Edinburgh City Chambers Wedding

Edinburgh City Chambers are the most popular choice among those not wanting to book a venue for a full-day of wedding celebrations. So it’s often a great option for couples choosing to elope here – or have a micro-wedding, with just a few closest friends or family.

Discover the relaxed, laid-back, and fun-filled wedding of Natasha and Sam at the Edinburgh City Chambers, where the bride and groom were surrounded only by a few of their closest friends and family. Their day started with a first look underneath cherry blossom trees (I love this season in Edinburgh). After that, we all jumped in a taxi on the way to get them hitched in the Old town!

After the ceremony, there were cuddles underneath the umbrella, mini ceilidh on the steps of New College… and many, many goofy faces! And I loved how these two wonderful people, who travelled here all the way from Australia, embraced their goofy side in front of my camera.

Hair & Make-up Artist: Melanie Herriot

Getting married at Edinburgh City Chambers: pros and cons

In this paragraph I’ll explore why Edinburgh City Chambers elopement or wedding might be the right choice for some, but maybe not for everyone.

Pros of booking City Chambers for your wedding day in Edinburgh

First of all, Edinburgh City Chambers are basically what you’d call a registry office in other parts of the UK.
And since registry office ceremonies are often way cheaper than marrying in any other type of a venues, it’s a good choice if you’re on a budget. So it means you can save money!

Secondly, the location of the City Chambers is very central – they are located in the middle of Edinburgh Old town, just off the Royal Mile. And from there, you’re just a short walking distance away from some iconic spots in the city which I’d love to photograph you at! Those include the Vennel Steps, Victoria Street, Writer’s Museum, St Giles Cathedral and many, many more.

Moreover, availability is another thing that might make choosing City Chambers as your venue more appealing. Some of Edinburgh’s historic or popular venues book very far in advance, which often makes it impossible for them to offer you availability on weekends, or peak dates. With City Chambers wedding, that won’t be a problem – there are ceremonies scheduled every 45 minutes, taking place every single day of the week. So you can often book at short notice, and choose a time slot which suits you best!

Finally, when booking a venue for your elopement, you can choose between two rooms: Alexander Suite or European Suite. Although most people choose Alexander Suite, personally I’m a big fan of the European one. With the big windows and vintage decor, European Suite guarantees better photos with historic ambiance. And despite of the fact that the room can host up to 70 guests, some couples still choose to book it for their Edinburgh elopement. And I encourage it!

To learn more about ceremony rooms at the City Chambers, visit this link.

Cons of booking City Chambers for your wedding day in Edinburgh

Let’s explore the aspects that may not make the City Chambers the ideal choice for everyone. So why City Chambers might not be the best option for some couples planning their elopement in Edinburgh?

First of all, by booking CC for your day, you have no freedom to pick the officiant whose personality is the best fit for you. And the day of the ceremony is the first time you’re meeting them. Which is completely different to humanist celebration, where your chosen officiant will communicate with you via email. And will also want to schedule a chat with you before you’ve even decided you want to go ahead with the booking.

Secondly, you definitely cannot be late for the ceremony. As lateness is something quite impossible to avoid on your wedding day, it can be a bit stressful. Late taxi pickup, hair and make-up artist who needs to keep you for 15 minutes longer… you never know what can happen! But at the City Chambers you get an allocated slot upon booking, and you can’t occupy the ceremony suite for longer than 45 minutes. Therefore, if you’re 10 minutes late, the ceremony can feel quite rushed, especially if it involves personal vow exchange, readings performed by some of your guests or a quick first dance. But when booking a different Edinburgh venue, your allocated slot is never for less than 3-4 hours, which guarantees more flexibility for you – and less stress!

Thirdly, and most importantly, your photographer won’t be able to capture your wedding at Alexander Suite without using a flashlight. As the light in the suite can be quite patchy due to the absence of natural light, so to make sure that you get good photos, this one is unavoidable. So make sure you’re ok with that, if you’re choosing to book the suite for your big day!

Finally, the decor of Alexander Suite is not to everyone’s taste. Especially if you don’t like artificial flowers.

In conclusion, if Edinburgh City Chambers wedding sounds like a great option for you… go ahead and book your it. And remember, there are plenty of photo opportunities awaiting us just outside of the chambers too!

Edinburgh City Chambers wedding photography

Natasha and Sam’s Edinburgh City Chambers wedding was relaxed, laid-back and full of fun.

And if you’ve decided you’d like to elope as well – and have booked your venue, I’d love to capture your wedding. So please don’t hesitate to tell me about your plans. Drop me a message and let’s chat!

And if you’re still in the stage of planning, I’m sure my Edinburgh Elopement Guide can serve you as a source of inspiration.