilmartin Castle and St Conan’s Kirk, they knew it would be a perfect match for the vision they had. They also found a falconry with a white owl that became their ring carrier *sigh*. What a dream.

A stunning detail shot of the handmade map of the area and the stamps used.

About Kilmartin Castle:

Located in the wild Argyll on the breathtaking west coast of Scotland, it is surrounded by the quiet community of local farmers, standing stones, hill forts, and burial cairns. On the website, the owners of Kilmartin Castle say “they have imaginatively restored the 16th-century castle.” The couple found the castle in 2015, left their jobs, and started to create the experience they would have wanted to experience themselves.

The Day of the Wedding at St Conan Kirk

The day started with getting ready, and the guests were already in their outfits when Malin and I arrived.

After those photos, we took the portraits, and it was not hard by any means to find places around and inside the castle.

Arriving at St Conan Kirk

Seeing the architecture of the church as we parked was like going back in time. Located by Loch Awe, it is an absolute gem. We got started by practicing with the owl, and as it was a surprise to the guests, they had to stay elsewhere in the meantime. After that, the ceremony started.

The ceremony included the Scottish tradition of hand-fasting and some of the Filipino traditions such as lighting a candle, a veil across their shoulders, and a rope shaped as a forever symbol. Then the couple walked to the top of the aisle, which is located in the front with big windows and pillars, and also known as the circle of standing stones or Aspe.

There, the beautiful white owl flew to bring the rings to the couple. As soon as the falconer came out with the owl, you could hear the surprising gasps among the guests. After the rings were exchanged, the couple walked back to continue the ceremony and then exited down the aisle. I could feel it in the air; everyone felt that we had witnessed and experienced a ceremony out of the ordinary.

Getting back to the castle we found an amazing spot for some portraits, so here comes a mix of castle and outdoor wedding portraits to enjoy.

The mood and the vision

It all came together in the evening, during an intimate dinner for the party, in a beautiful dinner setting and with a private Italian chef living in Scotland. The night became long and with lots of intimate stories and laughter. But knowing some of the bride’s vision for the wedding day was still left. We sneaked out during the evening and had a session that became so mystical and really put the mood and vision together.

Ending words

So I will end this blogpost with a question, but first. The list of the vendors, and some more inspirational blogposts that might be interesting to read. Also, give me a follow on Instagram, I will post the link after the list of vendors!

The question:

Were you inspired by this post? Will you incorporate something of it in your own wedding?

Please write in the comment section below.

All the best!

XoX Evelyn

Venue: Kilmartin castle

Church: St Conan kirk

Photographers: Evelyn Wallin Photography & Malin Norlen

Falconer: Strathblane Falconry

Private chef: Guiseppe Manzoli