Best East Lothian Wedding Venues: A Photography Guide
East Lothian offers a particularly varied mix of wedding venues, from country estates and historic houses to coastal hotels, churches, and smaller ceremony locations around North Berwick, Gullane, Dunbar, and Musselburgh.
We’ve photographed weddings throughout East Lothian over many years, so this guide is based on venues we know from real weddings rather than places we’ve simply researched online.
Below you’ll find the East Lothian wedding venues we’ve actually photographed, along with our own photographs and, where available, links to full venue guides or real wedding galleries. We’ve included what makes each place distinctive and the practical photographic opportunities we’ve found useful when working there.
If you’re comparing locations, the aim is to help you narrow down which venues might suit the kind of wedding you’re planning — whether that means an exclusive-use estate, a coastal hotel, a historic ceremony setting or somewhere smaller and more relaxed.
weddings photographed
photographed since 2006
husband-and-wife photography team
East Lothian Wedding Venues & Photography Locations Map
Use the interactive map below to explore the East Lothian wedding venues and photography locations featured in this guide.
Click any venue name in the list to zoom in on its location, or use Jump to venue ↓ to go straight to our notes and photographs further down the page.
Estates, Country Houses & Rural Venues
Archerfield House
Archerfield offers two very different wedding settings near North Berwick: the historic Archerfield House and the more contemporary Waterfront overlooking the coast.
Archerfield House gives photographs a more traditional country-estate feel, with grand interiors, large windows, gardens and the surrounding grounds. The Waterfront is much more modern, with open views towards the sea and a brighter, more flexible reception space.
That contrast makes Archerfield particularly useful for couples deciding between a classic house wedding and a more contemporary coastal celebration while staying within the same estate.
Broxmouth Courtyard
Broxmouth Courtyard is an exclusive-use wedding venue near Dunbar, set within the wider Broxmouth Park Estate.
The restored courtyard buildings give the day a relaxed, self-contained feel, with the Stables Gallery for ceremonies, the Courtyard Dining Hall for the wedding breakfast and evening celebrations, and accommodation available on the estate.
From a photography point of view, we like the contrast between the more contemporary courtyard spaces and the surrounding grounds, which gives couples useful variety without needing to travel away from the venue.
Carberry Tower
We’ve photographed 14 weddings at Carberry Tower, so it’s one of the East Lothian venues we know particularly well.
Set near Musselburgh, it offers a useful mix of historic interiors, gardens and purpose-built wedding spaces. The rose garden, mature trees, and grounds offer plenty of outdoor options, while the wood-panelled rooms, staircase, and fireplaces provide strong alternatives when the weather changes.
That variety makes it particularly flexible for photography without couples needing to spend long periods away from their guests.
See our Carberry Tower wedding photography guide and real wedding photos.
Dunglass Estate
Dunglass Estate near Cockburnspath combines a historic ceremony setting with a more contemporary space for the wedding breakfast and evening celebrations.
The ruined church is one of the estate’s most distinctive features and gives ceremonies a strong sense of place, while the surrounding gardens, woodland, and coastal setting provide plenty of variety for portraits.
From a photography point of view, that contrast works particularly well: couples can have photographs that feel historic and atmospheric around the church, then lighter, more open images elsewhere on the estate.
Fenton Tower
Fenton Tower near North Berwick is a restored 16th-century fortified tower surrounded by open East Lothian countryside.
It works particularly well for smaller weddings held inside the Tower, while larger celebrations can use a marquee within the grounds. That gives couples two very different ways to use the venue depending on the size and style of their day.
From a photography point of view, the stone exterior, historic interiors and elevated countryside setting give the photographs a strong sense of place, while the surrounding grounds provide much lighter, more open options for portraits.
Gilmerton House
Gilmerton House near Athelstaneford is a private Georgian estate surrounded by gardens and East Lothian countryside.
We’ve photographed weddings here and found the contrast between the historic main house, the restored Laundry House and the grounds particularly useful. The oak-panelled Music Room has a more traditional feel, while the Laundry House is lighter and more informal, giving couples two very different indoor settings within the same estate.
Outside, the gardens, lawns and woodland provide plenty of options for ceremonies, drinks and portraits without needing to travel elsewhere.
Because the estate is offered on an exclusive-use basis with accommodation on site, it also suits couples who want their celebration to extend beyond the wedding day itself.
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club in Prestonpans offers a more relaxed alternative to the larger country estates elsewhere in East Lothian.
The clubhouse sits within an established parkland course, giving us plenty of greenery, mature trees and open space for portraits without couples needing to travel away from their guests.
When we photographed a wedding here, the grounds gave us a useful contrast to the indoor celebration and worked particularly well for relaxed newlywed photographs.
Churches & Religious Ceremonies
Dirleton Kirk
Dirleton Kirk sits in the centre of Dirleton, just a short walk from the village green and the ruins of Dirleton Castle.
We’ve photographed weddings here where the ceremony at the Kirk was followed by a short walk through the village for portraits. That gives couples useful variety without needing a separate journey between the ceremony and photographs.
The church itself has a traditional, intimate feel, while the surrounding village and castle grounds give the finished gallery a very different look.
Gladsmuir Church of Scotland
Gladsmuir Church sits between Tranent and Haddington and offers a traditional church setting with the older ruined church walls still visible in the surrounding graveyard.
When we photographed a wedding here, that contrast between the active church and the historic ruins gave us useful variety for photographs immediately around the ceremony location.
It’s a good option for couples who want a straightforward church ceremony in East Lothian without travelling elsewhere for a few portraits afterwards.
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church
We’ve photographed weddings at Our Lady Star of the Sea in North Berwick on several occasions.
Its location is particularly useful: the church is close to the seafront, so couples can move from a traditional Catholic ceremony to coastal portraits without a long journey or complicated logistics.
This contrast creates a big visual difference between the church interior and the nearby beach and shoreline.
Seton Collegiate Church
Seton Collegiate Church near Longniddry is one of the most distinctive historic ceremony venues we’ve photographed in East Lothian.
The medieval stone interior, vaulted ceiling and surrounding wooded grounds give photographs a strong sense of place without needing a large or elaborate setting.
Because the church is relatively compact, it works particularly well for couples who want a historic ceremony location that still feels intimate.
Hotels & Contemporary Wedding Venues
Greywalls Hotel
Greywalls Hotel in Gullane is a historic country house overlooking Muirfield, with formal gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll surrounding the hotel.
Weddings can use the Sun Room or gardens for ceremonies, giving couples both indoor and outdoor options within the same setting.
From a photography point of view, one useful element is the contrast between the formal interiors, the gardens, and the open surroundings of the golf course.
That gives couples a good range of backgrounds without needing to travel away from the hotel.
Marine North Berwick
Marine North Berwick overlooks the West Links and the Firth of Forth, giving weddings here a very strong coastal setting.
Inside, the hotel combines period details with more contemporary event spaces. The Fidra Suite is brighter and more modern, while spaces such as the Library feel more traditional, and the Walled Garden adds an outdoor option.
From a photography point of view, that variety is useful because couples can move between sea views, hotel interiors and garden spaces without travelling away from the venue.
The Venue at Eskmills
The Venue at Eskmills in Musselburgh is a restored Victorian mill with exposed brickwork, a large indoor event space, courtyard and Eden Garden.
From a photography point of view, the mix of industrial interiors and outdoor garden space gives couples useful variety within one venue, while its Musselburgh location keeps it close to Edinburgh.
We’ve photographed weddings here and found the courtyard and gardens particularly useful for portraits and candid photographs without taking couples away from their guests.
Important update: The Venue at Eskmills has announced that it plans to close at the end of 2026 and is currently only accepting wedding bookings until November 2026. Couples considering the venue should check the latest position directly with The Venue at Eskmills.
Whitekirk Hill
Whitekirk Hill near North Berwick is a contemporary venue with open views across the East Lothian countryside.
Its main event space has large windows and a bright, modern feel, while the surrounding grounds give couples plenty of outdoor options for portraits. The on-site lodges also make it practical for couples planning a longer celebration with guests staying nearby.
From a photography perspective, we like the contrast between the clean, contemporary interiors and the more open rural landscape outside.
Gardens & Outdoor Wedding Venues
Harvest Moon
Harvest Moon near Tyninghame offers a very different kind of East Lothian wedding, with outdoor ceremony options by the beach or in the woodland and accommodation spread across treehouses, beach cabins and a cottage.
We’ve photographed weddings here and found the relaxed, outdoor setting particularly good for candid photographs. The woodland, dunes and nearby coast give couples plenty of natural variety without the formality of a traditional hotel or country-house venue.
Because celebrations can extend across a full weekend, it also suits couples who want guests to stay on site and spend more time together rather than arriving only for the wedding day itself.
From a photography point of view, the biggest appeal is the setting: woods, open countryside, and the East Lothian coast all sit within the same area, so the finished gallery can feel varied while still staying true to the venue’s relaxed character.
Inveresk Lodge Garden
Inveresk Lodge Garden near Musselburgh gives couples a very different setting from the larger estates and hotels elsewhere in East Lothian.
The gardens include lawns, mature planting, woodland paths and more enclosed areas, giving us plenty of variety for photographs within a relatively compact space.
When we photographed here, the greenery and quieter corners worked particularly well for relaxed portraits and gave the photographs a softer, more informal feel than a traditional country-house venue.
Castles & Historic Wedding Venues
Dirleton Castle
Dirleton Castle gives couples a very different setting from East Lothian’s hotels and country estates, with ruined stone walls, historic architecture and established gardens all within one compact site.
We’ve photographed here and found the contrast between the darker castle ruins and the brighter gardens particularly useful for portraits.
The setting works well for couples who want photographs with a strong sense of history without needing to travel between several locations.
Winton Castle
Winton Castle near Pencaitland is an exclusive-use historic estate surrounded by mature gardens and East Lothian countryside.
We’ve photographed weddings here and found the combination of castle interiors and extensive grounds particularly useful. The terraced gardens, Walled Garden, lawns, woodland and areas around Sir David’s Loch give couples plenty of outdoor options without needing to travel away from the venue.
Inside, the castle has a series of interconnected reception rooms with a very different feel from the gardens outside, giving photographs plenty of variety and providing useful alternatives when the weather changes.
Its location, around 15 miles from Edinburgh, also makes it relatively accessible for couples who want a country-estate wedding while remaining within easy reach of the city.
Small & Civil Ceremony Venues
Haddington Registration Office
Haddington Registration Office is a practical option for smaller civil ceremonies in the town centre.
After the ceremony, couples have several nearby options for photographs without needing a long journey, including the River Tyne and St Mary’s Pleasance.
When we’ve photographed weddings here, it’s been easy to keep the day relaxed while still creating a varied set of portraits close to the ceremony location.
Engagement & Pre-Wedding Photography Locations
Yellowcraig Beach
Yellowcraig near Dirleton is one of the East Lothian locations we regularly use for engagement and pre-wedding photographs.
The beach, dunes and surrounding paths give us several different backgrounds within a relatively small area, while the views towards Fidra add a recognisable East Lothian coastal setting.
It works particularly well for couples who want a relaxed outdoor session with plenty of space to walk and get comfortable in front of the camera.
Tyninghame Beach
Tyninghame Beach is one of the East Lothian locations we’ve used for relaxed couple and pre-wedding photographs.
The long beach, dunes, and clifftop paths give us a great mix of open coastal views and quieter areas, with Bass Rock visible in the distance from parts of the shoreline.
It works particularly well for couples who want an informal outdoor session with plenty of space to walk and move naturally rather than pose in one fixed location.
Gosford Estate
Gosford Estate near Longniddry is one of the East Lothian locations we’ve used for engagement and pre-wedding photographs.
The estate offers a useful mix of architecture, woodland, open lawns, and water, so couples can get plenty of variety without travelling between several separate locations.
When we’ve photographed here, the quieter paths and grounds have worked particularly well for relaxed sessions where couples can walk, talk and get used to being photographed before the wedding day.
Planning a Wedding in East Lothian?
We’re Claire and Jonathon, a husband-and-wife photography team with more than 700 weddings of experience since 2006, including 140 weddings across East Lothian.
If you’re planning your wedding in East Lothian and our mix of natural documentary photography and relaxed editorial portraits feels right for you, we’d love to hear what you’re planning.
You can also read more about our editorial and documentary wedding photography
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.
Related Reading
- Best Edinburgh wedding venues — Explore venues we’ve photographed across Edinburgh.
- Carberry Tower wedding photographer — See our first-hand guide and photographs from 14 weddings at Carberry Tower.
- Wedding photography prices & packages — See our current coverage options and pricing.
- Editorial & documentary wedding photography — How we combine natural storytelling with relaxed, polished portraits.
