Wedding Planning

You might take ideas and research things yourself, or you might want to enlist a little extra organisational help, it’s entirely up to you, but as you read on you’ll get a thorough overview of the elements you could choose to have as part of your day so you can have thought about them well in advance.

Some people like to do their own research and booking, and some people like to have that done for them. 

Have you considered – where to have your ceremony, where to stay, where to have a special meal, flowers, cake, cars, musicians, transport, legal witnesses?

Perhaps you’re choosing not to have most of these, or perhaps part of the fun for you is to surf the web and check things out and get information and quotes.

If however, having to start from a blank page to plan your day, stay and ceremony is overwhelming and stressful, treat yourself to a little help.

What do you need to decide to begin with?

Certainly, to make a legal application to be married in Scotland you need to know the date, location and who’ll marry you – the rest of the detail of your day and stay can follow.

When would you like to get married?

A good starting place is to decide on a date, or a few possible dates or a period of time when you’d like to get married if you can be flexible around the actual date.

Where would you be for your dream wedding?

Near the sea, on the beach, near the mountains, up a mountain, amongst the heather, midst the hills, near a loch, on a loch side, in the countryside, in the city, next to the river, on a loch on a boat, in a church, in the forest or woods, in a ruined castle, cosy and candlelit in a castle, in a beautiful garden, near a waterfall, in a museum, in a hall???

Many couples fantasize about getting married outside which is a wonderful dream but in reality the weather in Scotland can never be relied on.  We can tell you of many beautiful places both inside and outside, and then it’s up to you to make your decision; wherever you choose we will honour your choice and request, and go with what you would like whether outside in nature or inside with a roof over our heads!  

Though we will hold the vision with you, of glorious blue skies and sunshine for your outdoor ceremony, we also caution you against having high expectations of the weather because if the sun doesn’t shine as we hope, it could lead to feelings of disappointment for you.  Don’t let your happy day be spoiled by what the weather does.  You can have a beautiful ceremony even in the cold - rain or fog and Scotch Mist can make for a very atmospheric feel!

Where will the ceremony take place?

Would you like a small, plain room in a hotel?   

An elaborately decorated room in a hotel?

A conservatory in a hotel?

A library in a hotel?

An atmospheric ruined castle?

A castle that acts as a hotel and venue?

A beach or loch-side?

A boat on Loch Ness?

A lovely garden?

A church?

What atmosphere would you like to create?

If you’d like to use fire in your ceremony we recommend you be outside but you might also stay in a castle with a fire, or stay in a holiday home with an open fire!  

We don’t usually recommend having a candle lighting ritual outside but it can be done if you use a large enough storm lamp (which we do!).

How intimate or elaborate will your ceremony be?

Would you like your ceremony to be traditional or creative?

To be Celtic?

Long or short?

Would you like a ceremony written just for you?

Is budget the most important factor?

Would you like photos?

Will is a wedding photographer. He’s a warm and friendly fellow and is especially good at working with couples on their own, and small groups and families.  He offers various packages.

To give you an idea, you can choose from

Simply the photos of your day/ceremony set up in an online password protected gallery for you to do as you please with them

The addition of a ‘Fusion’ which is when Will intersperses photos with short 3-7 second video clips and sets them to your favourite music – you could potentially choose 1, 2 or 3 tracks 

You could also add on an audio recording, a slideshow set to music, or a static, single camera video of your ceremony, or a two camera film of your ceremony.

Would you like music to be part of your ceremony?

Would you like live or pre-recorded music for your ceremony?

Would you like a singer, a piper or a harpist?

Would you like to play favourite or meaningful tracks on CD or iPod?

Do you dream of special transport to get to your ceremony?

Arriving on the back of a motorbike?

A horse drawn carriage?

A Limousine, Bentley or Ferrari?

A helicopter?

A boat?

Would you like to have flowers?

Would you like to have flowers decorating the room for your ceremony?

Simple or elaborate?

Do you want to have your favourite flowers?

Do you want something traditional or creative or very natural?  A formal arrangement or flowers or petals strewn?  A circle of greenery?

In the room for your ceremony?

Would you like a Bridal Bouquet?  A matching Groom button hole? What colour and style?

You have so many options for where to stay!

Do you dream of a chic, contemporary suite in a city centre? A cosy B&B in a coastal or country village?  A wee eco cabin or chalet or bothie (cottage) where you can sip whisky together whilst toasting your toes against the woodstove?  A four poster bed in the honeymoon suite in a traditional Scottish hotel with tartan décor?  What would be your preferred accommodation?  Or are you on a budget and you prefer to camp?

Would you like massage? To have the use of leisure facilities? a swimming pool? An outdoor hot tub?

Would you like a meal or celebration after the ceremony?

Do you want to book the Honeymoon Suite at a luxury hotel and have your meal served in your room?

Do you want to dine in a romantic restaurant and enjoy sharing the secret from other diners that you just got married?

Do you want to dine in a romantic candle-lit private dining room just the two of you?

Do you prefer a contemporary setting or antlers and tartan?

What would be your chosen wedding menu?

Local produce?  Venison?  Lamb? Fresh Salmon?  Smoked Salmon?  Cheeses?

Your favourites or Scottish favourites?  Haggis, neeps and tatties?  Skirlie?  Cranachan?

Or do you have special dietary requirements ie vegetarian or vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, ceiliac or diabetic?

Would you prefer to go out, hire in a chef, or cook for yourselves?

What would be your preferred celebration drinks?

Wine – red or white?  (preferred country? organic?)

Whisky from the local distillery?

Champagne (preferred brand?)

Something else?