An extraordinary Edinburgh city centre wedding venue

Just imagine arriving at your wedding in the centre of one of the world’s most beautiful cities. You walk through a huge doorway and into a truly stunning space. All your friends and family turn as you slowly walk up the intricately-tiled aisle. That’s the opening scene of numerous weddings I’ve shot at one of Edinburgh’s most dramatic venues. It’s the perfect start for your Mansfield Traquair wedding photography.

Press play on the video below

every angle is a winner!!

Edinburgh’s “Sistine Chapel”

Mansfield Traquair is a striking late Victorian former church. It sits in central Edinburgh, just on the edge of the historic ‘New Town’ (which actually dates from the 18th century). It’s a breathtaking wedding venue. From my own experience as a wedding photographer here, it seems to be much loved by those from overseas, particularly the USA. They are drawn I think to the sheer architectural splendour and also because it’s a stone’s throw from all the historic grandeur of Scotland’s capital city.

The venue is run by Heritage Portfolio, a leading events and catering company. They also manage other amazing Scottish venues such as The Signet Library, Hopetoun House and Dundas Castle. Heritage Portfolio know a thing or two about putting on a show, so weddings here are always visually stunning.

The building itself features ornate ceilings, elaborately designed floors and famous painted murals, columns and archways. All of these add to its slightly gothic atmosphere. From a photographic point of view, there are so many interesting angles and bold backdrops. I especially enjoy putting on a harness and going up high up into the gallery. From here there are fantastic vantage points for a bird’s eye view of all the action below. You can see some of these shots in the gallery below.

Dramatic lighting, theatrical grandeur

There’s more than a hint of theatricality at this venue, which means Mansfield Traquair wedding photographs will be especially dramatic. The light during the day is beautifully filtered through the stained glass windows. While at night couples can opt for a plethora of lighting effects. Choose sultry crimson or deep blue with fairylight ‘waterfalls’ which cascade down the pillars to spectacular effect. Whichever lighting design you choose, images of the dancing mayhem will be some of the best of the album.

That moment when the bride arrives is, of course, one of the high points of any wedding, and the entrance at Mansfield Traquair is particularly grand. From a practical point of view there’s also plenty of space for me to shoot, unlike a small parish church with a narrow doorway. Despite being in the centre of Edinburgh, there are some pretty outdoor spots around the building for photography. If it’s a city vibe you’re after, the venue is close enough to cobbled lanes and centuries-old stone streets to get some great couples portraits. These can be especially effective in black and white.

Let’s talk Mansfield Traquair Wedding Photography

Is my relaxed and collaborative approach to wedding photography what you’re looking for? Please do give me a call on 44+ (0)7887 676002 or drop me a line at studio@ashleycoombes.co.uk. You’ll find plenty more examples of my work at https://ashleycoombes.co.uk/

You can find out more about weddings at Mansfield Traquair on their Heritage Portfolio website here.

And a couple more photofilms of Mansfield Traquair weddings below.

Press play, turn up the volume, sit back and let it all wash over you…

First up is Ghazal and Nick’s elegant multicultural Mansfield Traquair wedding. A fabulous meeting of Scottish and Persian cultures. The traditional dance before the cutting of the cake was brilliant! This was an absolutely fabulous occasion as two wonderful families and cultures came together to celebrate their union!

Next video below is Bridget and Chris who found me for their Mansfield Traquair Wedding photography through a recommendation by the venue. As you’ve read already, it’s a place I love to work because of the architecture, the lighting, the atmosphere and also the approach of the couples it attracts.

I’d met Bridget and Chris for their engagement shoot at the Signet Library and chatted through all the plans. The time we spent together that day gave me an inkling of how the wedding would pan out and that Bridget and Chris would be great to work with. What our conversation didn’t do was give me any idea of the depth and character of the amazing wedding that was to materialize!

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