Drumtochty Castle Wedding Photography – Renaud & Claire’s Castle Wedding

Feb 2
2 min read

Wide view of the bride and groom walking down the aisle as they exit the church, with guests celebrating around them

Renaud and Claire’s wedding at Drumtochty Castle was a relaxed and emotional day, set in one of Scotland’s most beautiful castle wedding venues.

Claire is Scottish and Renaud is French, and although they now live in France, they chose to get married in Scotland. With many of their guests travelling from abroad but most of their family based here, it felt like the right place to bring everyone together.

As a Drumtochty Castle wedding photographer, I loved capturing their day in a relaxed, candid way, focusing on real moments as they naturally unfolded.

Bride and groom portrait as their dog licks the bride’s face, captured in a joyful moment at Drumtochty Castle

Drumtochty Castle Wedding Photography – Getting Ready at the Castle

The morning started at the castle, where both Renaud and Claire got ready. Claire spent the morning with her bridesmaids and her mum, while Renaud got ready nearby with his groomsmen.

There was no rush and no strict schedule - just people chatting, laughing, and getting ready at their own pace. Their dog was around the castle throughout the morning, moving between rooms and outside, and very much part of the day.

Getting ready on site meant everything felt easy and unhurried, and it set the tone for the rest of the wedding.

Aerial view of Drumtochty Castle wedding venue surrounded by countryside in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, captured before the wedding day begins.

Ground-level view of Drumtochty Castle set in the Aberdeenshire landscape, showing the setting for a relaxed Scottish wedding day.

Wedding details including the bride’s dress, shoes, flowers and veil, photographed in a natural documentary style at Drumtochty Castle

Wedding rings nestled in flowers during bridal preparations, photographed as part of natural wedding details in Scotland

Bridesmaids steaming the wedding dress during morning preparations, captured in a candid documentary style at a Scottish wedding.

Wide view of bridal makeup being done during relaxed morning preparations at Drumtochty Castle wedding in Aberdeenshire

Close-up of bridal makeup being applied, capturing calm moments during wedding morning preparations in Scotland.

Bride in her robe cuddling her dog during relaxed wedding morning preparations at Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Bride adjusting her earring while wearing her robe during calm wedding morning preparations at a Scottish castle venue.

Emotional moment as the bride’s mum places a bracelet on her daughter’s wrist during wedding preparations in Scotland.

Bride and bridesmaid laughing together on the bed during relaxed wedding morning preparations in Scotland

Bride and bridesmaid raising glasses during a joyful wedding morning toast at Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire

Bride putting on her wedding shoes while dressed, captured as a quiet moment during preparations at Drumtochty Castle

Bride adjusting her earrings while seated at the dressing table during wedding preparations in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Family member gently adjusting the bride’s veil during emotional wedding morning preparations in Scotland

Bride standing by the window in natural light, ready for the ceremony at her Drumtochty Castle wedding

The Ceremony and the Wedding Day Story

The ceremony took place at St Palladius Church, surrounded by the quiet countryside of Drumtochty Glen. It was a warm and emotional ceremony, with a real mix of Scottish and French guests filling the church.

The speeches later in the day were especially emotional, with lots of laughter and happy tears. One particularly moving moment came later in the day when members of the French side of the family sang and played the piano for Renaud and Claire. The room was full, and soon everyone joined in. It was emotional, loud, and incredibly special to watch.

Exterior of St Palladius Church in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, photographed ahead of a traditional wedding ceremony

Groom waiting nervously at the altar before the ceremony begins at St Palladius Church in Aberdeenshire.

Emotional moment as the bride walks down the aisle with her father during a Scottish church wedding ceremony

Groom reacting emotionally and crying as he sees the bride walking down the aisle during their wedding ceremony

View from behind of the bride walking down the aisle toward her ceremony at St Palladius Church in Aberdeenshire

Wide shot of the groom laughing and crying with emotion during the wedding ceremony in a Scottish church

Natural groom portrait captured during a Drumtochty Castle wedding in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Bride and groom seated together during their wedding ceremony at St Palladius Church with guests behind them

Natural bridal portrait captured in soft light during a Drumtochty Castle wedding in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Wedding guests and the bride and groom seated in the church as a guest gives a heartfelt speech during the ceremony in Scotland

Funny moment as the best man shows the wedding rings to the priest during a joyful Scottish wedding ceremony

Bride and groom laughing together while holding hands during their wedding ceremony in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Black and white photo of bride and groom holding hands during an emotional moment of their wedding day

Black and white photo of the bride with tears in her eyes as she places the wedding ring on the groom’s finger

Bride and groom exchanging wedding rings during their ceremony at St Palladius Church, captured by a Scottish wedding photographer.

The couple sharing their first kiss as newlyweds during their wedding ceremony inside a Scottish church

Vertical photo of the bride and groom exiting the church after their ceremony, surrounded by smiling wedding guests

Bride and groom holding hands and laughing as they exit the church together after their wedding ceremony in Scotland

Bride and groom walking through a joyful confetti shower as guests celebrate their marriage outside the church

Bride and groom sharing a kiss under a confetti shower after their church wedding ceremony in Scotland

Black and white photo of the bride and groom looking at each other inside the church during an intimate wedding moment

Bride and groom walking together as the wind blows the veil, captured in a relaxed moment after their wedding ceremony

Black and white photo of newlyweds walking together as the groom carries the bride’s dress at Drumtochty Castle

Bride and groom couple portrait with the wind lifting the veil and the church in the background after their Scottish wedding

Black and white photo of the bride and groom walking downstairs together inside Drumtochty Castle, looking at each other

Romantic couple portrait inside Drumtochty Castle, captured in soft light during a relaxed wedding day in Aberdeenshire

Bride and groom sitting on the castle stairs looking at each other during relaxed indoor portraits at Drumtochty Castle

Candid photo of wedding guests getting drinks in front of Drumtochty Castle during the relaxed reception drinks

Drone photo showing wedding guests gathered in front of Drumtochty Castle with the bride and groom on the balcony

Bride and groom standing together on the balcony at Drumtochty Castle, captured during relaxed wedding portraits

Bridal party cheering as the newlyweds kiss during a celebratory moment at Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire

Bride and bridesmaids laughing and lifting flowers during a joyful moment of the wedding day at Drumtochty Castle

Wedding reception room at Drumtochty Castle beautifully decorated for the meal, elegant Scottish wedding venue.

Wide view of the wedding reception room at Drumtochty Castle set up for dinner and speeches in Aberdeenshire

Groom receiving warm applause during his wedding speech at Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire, captured in a candid Scottish wedding moment.

Father of the bride reading his speech as the bride becomes emotional during the Drumtochty Castle wedding reception.

Best man delivering a funny speech as the groom and guests burst into laughter at a Drumtochty Castle wedding in Scotland.

Wedding guests listening attentively to speeches during the reception at Drumtochty Castle, Aberdeenshire.

Wide view of the wedding reception room filled with guests during speeches at Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Bride laughing and wiping away tears as her maid of honour delivers an emotional speech at Drumtochty Castle.

Emotional moment as the groom covers his face in tears and is hugged by his best man during speeches at Drumtochty Castle.

Bride and groom cutting their wedding cake at Drumtochty Castle reception, joyful Scottish wedding photo.

Bride and groom making their grand entrance to the wedding reception at Drumtochty Castle, captured in a joyful candid moment

Bride and groom sharing their first dance at Drumtochty Castle, captured in a natural, romantic wedding moment

Newlyweds enjoying their first dance together at Drumtochty Castle, surrounded by guests.

Bride and groom sharing their first dance at Drumtochty Castle, captured by candid wedding photographer

Newlyweds dancing and enjoying the wedding reception at Drumtochty Castle, captured in a fun, candid documentary moment

Newlyweds enjoying their dance together at Drumtochty Castle, surrounded by guests celebrating their marriage

Why Drumtochty Castle Is a Brilliant Wedding Venue

Drumtochty Castle is a great choice for couples dreaming of a Scottish castle wedding. The interiors are full of character and work beautifully for getting ready, speeches, and evening celebrations, with plenty of space for guests to move around comfortably. It’s also an ideal setting for Drumtochty Castle wedding photography, offering beautiful backdrops both indoors and out.

Outside, the grounds offer lots of options for photos, from the castle itself to the surrounding greenery. At the same time, the indoor spaces are just as strong, which makes it a venue that works well on both sunny and rainy days. It’s a place that gives you flexibility without taking away from the atmosphere of a castle wedding.

Bride and groom kissing in front of Drumtochty Castle during relaxed couple portraits in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

If you’re planning a castle wedding at Drumtochty Castle and want photos that feel natural, emotional, and true to how the day really feels, I’d love to hear more about your plans.

You can explore more real weddings in my wedding photography portfolio, view my wedding photography packages, or get in touch to chat about your wedding day and check availability.