Mandy and Willie’s Real Life Craigmillar Castle Wedding

When was your wedding?

09/06/07

How and when did you meet?

We met 9 years ago when I was 14 he was 16. We met randomly through his cousin and have been inseparable ever since.

How old are you both?

I am 23 and Willie is 25.

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

It was so not romantic but the best I could have asked for. Willie took me back to the spot (an alleyway!) where he first asked me out when I was 14.

Did you have hen and stag celebrations? If so, what did you do?

Yes. Willie went to Newcastle and I went with all my girlies to Tenerife for the weekend!

How did your groom help with the wedding planning?

He didn’t do very much but he did choose the first dance song and choose the tartan his side of the wedding party was wearing. He helped make the decisions but I did all the hard work.

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

I didn’t use it to plan my wedding but used it to purchase alot of gifts and materials for the big day.

Did you buy any confetti products for your wedding? If so, did you visit a store, buy online or by mail order?

I bought alot online and also visted the Glasgow store to buy the odd bits I forgot about.

Tell us about your outfit, and where you bought it

My dress was made by Maggie Sottero and I bought it from a shop in Edinburgh called Emma Roy. The staff were fantastic there it was such a lovely experience.

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

Yes. I had my best friend as my chief and had my sister and my cousin as bridesmaids also. They wore lovely pale pink strapless dresses. I also had my cousin as a flowergirl.

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

He choose his Uncle as his best man and my cousin and a friend as his ushers. He also had his Nephew as a Pageboy.

Did you have a civil or religious ceremony?

I did not want a religious ceremony but had to if I wanted to get married at the castle.

Where did you hold your ceremony?

We had the ceremony at Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh.

Where did you hold your reception?

We had our reception at The Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh.

Did you have any special wedding transport?

The boys had a Hummer Limo and I had a lovely Rolls Royce Silver Cloud in Ivory.

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

We had 75 guests during the day and 150 at night.

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

Yes we tried to stick to a pale pink colour and for the likes of flowers, invitations, favours and the cake.

How did you incorporate this in to your table settings?

Everything was white but we had lovely pink ribboned favours on the tables.

Did you give your guests favours?

Yes we gave them a lottery ticket in a lovely keep sake white card with pale pink ribbon round it.

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

We had our flowers done by a friend of my mum who was a florist. They were pink roses.

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

Starter – Cock a leekie soup Main – Chicken Roulade stuffed with haggis Dessert – strawberry shortcake

What did you choose for your wedding cake, and who made it?

We had it made by a shop called “Barbour Confectiones” it was a three tier made up of Fruit, Madeira and choclate sponge.

Did you have any entertainment during the day or evening?

We had a piper at the castle, a piano player during the meal and a disco at night.

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

John Lewis

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

We spent our first night at the hotel and then flew off to Las Vegas, Hawaii and New York having booked it through Thomas Cook.

What was your most memorable moment of the day?

Walking down the aisle standing next to Willie and him saying “You look beautiful”.

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

I wouldn’t stress so much before the big day. You realise there is nothing to stress about.