Vuyi and Julian at Hopetoun House and Culross Abbey

Vuyi and Julian were already old friends of ours by the time we came to photograph their wedding, as we photographed them for an engagement shoot two months before the wedding. This really helps on the wedding day - from the very start in the morning we could walk in and start taking pictures and Vuyi and Julian clearly felt at ease straight away (or if not, they were very good at pretending!). They and their families couldn't have been more welcoming, which helped to create beautiful, intimate and relaxed preparation pictures. Photography is a joint collaboration! Vuyi's shoes were by one of Sylwia's all-time favourite shoe designers, Charlotte Olympia, so there were more than the normal quota of shoe photos.

Vuyi and Julian's ceremony was at Culross Abbey. Culross is a town that we had never been to - but it looks gorgeous and Culross Abbey is absolutely charming, formed from the remnants of a 13th century Cistercian monastery and, like Rosslyn Chapel, has a green man carved in the interior.

The day was sunny and bright, but there was an icy wind, so we modified our plans for an extended photoshoot in the garden and, after some pictures at the nearby beach, headed into that wonderful interior of Hopetoun House instead. This is one of the great things about a location like Hopetoun - if you have to modify your plans, you can take pictures pretty much anywhere and there is a wealth of fine architecture, art, details, and a range of light.