Louise and Garth’s Real Life Wedding

 

Louise and Garth

04/06/2005 – St. Columba’s Church, Kilmacolm, Scotland
Blair Estate, Dalry, Ayrshire

   

How and when did you meet?

We met at work in early 2002. Later that year we went to a salsa party with our friends. The following Monday at work he asked me on a date and it went on from there!

Where, when and how did he (or you!) propose?

We lived together in Fulham and Garth asked me to dinner at the River Cafe. He came in the door and I was standing in my PJ’s ironing. I told him I was too tired to go out because I had work in the morning. He proposed to me in the living room, while I was ironing! (That’s my fault – he did have romantic plans!).

Did you have hen and stag celebrations?

We both had celebrations. Garth had a three day weekend in Surrey which included drinking, clubbing and a massive Aussie BBQ feast (every day). I went to Windows at the Hilton on Park Lane for drinks and then for dinner and drinks in London. I also went to a day spa for some pampering with a smaller group of friends, which was bliss.

Did your groom help you with the wedding planning?

Garth helped quite a bit, though I am very organised, so most of the planning was done in a few weeks. He chose the kilts and also had a say in the flowers, cars, table plan, and nearly everything apart from my dress.

Did you use confetti to plan your wedding? If so, how did the website help you?

I enjoy reading other people’s wedding stories, and seeing the pictures of flowers, cakes and table decorations are great for inspiration.

Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it.

I bought my dress at a shop in Glasgow. I saw the dress as soon as I went into the shop, tried it on and thought it was perfect. I had the dress made to fit and I added a couple of details including covered buttons down the back. It’s a strapless dress with pearls on the top two inches of the bodice. My veil was covered in pearls and diamontes, which sparkled as I walked down the aisle.

Did you have bridesmaids? If so, who did you choose and what did they wear?

I had two bridesmaids, my cousins. Erika, 25 and Kirsten 11. They wore simple red dresses with a small laced detail down the back. They also both had a wire choker with red beads, which really made the outfit. Both the necklace and dresses were made by a friend of the florist.

Who did your groom choose for his best man and ushers, and what did they wear?

Garth had two best men, one is childhood friend from Australia, Christian, and his best mate from London, Ben. All three hired kilts for the day, which was a novelty as none of them are Scottish!

Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?

We had a Church of Scotland Ceremony.

Where did you hold your ceremony?

The ceremony was at St. Columba’s Church, Kilmacolm, Scotland.

Where did you hold your reception?

The reception was held in a marquee in the gardens of Blair Estate, Dalry, Ayrshire.

Did you have any special wedding transport?

We had a Vintage Beauford and Mercedes SL500.

How many guests did you invite to your wedding, and did you have a separate evening guest list?

We invited 145 to the wedding and 111 people attended on the day. We did not have a separate evening guest list, as most of the guests were from abroad.

Did your reception have a particular theme in terms of colour or style?

We had a traditional Scottish theme with a twist of Australian. I wanted a classical / elegant feel, so I chose creams and whites as the colour theme.

How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?

The table linen was all white. The centerpiece’s were white and cream flowers with plenty of green foliage. There were thistles in the arrangements (I am Scottish) and also eucalyptus (Garth is Australian).

Did you give your guests favours?

No.

Describe your flowers (bouquets and table decorations). Who was your florist?

The table flowers are as above. My bouquet was white roses with eucalyptus, ghost gum and kangaroo paw dangling down. I saw the bouquet in a magazine and I absolutely loved it! My bridesmaids also had white roses with red berries mixed in.

What did you choose to have on your menu? Did you have an outside caterer or did your venue handle the catering?

We had an outside caterer. To start we had poached salmon on rocket, followed by roast lamb which was carved at each table by one of the guests (this really worked well and broke the ice). For pudding we had the wedding cake with bowls of fresh berries and cream. A very simple menu that everyone ate and enjoyed!

What did you choose for your wedding cake?

I originally saw the cake in the window of a bakery in London years before I was even engaged. The image stuck with me and Top Tier in Glasgow managed to re-create the chocolate tower.

Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?

Yes, we had a Welsh choir to sing at the ceremony and then a band during the evening.

Did you have a gift list? If so, who did you have your list with?

Our gift list was with John Lewis, though a lot of people bought us bits and bobs from other shops, which I find a little annoying because we had a gift list for a reason, but I guess that happens to everyone.

Where did you spend your first night and honeymoon? Who did you book your honeymoon with?

We spent our first night together at Blair Estate in the ‘honeyroom’ suite.

What was your most memorable moment of the day?

Definitely walking down the aisle with my Dad. Garth turned once to glance at me. It’s an amazing feeling!

Did you experience any ‘nightmare’ moments in the run up to your wedding or on the day?

No, everything went smoothly and I can even claim to be the only bride ever to arrive 30 minutes early! (I was told there was a severe traffic jam, but our driver knew a short cut and we got to the church very early!). I had to hide in the car down the road from the church, but it was nice because it gave me more time to talk with my Dad. Not one other thing went wrong the whole day was perfect.

Is there anything you would do differently, or any advice you would give to other brides?

I have to say that I was stressed out so much before the wedding and combined with other issues aside from wedding planning I ended up off work for a week. But, on the day I promised myself I would not stress out and enjoy my time with Garth. We spent most of the evening together and spoke to nearly everyone at the reception too. It’s your day, so enjoy it!