I work at Friars Carse a lot and I know that it isn’t in the Lake District, isn’t in Cumbria and has a different postcode, but I do work there a lot. Friars Carse like all of the venues over the border is different to the venues that are south of the border. Wedding days are ran differently in Scotland in many ways. Schedules are adhered to more and timings run over a lot less. Wedding photographers over the border have more distinct work than south of the border and their work can be a little bolder. There are also less photographers than in Cumbria and I think that this is one of the reasons that I work there a lot.. That and the fact that my work fits in at Friars Carse, with the brides and grooms I mean and I know the hotel and space around it very well, from the Nith to the front gate.
Wedding photography at Friars Carse is a real hoot. There is the obvious river frontage where unlike in England ceremonies can be conducted in the open air and with no cover. This makes weddings there very visual. There is also some lovely woodland that skirts the rivers edge and an amazing beach (sensible shoes required) just around the corner where brides and grooms can have five minutes to themselves… Or throw skimmers! Inside is a little dark but very Scottish and even boasts its own Whiskey menu. Great rooms inside include the snooker room, which is great for pictures, the spiral staircase and the very yellow but really lovely piano room. For wedding photography you can pretty much take your pick.
Outside there is a massive marquee which can be used for wedding receptions and ceremonies. It works well for wedding photographers as there is stacks of space in there, putting distance between photographer and subject for great reportage photographs of guests.
Nick, Christine and the staff make weddings at Friars Carse run like clockwork, photography there is relaxed and creative. There are a ton of locations that I have not yet used and am desperate to exploit too. It is a great place for a wedding reception but an even better place, with the right conditions for a civil ceremony too.
