A couple in wedding attire embrace near a stone wall by the water. The groom wears a kilt and glasses, holding purple and white flowers. The bride smiles, arms round his neck. In the background, a large red steel bridge spans the water.

Orocco Pier Wedding Photographer | Venue Guide & Photos

ByClaire Fowler Updated

Orocco Pier is a waterfront wedding venue in the heart of South Queensferry, with views across the Firth of Forth towards the Forth Bridge and easy access to some of our favourite locations for wedding photographs around the town.

As Orocco Pier wedding photographers, we know the venue from the photographer’s side of the day too — from preparations and ceremonies through to drinks receptions, newlywed photos, speeches and the evening celebrations in Fuchsia.

One thing we particularly like about photographing weddings here is the variety available without travelling far. There are views across the water, the harbour and pier, the old streets of South Queensferry and, with a short walk, much cleaner views towards the Forth Bridge.

This guide combines our first-hand experience photographing weddings at Orocco Pier with practical information about the venue, plus photos from a real wedding so you can see what getting married here can actually look like.

Orocco Pier Wedding Venue at a Glance

  • Location: South Queensferry High Street, overlooking the Firth of Forth
  • Main wedding space: Fuchsia
  • Wedding breakfast capacity: Up to 100 guests
  • Evening reception capacity: Up to 120 guests
  • Ceremonies: Weddings can take place in Fuchsia
  • Outdoor space: A private deck leads directly from Fuchsia towards the beach
  • Views: Across the water towards the Forth Bridges
  • Exclusive use: Fuchsia is your dedicated event space, but Orocco Pier does not offer exclusive use of the entire venue
  • Accessibility: There is no lift, and access to Fuchsia and the hotel bedrooms is limited by stairs

Fuchsia is the heart of weddings at Orocco Pier. Its floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the waterfront setting, while the private deck gives guests somewhere to step outside and provides quick access to the shore.

For us as photographers, the location is particularly useful because you don’t need to travel elsewhere for variety. Within a relatively short walk, we can use the waterfront, harbour, South Queensferry’s old streets and several different views towards the Forth Bridge.

Weddings in Fuchsia at Orocco Pier

Fuchsia is Orocco Pier’s dedicated wedding and event space. It has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Firth of Forth and a private deck leading towards the beach, so the waterfront setting remains a big part of the day even when everyone is indoors.

The room can currently accommodate up to 100 guests for the wedding breakfast and 120 for the evening reception, and couples can also hold their ceremony at Orocco Pier. Current wedding packages include ceremony room hire, with Fuchsia used for the wedding breakfast and evening celebrations.

From a photography point of view, the large windows are useful because plenty of natural light comes into the room during the day. The deck also makes it easy to step outside for photographs or give guests some fresh air without everyone having to move far from the reception.

At weddings we’ve photographed here, Fuchsia has worked as the main base for the day, taking couples from the ceremony and drinks reception through to the meal, speeches and evening dancing. Having it all in one space keeps things straightforward, while South Queensferry and the waterfront are right outside whenever we want a change of scenery for photos.

  • A wedding ceremony takes place indoors with guests seated facing a couple and officiant. The bride in a white dress stands beside the groom and wedding party, while guests, dressed formally, look on. Sunlight shines through large windows behind the wedding party.
  • A bride in a white dress smiles as a groom in a kilt places a ring on her finger. Guests are seated in rows behind them, watching the ceremony in a modern, warmly lit venue with a bar at the back.
  • A bride in a white, beaded dress places a ring on her partner’s finger during a wedding ceremony. Only their hands and part of their torsos are visible; the background is dark and out of focus. The moment appears intimate and formal.
  • A bride and groom share a kiss at their wedding ceremony, holding hands. The bride wears a white gown, and the groom wears a dark jacket and kilt. Guests, some applauding, watch and smile from decorated chairs in a warmly lit room.

Orocco Pier Wedding Photographer: Our Favourite Photo Locations

One of the biggest advantages of an Orocco Pier wedding is the number of different photo locations available within a short walk of the venue.

The waterfront directly outside is an obvious starting point, with views across the Firth of Forth and towards the bridges. We also like using the harbour, the old streets of South Queensferry, and some quieter spots away from the main High Street.

For clearer views of the Forth Bridge, we often walk a little farther along the waterfront rather than staying immediately beside Orocco Pier. In our experience, this gives us a cleaner background with fewer boats, masts, and harbour distractions competing with the couple in the photograph.

South Queensferry itself gives us a very different look within minutes. The narrow streets, stone buildings and waterfront architecture work particularly well for relaxed walking photographs, while the shoreline gives us something much more open and natural.

We don’t need a long portrait session to make use of these locations. A short walk from the reception is usually enough to create plenty of variety before you head back to your guests.

  • A man in a dark kilt outfit and a woman in a white strapless wedding dress smile and embrace by the water, with a large red steel bridge in the background under a blue sky with clouds.
  • A smiling couple walk hand in hand on a cobbled street. The man wears a traditional Scottish kilt and jacket; the woman, a white wedding dress and holds a bouquet. Both look at each other happily, with a stone wall and blurred buildings behind them.
  • A couple in formal wedding attire embrace and smile at each other under a stone archway. The groom wears a kilt, jacket, and sporran. The bride wears a white gown with a long train. They stand on a stone path next to old stone walls and stairs.
  • A bride in a white dress and a groom in a dark suit stand on stone steps, smiling and embracing. Behind them is a street, a building with “Orocco Pier” signage, outdoor tables, and festive bunting. The scene appears cheerful and celebratory.
  • A smiling couple pose at a waterfront; the man wears a black Scottish kilt outfit, and the woman wears a white strapless gown, holding a bouquet. A large red bridge spans the background over the water.
  • A couple in wedding attire embrace near a stone wall by the water. The groom wears a kilt and glasses, holding purple and white flowers. The bride smiles, arms round his neck. In the background, a large red steel bridge spans the water.
  • A bride in a white strapless dress embraces a groom in a dark suit. She holds a bunch of white and purple flowers. They smile at each other, standing outdoors near water, with a large red bridge structure blurred in the background.
  • A bride in a white dress and a groom in a kilt stand on a stone quay by calm water, holding each other and smiling. Behind them, there are houses, trees, and a cloudy sky, evoking a small coastal village atmosphere.

Wedding Ceremonies at Orocco Pier

Orocco Pier can host the ceremony and reception, so you can keep the main parts of the wedding day in one location. Their current wedding packages include ceremony room hire, and for the all-inclusive packages, the venue currently advises ceremony start times between 1pm and 3pm.

We’ve photographed Humanist wedding ceremonies here, and their relaxed, personal nature suited the waterfront venue really well. Once the ceremony finished, guests could move into the drinks reception while we photographed congratulations and a few family groups, then took the newlyweds outside.

From a photography point of view, having the waterfront and South Queensferry immediately outside is a real advantage. We can use the time between the ceremony and wedding breakfast for a short walk with the couple without needing cars or taking them away from their guests for long.

A wedding party stands on a rocky beach, smiling up at the camera. The bride is in white, holding a bouquet, with the groom in a kilt beside her. Surrounding them are well-dressed guests, some in kilts, suits or dresses. The sea and pebbles are in the background.

Orocco Pier Wedding Receptions and Evening Celebrations

After the ceremony and drinks reception, Fuchsia becomes the main setting for the wedding breakfast, speeches and evening celebrations.

At weddings we’ve photographed here, the room has worked well for speeches because everyone remains together in one space, while the large windows and waterfront views keep the setting feeling open during the daytime.

Orocco Pier currently allows up to 120 guests for the evening reception, and its all-inclusive packages run the evening celebration from 7pm until midnight. The venue can also accommodate bands of up to four members, although couples should be aware that larger setups can reduce the available dance-floor and table space.

From a photography point of view, the evening gives us a different side of Fuchsia to work with. Once the meal and speeches are finished and the room changes over for dancing, we can capture the first dance, guests on the dance floor and the more informal moments that happen as the party gets going.

At the Orocco Pier weddings we photographed, our coverage finished after the first few dances, by which point the party was already well underway, with the couple surrounded by their friends and family.

  • A bride in a white dress and a groom in a kilt share their first dance in a decorated reception hall, surrounded by seated guests watching and smiling. Tables are adorned with white tablecloths and purple sashes, adding a festive touch to the celebration.
  • A bride in a white dress and a groom in a dark waistcoat and tartan kilt share a first dance, smiling at each other. Guests sit and watch in the background, with soft lights and decorations visible around the venue.
  • An older woman and a man in a kilt, waistcoat, and glasses dance together at a wedding reception. Other guests stand and mingle in the decorated room, with tables in the background and fairy lights wrapped around a pillar.
  • A man in a waistcoat spins a laughing young girl in a floral dress at a lively indoor event; other guests, including a woman in a white dress, socialise and dance in the blurred background under fairy lights.

Parking, Transport and Accommodation at Orocco Pier

Parking is worth thinking about in advance if you’re planning a wedding at Orocco Pier. The venue sits directly on South Queensferry High Street, where parking near the entrance is limited, and the High Street is a one-way road heading east.

Orocco Pier recommends The Binks car park on Rose Lane, a short walk from the venue, and public parking beneath the Forth Rail Bridge. Some on-street parking is available around South Queensferry, but spaces can be limited, particularly when the town is busy.

For guests who would rather not worry about parking, staying nearby and using a pre-booked taxi can be a good option. Dakota Edinburgh, at Ferrymuir in South Queensferry, is close to Orocco Pier and provides complimentary parking for hotel guests.

If you plan to use taxis, we would strongly recommend booking them in advance rather than relying on finding one on the day. Orocco Pier itself advises that taxis in South Queensferry can be limited.

There are public transport options too. Dalmeny railway station is around a 10–15 minute walk from Orocco Pier, with trains into Edinburgh, and the number 43 Lothian Country bus connects South Queensferry with Edinburgh city centre.

For weddings where many guests are travelling by car, it may be worth including parking and transport information with your invitations or wedding website so everyone knows where to go before the day.

Orocco Pier After an Inchcolm Island Wedding

Orocco Pier can also work well as a reception venue if you’re planning to get married at Inchcolm Abbey.

Wedding parties travel to Inchcolm Island by boat from South Queensferry, with ceremonies taking place inside the historic abbey before returning to the mainland. Maid of the Forth currently offers both public sailings and private charter options for weddings on the island.

Because Orocco Pier is also in South Queensferry, you can return from the island and continue the celebrations nearby rather than moving everyone across Edinburgh to another venue.

From our experience photographing weddings that combine Inchcolm Abbey with Orocco Pier, the transfer is very straightforward. Hawes Pier is close enough to Orocco Pier that our wedding guests have simply walked to the venue after getting off the boat, which keeps the day flowing without needing to organise transport for everyone.

We’ve photographed weddings at Inchcolm Abbey and Orocco Pier, so we’re familiar with the very different practicalities and photography opportunities each location brings. An island ceremony followed by a waterfront reception gives you two quite different settings within the same wedding day.

  • A bagpiper in traditional Scottish attire leads a bride in a white dress and a groom in a suit, holding hands and smiling, along a riverside path. Wedding guests walk behind them. A large bridge and water are visible in the background.
  • A group of people, some in fancy dress, walk along a pavement by a stone wall. Behind them is water and a large red cantilever railway bridge. The sky is overcast and road markings are visible in the foreground.
  • A bride and groom walk hand-in-hand down a cobbled street, smiling. A bagpiper in traditional Scottish attire plays nearby whilst a woman in a burgundy dress watches. The scene is festive, set outside on a cloudy day in a quaint town.
  • A bride in a white coat hands a glass to a man in traditional Scottish attire playing bagpipes on a stone street. Other people, some holding flowers, stand nearby, and the scene is festive with greenery and historic buildings in the background.

Things to Know Before Booking Orocco Pier

Orocco Pier works well for couples who want to keep most of the wedding day in one place, but a few practical details are worth knowing before you book.

The venue does not offer exclusive use of the entire property. Fuchsia is the dedicated wedding and event space, so your wedding remains separate from the restaurant and other parts of Orocco Pier, but the whole building is not privately yours for the day.

Accessibility is another important consideration. Orocco Pier confirms that there is no lift, with limited accessibility to Fuchsia and stairs leading to the hotel bedrooms. If you have guests with reduced mobility, we would recommend discussing access directly with the wedding team before booking.

For evening entertainment, the venue can currently accommodate bands of up to four members. Orocco Pier also operates a sound limiter capped at 96 decibels, and a larger band setup can reduce the available dance-floor and table space.

Orocco Pier also has hotel bedrooms, and some of its current wedding packages include bridal accommodation and discounted room rates for wedding guests, subject to availability. Ask the venue what accommodation is included with the package you are considering, rather than assuming every wedding package is the same.

These are not necessarily drawbacks, but they are useful things to know early so you can decide whether the venue suits your guest numbers, accessibility needs and plans for the evening.

Real Orocco Pier Wedding Photos

The photographs below are from a real wedding we photographed at Orocco Pier and show how the venue and surrounding South Queensferry locations look throughout the day.

We’ve included a mixture of moments inside Fuchsia, photographs around the waterfront and South Queensferry, and the celebrations as the day unfolds. Rather than showing dozens of very similar images, this selection gives you a better idea of the variety of photographs we can create without travelling far from the venue.

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Planning an Orocco Pier Wedding?

We’re Jonathon and Claire, Edinburgh wedding photographers with more than 700 weddings of experience since 2006.

If you’re getting married at Orocco Pier and like the relaxed, natural photography you’ve seen here, we’d love to hear about your plans.

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.

Sometimes our reply gets shy and hides in your junk folder. Leave your number, and we’ll text to let you know we’ve replied—no calls, unless you request one!
Include your venue or location if you know it, anything you’ve planned so far, and any questions you’d like us to answer.

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Edinburgh Wedding Photographer, Editor & Co-Founder of Jonathon Fowler Photography

About Claire Fowler

Claire Fowler is an experienced Edinburgh wedding photographer and one half of the husband-and-wife team behind Jonathon Fowler Photography. Together with Jonathon, she has photographed more than 700 weddings since 2006, including over 500 weddings in Edinburgh.

Claire's relaxed, unobtrusive approach combines natural documentary photography with beautifully composed portraits. She's particularly experienced at helping camera-shy couples feel comfortable, organising family photographs without fuss and quietly adapting when weather, timings or wedding-day plans don't go quite as expected.

After photographing hundreds of weddings, Claire brings extensive first-hand experience of wedding venues, changing light, unpredictable weather, busy timelines and the practical realities of photographing weddings across Edinburgh and throughout Scotland. From city-centre celebrations to country estates, castles and intimate ceremonies, she knows how to keep the photography calm, efficient and enjoyable throughout the day.

Claire is also responsible for much of the meticulous editing behind our finished wedding galleries, helping ensure the photographs from each wedding feel consistent, polished and true to the day. Alongside Jonathon, she also helps couples plan their photography in advance so everything feels relaxed and straightforward before the wedding day arrives.

Meet Claire & Jonathon, Our Wedding Photography Team →