SCHLOSS Roxburghe wedding photographyKendall & Ewen

An October wedding in the Scottish Borders

26 October 2024Kelso · Scottish BordersPhotography by John Clark

Kendall and Ewen at the Schloss

It was so lovely to be back with Kendall and her family. I’d photographed her sister Zoe’s wedding at Netherbyres House a couple of years before, so this felt like catching up with friends.

Kendall and Ewen wanted a relaxed day, plenty of laughs and time with their favourite people. That’s exactly what we had. A beautiful conservatory ceremony, gorgeous October colours and a proper party to finish.

I was honoured to be their photographer. Getting asked back by a family means a lot, and we had such a laugh from the start.

An autumn wedding at SCHLOSS Roxburghe

What a setting. SCHLOSS Roxburghe is a five-star hotel near Kelso in the Scottish Borders, with beautiful grounds and so much character inside. It was my first wedding here, and I could see straight away why Kendall and Ewen had chosen it.

The autumn colours were looking brilliant. Add in that lovely October light and we had so much to work with, right on the doorstep.

Aerial view of SCHLOSS Roxburghe, its gardens and the surrounding countryside in autumn.

Kendall and Ewen beneath autumn trees with SCHLOSS Roxburghe behind them.

Getting ready at the Schloss

Kendall got ready in the Estate Suite, with Sam Davie on hair and Emma, now at Mabel Studio on make-up. Her dress from Sophia Grace Couture looked beautiful, with flowers by Flowers by McKenzie.

There were the last wee adjustments, family getting ready together and plenty of smiles before the ceremony. Knowing the family already made it so easy to settle back in. We just picked up where we’d left off.

Wedding rings resting on red and golden autumn leaves.

Black-and-white close-up of Kendall’s necklace and ring as she gets ready for her wedding.

Ewen smiling as he buttons his waistcoat above his tartan kilt.

Ewen standing on the garden steps in his kilt and black wedding jacket.

Kendall smiling as she puts on an earring in her wedding dress.

Black-and-white detail of Kendall’s veil falling over the back of her wedding dress.

Kendall’s parents reacting as they see her in her wedding dress.

Kendall raising her autumn bouquet on a stone staircase at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Kendall walking beside her dad outside SCHLOSS Roxburghe before the ceremony.

The conservatory ceremony with Simon

The conservatory is such a lovely place to get married. All that glass, the light coming in and your nearest and dearest gathered around you. It suited this day perfectly.

Simon Houston led the ceremony. What a guy — an absolute legend and always great to work with. If you know him from the Let Me Be Frank podcast, you’ll know the personality he brings. It was a lovely ceremony, with plenty of laughter and those little looks between Kendall and Ewen that I love catching.

It was also great to be working with Victoria from A Cinematic Life again, capturing the day alongside me.

Guests standing as Kendall enters the bright conservatory for the wedding ceremony.

Black-and-white reflection of Kendall and Ewen’s conservatory ceremony in a grand piano.

A wide view beneath the conservatory’s glass roof during Kendall and Ewen’s wedding ceremony.

Kendall laughing with Ewen during their wedding ceremony at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Kendall and Ewen kissing at the front of the sunlit conservatory as their guests applaud.

Simon Houston speaking to the seated guests during Kendall and Ewen’s wedding ceremony.

Kendall and Ewen smiling as they walk back along the conservatory aisle together.

Wedding guests watching the ceremony from rows of chairs in the conservatory.

A guest in a purple hat smiling during the ceremony, framed between Kendall and Ewen.

Kendall and Ewen walking through their smiling guests after the conservatory ceremony.

A catch-up with everyone

After the ceremony, it was time to enjoy everyone’s company. Hugs, drinks, family catching up and the sort of wee moments you can’t plan. Such a lovely bunch of people to spend the day with.

Kendall and Ewen wanted a relaxed day, and that’s how I approached the photographs too. A few family pictures, plenty of candids and lots of time for them to be right in amongst it all.

Kendall smiling at a young guest she is holding in the autumn sunshine.

A guest in a green dress smiling while holding a baby at the wedding reception.

Ewen chatting to a laughing guest during the drinks reception.

Two wedding guests laughing together on a sofa, photographed in black and white.

Kendall and Ewen sharing a laugh with two guests on the garden path.

Kendall and Ewen laughing with their wedding party on the lawn beneath autumn trees.

October photographs in the grounds

I absolutely loved the light we had for these. The autumn trees, the lawns and the house behind them gave us such a beautiful setting, without needing to go far.

We had a wander, stopped by the swing and made the most of Kendall’s veil catching the breeze. Nothing too complicated — just the two of them enjoying a little time together. Then it was back to the celebrations.

Kendall and Ewen walking hand in hand along the tree-lined drive at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Kendall and Ewen sitting together on a wooden swing in the hotel grounds.

Black-and-white photograph of Kendall and Ewen kissing on the garden swing with the hotel behind them.

Kendall laughing as Ewen leans close during their autumn wedding portraits.

Kendall and Ewen sharing a kiss in warm October light among the trees.

Kendall laughing beside Ewen inside SCHLOSS Roxburghe, photographed in black and white.

Kendall and Ewen walking down the tartan-carpeted staircase inside the hotel.

Black-and-white portrait of Kendall and Ewen sitting on the wooden staircase at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Kendall and Ewen looking at each other while sitting together on the hotel staircase.

Planning your wedding photographs at SCHLOSS Roxburghe

There’s a lovely mix here: the conservatory, the character of the house and the grounds outside. We can make the photographs fit around the day you want, with time to enjoy your guests.

Tell me about your wedding plans and we can chat through what matters most to you.

What about an autumn wedding?

Let’s look at your ceremony time and the daylight when we plan the photographs. October can give us beautiful colours, as Kendall and Ewen’s day shows, but the days are shorter. A little planning means we can enjoy the grounds while there’s still light.

Will we be away from our guests for ages?

We can keep the portrait breaks short and relaxed. A wander in the grounds and a few photographs together can sit alongside all those candid moments with your family and friends. It’s your wedding, and I want you to enjoy it.

What if the weather changes?

The interiors and conservatory give us options too. I’ll work with the light, the venue team and the spaces available on the day. If there’s a break in the weather, we can make the most of it; there’s no need to force a long session outside.

Speeches and a wedding quiz

The speeches gave us plenty of laughs around the tables. I’m always watching the reactions as well as the person speaking: someone trying to keep a straight face, the couple laughing together, family enjoying a story.

Thirsty Work brought a pub quiz into the celebrations too. A brilliant way to get the tables talking and everyone joining in.

Kendall and Ewen looking up at her dad as he gives his wedding speech beside the autumn flowers.

Kendall reacting to a story during the speeches with Ewen smiling beside her.

A guest in a black waistcoat laughing with his hands beside his head during the reception.

A guest in a dark hat laughing at the wedding breakfast table.

A guest in a red bow tie laughing during the wedding speeches.

A guest in a green dress smiling across the table during the wedding breakfast.

A guest in a floral dress laughing beside the candles and autumn flowers.

Guests joining in around a reception table, with a woman raising her hand and laughing.

A bearded guest laughing across the candlelit wedding breakfast table.

The party with VH5

I do love VH5. For the kind of music I like, they’re one of my favourite wedding bands. If you’re looking for a band for your own wedding, they’re well worth checking out.

Kendall and Ewen chose Are You Ready for Love by Elton John for their first dance, and then it was over to everyone else to join them. Such a fabulous party, with plenty happening wherever I pointed the camera.

Two guests laughing together as they dance at Kendall and Ewen’s evening reception.

Two guests dancing closely together at the wedding party.

Kendall laughing with guests on the dance floor at SCHLOSS Roxburghe.

Guests dancing with their arms in the air during the evening celebrations.

A guest in glasses and a waistcoat laughing on the wedding dance floor.

Two guests laughing and dancing together beneath the party lights.

A few photographs after dark

We made time for a few evening photographs too. The staircase, the sparklers and that illuminated archway gave us something completely different from the autumn portraits earlier in the day.

A lovely way to finish the photographs from a day I was so pleased to be part of. Kendall and Ewen, thank you for having me.

Kendall and Ewen walking between guests holding sparklers at night.

Kendall and Ewen kissing among the glowing sparklers at the end of their wedding day.

Kendall and Ewen beneath an illuminated stone archway in the hotel grounds after dark.

Kendall smiling up at Ewen in a warmly lit doorway during their evening portraits.

See their wedding on Instagram

The wedding team

VenueSCHLOSS Roxburghe
CelebrantSimon Houston
VideographyVictoria Vettese — A Cinematic Life
BridalwearSophia Grace Couture
FlowersFlowers by McKenzie
HairEssential Hair by Sam Davie
Make-upEmma Lygate — Mabel Studio
BandVH5
Wedding quizThirsty Work
CookiesMillie’s Cookies

Getting married at SCHLOSS Roxburghe?

If you’d love relaxed wedding photographs, plenty of candids and a few beautiful portraits together, I’d love to hear your plans.

Check my availability

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