Nao and Justin’s City Elopement with an Epic Pre-ceremony First Look

There’s a quiet magic to that instant when two people see each other for the first time on their wedding day. Nao and Justin, who travelled all the way from Canada, chose charming Circus Lane in Edinburgh’s New Town for their first look—and the result was nothing short of cinematic. As a photographer who’s captured countless Edinburgh city elopements, I’ve learned that the first look isn’t just a photo opportunity; it’s a moment you’ll relive forever.

Scroll down to find out how to plan your own pre-wedding reveal – some heart-stopping first glances.

First look at Circus Lane

Shortly after sunrise, Nao slipped into her beaded gown and paused for a few deep breaths before the pre-ceremony reveal.

Around the corner, Justin accompanied by his best man adjusted his tie and stood with his back turned to the world. With only the soft morning light filtering through the ivy-clad buildings, they shared their private moment on Circus Lane – a narrow, cobbled street famous for its pastel-hued doors and trailing wisteria. As Justin turned and caught sight of Nao’s dress for the first time, his grin was wide and genuine, the kind of reaction you can only coax when a couple feels completely at ease.

Picking your perfect first-look backdrop

Not every couple can handle a dozen camera lenses and curious onlookers – I always emphasize that first look should be somewhat of an intimate moment between soon-to-be newlyweds. So crowds of tourists are definitely undesirable!

Circus Lane worked so well for Nao and Justin because it sits just off the beaten path – located within Victorian and Georgian architecture of Stockbridge so that it feels quintessentially Edinburgh, and quiet enough for a private reveal.

When scouting your spot, aim for:

  • Soft, Diffused Light. High walls or a gentle curve in the street can soften harsh sunlight.
  • Crowd-watch. Early mornings or weekdays will help you avoid crowds. Most Edinburgh Old Town spots will only work at sunrise – otherwise you’d have to prepare for quite a few onlookers.
  • Photogenic details. Nothing to add here – choose a spot that looks simply epic.
  • Always consult your wedding photographer about your chosen spot beforehand – a local Edinburgh photographer will be able to talk you through all the best, most beautiful spots and explain which ones make most sense logistically, to ensure a private experience and to give your emotions some space, so you don’t have to hold back that lone tear because tourists with their iPhones are heading your way! Trust them, they know best.
  • Keep your wedding photographer close: They will give you subtle direction without intruding – a professional will talk you through the plan just before, to make sure which side to turn to, and which shoulder to tap your bride/groom on. They won’t intrude and will capture the moment beautifully.
  • Buffer time: Build in an extra 15-30 minutes. If you finish early or have to wait a bit before the reveal (for instance to let that big tour group leave first!), you can wander nearby for candid portraits.

Before the big day, visit your location at the same hour you’ll be shooting. That way, you’ll know exactly where the best light falls and where passersby tend to linger.

Post-reveal smooth transition to ceremony

When it’s time to make your way from that magical first look to your ceremony, proximity is everything – no one wants to scramble for Ubers, haul transport logistics, or add stress to the day.

Circus Lane is the perfect example for couples marrying at the Royal College of Physicians: just a five-minute stroll through New Town’s prettiest streets, so you can linger in those candid, street-style moments without worrying about taxis.

Wherever you’re tying the knot, scout a similarly close spot: the quiet side of St Giles’ Cathedral makes an enchanting reveal before a Riddle’s Court or City Chambers ceremony, while a sunrise first look atop Calton Hill pairs beautifully with nuptials at Collective Gallery in the City Observatory. Staying close to your wedding venue is key.

Keeping your reveal location within easy walking distance ensures you arrive calm, collected, and brimming with joy – ready to step into your ceremony without missing a single beat, and without nerves overpowering you and your partner.

A diptych showing two groomsmen glimpsing each other’s silhouettes against a backdrop of Circus Lane’s cobblestones and Georgian houses, with the clock tower of St. Stephen’s tower clock rising in the distance and flowering wisteria framing the scene.
Left: The bride approaches the groom from behind on a narrow, vine-lined street of pastel-fronted townhouses. Right: Close-up of the groom’s delighted smile as he turns to see his bride for the first time, with ivy-covered stone walls in soft focus behind him.
Left: The groom stands in the foreground, his back to the camera, as the bride waits behind him, framed by cobbled stones and shuttered windows. Right: The bride smiles warmly, veil fluttering, as she watches her groom turn around. First look before the Edinburgh wedding.
The bride and groom share a gentle kiss in the centre of a cobbled Circus Lane after the first look, holding hands and framed by pastel-toned cottages and trailing wisteria under soft, overcast light.
Left: The bride and groom face each other on a quiet, vine-lined stretch of Circus Lane, with the grey stone clock tower rising behind them. Right: Close-up of the groom smiling warmly at his bride, ivy and shuttered windows softly blurred in the background.
Left: The couple holds hands at the center of the lane, the groom slipping a note into the bride’s hands beneath the watchful tower of St. Stephen’s Belfry. Right: They gaze into each other’s eyes, standing close amid potted plants and trailing vines against honeyed sandstone walls.
Left: The bride and groom pose side by side, hand in hand, under a canopy of flowering branches, their expressions serene against the lane’s period stone façades. Right: The newlyweds walk away hand in hand, their backs to the camera, past shuttered sash windows and lush greenery.
Left: A close-up of delicate pink camellia blooms emerging from glossy evergreen leaves in an urban courtyard. Right: A pale sandstone Georgian townhouse façade, framed by overhanging tree branches, showcasing tall sash windows and classical cornices.
The bride and groom walk down a leafy New Town street hand in hand, the groom carrying a small bouquet of white tulips, while the bridesmaid trails just behind them.
The couple ascends the stone steps to the Royal College of Physicians entrance, framed by Corinthian columns and an ornate lantern, as they prepare to enter for their ceremony.
Inside the wood-paneled New Library, the couple stands before a humanist celebrant beneath a domed skylight, flanked by two attendants against rows of antique bookcases.
Bride and groom laugh and clasp hands in front of a marble fireplace as the celebrant smiles behind them, capturing a candid moment during their humanist vows.
A split-frame shot inside the wood-panelled library: on the left, the bridesmaid reads from her vows while the bride and groom stand hand-in-hand before a marble fireplace; on the right, the groom embraces the bridesmaid in a heartfelt hug as the bride looks on, laughing
The bride and groom stand side by side in front of a marble fireplace, bursting into joyous laughter together against a backdrop of antique bookshelves and soft, chandelier light.
Groom lovingly glancing at the bride at the start of their humanist library ceremony
Elopement vow exchange. A close-in shot of the groom, hand near his lips, eyes glistening as he holds the vow card, while the bride and officiant stand softly out of focus.
A wide, overhead shot of the ornate library ceremony: the bride and groom stand center-frame exchanging vows beneath a skylit, frescoed ceiling, flanked by their two attendants amid towering bookshelves and an antique chandelier overhead
Groom laughing and smiling at the bride during vow exchange, in black and white
Heartfelt ceremony moments - bride and groom share an embrace, afterwards bride sheds a tear with a smile on her face
Bride and groom holding hands with humanist celebrant standing facing them
Newlyweds sharing their first kiss in Edinburgh library
Joyful post-ceremony moments, humanist pronounces bride and groom husband and wife and joyfully claps her hands
Bride and groom sharing hugs and laughs with their witnesses
Groom opening a bottle of champagne after which his wife and guests share a toast by the table
Newlyweds performing their first dance surrounded by grandeur of New Library
Books on the shelves of Edinburgh library; on the right groom and his best man standing side by side with hands in their pockets
Bride and groom sitting on a burgundy leather sets of New Library Hallway, holding hands with wedding rings on them
Groom lovingly looking at this bride
Diptych: portrait of the bride in soft window light, to the right newlyweds embracing each other closely by the window
Confetti moment at the steps of Royal College - bride and groom looking at the camera whilst female witness throws confetti petals in the air
A bride and groom stand on an ornate indoor balcony, backlit by tall stained-glass windows and surrounded by carved stone arches.
The couple faces each other beneath a grand Gothic archway of reddish sandstone, framed by two pastel-painted street lamps of Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
Bride and groom lean casually apart on either side of a carved wooden door, gazing toward each other in a dramatic, symmetrical façade.
The newlyweds stroll hand-in-hand through a narrow Old Town courtyard of high stone walls and multi-storied windows.
Through a stone arch, the couple shares a kiss at the foot of a sweeping staircase of Edinburgh Divinity College.
Diptych: newlyweds holding hands on historic Old Town steps; second image showing bride leaning onto a railing of New College.
On a flight of weathered stone steps, the bride and groom embrace and kiss beneath an old iron lantern, flanked by tall sandstone walls.

First look – yay or nay?

First looks aren’t a one-size-fits-all magic trick- sometimes they’re a show-stealer, and other times they can feel a bit forced. What are the signs that the first look should be included in your elopement timeline – or not?

Signs a First Look Is Totally Your Jam

  • You’re itching for a private moment together before the aisle butterflies kick in.
  • Extra couple portraits in dreamy light make your photographer (and your Instagram) very happy.
  • You’d rather shed happy tears behind closed doors than in front of Great-Aunt Mildred.
  • You love the idea of calming those nerves with a few deep breaths together.
  • You’re getting married in a walkable city spot where sneaking away is simple.
  • You’re getting ready at a stunning hotel/rental and you want to take the opportunity to take more photos indoors, before the vow exchange.

Signs a First Look Might Not Be Your Cup of Tea

  • You’re a die-hard traditionalist who wants that gasp-worthy altar or walking-down-the-aisle moment.
  • Your ceremony venue is in the middle of nowhere (hello, remote Scottish castle) and planning a detour feels like too much logistics.
  • You’re on an ultra-tight timeline and squeezing in another “event” sounds stressful.
  • You’d rather make memories with every guest present rather than steal away.
  • The idea of a pre-ceremony reveal gives you more jitters than butterflies.

Putting it all together – your big reveal in Scotland

Whether you’re tiptoeing around the pastel doors of Circus Lane or sneaking a sunrise peek atop Calton Hill, a well-planned first look can be the secret ingredient that turns your Scottish elopement into something truly unforgettable.

It’s your chance to steal a few quiet moments—far from the bustle of bagpipes and well-wishers—so you can calm racing hearts, snag those dreamy, candid portraits, and share a private laugh (or happy tears) before the ceremony fanfare.

And if the idea of a pre-ceremony reveal doesn’t feel like “you,” that’s okay too: you can always save your big gasp for the altar and let your ceremony itself do the talking. At the end of the day, the best first look is the one that fits your story as a couple – so go ahead, plan your perfect sneak-peek, or skip it entirely, knowing your wedding photos will be magic either way (we’ll take them in Scotland, after all!)

If you’d like to explore the best spot for the first look, dive into My Guide to Best Locations in Edinburgh and don’t forget to get in touch so I can help you plan the most perfect first look.

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