3 minute read
Emma & Brendan
Made With Love
With lots of DIY details, this summer wedding had everything from a magical horse-drawn carriage to a dress designed and made by the bride herself. As she shares her and Brendan’s story, we can’t get enough of Emma’s traditionally Scottish dream day!
“We met 10 years ago as two freshers here in Aberdeen. After dancing away in a nightclub we stuck together and, after Brendan’s proposal at the top of Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, we began wedding planning. We prioritised booking the venue and after viewing Maryculter House Hotel, we were sold! A beautiful hotel with a stunning setting on the River Dee, we loved it from the start and just knew it was the place for us. Knowing 2021 would be a busy time for weddings, we were keen on securing our suppliers sooner rather than later. We decided on a summer wedding and the date was 9 July 2021.
The uncertainty of the pandemic was stressful. Reducing our original guest list to cater to restrictions was especially tricky, but we knew our day would still be perfect, regardless of size. Our theme was definitely DIY! Our families helped out and we took advantage of their skills to get personalised and very special details throughout the wedding. The cake was homemade and decorated by my mum, and she did the calligraphy for the stationery, from the invites to the table plans and place settings. Being a real handyman, my dad also got involved – he made the centrepieces and other decorations. When our special day eventually came, putting on my self-made dress was an amazing feeling. Although I’m an embroidery designer, it was still nerveracking designing the outfit. Thankfully, lockdown ensured there was lots of time to work on it!
It was a classic style, complete with embroidery and Swarovski crystals. Being a fan of sparkle, a tiara was added, and my jewellery and shoes reflected this, too! We had a beautiful ceremony in the breathtaking St. Mary’s Church at Blairs (after I arrived in a horse and carriage, keeping a wonderful family tradition alive)! Growing up as Catholics, we loved the idea of a church wedding and welcoming our guests to the tune of bagpipes gave it a stunning Scottish touch. Later, we had an amazing meal and sharing it with our nearest and dearest made it even better. We had a DJ playing all our favourite songs and, since we couldn’t have a first dance, we showed a slideshow of childhood photos… A very intimate and touching point of the night! After loving every single minute of our happy day, it’s hard to pinpoint a highlight. That said, being reunited with family after such a hard year was a great feeling and made all the planning worth it. We got our dream day, and we couldn’t be happier!” ♥ Emma's Little White Book
DJ: Nigel Vernon-Dier Favours: Fyanna - Cakes & Bakes Groomswear: McCall’s Highlandwear Hair: Gemma Taylor Hair Make-up: KayV Makeup & Hair Organist: Hazel Mair Photographer: Dani Rose Photography Transport: Maryculter Carriages, Silver City Cars Venues: St. Mary’s Church, Maryculter House Hotel
