Inchcolm Island wedding photographer – see real newlywed photos at this spectacular location
As an experienced Inchcolm Island wedding photographer, we can guarantee that this is a spectacular location for a wedding!
Inchcolm Abbey, Inchcolm Island, Burntisland, KY3 0UA, was supposedly visited by St Columba (an Irish missionary monk) in 567 and was named after him in the 12th century.
As a wedding setting in central Scotland, Inchcolm Island is perhaps more challenging to reach than most – but it is worth the effort!
See more unique locations like this in our overview of Fife’s best wedding destinations.
The journey to the island is usually by boat, and the memorable trip departs from Hawes Pier in picturesque South Queensferry, passing directly beneath the Forth Bridge.
Your journey to Inchcolm Island takes you down the majestic Firth of Forth estuary, heading east towards the North Sea.
The 4-mile boat journey takes approximately 45 minutes.
Have your camera ready to capture photos of seals resting on navigational buoys and rocky outcrops!
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The boat trip to Inchcolm Island is an experience, yet the advantages of getting married on an island may not become apparent until you are there.
This stunning building (dating from the 1100s, before it became an abbey) contains centuries of history and features windswept island scenery.
What better place could there be for atmospheric, romantic, and unique wedding photographs to commemorate your big day?
Inchcolm Abbey
Inchcolm Island enjoys a unique vantage point in Fife.
Historic Scotland owns and manages it, and it has long been a popular wedding venue.
Inchcolm Island is home to the best-preserved group of monastic buildings in Scotland.
Alexander I sought shelter here during a storm in 1123 and vowed to build a monastery in gratitude for his survival.
Unfortunately, Alexander died a year later before he could fulfil his promise.
Alexander’s brother, David, invited Augustinian Canons to create the Island Priory.
Inchcolm Abbey has a history spanning over 700 years and continues to do so. This place is an Inchcolm Island wedding photographer’s dream!
The medieval site has seen many battles over those centuries, from the naval raids of the 1300s to the defence required throughout World Wars I and II.
Established as an abbey on Inchcolm Island in 1235, this wonderfully preserved building oozes history, character, and beauty from every inch of the stonework.
Inchcolm Abbey has the most beautiful interior – stunning yet straightforward, with a high ceiling and large windows.
Overall, the ruins further enhance the location’s dramatic feel.
The cloister has survived remarkably well for its age and is Scotland’s most complete example.
Three covered cloister walks offer additional interest for stunning photos, regardless of the variable Scottish weather.
Superb views of Edinburgh and Fife
When you’re having an Inchcolm Island wedding, it is possible to focus your attention on the Abbey and believe you are in another century.
Yet close by, just across the water, are superb views of Fife and Edinburgh – another jewel in Scottish history.
Seeing photos of the island can only hint at what it is like to visit in person.
If you are looking for a simple yet striking setting for your wedding, what better place than an Abbey steeped in so much history? As your Inchcolm Island wedding photographer, we guarantee to capture these feelings in every photo.
Many couples have opted for minimal decor in their wedding plans, since the Abbey is the show’s star.
The custodians of Inchcolm Island will ensure the room is prepared for your wedding so you can relax and enjoy the day – and the boat trip, of course.
How to get to Inchcolm Island
Very few couples who are getting married need to hire a boat to reach their wedding destination.
However, Inchcolm Island is unique in this respect.
Making suitable arrangements is far more comfortable than you may imagine.
Small parties can book advance tickets to sail on a publicly available crossing on the Maid of The Forth Inchcolm ferry and sightseeing cruises or Forth Boat Tours.
Alternatively, larger parties can arrange a private charter of the boat.
Up to 100 guests can be safely accommodated on board in inclement weather.
If you are wondering, the bride will typically travel in the Captain’s cabin, so she is not seen by anyone else at the wedding party until she makes her grand entrance in the aisle of the Abbey. This is always a great photo opportunity for an Inchcolm Island wedding photographer!
Inchcolm Island photo opportunities
It isn’t easy to fully describe how many opportunities an Inchcolm Island wedding photographer has to photograph.
Many striking opportunities exist for varied and fascinating interior and exterior wedding photos.
The Abbey, the surrounding ruins, the cloister walks, and the shoreline… are all there to be enjoyed.
Add in the views over to the mainland and Fife, the Forth Bridge, and the Firth itself, and you can see why this makes a popular choice for those looking for somewhere a little different to get married.
If you are looking for a suitable wedding reception venue to carry your celebrations into the evening, Orocco Pier is just a 10-minute walk from Hawes Pier.
As experienced videographers and Inchcolm Island wedding photographers, we’d love to discuss photographing and filming your wedding at this unique location in Fife.
We’d love to chat about ideas for exquisite wedding photos and videos at Inchcolm Island.
Contact the wedding team at Inchcolm Island
You can contact the Inchcolm Island wedding team here:
Address: Inchcolm Abbey, Inchcolm Island, Burntisland, KY3 0UA.
Phone: +44 (0)7918 337 097
Email address: weddings@hes.scot
Arrange your boat trip
Forth Tours
Phone: +44 (0)131 331 3030
Inchcolm Island wedding photographer reviews
We’ve been chosen as Inchcolm Island wedding photographers for many weddings and promise you excellent service and timeless, fabulous wedding photography. But don’t take our word for it:
We had a great time and felt so comfortable!
Jonathon and Claire are the loviest couple… from our very first communication they made us feel special and were so interested in who we are as people! They tailored everything just for us, and had they not radiated such beauty and kindness, we wouldn’t have even known they were there… and for two people like us who HATE getting photos taken, we had a great time and felt so comfortable!
We got married on 31st December, and they gave up their own celebrations with their families to help us capture ours…
We truly hit the jackpot, and wouldn’t ever trust anyone else to capture our special celebrations and moments!
Please don’t pass up the opportunity on having these two look after your special day! Very trustworthy and fantastic value for money.
We absolutely love our wedding pictures
Jonathon and Claire – we cannot thank you both enough for being the best – from start to finish, it has been a dream to work with you both! If you are reading this and considering booking – DO IT!!
Thank you both SO MUCH for everything, we absolutely love our wedding pictures and how beautifully you have captured our day and the memories we’ll have forever – we are still so blown away by how perfectly everything turned out and on an absolute high!
We also wanted to say how grateful we are to have had you both at our wedding. You were just such a joy to be around and put us both at ease.
You got us and the vibe of the day so perfectly, and our family and friends have also said how brilliant you both were! Thank you so much!!! Helen & Daniel xxx
Let’s Tell Your Story at Inchcolm Island
We are Claire and Jonathon, an Inchcolm Island wedding photographer couple with over 700 weddings of experience. If you love our natural, joyful style, we would be honoured to hear your plans.
