This wedding was a while coming…and boy was it worth the wait! Weiwei and Gerard are one of those many unfortunate couples whose wedding was affected by the pandemic and lockdowns, and at times I wondered if I was ever going to get to meet them. But meet them I did, and I have to say it was one of the highlights of my year.

It had been a while since I had photographed over on the East coast, but bridal preparations at The Innkeepers Lodge in the beautifully quaint South Queensferry was a wonderful way to re-acquaint myself with the area. Starting off the preparations RIGHT at the foot of the Forth Rail Bridge Weiwei and the bridesmaids had a fantastic view out across the water as the world passed by. Inside it was a hive of activity as Weiwei prepared to wear her first of THREE wedding dresses. If you’re gonna do it, might as well do it in style! This was a traditional Chinese wedding dress of red, white and gold; complete with ornamental headdress. Stunning. All the while, Weiwei’s mum, who spoke next to no English and was on her first trip away from China, feverishly worked away on zoom calls and gathering photo and video content for Weiwei’s Instagram channel. It was an impressive sight to watch someone of the older generation wield modern technology with such effortless fluency. I think I even saw her later on in the day using a tripod and gimbal stabiliser! :-D

The absolutely spectacular Dundas Castle was the setting for the wedding ceremonies. It was my first time there, and it was truly stunning. There are many very fine wedding venues, and even castles in the Edinburgh area, but this was right up there amongst the top of the list! The castle is extremely versatile in terms of what I like photographically - modern luxury stylings alongside traditional, old-school castle features; beautiful grounds, and views as far as the eye can see. Exquisite!

One of the really fun features of Chinese weddings are THE GAMES. These take place before the formal ceremonies and are essentially a lot of fun and games at the expense of the groom and his groomsmen. The bridesmaids basically put the guys through all sorts of tasks and tests designed for ritual humiliation and the entertainment of all watching :-D There were quizzes, blind makeup application and waxing to name but a few - the groomsmen honourably bearing the brunt of the punishment shielding Gerard from the worst of it!

Following this the traditional Chinese tea ceremony was observed, followed by an outfit change! This time, the dress was a more traditional western wedding dress provided by Essence of Australia, with the bridesmaids, hair and make up ladies whirring into action on the beautifully elegant bride.

For the final ceremony, Weiwei was escorted down the aisle by her father in law in the beautiful, ancient keep of the castle. Let me tell you; winding stairs and wedding dresses don’t necessarily mix! ;-) Then we spent the rest of the day marvelling at the views and the weather, and enjoying the day with the truly international guest list. Not to mention another dress change for the evening reception and dancing!

Enjoy!