Chinese wedding tourists flock to Scots beauty spots
SCOTLAND’S iconic castles, majestic lochs and dramatic landscapes are world-famous for their stunning beauty.
But now an altogether new type of tourist is saying “I do” to our iconic landscape.
The Sunday Post can reveal bonny Scotland is becoming an increasingly popular backdrop for affluent Chinese couples posing for spectacular staged photos in their full wedding gear.
It’s the custom in China for couples to have their wedding photos taken before they are married rather than on the big day, when the shots are then shared with guests on cards and big screens.
Pre-wedding photo shoots are a therefore a massive industry and many young Chinese couples choose to travel to Britain to have their pictures taken alongside iconic locations like Westminster Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Now increasing numbers are heading to Scotland to pose for their traditional snaps. The Lake District is another destination growing in popularity.
Rosie Woodhouse, a photographer based on the Isle of Skye, takes requests from couples across Asia. The famous Fairy Pools and the Old Man of Storr are among the popular backdrops chosen by the soon-to-be-hitched couples.
Rosie, of Love Skye Photography, explained: “Because Chinese weddings are so big the pictures taken on the day are very formal and often just group shots, so couples arrange to have their own special pictures taken before the event.
“London landmarks like Big Ben have been really popular, but now they’re looking for something different and we’re finding that growing numbers are looking to Skye.
“The couples want to have the biggest and best, somewhere no one in their area has been to yet and they want the most amazing photographs to share on their big day. They are looking for the most picturesque scenery they can find.”
Sarah Morgan, who runs Morgan and Rose Photography in Edinburgh, said: “I am definitely getting more inquiries from China, as well as the United States and Canada.
“Couples are looking for something totally different.”
Sarah, who is originally from Montreal, has used Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and Castle Campbell in Dollar as settings.
One Chinese couple she photographed took time off from a two-week
UK tour to have their pre-wedding album put together. She said: “I loved seeing their reactions to the scenery and their awe of the wide open spaces.
“Even in a full suit and a wedding dress, both of them were keen to climb steep hills, go on long walks through the brush and climb to the top of towers, all in the name of getting that great shot!”
The iconic backdrop of England’s longest lake is also an increasingly popular destination.
Jennifer Cormack, Windermere Lake Cruises sales and marketing manager, said: “An increasing number of couples a re choosing to include Windermere and the Lake District as part of their photo shoots.”