ardgowan weddings

A Scottish Wedding at Ardgowan Estate

A west of Scotland
Stately Home Hideaway

Ardgowan Estate Wedding 1

I can count on one hand venues across Scotland that truly deliver from a wedding photography point of view. Ardgowan Estate doesn’t disappoint and is included in that list and should definitely make your shortlist of venues when you come to planning your own wedding.

Below is the kind of thing that I will create for a wedding at Ardgowan Estate. I’ll let the images speak for themselves, but if you’re interested, scroll to the bottom where I’ve selected a few images and explained what I’m looking for and/or how I created the shot.

Some background behind the images

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The library

I always try to avoid using flash if I can help it. I moved a big old arm chair to face the huge window here to make the most of the huge amount of natural light. I also switched a lamp on in the background to retain some ambient light. The result is some lovely skin tones.

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The stairs

Most photographers have done the big wide shot of the main staircase and why not, it’s spectacular. I wanted to focus on the colours - the stairs, the walls, the bannisters and the light bouncing off the dress, flowers and brides face.

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Tree Swing

Who doesn’t love a tree swing?! Located in the beautiful private gardens of the house, this swing was erected by the BBC for the filming of their Agatha Christie drama Ordeal By Innocence. Nice of them to leave it up.

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Main Staircase

Probably the shot I’m most proud of. The light in this image travels from three floors up from the sky light dome, illuminating only half of this sofa. It’s all I needed and I was later told by the owner that no other photographer had used that spot.

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The walkway

The history of Ardgowan House is so interesting. This was an old covered private walkway for the family to get to their chapel, now in ruins. The windows used to be internal windows! I can’t help but get lost in my thoughts imagining the people who used to walk here.

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The bench

A small bench within a cutaway hedge, the perfect place to get lost and have a break from the main wedding, yet only 30 seconds from the main house. The light in this space is so nice too.

So there you go, some insight into the amazing spaces around Ardgowan Estate and I’ve only touched the surface. There are so many places to explore in and around the main house. Fancy joining me for an adventure and immersing yourself in some Scottish history for your wedding day?

It’s worth pointing out that the images you see above where all created by myself with a fantastic small team of people. I wanted to showcase the lovely spaces in and around Ardgowan House that were the complete opposite to the classic look of a stately home. Here’s the team who were part of it.

Venue - Ardgowan Estate

Wedding Blog - Braw Brides

Flowers - Briar Rose Flowers

Wedding Planner - Fin Flükra

Wedding Dress - Flossy & Dossy

Hair/Makeup - Kim Boyd

Grooms Outfit - models own

Jewellery - Fire White Jewellery

Models - Real life couple Jen and Jack, who aren’t even models but did a fantastic job here.

THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED!

Ardgowan Estate, Scottish Wedding Venue

Ardgowan Estate is one of the most magical and fascinating places I've ever visited. And it's a stones throw away from where I live! A few months ago I was invited to meet Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart who gave me a quick tour of the place. It would make the most amazing wedding venue with so much to explore, more details about that right here.

I recently returned with my camera where I was given the freedom to explore. I walked into many of the grand rooms that looked out on to the estate. I was completely in awe of the place as I unearthed many of its hidden treasures that revealed some of its history. I ventured outside and stood at the door to the ruined chapel, imagining the people who once walked in and out of its grand entrance. Through the gardens, across the lawn and through the woodland. Ardgowan Estate has a heartbeat that's ready to come to life again and is about to begin another exciting journey. But right now, explore with me through the collection of images I captured. (oh and if you scroll to the bottom, you can see some aerial footage shot with a drone of the estate, amazing stuff!)

Aerial film by Quantum Altitude Vision