Outdoors Ceremony at Venachar Lochside with Sheila the Celebrant
Venachar Lochside is a venue that thoroughly deserves its listing on Scotland’s most unusual wedding venues. It’s not a dedicated wedding venue which is probably why they do it so well. They’re super attentive to their couples and looked after me exceptionally well. As any wedding photographer will tell you, staff who take care of the couples’ suppliers aren’t as common as you’d expect. It’s clear their team values what they do. Perhaps one of their greatest strengths is their food. OH. MY. GOODNESS. This is one for the foodies. There were times I struggled to shoot because all I wanted to do was put down my and enjoy the culinary excellence on show. I shall sing the praises of this wee place til the cows come home.
Tucked away in the Trossachs, it’s ideal for couples looking to hold a smaller wedding. It’s literally on the lochside and has its own wee pier as well as impressive views of the mountainous surrounds. There’s a flexible ceremony set up. D+L opted for an outdoor wedding ceremony with the loch behind them. Queue Harper Scott Photo’s happy dance.
The other star of the show was their celebrant. Sheila. Sheila the Celebrant to address her by her full and proper title! What a wonderful human being. Our world needs more Sheilas. When she arrived, I thought she was a long-standing friend of L until she got her official folder out. She was wonderfully accommodating to me before, during and after the ceremony. As a photographer, you can be caught between two poles - you want to make the best photos ever for your couple who has booked you but you don’t want to annoy the officiant. Like being fed at a wedding, it’s a mixed bag. Sheila is most definitely one of the fab ones. She gets it. She knows her couples’ priorities and supports them to achieve this along. The service she delivered was one of the loveliest I’ve been to.
Oh. I should also mention that there was a fire pit for toasting marshmallows. I’d encourage this to be wedding law and that forever more, all weddings should have a fire pit for marshmallow toasting.
Here’s a wee highlight film from the day too. These are an awesome add-on option for couples who’ve booked me to do their photography but fancy a short, impressionistic film interpretation of their day.