This bridal portrait is a favourite of mine on so many different levels. In the chaos of the bridal preparations, it represents an oasis of calm. The light in the room was really quite exquisite, I loved her veil and Lorna was perfectly beautiful.
Photography by Archibald Photography
Taken at Comlongon Castle
Dress by Pronovias
The way Declan proposed was very romantic – the couple were on a 3 week trip around India and Declan waited until the day they got to Agra, and had timed their arrival so that they arrived at the Moon Gardens across the river from the Taj Mahal just in time to see the sunset. He took Lorna’s hand, led her over towards the riverbank where he got down on one knee…
Lorna and Declan had a really amazing day with all their loved ones around them in a magical venue – the day really exceeded all their expectations of what they hoped for their day. They felt (www.comlongon.com) near Clarencefield, Dumfries & Galloway had everything: an ancient Castle Keep to be filled with candles and a huge fire in the fireplace for an intimate and atmospheric ceremony, then photographs in the beautiful grounds and a delicious banquet in a cosy wood-panelled dining room. The castle also has a resident ceilidh band who put on some fabulous dancing for all their guests after dinner giving the men a chance to show off their kilts!
Lorna’s dress came from the Spanish company Pronovias and she found it in the store in New Bond Street; it was only the second dress she tried on! Declan and Lorna’s florist was Kirsty at Kirstie’s Flowers in Troon, who provided the beautiful bouquets, buttonholes and corsages.
Lorna and Declan found Archibald Photography on the internet and said they were “struck straight away by Mark’s stunning images. His enthusiasm and energy along with his talent and skill as a photographer were captivating. We couldn’t be happier with the experience and the outcome!”
The couple felt everything about their day was amazing in its own way. The ceremony was very special – they were overwhelmed right from the point where the piper struck up to lead their guests over to the Great Hall, to the beautiful readings and music from their friends and family. They felt the minister gave just the right tone to the ceremony, incorporating ancient Celtic blessings into the service to reflect both the medieval Scottish surroundings and their Celtic roots.
Lorna & Declan we amazed that everything went to plan and there were no unpleasant surprises – they felt Comlongon Castle had everything under control! There were some rainy spells on the day but Lorna felt afterwards that the lack of sun was a blessing in disguise since she didn’t have to screw up her face for the photos!!
When asked what the funniest part of the day was, the couple said “our two kilted ushers leaping courageously (or just drunkenly?) around in the sword-dancing competition later in the evening. We had to award them the prize for the most ridiculous spectacle of the day!”
Mark’s memory of the day is how well he got on with Lorna and Declan and how good the music was throughout the day (but I suppose that should be expected from the marriage of two professional musicians!). We still cherish the lovely comment they emailed to us after the wedding:
“Mark Archibald stood out for his exceptional talent for his craft, his enthusiasm, his natural and personable style of working, and his ability to capture perfectly the most touching and special moments of our day. His outstanding photographs speak for themselves and he evidently gets great joy from his work. We were delighted with his professionalism combined with a totally personal approach: he made us feel fantastic on the day and as relaxed as it is possible to be at such a time! Many of our guests commented afterwards on what a brilliant photographer he was. Archibald Photography vastly exceeded all expectations. We love you, Mark and Donna! Thank you for our amazing photographs xxxx”
