We are Alan and Morag Hutchison, the team behind one of Scotland's most popular Wedding Photography Studios.
An Asian Wedding / Walima Celebration at the Fairmont Hotel St Andrews
In mid October, we had a gorgeous, but cold weekend for Wedding Photography in Scotland and found ourselves in St Andrews for a Wedding at the spectacular Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews Bay. Strictly speaking though, it wasn’t a full wedding, it was only half of it. It was in fact our first Asian Wedding and we were to photograph the “Walima” Celebration for Saeed and Laraeb. The “Wallima” is the second of the two traditional parts of an Islamic Wedding is the groom’s family’s reception for their guests and friend to meet the bride’s family and their son’s new wife.
Being our first Asian Wedding, we had a lot to learn and Saeed and his cousin Shabaz were very helpful in educating me in what needs to be photographed and when. Shahbaz is a fabulous photographer in his own right, so I was very honoured to hear that he had recommended me to the couple. The actual wedding ceremony was held a week before, but what happens at a Walima is not dissimilar to what happens immediately after a European Wedding ceremony. Basically we have the opportunity to photograph the couple first before all their guests arrive, then we photograph the family groups and then photograph the banquet itself and receiving of gifts, before finally finishing off with some fabulous dancing.
This was also our first Wedding at the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews, so it was great to have an opportunity to photograph there with less of the time pressures of a European Wedding. We had over two hours with Saeed and Laraeb before their guests arrived (and there were a lot – over 350 guests by my headcount) – so it was great to be able to do the Couples portraits in such a relaxed manner.
Laraeb looked stunning on her beautiful gowns and Morag was particularly envious of her eye make-up.
Here are some of our own favourite photographs from the day:-
Thank you to Saeed and Laraeb (and Shahbaz) for trusting us to photograph your Wedding Celebration – it was great fun, and great to work with such a nice couple.
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by Morag
4 comments
Shahbaz Majeed - Cracking images Alan – we tried to book you for Saeed’s brothers walima too back in July but you were not available so very pleased you were available for this.
No hesitation in recommending you, especially as a fellow photographer, as your work speaks for itself and the accolades you have achieved through your images are to be expected.
Thanks again for capturing the day so well from all of us – hope to get a proper chance to meet one day!
Kat Braman - what gorgeous scenery Alan! I love the one of the two of them in those windows.
Rima - I loove that last shot!
Andy Moss - Really lovely Alan. The photograph of the couple with the course in the background is wonderful.