Elspeth and Cameron's Wedding at Carberry Tower

The magnificent Carberry Tower was swathed in rich autumnal colours on Elspeth and Cameron’s wedding day in early November. 

The couple, who are both passionate about nature and the outdoors, had their ceremony in the Ceilidh Hall overlooking the grounds with the autumnal styling of fruit, flowers and leaves creating a spectacular backdrop. 

Harp music complemented the tranquil atmosphere of the occasion.

For Elspeth and Cameron, marriage is about sharing life’s adventures with your best friend and building a home together. Knowing the person you love will always be with you for the rest of your lives; to laugh with you during the happy times and support you when times are hard. Marriage is the greatest form of commitment and a special bond only two people in love can share.

Sara and Louise shared a moving passage from ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ by Margery Williams:

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive.

But the Skin Horse only smiled.

"Someone made me Real," he said. "That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can't become unreal again. It lasts for always."

A big thank you to Elspeth and Cameron for sharing these stunning shots by Blue Sky Photography. Congratulations and best wishes for the future!

“Fiona, just want to say how lovely the ceremony was and it couldn't have gone better or been more appropriate and certainly was a reflection on who we are. We had a lot of complements from the guests who said it was one of the nicest ceremonies they had been to and it felt very personal. It was great to have you as part of our team!”

Aileen and Andrew's Wedding at Kirknewton Stables

Aileen and Andrew chose Kirknewton Stables as the venue for their marriage ceremony because they loved the gardens and the light, airy indoor space, and wanted a relaxed and intimate atmosphere for their closest family and friends.

The relaxed ambience of the setting was complemented perfectly by guitarist, Cameron Murray, playing 'Edelweiss', 'Mo Ghile Mear', 'Inisheer Air' and 'Wonderful World'.

Friends and family got involved in the ceremony with Andrew’s friend Paul giving a surprise reading, and Fiona - Aileen’s sister and Bridesmaid - sharing these lovely words by Victor Hugo:

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. The great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves, and even loved in spite of ourselves.

Aileen and Andrew, many thanks for sharing your beautiful wedding photos, taken by photographer Nadin Dunnigan.

“Fiona, we just wanted to send our thanks to you for helping us make our wedding day so special. Everything went exactly as we had hoped and so many of our family and friends commented on what a lovely ceremony it was! Thank you for all your help along the way.”

Cara and Scott's Wedding at Orocco Pier

 
Orocco Pier is a stylish venue in the heart of South Queensferry, with superb views of the iconic Forth Bridge. Cara and Scott chose to get married here as Scott lived in South Queensferry as a child and even went to nursery in the hall opposite! Also, with Cara being a near Northumbrian neighbour and spending many childhood holidays over the border, it seemed the perfect choice for them both.

Cara and Scott wanted everyone to get involved and enjoy their wedding ceremony. And it certainly was fun - we all sang along to ‘Your Song’ by Elton John and ‘Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher’ by Jackie Wilson!

There were also two lovely readings by family members - Cara's mum Ellie read ‘What is Love’ by Susan Polis-Schutz, and Scott’s sister Laura read 'A Red, Red Rose' by Robert Burns.

Cara and Scott had a traditional Handfasting while they exchanged their vows, and chose ribbons in two symbolic colours - red to symbolise the flag of Northumberland, the county where Cara grew up and still feels a strong connection to, and blue representing Scott’s homeland in the form of the Saltire. These colours also remind them of the setting for their marriage with the blue of the water and the red of the Forth Bridge joining together to create something truly special.

Cara, I join my life with yours today
Without hesitation and with an open and trusting heart
Whatever we may encounter
Let us encounter it together
Take this ring and with it my commitment
To be the best husband I can be

Mr and Mrs Somerville - thank you for sharing these great shots by Karolina Kotkiewicz.  

Congratulations and good wishes to both of you!

 

Sharon and Stuart's Wedding at Edinburgh City Chambers

Sharon and Stuart's ceremony took place in the European Room at the City Chambers - a beautiful location, full of character and steeped in history.

They chose a Humanist ceremony to reflect who they are as people and how they live their lives together, allowing them the freedom to express their feelings towards each other in their own words and highlight what is important to them in the presence of their friends and family. 

Stuart proposed to Sharon at the top of the Scott Monument - or as he calls it “the big pointy thing”! It was very romantic and Stuart took a bottle of champagne. Going up the winding steps, however, was a hard slog, and they were stopped by Japanese tourists who wanted them both in their photos. And of course, getting back down after the champagne was interesting......!

Sharon and Stuart both love going to see live music gigs – even though this means Sharon has to tolerate all of Stuart’s 80’s bands! Sharon walked down the aisle to 'The Book of Love' by Peter Gabriel and the happy couple made their exit to 'Ho Hey' by The Lumineers.

From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.

(Traditional Irish Blessing)

Congratulations Sharon and Stuart, and thank you for sharing these great shots by Amanda Mackinnon.

"Thank you Fiona for helping to make our big day extra special".

Clare and Gavin's Wedding at The Royal Botanic Garden

The Botanics are a lovely part of Edinburgh and as Gavin and Clare were keen to get married outside, it was the perfect location. The gardens are beautiful and the giant redwoods that we were standing under during the ceremony were a little reminder of the good times Clare and Gavin had while living in Canada.

 

Clare and Gavin exchanged wedding rings during the ceremony, but before they did so, they passed the rings among their families and friends, each holding the rings briefly and offering a silent thought or well wishing for the marriage.

One of the readings chosen by Clare and Gavin reflected their love of Canada and the great outdoors - a Native American Wedding Blessing, read by Gavin’s friend Kevin.

May the sun

Bring you energy by day.

May the moon

Softly restore you by night.

May the rain

Wash away your worries,

And the breeze

Blow new strength into your being.

And all of the days of your lives

May you walk gently through the world

And know its beauty.

 Fiona played the violin beautifully in the rain!

Many thanks to Clare and Gavin for sharing these lovely photos by photographer George Lammie.

"Fiona, thanks very much for all your help on the day and sorry for making you stand out in the rain! We had a fantastic time and were so pleased that we did manage to squeeze in the ceremony outside between the showers, it was exactly as we had hoped. Thanks for guiding us through the process and helping us put the ceremony together as we wanted."

Louise and Jason's Wedding at Howies

Louise and Jason wanted to get married somewhere that reflected their own personalities – somewhere relaxed, informal and friendly. Howies fitted the bill perfectly and with its stunning location in the heart of Edinburgh, they couldn't have chosen a better place to begin their married lives.

For Louise and Jason to have met at all, there are a few people they are indebted to. First, the founders of a well known dating website, without whom it definitely would not have happened. Second, Jason’s sister, Desiree, who encouraged (or rather, forced) Jason to give said website a try. Third, Louise’s parents, Peter and Linda, for convincing Louise after a hard day’s work to go out on a date, when she really did not feel like it..... and finally, Jason himself, who took a bit of a gamble and replied to Louise’s email without a profile picture to look at!

 'Tying The Knot'

Louise and Jason believe that marriage formalises their commitment and love for one other and is a confirmation that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. They will carry on just as they are, having a great time and a laugh together, but with a stronger foundation which marriage brings. As husband and wife, they look forward to enjoying life’s rich tapestry and taking on the challenges that life brings, together as a team.

Love is a promise
Love is a souvenir
Once given
Never forgotten
Never let it disappear

(John Lennon) 

Louise and Jason, thank you so much for sharing these wonderful photos by Gillian Shaw. Congratulations and good wishes to you both!

“Fiona, thanks very much for helping make our wedding day so memorable. We had a great day as did our guests and many of them commented on how nice the ceremony was. The tying of the knot was especially well received and most people had never seen it before. We are so glad we chose you as you are a true professional and really made us feel at ease.”

Cute Wedding Readings From Children's Books

As well as readings selected from traditional poems or literature, a new type of wedding reading has emerged in recent years – extracts from children’s books. 

At first glance, these may seem lighthearted, but children's books can express profound thoughts and philosophy about life in a very concise manner, which makes them ideal for wedding readings. At the same time, they can be romantic, quirky, cute and playful! 

 

Other popular choices:

Guess How Much I Love You (Sam McBratney)

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

Winnie-the-Pooh (AA Milne)

The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)