An intimate wedding in Barcaldine Castle

Castles, Canadians, and 4am rom-coms

Maddy and Sean’s intimate wedding in Barcaldine Castle was one of the most romantic and emotional days in the history of the world. Full disclosure: I cried when I left. And then when I got back to my little caravan, I stayed up watching rom-coms til 4am, sobbing into my Wotsits and mumbling “love…” to myself. It was a good thing I packed my emergency tub of Ben and Jerry’s. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Who are Maddy and Sean? Where’s Barcaldine Castle? What’s a wedding? Let me catch you up. 

Sean moved to Scotland from Canada many moons ago in the name of further education. And in the name of love, Maddy left her life behind and crossed the world with him. And if it all sounds achingly romantic, it’s because it is. These guys are besotted, head-over-heels, ‘to be avoided after a breakup’ in love. The kinda love that gives you hope for the world. 

We’ve got Scottish and Canadian wedding traditions. We’ve got an ancient castle and life-affirming love. If you’re thinking of having an intimate Scottish castle wedding, this is all the inspiration you could ever need. 

Is Barcaldine Castle the best intimate wedding venue in Scotland?

Maddy and Sean both have Scottish heritage. So when they decided to get married, they stuck to their roots, invited their families across the world and found themselves a Scottish wedding castle. And what a castle! Barcaldine Castle is up there with the best of ‘em. 

Sitting on the shores of Loch Creran, you’ve got stunning views across the waters to the peaks of the Scottish Highlands. It may not be the biggest, but it has heaps of character (*shudder* prom night flashback). 

I arrived there early in the morning to be greeted by the unfamiliarly warm Scottish sun, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the humbling sight of Sean on his morning run. After saying hello to Sean’s family, I made my way up to where Maddy was getting ready. 

The bearded bridesmaid

Now as a documentary wedding photographer, it’s not in my nature to interfere with a day. But as a human, it’s not in my nature to sit in the corner like a weirdo. So I took a seat for a while, cracked a few jokes and chatted away like an honorary (albeit rather bearded) bridesmaid. 

And it was awesome. I was buzzing off their excitement, how thankful they all were, and the connection they had as a group. There are lots of different kinds of love, and one of them was filling every corner of the room.

Maddy and Sean had written letters to each other to read in the morning. So after Maddy had finished her 17th slice of toast, she sat by the window and had a read. There were tears, there were giggles. There was more toast. It was a pretty perfect start to the day. 

The lads getting ready

Meanwhile (down three flights of hazardous stairs), the lads were getting ready together in the Barcaldine Castle hall. And you know what? This was one of my favourite parts of the day.

As I watched Sean’s dad helping him get ready, I could see how proud of him he was. The care he was taking to make sure everything looked nice, the small adjustments to little things. There was so much love there. 

We’re told as men not to be emotional and vulnerable. But fuck that. Those moments they shared together, the beaming smiles, the unabashed excitement. It was a genuine joy. And it was a special thing to see. 

‘First looks’ should definitely be a thing

Imagine having a few moments alone together before your wedding. Seeing each other for the first time in private. Getting to kiss, cuddle, and share in each other’s butterflies while no one else is around. Sounds great, right? Have yourselves a ‘first look' and thank me later. 

Sean stood in the quiet gardens of Barcaldine Castle, waiting for his bride. Maddy came out into the sunshine and stood behind him for a while. They chatted away about their morning, their voices shaking with excitement, the birds singing in the trees. And then she tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around. 

It was a moment I’ll never forget. His face when he saw her in her dress; his best friend, ready to be married. The instant joy, love and connection that sparked between them. The bittersweet moment they had to part, if only for a few minutes. 

“Is it everything you imagined?” 

“Yes, that and more.”

An outdoor wedding ceremony in Barcaldine Castle 

Fresh petals blew across the grass, and the soft sounds of guitar filled the air as Maddy and her dad walked arm-in-arm down the aisle. 

Maddy’s mum had sadly passed away a few years before. And while she was a big part of the day in a lot of ways, there was something about their walk down the aisle that stuck with me. Because it didn’t feel as though Maddy’s dad was ‘giving her away’. It felt like he was doing what Maddy’s mum would’ve wanted, and making sure she felt loved with every step. And when he gave Sean the tightest of squeezes at the altar, it was so much more than just a hug. 

From the personal vows they’d written to the homemade arch behind the altar, it was a ceremony that could only have been theirs. And of course, no Barcaldine Castle wedding would be complete without a traditional Scottish handfasting ceremony! After all, if you’re going to tie the knot, you may as well tie the knot!

After the tartans had been tied, the register had been signed, and the first kiss had been smooched, it was official. Confetti filled the air, and the loudest of cheers carried out across the Barcaldine Castle grounds.

Barcaldine Castle wedding photography

After we’d had a few cheeky group shots, I snuck Maddy and Sean away from the attention of the crowds and into the privacy of the castle grounds for their couple’s photos.

I always love this part of the wedding day. Your first moments alone as a married couple, the precious few minutes on your wedding day where you get to just be. So I’ll put some music on to set the mood (cinematic and romantic; the Cha Cha Slides for later). And then I’ll just step back and capture you being together in the moment. 

And of course, I’ll give you a few wee prompts towards a pretty backdrop, or a nice bit of lighting. But it’s not about getting you to pose for photos. It’s about the way you look at each other, the way you laugh at each other’s jokes, the way you melt in each other’s arms. It’s about capturing all the little moments that made you fall in love with each other in the first place. 

Throwing more shapes than a toddler in a playpen

Here’s the best thing about having an intimate wedding. There’s no clutter in your guestlist, no weak links you have to edit yourselves around. No “I haven’t seen you since…” relatives, or, “I think we met at…” plus-ones. It’s like the Fellowship without Boromir.

So when it comes to an intimate wedding party, you know things are gonna kick off. Throw in an epic live band with live karaoke and you’ve got a recipe for madness.

And it did not disappoint. Everyone was jumping up and doing karaoke. Manny the Best Man was dancing like a madman with rhythm. Sean was on cocktail duty. I was thinking about squeezing in another couple’s session. But when I saw Sean shaking cocktails and Maddy on the mic, I figured they were enjoying themselves too much to be disturbed! 

Get the garter then light the sparkler

I’d never seen ‘get the garter’ before and I loved it! Along with the first look, this is another tradition I hope makes its way across the pond. 

Maddy sat on a chair, and Sean did his best Magic Mike impression! After what must’ve been an agonising few minutes for Maddy’s dad, Sean stuck his face under her dress to get the garter. 

So funny, and such a great laugh. But presumably the stuff of nightmares for Maddy’s dad. 

Getting people together afterwards for the sparkler shot was like herding drunk cats. But it was worth the tufts of hair I pulled out of my beard. I mean, who doesn’t love a sparkler shot?! And honestly, no, it wasn’t dark enough. But the cats were getting drunker by the minute, so I worked my camera magic and made it work. 

Looking for a Barcaldine Castle wedding photographer? 

Full disclosure, I cried when I left (see what I did there? Masterful storytelling). 

At the end of the night, I asked Sean and Maddy to come away from the party for a few minutes. I’d printed a little stack of photos, like little polaroids, that I’d taken and edited during the day. 

And then I got to see the other side of what I do. I got to watch them relive their day all over again, and see some of the moments they hadn’t seen. They were so thankful, so lovely, and they gave me the biggest hug. And yep, I started crying. But after a while, I pulled myself together, thanked them from the bottom of my heart and let them go back to the party. The last thing I saw as I left was them showing everyone the polaroids.

If you’d like for me to capture your wedding in Barcaldine Castle or anywhere else, I’d love to be a part of your story. I’m a massive nerd and a huge softie, and I might not be your cup of tea. But if you love my work and think we’d be friends, I’d love to hear from you. 

Let’s have a chat and get to know each other.