Balmoral Hotel Wedding Photographer
25 Weddings at The Balmoral — and Counting
Looking for an experienced Balmoral Hotel wedding photographer with genuine first-hand knowledge of the venue? Having photographed 25 weddings at The Balmoral Hotel, it’s one of Edinburgh’s landmark wedding venues we know particularly well.
From intimate ceremonies and smaller celebrations to larger weddings in the Sir Walter Scott Suite, we’ve photographed the hotel through different seasons, changing light and plenty of wonderfully unpredictable Edinburgh weather.
That experience means we know much more than the hotel’s layout. We know how its historic interiors photograph, which spaces work best for ceremonies and receptions, where to organise family photographs, and how to make the most of locations around Princes Street when you’d like a few photographs outside.
The Balmoral sits at 1 Princes Street, directly beside Edinburgh Waverley Station, with views towards Edinburgh Castle, the Scott Monument and the Old Town. Its location makes it particularly useful for couples who want the grandeur of a historic hotel while remaining right in the centre of Edinburgh.
Our photography is relaxed, vibrant and focused on genuine moments rather than turning your wedding into a lengthy photoshoot.
Photographed at The Balmoral
Photographing weddings since 2006
August 2026
Balmoral Hotel Wedding Photos
Here are some of our favourite photographs from the 25 weddings we’ve photographed at The Balmoral, including ceremonies, receptions, newlywed portraits, family photographs and evening celebrations throughout the hotel.
Why The Balmoral Works So Well for Weddings
One of The Balmoral’s biggest advantages is its location. Sitting at the east end of Princes Street beside Edinburgh Waverley Station, it gives couples a luxury city-centre hotel without needing to travel elsewhere for photographs.
Inside, the hotel offers a mixture of grand function rooms, smaller suites and distinctive interiors, so it can work for anything from an intimate celebration to a much larger wedding.
For photography, that variety is particularly useful. We can create portraits around the hotel, use the staircase and other interior spaces when the weather is poor, or step outside for photographs around Princes Street, the Old Town and nearby Edinburgh landmarks.
The hotel’s central location also makes the day easier for guests travelling into Edinburgh by train and gives couples plenty of options if they want a few city photographs without leaving their wedding for long.
Wedding Rooms at The Balmoral Edinburgh
Over our 25 weddings at The Balmoral, we’ve photographed celebrations in several of the hotel’s function spaces. The right room depends largely on your guest numbers and the atmosphere you want to create.
The Balmoral’s current wedding information particularly highlights the Sir Walter Scott Suite, Holyrood Suite and Beauly Suite for weddings.
Sir Walter Scott Suite
The Sir Walter Scott Suite is The Balmoral’s largest wedding space and can accommodate a wedding breakfast for up to 280 guests.
It’s the room we’d associate with larger Balmoral weddings: high ceilings, a substantial wooden dance floor and large windows looking along Princes Street towards Edinburgh Castle and the Scott Monument.
From a photography perspective, its size gives us plenty of room to work discreetly during the ceremony, speeches and dancing without constantly being in your guests’ way.
Holyrood Suite
The Holyrood Suite can accommodate up to 120 guests for a ceremony or wedding breakfast.
It has a more intimate feel than the Sir Walter Scott Suite while retaining the historic character and city views that make The Balmoral distinctive.
For medium-sized weddings, it gives couples a good balance between a grand hotel setting and a celebration that still feels personal.
Beauly Suite
For smaller weddings, the hotel currently recommends the Beauly Suite for celebrations of approximately 20–60 guests.
Situated on the second floor, it has views towards Edinburgh Castle and works particularly well when you want the service and surroundings of The Balmoral without needing one of its largest function rooms.
Best Wedding Photo Locations at The Balmoral
One advantage of photographing weddings at The Balmoral is that we can create a varied set of portraits without taking you away from your guests for long. Some of our favourite locations are inside the hotel itself, with several more immediately outside in central Edinburgh.
The Grand Staircase
The grand staircase is one of the most distinctive indoor locations at The Balmoral.
Its stained glass, architecture and open space make it particularly useful for newlywed portraits, and because it’s indoors, it gives us a dependable option when Edinburgh’s weather isn’t cooperating.
We normally only need a few minutes here rather than turning it into a lengthy formal photoshoot.
Rooftop Wedding Photos
When access is available, and the hotel team is happy for us to use it, the rooftop is one of The Balmoral’s most memorable photography locations.
From here, you can get extraordinary views across Edinburgh, including the Old Town skyline and the hotel’s famous clock tower.
One of our most memorable Balmoral photographs was created up here when the Red Arrows appeared over Edinburgh while we were photographing Andrew and Jenna — exactly the kind of completely unplanned moment that makes photographing city-centre weddings so much fun.
The Balmoral Entrance
The hotel’s main entrance on Princes Street works particularly well for a few quick portraits, especially with the building’s stonework and red carpet creating an unmistakably Balmoral setting.
It can also be a useful location for photographs with a piper, wedding car or members of the wedding party before everyone heads back inside.
Princes Street and the City Centre
If you’d like a little more variety, The Balmoral’s location gives us several outdoor options without travelling across Edinburgh.
Depending on your timing, the weather, and how much time you want to spend away from your guests, we can use nearby streets, city architecture, and green spaces to create a few relaxed portraits that contrast with the hotel interiors.
What We’ve Learned From Photographing 25 Weddings at The Balmoral
After photographing 25 weddings here, we’ve learned a few practical tips that can make the day feel easier and more relaxed.
You Don’t Need to Leave the Hotel for Great Photos
The staircase, function rooms, corridors and other interior spaces give us plenty to work with, so there’s no pressure to disappear into Edinburgh for a long portrait session.
If the weather is good and you’d like outdoor photographs, we can add them without making them the focus of the day.
Rooftop Access Is Worth Planning in Advance
The rooftop can produce spectacular photographs, but you’ll need to coordinate access with the hotel.
If rooftop photographs are important to you, it’s worth discussing this with The Balmoral team before the wedding rather than assuming we’ll automatically be able to head up there on the day.
Edinburgh Weather Doesn’t Need to Dictate the Photography
One of the biggest advantages of The Balmoral is the number of strong indoor photography options.
If it’s raining, windy or particularly cold, we can work inside and simply take advantage of any short breaks in the weather rather than forcing you outside for photographs.
Give Yourselves Time to Enjoy the Congratulations
After the ceremony, couples are often surrounded immediately by family and friends who want to hug them, congratulate them and have a chat.
We’d much rather allow that to happen naturally than drag you away the moment the ceremony ends. We can build portraits and family photographs around those moments rather than interrupting them.
A Real Wedding at The Balmoral
If you’d like to see how a full Balmoral wedding photographs from beginning to end, Adrienne and Mark’s summer wedding is a great example. Their day included a ceremony in the Sir Walter Scott Suite, elegant black-tie styling and rooftop portraits overlooking Edinburgh.
Adrienne & Mark’s Summer Wedding at The Balmoral
What Our Balmoral Hotel Couples Say
After photographing 25 weddings at The Balmoral, we’ve been fortunate to receive some wonderful feedback from couples who chose us to photograph their celebrations here.
True professionals and such lovely people, we cannot recommend them highly enough
We cannot thank Jonathon and Claire enough for their talent and dedication to their photography and film for our wedding at The Balmoral. They are true professionals and such lovely people, we cannot recommend them highly enough.
We could not have chosen a better photographer for our wedding.
We were thrilled at the response to the photo (Red Arrows photo taken from the roof of the Balmoral Hotel) – made everything even more magical and so pleased for you to get the recognition for your fantastic talent. Crazy the amount of people who have spoken to both Andrew and I about it since going back to work! You are famous! We could not have chosen a better photographer for our wedding. Thanks again, we are overwhelmed by your kindness.
You helped make our wedding day and have enabled us to capture many fantastic memories.
Thank you for your work and professionalism. We are truly grateful. You have an incredible eye for detail and covered absolutely everything that I had in my mind for the day. You helped make our wedding day and have enabled us to capture many fantastic memories. I will certainly be recommending you in the future!
Balmoral Hotel Wedding Photographer FAQs
Can we have our wedding ceremony at The Balmoral?
Yes. The Balmoral hosts both wedding ceremonies and receptions, with different spaces available depending on the size and style of your celebration.
If you’re considering a particular room, we’d recommend confirming the current ceremony setup and guest capacity directly with the hotel’s wedding team when you enquire.
Where are the best places for wedding photos at The Balmoral?
Some of our favourite locations are the grand staircase, the hotel’s interiors and the main Princes Street entrance.
Once access is arranged, the rooftop can also provide spectacular views across Edinburgh. If you’d like some outdoor variety, we can use nearby city-centre locations without taking you away from your guests for long.
Do we need to leave The Balmoral for our wedding photographs?
No. The hotel gives us plenty of strong indoor locations, so it’s entirely possible to create a varied set of portraits without leaving the building.
If the weather is good and you’d like some Edinburgh photographs too, we can usually add a short outdoor session rather than disappearing for an hour.
What happens if it rains on our Balmoral wedding day?
Rain isn’t a major problem at The Balmoral because we have several good indoor photography options.
We can photograph inside while watching for breaks in the weather, then head outside briefly if conditions improve. This works particularly well for winter weddings when daylight and weather can change quickly.
Can we have rooftop wedding photographs at The Balmoral?
Potentially, yes, but rooftop access shouldn’t be assumed.
We’ve created some fantastic photographs there over the years, but you’ll need to arrange access with the hotel. If rooftop photographs are important to you, mention this to The Balmoral wedding team before the wedding so we can discuss and arrange access in advance.
Planning Your Wedding at The Balmoral?
If you’re planning your wedding at The Balmoral Edinburgh, we’d love to hear what you have in mind.
Having photographed 25 weddings at The Balmoral, we know the hotel, its main wedding spaces and the practicalities of photographing there throughout the year.
Tell us your wedding date, the room or spaces you’re considering and a little about your plans below, and we’ll check our availability.
Tell us a little about what you’re planning, and we’ll check our availability, answer any questions and help you work out what suits you best.There’s no pressure or obligation, and we usually reply within 24 hours.
The Balmoral Wedding Team Contact Details
For current wedding availability, room capacities and packages, contact The Balmoral’s wedding team directly:
The Balmoral
1 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2EQ
Phone: +44 (0)131 556 2414
Email address: [email protected]
Visit The Balmoral’s official wedding website
Related Reading
- Adrienne & Mark’s Balmoral Hotel Wedding: See a complete summer wedding at The Balmoral, including a Sir Walter Scott Suite ceremony, rooftop portraits and an elegant black-tie celebration.
- Edinburgh Wedding Photography Prices & Packages: See our photography coverage, prices and package options for weddings at The Balmoral and throughout Edinburgh.
- Best Wedding Photo Locations in Edinburgh: Discover some of our favourite places for wedding photographs around Edinburgh if you’d like to include a short city portrait session in your Balmoral wedding day.
