Getting Started Wedding Planing

What better way to explore the world of wedding planning than with a couple who are doing it right now? Meet US-bornand-bred Shannon Hutchinson who’s set to tie the knot with her Scottish sweetheart, Hannah Simpson, in August at the beautiful Maryculter House Hotel…

“We got engaged in December 2018 so this wedding has been a long time coming! After getting permission from her parents, I popped the question at the Aberdeen Christmas Village (she loves everything about Christmas). We ended up ice-skating and, oddly, no-one else was on the rink. After a few laps, I pulled her over into the corner and said I had a present. She unwrapped an ornament I’d had made (it said: ‘We’re engaged 2018!’) then looked at me with a confused smile. I got down on one knee with the ring and asked her to marry me – surprisingly, being on skates, I managed to avoid falling over!

Being an international couple, we had to decide which country to marry in and Scotland was a no-brainer. Hannah has a much larger extended family than me and it’s a beautiful country. We fell in love with the look of

Marycutler House… And the food! Once we had our date, we prioritised creating a wedding website (complete with checklists and a budgeting tool) to help us stay organised and give us an idea of who we’d need to book.

I wouldn't say we have a theme but if I had to name it, I’d say ‘modern’. We like things neat, simple and beautiful. I’m the more organised person but Hannah has all the style, so we work well together. Basically, I show her a few ideas and she says ‘yay’ or ‘nae’!

The best bit of planning has been blending our cultures together. The Americans will be surprised when they experience Loch Lomond at the end of the night and we’re sure the Scots will be pleased to see more of an open bar situation! We always share stories with our families and friends on life across the pond but to have everyone together for our day will be the best part. It will make all the planning worth it.