Meghan & Tom’s Wedding at Whitekirk Kirk and Gilmerton House, East Lothian

There’s something about filming weddings in East Lothian during the summer. The light always seems to have something special about it, and Meghan and Tom’s wedding last month was a perfect example.

They got married at the beautiful Whitekirk Kirk, on a glorious summer’s day, before heading just down the road to Gilmerton House for the celebrations. With a stunning church, a military guard of honour, gorgeous gardens and one of the wildest ceilidhs I’ve ever filmed, it was a brilliant day from start to finish.

A beautiful summer wedding at Whitekirk Kirk

Whitekirk Kirk is a fantastic setting for a wedding ceremony. It’s a gorgeous old church, full of character, and on a sunny East Lothian day like this one, it looked absolutely stunning.

As a wedding videographer, I love filming in places like this. The combination of the architecture, the natural light coming through the church and all the little moments happening around the ceremony gives me plenty to work with. My approach is always to capture things as naturally as possible, without interrupting the day or asking everyone to pose for the camera.

Tom is in the military, so there was also a guard of honour outside the church, which made for a particularly memorable moment as the newlyweds emerged after the ceremony.

It was a brilliant way to start the celebrations, with everyone gathered outside to congratulate Meghan and Tom before the guests made their way to the reception.

On to Gilmerton House

After the ceremony, it was off to Gilmerton House, which is just a short journey from Whitekirk Kirk.

Gilmerton House is a really special wedding venue in East Lothian. The grand mansion house and beautiful gardens give you a fantastic mix of backdrops, whether you're looking for those wider shots that show off the venue or the smaller, candid moments between the couple and their guests.

I always like to make the most of the surroundings when I'm filming a wedding. Rather than turning the day into a long photoshoot, I prefer to let things unfold naturally and find opportunities to capture the couple together while everyone is enjoying themselves.

The gardens at Gilmerton House are ideal for this, and the house itself makes a fantastic setting for a wedding reception. It's one of those venues that has plenty of character without needing to do too much to it.

A ceilidh to remember!

Of course, a Scottish wedding wouldn't be complete without a ceilidh, and Meghan and Tom's evening celebrations certainly delivered.

In fact, this was probably the most raucous ceilidh I've ever filmed. Things got pretty wild on the dance floor, and there were moments when I was genuinely fearing for my life!

As a wedding videographer, these are exactly the sort of moments I love capturing. The big dances, the questionable footwork, the friends throwing themselves into it and the general chaos that comes when everyone gets carried away. You can plan a wedding down to the last detail, but you can't manufacture that sort of atmosphere.

It's also why I love making wedding highlights films. Alongside the ceremony and the important moments, it's the personality of the couple and their guests that really brings a film to life. You want to be able to look back and remember not just what happened, but what it actually felt like to be there.

Filming weddings in East Lothian

I'm lucky to film weddings all over Edinburgh and Central Scotland, but East Lothian is an area I particularly enjoy working in. The scenery, the historic buildings and that lovely East Lothian light make it a brilliant place to get married.

Whitekirk Kirk and Gilmerton House work really well together, too. You get the character and atmosphere of a traditional church ceremony, followed by a reception in a grand country house with lovely grounds to explore.

Meghan and Tom's wedding was a great example of how much personality a wedding day can have. From the guard of honour outside the church to the spectacular setting at Gilmerton House and that absolutely mental ceilidh, there was no shortage of moments worth capturing.

If you're planning a wedding at Gilmerton House, Whitekirk Kirk or another venue in East Lothian, I'd love to hear about your plans. I'm Joe, a wedding videographer based in Edinburgh, and I film weddings in a relaxed, documentary style, capturing the day as it happens rather than turning it into a series of posed shots.

You can find out more about my Edinburgh wedding videography and get in touch if you'd like to chat about your wedding.