A Dreamy Riddle’s Court Wedding Styled Shoot

Did you know that many of the inspirational images you’ve saved on Pinterest are possibly from undisclosed styled wedding shoots? I hope this intel helps reduce your stress levels!

Styled shoots are scenes set up by a lead vendor who brings suppliers together to showcase their products and services.

And I’ve been very lucky to work with the talented film and wedding photographer, Loraine Ross, on such a shoot at the 16th-century Riddle’s Court on the Royal Mile.

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Riddle’s Court Wedding Shoot

The day starts around 9am with a buzzing team of suppliers setting up and dropping items off, bobbing and weaving through the Old Town traffic.

Loraine and I do a walk-through of the historic building, capturing the Category A-listed merchant’s tenement architecture and noting the light sources while hair (Laura) and make-up (Jenny) get their brushes out to start working on the “bride”, Elisa’s first look.

The models are a real-life couple based in NYC who travel around the States and Europe posing as newlyweds for photographers, videographers, and content creators.

Loraine shows us the vintage wedding dresses collected from Those Were the Days Bridal, and we coo over three distinctly different options.

While we might not be throwing a royal banquet like King James VI did in this building, we do have Fiona from Green Cockatoo Events dishing out the vintage crockery for the top table in the Library Room.

I capture Fiona in the act so she can use the content for marketing; suppliers are always too busy doing the work that they rarely have content to advertise themselves with.

For me, the most exciting part of this set-up is the champagne tower, very on-trend for editorial style weddings.

Eric dresses in a grey three-piece suit from Walker Slater (I also capture this brand during this shoot), and Loraine and I capture him putting on the suit jacket and taking a moment in the iconic window seats of the Seton Room, named after Alexander Seton, who was Chancellor of Scotland from 1604-1622.

Then it’s all go, Elisa joins us in a dreamy bridal gown from Those Were The Days for us to shoot getting-ready content.

I managed to encourage Laura and Jenny to do a transition video with a make-up brush, which is superb, thanks to Elisa’s stellar performance!

Watch the reel/TikTok here.

We film the dining scene before the vows, with Elisa changing into a rare 1950s lace gown.

The couple also pop the pink champagne by the champagne tower.

There’s lots of laughing and dancing, before lunch, real food this time, is delivered.

Iconic seats by window at Riddle's Court Edinburgh Styled Wedding Shoot

Couple dine during Riddle's Court Edinburgh Styled Wedding Shoot

Riddle’s Court Ceremony Shoot

Elisa changes into option number two, a satin brocade dress.

The next scene features a faux ceremony in the grand Geddes Room surrounded by Chiavari-style chairs.

The couple treat us to some hilarious vows using an old book as a prop, a ring exchange, and a kiss.

Then, dancing in the Seton Room under the decadent chandelier and decorative ceiling.

Time is escaping, and the light is changing, so we admit defeat on the proposed city photoshoot and focus on the exterior of the building and the courtyard.

The couple pose on the stairs, giving international visitors a wee show.

There’s a quick dress change to ensure the playful 1980s mid-length gown with a big bow gets some attention from the lenses, and then it’s a wrap!