The Marine is my local. I live in Troon, so when couples book their wedding here, they're getting a photographer who knows this stretch of coast in every season and every kind of light — where the sun sets over Arran, which corners of the hotel catch the best late-afternoon glow, and exactly when to slip away for ten minutes on the beach.
I walk my dog past the hotel all the time. When The Open came to Royal Troon, I was down there on the front watching it unfold right next to the Marine — the hotel and the championship course sitting side by side, the sea beyond. It's a spot I know inside out because it's part of my everyday life, not somewhere I visit twice a year for a booking.
The Marine has been welcoming guests since 1894, and it shows in the best way — grand rooms, a front terrace looking over the Old Course at Royal Troon, and the sea right there beyond it. For photography, it's hard to beat. The hotel grounds give you elegant backdrops for portraits and first looks, and Troon Beach is a short walk away for those wide, open coastal shots with the Isle of Arran on the horizon.
One of my favourite images from a Marine wedding is a quiet bridal portrait — the bride caught with her bouquet, head bowed slightly, just before the noise of the day properly began. It looks completely unguarded. There was a small amount of direction in it, and that's the point: my job is to guide you so gently you forget it happened.
If your timings allow it, I'll always suggest ten minutes on the beach around golden hour. One couple I photographed here wanted their portraits down on the sand, and their dog was there to meet them — so we took the couple and the bridesmaids down to the beach and it turned into one of the loveliest parts of the day. It was autumn, but the light was gorgeous and everyone had such a good time. They were thrilled with the photographs. That's the beauty of the Marine: the beach is a five-minute walk from the hotel door, and very few venues in Scotland hand you that.
Most of my couples tell me they hate having their photo taken. That's fine — most of the day I'm working documentary-style, catching real moments as they happen. When we do step out for portraits, I'll guide you the whole way. Nobody's left standing awkwardly wondering what to do with their hands.
I'm an award-winning wedding photographer named in the Top 20 in the UK by Wedding & Honeymoon Magazine — and number one in Ayrshire. If you're planning your wedding at Marine Troon, I'd love to hear about it. Get in touch and let's have a relaxed chat about your day. "Get in touch"