Photography From A Rustic Wedding At The Free Company, Balerno

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The Free Company in Balerno is a wonderful wedding venue located on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Nestled at the foot of the Pentland Hills to the south-west of the city, it’s a wonderful hidden gem. You’re a stone’s throw away from Edinburgh airport and Waverley station, making it ideal for long-distance guests to come for a short break. I loved working as a photographer at The Free Company, it’s such a stylish barn wedding venue.

Alternative Wedding at The Free Company

Charlotte and Ian booked me for their celebrations, and it’s fair to say this was a wedding filled with lots of personal touches. I’m a big fan of making a wedding your own. I love when couples ditch traditions that hold no meaning to them and opt for new traditions that fit more with their personality. To me, that’s they key of making a wedding truly yours

It was a joy to create photographs at the Free Company, as the quirky and non-traditional feeling of this venue worked well with my style of wedding photography.

First Look Wedding Photos

Char and Ian asked me to photograph them having a first look. It’s something we had discussed when they called me for a consultation call, and they were really sold on the concept. I photographed their wedding first look in the garden outside the Free Company buildings. I wanted to give a discrete feel to the photos, so I did this from afar. It was a bit cool so Ian took off his jacket and wrapped it around Char’s shoulders.

Personalised Wedding Touches at The Free Company

Char and Ian opted to have some drinks with their guests prior to their ceremony. They had brewed some beers and labelled them for the wedding. I loved this personalised aspect of their wedding, guests could choose which of the beers they brewed to enjoy.

Char walked by herself down the aisle. Again, I love when a couple enter a marriage and decide to go for things that are personal to them, rather than sticking to tradition. Char walked down the aisle to Hounds of Love by The Futureheads. They had readings from the poem First Date by Brian Bilston and I Wanna Be Yours by John Cooper Clarke. Char and Ian walked back up the aisle to I Believe in A Thing Called Love by The Darkness.

Fun Wedding Photography at The Free Company

I asked them about what they wanted from their wedding. They replied, “We want it to be a party and fun but also very laid back (if it’s possible for those things to exist at the same time)”. This is exactly the sort of wedding I love for photography, and The Free Company in Balerno was the perfect setting for this vibe.

Instead of confetti, Char and Ian opted for bubbles. I have seen more couples using bubbles as an alternative to confetti. It works really well – if it’s backlit it really brings out the rainbow colour. Bubbles also have the benefit of not needing to clean up afterwards or worry about whether they’re biodegradable. They also float on the air for longer, and you don’t generally run out quite as quickly as you might with confetti. As a wedding photographer, the courtyard at The Free Company was the perfect runway for this bubble walk as it meant there wasn’t too much wind.

Beautiful Couple Photographs at the Free Company

After a selection of group photos, it was time to explore for their couple portraits. A venue like The Free Company is perfect for a wedding photographer as it has so many places to explore. I loved taking photographs down the track lanes, and exploring next to the greenhouses and with views of the trees and fields. The lovely October light was perfect, and I loved the warmth coupled with the changing autumnal colours.

Wedding Reception and Speeches

Char and Ian’s meal was hosted in the Milking Shed, with it’s beautiful windows casting lots of light into this lovely stone and whitewash space. I loved the banquet style seating which made the most of the narrow space to it’s best advantage. It was a joy to take wedding photographs in this space at The Free Company – it felt well lit and the table plan worked well for lots of lovely candid guest photographs. It felt really atmospheric too. I loved the simplicity of the space for taking wedding photographs at the Free Company. The stripped down minimalist rawness worked well with the details like the candles and flowers.

The Free Company Wedding Photography

Are you planning a wedding at The Free Company in Balerno and looking for a photographer? I would love to hear from you. I had a great time photographing this beautiful wedding, and the laid back vibe of this venue was a perfect match with my photography style. Get in touch if you’d like to chat more about your plans,