Inchcolm Island Wedding Photographer
As an experienced Inchcolm Island wedding photographer team, we’ve photographed weddings at one of Scotland’s most unusual locations. Reached by boat from South Queensferry, the island combines the historic ruins of Inchcolm Abbey, views across the Firth of Forth and a wedding-day journey that feels completely different from a conventional venue.
We’ve photographed weddings here from the boat journey beneath the Forth Bridge through to ceremonies inside the Abbey and portraits around the cloisters, ruins and shoreline.
Photographing a wedding on an island does need a little more planning than most venues, particularly around boat times, weather and how long you have on Inchcolm itself. Having worked here before, we know the best locations and how to make the most of the time available without turning the visit into a long photoshoot.
If you’re comparing venues in this part of Scotland, you can also explore our guide to the best Fife wedding venues we’ve photographed.
Photographed across Fife
Photographing weddings since 2006
husband-and-wife photography team
The Boat Journey to an Inchcolm Island Wedding
The boat journey from Hawes Pier in South Queensferry is an integral part of getting married on Inchcolm Island. Rather than simply travelling to a venue, you and your guests begin the wedding experience together on the Firth of Forth before arriving at the Abbey.
The crossing takes you beneath the Forth Bridge and out towards Inchcolm Island, with views back towards South Queensferry, Edinburgh and Fife. The journey itself gives us photo opportunities that simply don’t exist at a conventional wedding venue.
We usually begin photographing before the boat leaves Hawes Pier, capturing guests arriving and boarding before photographing the journey across the Forth. Depending on the conditions, there can also be opportunities to photograph the bridges, passing boats, seabirds, and seals along the way.
For the couple, the crossing also builds naturally to arriving at Inchcolm. We’ve photographed brides travelling separately from their guests on board before making their entrance at the Abbey, as well as newlyweds enjoying the return journey together after the ceremony.
From a photography point of view, we treat the crossing as part of the wedding, not simply travel time. Some of our favourite Inchcolm photographs have been created on the boat, beneath the Forth Bridge and as the Abbey gradually comes into view on the approach to the island.
Once the boat docks, the wedding party makes the short walk from the pier towards Inchcolm Abbey, where the character of the day changes completely from the open water and bridges to the island’s medieval stonework, cloisters and ruins.
Getting Married at Inchcolm Abbey
Inchcolm Abbey is the reason most couples choose the island for their wedding. The medieval buildings, cloisters and ruins create a ceremony setting unlike anywhere else we’ve photographed in Scotland.
The Abbey dates back to the 12th century and contains some of Scotland’s best-preserved monastic buildings. Its historic stonework is obviously a major part of its appeal, but from our perspective one of its biggest strengths is the variety of spaces available within a relatively compact area.
We’ve photographed wedding ceremonies in different parts of the Abbey, including the Dormitory and Refectory, with each space giving the photographs a noticeably different atmosphere.
Natural light entering through the windows and open sections of the buildings works particularly well for ceremony photography. Although the Abbey feels historic and atmospheric, we can usually photograph proceedings unobtrusively without relying on intrusive lighting.
After the ceremony, the cloisters, arches, staircases, and surrounding ruins give us several portrait options without taking the couple far from their guests.
The covered cloister walks are especially useful when the Scottish weather changes. They let us keep photographing while still making the images feel unmistakably connected to Inchcolm Abbey, rather than simply looking like indoor wedding photographs.
Because the boat schedule usually determines time on the island, we don’t try to photograph every possible location. We choose a small number of areas based on the weather, light and timings on the day, giving couples time to enjoy Inchcolm while still creating a varied set of newlywed photographs.
Views, Shoreline and the Setting Around Inchcolm Island
One of the things that makes an Inchcolm Island wedding so different is the contrast between the medieval Abbey and the open landscape surrounding it.
Step outside the ruins and there are wide views across the Firth of Forth towards Edinburgh and the Fife coastline, with the bridges visible in the distance from different parts of the island.
We’ve found that this variety works particularly well for wedding photographs. Within a relatively short walk, we can move from the stone arches and cloisters of Inchcolm Abbey to open grass, rocky shoreline and the small beach below the Abbey.
The shoreline is one of our favourite places to use when conditions allow. It gives the photographs a completely different feel from the Abbey, particularly when we can include the water, mainland or Abbey itself in the background.
We don’t plan around a fixed list of locations, though. Inchcolm is exposed to the weather, and the light and wind can change quickly. We decide where to photograph based on the conditions when we arrive and how much time there is before the return boat.
That flexibility means couples can enjoy the island while we use whichever parts of Inchcolm are working best that day.
How to Get to Inchcolm Island for a Wedding
Getting married on Inchcolm Island means planning the boat journey as part of the wedding day, not as ordinary transport.
There are currently two main operators providing crossings from South Queensferry to Inchcolm Island: Maid of the Forth and Forth Boat Tours.
Couples can use a scheduled public sailing or arrange a private charter, depending on the size and plans for the wedding. For larger celebrations, a private boat can give you more control over timings and keeps the wedding party together for the journey to and from the island.
We recommend confirming the boat arrangements early in the planning process, particularly because the ceremony time, arrival on the island and return journey all need to work around the sailing schedule.
It is also worth allowing some flexibility for Scottish weather. Conditions on the Firth of Forth can change, and the crossing and time available on Inchcolm can affect how we plan the photography.
From our perspective, knowing the sailing times in advance helps us work backwards from the ceremony and return boat so we can make the most of the Abbey and island without rushing the couple from one photograph to another.
For current sailing times, wedding packages and private-charter options, check directly with the boat operators before making your plans.
Best Wedding Photo Locations on Inchcolm Island
One advantage of photographing a wedding on Inchcolm Island is the variety available within a relatively small area.
The Abbey Cloisters and Arches
The cloisters are one of our favourite locations because they immediately identify the photographs with Inchcolm Abbey.
The covered walkways, stone arches and changing natural light also make them particularly useful when the weather outside is less cooperative.
Inside Inchcolm Abbey
The Abbey interiors give us several very different backgrounds, from larger historic rooms to narrower passages and staircases.
Rather than photographing every space, we choose locations that suit the available light and the time we have before the return boat.
The Beach and Shoreline
When conditions allow, we like to take couples down towards the shoreline.
The small beach gives the photographs a completely different feel from the medieval buildings, with opportunities to include the Abbey, Firth of Forth and mainland in wider portraits.
The Abbey Ruins and Grounds
The paths, ruins and open grass around the Abbey give us plenty of room for relaxed walking photographs and wider portraits.
These areas are also useful when couples want photographs that show more of the island rather than focusing entirely on the Abbey architecture.
The Boat and Forth Bridge
The photography doesn’t finish when you leave Inchcolm. The return crossing can provide another set of photographs, particularly as the boat approaches the Forth Bridge and South Queensferry.
After the ceremony, couples are usually more relaxed, so the journey back can be a great opportunity for informal photos together without scheduling a separate portrait session.
We normally choose just a handful of these locations on the day. The weather, light, boat timetable, and how much time the couple wants to spend with their guests matter more than working through a predetermined list.
Wedding Receptions After an Inchcolm Island Ceremony
Because Inchcolm Island itself isn’t a conventional all-day wedding venue, many couples continue their celebrations back in South Queensferry after returning from the island.
Thirty Knots is one of the closest reception options to Hawes Pier and has a private event space suitable for weddings and celebrations. It can work particularly well for couples who want to keep the transition from the boat to the reception as simple as possible.
Orocco Pier is further along the waterfront and is another venue we’ve photographed after Inchcolm Island ceremonies.
Both keep the reception in South Queensferry, so guests can move fairly easily from the return boat into the next part of the wedding day without needing additional transport.
From a photography point of view, that also gives the day a natural progression from the boat and island ceremony into the reception and evening celebrations.
Planning and Booking an Inchcolm Island Wedding
Planning a wedding on Inchcolm Island involves two parts: booking Inchcolm Abbey for the ceremony and arranging the boat journey to and from the island.
Booking Inchcolm Abbey
Historic Environment Scotland manages Inchcolm Abbey and handles wedding bookings.
The Abbey currently offers different ceremony spaces depending on wedding size, including the Chapter House and Refectory.
Make an Inchcolm Abbey wedding enquiry with Historic Environment Scotland
We recommend confirming the Abbey booking and likely ceremony time before finalising the boat arrangements, as the two need to work together.
Arranging the Boat Journey
Once you have an idea of your ceremony time, you can discuss the most suitable wedding sailing or private-charter arrangement directly with the two operators serving Inchcolm Island:
Maid of the Forth – Inchcolm weddings
Forth Boat Tours – Inchcolm Island weddings
Because your sailing times need to work with the Abbey booking, we recommend confirming the ceremony and boat arrangements together rather than treating them as separate parts of the planning.
What Our Inchcolm Island Wedding Couples Say
We’ve been fortunate to photograph several weddings on Inchcolm Island, and these are comments from couples whose weddings we’ve photographed here.
Their feedback also reflects something we think is particularly important at Inchcolm: keeping the photography relaxed and well organised when the day has boat times, changing weather, and limited time on the island.
Captured our day perfectly in the style we wanted – nice and relaxed shots, nothing too formal.
We can highly recommend Jonathon for wedding photography. He captured our day perfectly in the style we wanted – nice and relaxed shots, nothing too formal. He made us feel at ease on the day and he coordinated our guests well in a non-intrusive way.
exceptional photos!
Jonathon and his team did a wonderful job on our wedding photographs and video! As a destination couple from the States, we could not have asked for better communication. Jonathon was personable, prompt, concise, and extremely helpful! We dealt with different time zones and it was never an issue. Not only was he helpful with communication, but also gave us a beautiful video and exceptional photos! I highly recommend Jonathon as both photographer and videographer! We could not have been happier with how they turned out and loved working with Jonathon and his team.
Planning an Inchcolm Island Wedding?
We’re Jonathon and Claire, a husband-and-wife photography team with experience photographing more than 700 weddings since 2006, including weddings on Inchcolm Island.
Because Inchcolm weddings involve boat timings, changing weather, and limited time on the island, it helps to work with photographers who already understand how the day flows.
Our approach combines relaxed documentary photography with natural, lightly directed portraits, so you can enjoy the boat journey, ceremony and time on the island without spending most of it posing for photographs.
Explore our editorial and documentary wedding photography approach.
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 Fife wedding venues — Compare Inchcolm Island with other wedding venues we’ve photographed across Fife.
- Orocco Pier wedding photographer — See one of the South Queensferry reception venues we’ve photographed after Inchcolm Island ceremonies.
- Wedding photography prices & packages — See our current wedding photography coverage and pricing.
- Wedding photography portfolio — Explore more weddings we’ve photographed across Edinburgh and Scotland.
