Sunny Weather for a Spring Wedding

Anne and Andrew: 31st March 2012 

What a glorious week we have had - clear skies, sunshine and warmth! It was such good fortune that the sunshine managed to stay with us till Saturday, for Anne and Andrew's wedding at Carberry Tower.

Carberry Tower is now owned by Clarenco venues, and they have done an amazing job of recreating a special atmosphere in this historic castle. Anne and Andrew held their ceremony in the former chapel (now the Ceilidh Hall) which has been stunningly remodelled. It retains the old organ on the balcony, but one complete wall of the building is now glass, opening out on to a lovely garden space, which I imagine will be even more spectacular later in the year. It was enough on this bright March day that the hall was decorated with beautiful spring flowers arranged by Anne's mother.

Andrew and Anne incorporated a handfasting into their ceremony, and as they made their vows, their hands were tied with a cord plaited by Anne's bridesmaids.

"Look at the hands that are holding yours on this your wedding day: these are the hands that will love and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness; these are the hand that will wipe tears from your eyes - tears of sorrow and tears of joy; these are the hands that will comfort you when fear or grief is in your mind; these are the hands that will hold you tight if you struggle through difficult times; these are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to follow your dreams. These are the hands that you hold together, in joy, and excitment, and hope."

Wedding Dress Shopping

I've just had a look at the latest (April 2012) issue of the Scottish Wedding Directory - lots to read, lots of ideas, and of course pictures of so many beautiful dresses. Yet to look at most magazines you would imagine that every bride is young, tall, elegant, and slender. Of course, many are exactly like that, but I also meet brides who have beautiful fuller figures, and I know that there is immense frustration when it comes to finding a dress.

I had a lovely morning recently chatting to Avril Stringer, the owner of Beau Belles, based near Linlithgow. After her own experience of wedding dress shopping Avril was inspired to set up her service specialising in larger size dresses which are designed to flatter a fuller figure.

Imagine being able to actually try on dresses in a range of sizes from 18 - 30 (rather than the normal wedding dress shops where you are trying to squeeze into a smaller size and imagine how it might look). And then imagine the reassurance of knowing that your dress will be made to your exact measurements (rather than having to buy a standard size and then pay for expensive alterations). And best of all, imagine the personal service from Avril, someone who really understands how you feel, and has experienced the same frustrations.

Avril has a lovely showroom near Linlithgow and you can visit by appointment day or evening. So if you're struggling to find a dress that flatters your figure, give Avril a call. 01506 834248 or email her bride@beau-belles-brides.co.uk

A Blend of Traditions

Shane and Eleanor: 18th February 2012

Shane and Eleanor were married at the beautiful Lochside House in Ayrshire, on a day which brought sleet, snow, dark cold and bright, bright sunshine.

The couple have very different traditional backgrounds which they wanted to honour and represent in their ceremony. Prior to saying their vows, Eleanor and Shane lit a Unity candle symbolising the joining of 2 seperate lives into one. As they lit the Unity candle from their two seperate flames of brighness, their guests together offered them a blessing:

"May the blessing of light be with you always, and may the sun shine upon you and warm your hearts, until it grows like a great fire so that others may feel the warmth of your love for one another." 

Shane and Eleanor also included the Jewish tradition of breaking a glass at the end of a ceremony. There are many things that glass can symbolise – the fragility of human relationships and the care that must be taken to nurture and look after these precious relationships; or fruitfulness – that happiness, and children, will be as numerous as the shards of glass. But for Shane and Eleanor, this ritual was a reminder that the breaking of the glass, like the commitment they made during their wedding ceremony, is irrevocable and permanent.

Mazel Tov!

With This Ring......

Ailsa and James: 27th December 2011

The exchange of rings is such a traditional part of a wedding ceremony that it is easy to forget the importance and the symbolism of a ring - it is a circle without beginning or end, a symbol of eternal unity.

When Ailsa and James were married they wanted to wear their rings always as a reminder, not just of their wedding day, but of the qualities, shared values and principles on which they based their marriage. These are the beautiful words that they chose as I blessed their rings:

"Love, trust, and forgiveness are the foundations of marriage. In marriage, many days will bring happiness, while other days may be sad. But together, two hearts can overcome everything... In marriage, not all of the moments will be exciting or romantic, and sometimes worries and anxiety will be overwhelming. But together, two hearts that accept will find comfort. Recollections of past joys, pains, and shared feelings will be the glue that holds everything together during even the worst and most insecure moments. Reaching out to each other as a friend, and becoming the confidant and companion that the other one needs, is the true magic and beauty of any two people together. It's inspiring in each other a dream or a feeling, and having faith in each other and not giving up...even when all the odds say to quit. It's allowing each other to be vulnerable, to be himself or herself, even when the opinions or thoughts aren't in total agreement or exactly what you'd like them to be. It's getting involved and showing interest in each other, really listening and being available, the way any best friend should be. Exactly three things need to be remembered in a marriage if it is to be a mutual bond of sharing, caring, and loving throughout life: love, trust, and forgiveness."

Candlelit Winter Wedding

Karen and Jordan: 11th November 2011

It is difficult to describe the incredible sight of the underground chapel in Balgonie Castle, lit only with 125 candles. And however good the photographer, it is difficult to do justice to the breathtaking image of the 14th century chapel, owned and managed by the Laird of Balgonie.

Having chosen to get married in a very Scottish location, Karen and Jordan concluded their wedding ceremony with a very Scottish celtic tradition - sharing a drink from a quaich, or loving cup.

These are the beautiful words that they shared:

First, drink to the love you've shared in the past.

Now, drink to your love in the present, on this your wedding day.

And acknowledge that your lives have become one, and drink to your love in the future and forever more! 

An Historic Location

Richard and Catherine: 25th October 2011

One of the marvelous things about getting married in Scotland is that you can hold your wedding in some fantastic historic locations. Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries was built in the 13th century. The original castle on the site was built in 1220, and the 'new' castle in 1273.

Being close to the border with England, Caerlaverock Castle was defended several times against the English forces, and it suffered a lot of damage. Parts of the castle were rebuilt in 1640, and today it stands close to the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust Reserve, and the building is in the care of Scottish National Heritage

Richard and Catherine wrote their own vows to say to each other - here is an extract from them:

"I take you Catherine, to be my lawfully wedded wife, secure in the knowledge that you will be my faithful partner in life, and my one true love. Today I marry my best friend, I give to you in the presence of God and before these witnesses my promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad. I promise to love you without reservation and respect you; comfort you in times of distress and protect you from harm; encourage you to achieve all of your goals; laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

An Irish Wedding in Scotland

Robbie and Christine: 4th September 2011

Christine, Robbie, and their families live in Ireland, but they decided to travel to Glasgow and to hold their wedding outside in the grounds of Mar Hall House, a beautiful spot overlooking the Firth of Clyde. Luckily (for Scotland) the weather was dry and sunny, so 150 guests enjoyed the best of Scottish hospitality.

Robbie and Christine decided to include in their wedding a ceremony called 'Blending of the Sands'. This symbolised the joining of thier lives into one entity In this beautiful ceremony the union of Robbie and Christine was enacted through the pouring of individual containers of sand. The first layer of sand was pure white, representing the spiritual foundation on which Christine and Robert based their individual lives and their relationship together. Their belief in a loving God is the sure and eternal foundation on which their marriage will rest.

We may all be members of Gods family. But we also recognise the significant role that the wider earthly family play in a marriage. Christine and Robbie’s parents will joined in the symbolic sand ritual. While the fathers saying a few words of support while the next layers of sand were poured by the mothers. These layers symbolised the strong family love which nurtured Robbie and Christine over the years as they grew from childhood into adults. These layers of sand represented the joining not just of two individuals, but the coming together of two families.

Finally, Robbie and Christine poured sand representing their own individual lives, their characteristics and their strengths. But these two layers of sand did not remain separate.On their wedding day, Robbie and Christine joined their lives in marriage, and now their lives are intertwined like the grains of sand mixed together. Inseparable.

Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be a moulding of two individual personalities, bonded together forming one heart, one life. The life that each of your experienced individually, will hereafter be inseparable. 

United as one for all your days.