The Balmoral Hotel wedding venue is one Edinburgh’s finest. Located at 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ, this multiple award-winning 5-star hotel has been an Edinburgh landmark since 1902.
I love this unique wedding venue as I’ve met many clients, and photographed many weddings and receptions here over the past ten years. It offers everything – the finest service, delicious food, fantastic attention to detail, an excellent location, exquisite interior and magnificent views across Edinburgh.
Situated next to Waverley Railway Station, The Balmoral Hotel was originally, and for most of the 20th century, called The North British Station Hotel, or ‘N.B.’ for short, and was acclaimed as one of the great railway hotels in the United Kingdom.
In 1991, a major refurbishment of the hotel was completed and Sir Sean Connery re-opened the newly-named ‘ The Balmoral Hotel’.
Balmoral is Gaelic for ‘majestic dwelling’. The perfect name for such a beautiful building. Finished to the highest standards, The Balmoral Hotel has many features which make it an enticing wedding venue.
The Balmoral Hotel has many different sized event rooms allowing it to cater for everything from small intimate weddings to grand weddings with up to 280 guests!
The generously proportioned rooms and suites are ideal for the pre-ceremony photos of the Bridal Party or the Groom and Groomsmen.
All of the event rooms offer brilliant views of Edinburgh, looking west towards Edinburgh Castle. With large Victorian-era windows, plenty of natural light allows photography of your wedding without the distracting use of flash, on even the dullest winter day.
Due to its city centre location, The Balmoral Hotel doesn’t have grounds or gardens of its own, but that doesn’t mean it lacks beautiful backdrops and spaces for creating beautiful wedding photos. If the Scottish weather stays fair and you do fancy a bit of greenery in your newly-wed photos, you’re conveniently located with only a short walk from Calton Hill and Princes Street Gardens.
The red-carpeted main entrance of the hotel is an excellent place to begin the newly-wed photos – make sure to bring your Piper if you’d like to have them in one of your pictures!
A must-have backdrop for all newly-wed photos is the grand staircase. Featuring a beautiful stained glass window, a baby grand piano, gorgeous light and space, it’s one of my favourite spots in the hotel for newly-wed photos!
Book your wedding at The Balmoral Hotel and benefit from one of the best views of Edinburgh’s unique cityscape by having a few photos taken up on the roof! Escorted by your Master Of Ceremonies, let’s benefit from a beautiful sunset, or the instantly recognisable clock tower, to create a unique and rare photo of the two of you.
The photo of Andrew and Jenna and the Red Arrows was the most popular wedding photo of the year – find out more on my blog post here.
Bear in mind that there are many exquisite wedding venues across Scotland, and in my years as a photographer I’ve photographed weddings and events at many of them. What strikes me about this beautiful wedding venue is the consistently high level of service provided by the staff. Whether I’m meeting clients at Palm Court (The Balmoral Hotel’s award-winning afternoon tea is fantastic) photographing a Balmoral Hotel wedding, or enjoying a birthday dram at The Balmoral’s Whisky Bar, (aptly called ‘Scotch’!), the service and attention to detail set The Balmoral apart from other venues.
Some of the rooms/suites at The Balmoral Hotel that I’ve enjoyed photographing:
Sir Walter Scott Suite
The Sir Walter Scott Suite is the most spacious of the ten suites at the hotel. For larger weddings, this grand suite can accommodate up to 280 guests. Beautiful floor to ceiling pillars surrounds the large wooden dance floor. Located on the ground floor and offering magnificent views of Edinburgh Castle and Scott Monument.
Holyrood Suite
Situated on the ground floor of the hotel, The Holyrood Suite is essentially a smaller version of the Sir Walter Scott Suite, offering space for up to 130 guests. Featuring beautiful floor to ceiling pillars, magnificent views across to Edinburgh Castle and with the bonus of views across to the Old Town.
Esk Suite
The Esk Suite is perfect for smaller intimate weddings. Located on the second floor of The Balmoral Hotel, it offers unrivalled views across to Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street. Featuring two fireplaces the Esk suite offers comfort in beautiful surroundings.
The Balmoral Hotel Wedding Photos
A few photos of our favourite The Balmoral Hotel weddings. Click on the names to view photos of The Balmoral Hotel taken at key locations in and around (and on top of!) the building.
