The Balmoral Edinburgh LGBTQI+ Wedding

Photography by Sophie Alexandria Photography

After over ten years together, the gorgeous Mark and Mark tied the knot at The Balmoral Edinburgh. This wedding oozes classy, chic, "Sex & The City" vibes from start to finish, with custom-made suits, matching Louboutin's, and Cartier wedding bands. A very fashionable couple indeed! Having chosen a venue slap-bang in the heart of Edinburgh, their vision of a sharp, classic theme with a contemporary aesthetic certainly paid off. With minimal stationery, fantastic music choices and an incredibly gorgeous sausage dog, Mark_² lived out their Carrie Bradshaw energies perfectly - and we're so here for it.

Sex & The City meets The Balmoral Edinburgh

Both being called Mark, we have always loved the idea of being married on a ‘matching’ date. After getting engaged in 2017, we had originally thought about 10.10.20. However, when this didn’t come through, 11.11.22 was the next one to come up. Furthermore, this date was Mark Strachans birthday, and he turned 33 – it felt like all the stars were aligned! It was meant to be!

Mark & Mark

Groom in black waistcoat, black bowtie and crisp white shirt holding sausage dog, getting ready for stylish wedding

Groom fastening wedding cufflinks on crisp white shirt with black button details

Grooms in matching velvet blazers with white shirts and black bowties with red rose and foliage boutonniere kissing at The Balmoral Edinburgh

Christian Louboutin black wedding shoes with red velvet wedding ring box, red velvet cufflinks box, and red rose and foliage boutonniere

Groom wearing black velvet blazer, white shirt with black button detailing and black bowtie at The Balmoral Edinburgh

Grooms wearing black velvet tuxedos and Christian Louboutin groom shoes and grooms party wearing black velvet blazers, leather trousers and Christian Louboutin strappy high heels

Grooms in matching black velvet blazers holding hands at the alter at The Balmoral Edinburgh

Grooms in matching velvet black tuxedos with white shirts and black bowties walking out of The Balmoral Edinburgh hand in hand with foliage arrangements in large golden and white ceramic vases on either side of them

Grooms in black velvet tuxedos, white shirts, black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres holding sausage dog at stylish city wedding

Grooms in velvet blazers and black suit trousers holding hands walking through Edinburgh after stylish city wedding

The Balmoral Edinburgh

Mark & Mark had a vision. That vision was a Sex & The City vibe in the centre of Edinburgh city. So what better wedding venue to choose than The Balmoral Edinburgh? The theme centred around sharp, classic with a contemporary twist, and the Balmoral was the perfect backdrop to bring this theme to life. Sleek outfits, flowers and decor, and minimal, chic stationery. The Balmoral Hotel offered great food, fantastic attention to detail, a brilliant location, a stylish interior and magnificent views of Edinburgh. Lest we forget; those rooftop photos!

Music & readings

The couple didn't just have a super-stylish wedding that would make anyone under the sun want an invite. They also had a fantastic lineup of readings and music. Starting off strong, the couple had Marriage by Anon as their reading. This choice tied together the more modern side of their theme. Lighthearted in nature, Marriage is an honest depiction of marriage. It's one that we and guests alike can't help but smile at. Their music choices included Love Again by Dua Lipa, Yours by Ella Henderson, We Found Love by Rihanna, and Firestone by Kygo. Hold my drink - one simply can't resist a dance to these songs.

Grooms in matching black velvet tuxedos and suit trousers kissing in the middle of the road in Edinburgh

Grooms in black velvet tuxedos, white shirts, black bowties, and rose and foliage boutonnieres walking hand in hand through Edinburgh city centre

I Do Crew sitting in The Balmoral Edinburgh drinking espresso martinis for wedding cocktails

Grooms in matching velvet tuxedos with black bowties and rose and foliage boutonnieres kissing in the back of a wedding car

I do crew in matching outfits: two grooms in matching black velvet tuxedos with black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres, the I Do Crew wearing black velvet blazers, black leather trousers and holding large red rose floral bouquets

Grooms in matching black velvet tuxedos with black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres embracing after stylish city wedding at The Balmoral Edinburgh

I do crew in matching outfits, black velvet blazers, black leather trousers and holding large red rose floral bouquets, Christian Louboutin strappy heels and groom shoes posing and laughing in the centre of Edinburgh

Grooms in black velvet suits, white shirts, black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres with Christian Louboutin groom shoes in the middle of Edinburgh after stylish city wedding

Grooms in matching black velvet suits with bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres sharing an espresso martini at their wedding cocktail hour in The Balmoral Edinburgh

I Do Crew sitting on the stairs of the hotel venue during wedding cocktail hour with espresso martinis in hand

Grooms in matching black velvet tuxedos with black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres holding hands and looking into each other's eyes on the rooftop of The Balmoral Edinburgh

Grooms in matching black velvet suits with bowties and red rose boutonnieres sharing espresso martinis at hotel wedding venue after stylish, contemporary city wedding

Grooms in matching black velvet suits with bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres cutting into their five tier wedding cheese tower with grapes, figs, red roses and foliage decor

Grooms in matching black velvet tuxedos with black bowties and red rose and foliage boutonnieres walking the streets of Edinburgh city centre after stylish, contemporary wedding

The M in (both) Mark(s) stands for magnificent. And their wedding was just that!

When booking The Balmoral, one aspect that we had always loved was the ability to get up on to the roof for photographs. This would mean we'd have the full skyline of Edinburgh as the backdrop. On the day of our wedding, there were high winds. This meant that we were unable to get up through the day. Our wedding planner Sofia knew how important this was to us, though. So she continuously checked with the security team for us. Just after dinner, we were allowed up for a short period. This was the most perfect intimate moment for us to share.

Mark & Mark

We could gaze upon these photos all day. And hey, maybe we will. If you want a similar reaction to your own wedding photos, then having the right photographer is crucial. Luckily for you, our podcast episode on wedding photography will cover all you need to know. If you want to edge up your wedding dessert, then you could do what Mark & Mark did, and go with a cheese tower.