Annie & James

Picture the scene... your parents incredible estate in the heart of Scotland with a marquee complex built just for you and your wedding guests to party the night away in, and only metres away yurts for everyone to glamp in. Honestly it's the stuff of dreams. I haven't even got to the decor & fashion yet... The marquee reception is dressed to perfection with a gorgeous woodland vibe. There's an actual tree stump in the centre of the marquee with shrubs and greenery used as hanging arrangements and centrepieces along with white florals, heathers and thistles. Honestly when you see it your jaw is going to hit the floor, it's incredible. The guys are dressed in kilts and the ladies in a chic shade of grey with the Bride taking centre stage in her gorgeous bespoke gown designed by Shanna Melville. Have we whetted your appetite enough yet? Come see...

The Dress

Annie The Bride: I had decided upon a v-neck and back dress with cap sleeves and an element of lace from an early stage, however (as I had such a strong image in my head), it was nigh on impossible to find a dress that ticked all the boxes. As a result, I set upon designing it myself and poor Shanna Melville (based in Wimbledon) set about trying to put my ideas into practice. It was a simple design yet we added seed pearls to the cap sleeves and pearl buttons down the back to add interest. Although stressful at times and delving in to the unknown never having designed a dress before, the result was exactly what I had described and wholly unique. I was lucky enough to borrow my Mum’s headdress, the same one that she wore on her wedding day in 1982 which was extremely special. I wore my favourite necklace (which I was given for my graduation) and an antique bracelet that my Mum lent me for the day – my ‘something borrowed’.

The Grooms Attire

James wore his family tartan, and all his Groomsmen (Scottish or not) wanted to follow suit by donning kilts. One of the hardest decisions ended up being ties for the Boys due to the colour scheme, however we found some simple slate grey / blue cotton ties from Reiss which fitted in perfectly with the Bridesmaids dresses.

The Venue

My parents are lucky enough to live in the most beautiful quaint Scottish village in Perthshire so we decided to get married in a marquee in the Garden where I had grown up. Somehow the sun managed to shine on the day which made it all the more beautiful and special.

Colour Scheme/Décor

It is a running joke between my friends and family that my favourite colour is ’50 shades of Grey’ as evidenced by the interior of our flat in London, so it was only fitting that I succumbed to my stereotype. The Bridesmaids dresses were one of the first decisions that I had made and luckily enough the girls all looks stunning in the slate grey colour I chose. Once we had picked them, the colour scheme and themes fitted in to place.

Flowers

We used the local florist who was amazing. I always wanted a very floral / scented bouquet and their suggestions worked perfectly. We opted for a loose / natural looking bouquet of sweet peas and stephanotis (to tie in with Mum’s headdress) and a combination of mint / rosemary and Eucalyptus to give it an amazing scent. The boys had thistles and heather (obviously) and Mum’s wonderful friend Suki (of Hudons Catering) did the decoration (of the church and marquee). We wanted lots of pots of herbs and spriggy plants that we could replant in the garden so that nothing got wasted and Suki brought in trees to line the marquee which we later planted in memory of the day. James and his Ushers also created the wicker hoops that hung from the marquee to tie in with the natural / rustic and homemade feel.

The Wedding Party Fashion

The Bridesmaids dresses were from Amsale which was perhaps one of the first things that I chose. I loved their designs and had the colour in mind when I took the girls to see them. They were amazing, it was so easy – they all looked amazing in the colour that I had provisionally chosen and they all opted for the same style which made things very easy. The flower girl dresses were bought on line as we had to buy various sizes for them as they grew – but as a nod to Spain where we holiday as a family each year – we gave them traditional Mallorquin sandals which they loved (and we have had to bring back many more in all shapes and sizes since as they have grown)!

Ceremony

The ceremony took place in the local church, with our local Minister. We chose a typical biblical reading as well as a Celtic Marriage Poem which were read by our close friends Ed and Steph. The hymns chosen were a mix of James’, mine and my Dad’s favourites and perhaps the highlight for the day for me was when my Brother piped me out of the church as a surprise (accompanied by friends and the organ) to Highland Cathedral which had me in tears – and made even more special by him learning the pipes for the day!! Another particularly special moment was my best friend Ellie (also a Bridesmaid) playing ‘Annie’s Song’ by John Denver on the violin through the ceremony and when we were signing the register.

Entertainment

We wanted a band that could play both Ceilidh and rock music and had heard Callanish before at my Cousins wedding. They were fantastic, and (although a bit of a cop out) we chose to do an Orcadian Strip the Willow as our first dance which meant that everyone was on the dance floor from start to finish!!

Food

My Mum’s friend Suki (Hudsons Catering) did the Catering, as well as most of the organisation on the day! As well as creating the most amazing flower pieces (including erecting a full sized tree in the middle of the marquee) her and her team prepared the most amazing meal for us. We wanted the day to be about all our favourite people and things, so the menu consisted of:

Photographer

We were recommended Blue Sky Photography by Suki and from the moment we met them, we knew that they would be perfect. As well as being a lovely couple, (which being 2 of them meant that we could have photos of both wedding parties’ on the morning of the wedding), they’re style was really relaxed and informal so no formal/ posed shots. They made the whole process of posing for photos really fun and they managed to capture every aspect of the day. They’re albums are also beautiful.