The drinks reception. The groom’s dad on one side, the bride’s dad on the other. Both knocking back a drink at exactly the same second, while the lads in the middle stand there laughing at the pair of them. Nobody set this up. Nobody was told where to stand. It just happened.
This was one of the wood-panelled rooms at Rowallan Castle in East Ayrshire. Shelves of old books, a leather wingback chair, and a portrait on the wall keeping an eye on proceedings. Rooms like this give you so much to work with.
My job in moments like this is simple. Stay quiet, stay close, and go wide enough to keep all four of them in the frame. The two dads at the edges, the reaction in the middle. Black and white keeps your eye on the faces.
I could write a hundred words about this photograph. The picture says it better. Before the ceremony, they were the groom’s dad and the bride’s dad. Now they’re family, and they’re toasting like it.
A wee tip for your drinks reception: keep the group photos short. It’s tempting to fill that time with a long list of family shots. But this is where the best candid moments happen. The nerves are gone, everyone’s relaxed, and the drinks are flowing. Give me a short list and some free time, and I’ll catch moments like this one.
This was one of my first weddings at Rowallan Castle. I’m an Ayrshire wedding photographer based down the road in Troon, but a new venue still keeps me sharp. I’m watching everything.
Location: Rowallan Castle, East Ayrshire, Scotland.
Keywords: ayrshire wedding photographer (184), documentary wedding photography (12), Rowallan Castle Estate (2).