A Romantic Scottish Wedding

Amanda & Clive: 13th August 2011

Amanda and Clive wanted a romantic wedding. So with only their closest family and friends they 'ran away' to get married in Scotland.

It would be easy to imagine that getting married in Gretna is a rushed, conveyor-belt experience, but even with many possible weddings taking place on one day, for Amanda and Clive, we created a very beautiful, private and intimate ceremony.

The wedding was held in the Anvil Hall in Gretna Village. What a wonderful building. It was formerly a church so it has all the space and quiet dignity that you'd expect. Being in Gretna village, it is also a couple of miles away from the more popular tourist spots!

It was an emotional day. It was the first time that Amanda and Clive's son had been to Scotland and he was very excited. He also had the honour of being the ring bearer. Their little daughter was flower girl, and  Amanda's eldest son was the Best Man.

"Take Time" - To Celebrate A Family Occasion

Samantha and Philip: 2nd July 2011

At last summer seemed to have arrived. The sky was blue, the air was still, and it was HOT and sunny. I made my way slowly up the long drive to Springkell House. What an impressive building - grand but not too imposing, and with beautiful views over the gardens.

This really was a great family occasion and celebration. Samantha and Philip's young son joined in the ceremony, and Samantha's Mum read the beautiful words from Take Time, which includes verses on each of the following themes:

Take time to be gentle to each other....

Take time to talk to each other....

Take time to remember why you chose each other....

Take time to show respect....

Take time to be alone....

Take time to reflect and be thankful for each other....

Take time to disagree with one another....

Take time to be loving....

Go on your way, knowing there are others here today, who love you almost as much as you love each other.

Congratulations Sam and Phil, and looking forward to hearing news of the birth of your baby girl xx

The Most Beautiful Bride

Gemma & Ali: 18th June 2011

OK, so I'm probably biased, but my neice was a very, very beautiful bride. The ceremony was held in Chesham Bois in Buckinghamshire. Lots of great singing, and the longest ever signing of the register and photo session.
On a rainy weekend, the sun stayed out long enough for some lovely photographs in the garden.

It was a lovely day, made all the more special for me because all my family were there. My Mum and Dad, the proud grandparents had travelled from Scotland, and my sister was looking fantastic as Mother of the Bride (complete with enormous hat).

Wedding on a Scottish Island

In the Sight of the Sea, and the Face of the Wind.....

Scotland is an amazing place to be married! The legal system in Scotland offers so much freedom and choice, both in where you can be married, and also in how you can be married.

Earlier this year, Julie and Chris travelled from London to be married on Holy Isle, a tiny island off the coast of Arran.

It was early in the year, but bright and clear, and as Julie and Chris had hoped, we were able to hold the wedding outside in the bright (and breezy) spring sunshine. Getting married on a remote Scottish island adds some interesting logistics to the wedding planning. At the moment (until a new jetty is built) landing on Holy Isle is limited by the state of the tide, so for Chris and Julie's wedding we had to arrive on the island at 11.30 am, and leave by 4pm. And of course we were totally at the mercy of the weather. High winds or rough seas could have seen us unable to reach the island, or unable to return to Arran. There are not many occasions when the marriage schedule has an alternative location in case of bad weather! Fortunately the weather Gods were kind, and the crossing was calm.

It was a beautiful, intimate ceremony, with only a few guests, very personal, and good fun. Julie and Chris incorporated a hand fasting into their ceremony. It is a lovely ritual and they choose to include the following beautiful words:

"These ribbons, and the words we have spoken, symbolise the eternal bond between us. The ties of this handfasting are not in the ribbons, nor the knots which join them together. The ties are in our vows, our pledge, our promise, made in the depth and the lightness of our hearts. So even when the ribbons are loosed, the ties remain, and remain for eternity."

Holy Isle is an incredibly peaceful place, and a wonderful place for a wedding cerenmony. The island is owned by the Rokpa Trust and was founded by Lama Reshe Rinpoche. Although Lama Yeshe is a Buddhist Abbot, the island is open to Buddhist and non-Buddhists alike. It is their vision that the Centre will become a focal point for interfaith work and retreat and be a peaceful refuge in this hectic modern world. They are open to day visitors or residential guests, and they run a range of meditation and yoga courses and spiritual retreats.

http://www.holyisland.org