A fairy tale wedding at Cluny Castle, Sauchen
Rowan and Martyn
- ThePlus Audio
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Having been together more than 10 years before tying the knot, English couple Rowan and Martyn knew each other inside out and there was no question over where they’d be saying their vows.
“We love any reason to come to Scotland,” explains the bride.
“Although we live seven hours away and the distance was the biggest challenge when organising, it was so worth it.
“And I have to admit, I loved the planning!”
She continues, “I did what I could and was at peace with potentially not getting everything done.
“I found every supplier was an absolute dream and we chatted regularly to make sure everything was sorted.
“I felt all I had to do was plan the finer details and enjoy the ride that is wedding planning.”
The couple wanted a stunning yet historic location and with neither of them being religious, a castle was the perfect option.
“I wanted a venue as beautiful on the outside as it was on the inside.
“We also wanted an exclusive space for our nearest and dearest to celebrate, and one that allowed us to spend the most amount of time possible together.
“Time is precious to us.”
Rowan’s original vision was a dark blue and gold colour scheme but as time went on, her ideas evolved and she was drawn to shades of green.
“It was a mutual fave colour for the bridesmaids’ dresses, and they planned to use confetti from a eucalyptus tree in their garden.
A lover of DIY, this bride’s projects ranged from hand stamping the eucalyptus confetti to hand dying and cutting linen napkins.
“Every month, my nearest and dearest ladies got together and had a craft evening to make all things that made the day so special.
“I loved making the wedding so unique to us.
“We did our own invites, place names, sweetie table, découpage letters, favours and candle holders.
“For place names we printed photos of our 65 guests and it was a great conversation starter between those who had never met.”
When it came to her outfit, the only ‘must-have’ was a gown she’d never seen before.
Her multi-layered, sparkly Evie Young Bridal dress was stunning with a sweetheart neckline, baggy detachable sleeves (that Rowan altered to be slim fit) and delicate embroidered leaf detail, which she loved.
Her best gals (two childhood friends, her sister and her sister-in-law-to-be) were given free reign with their attire and after collectively agreeing on green, each
bought their dream dress.
“I loved how beautiful and different each one was,” adds Rowan.
Precious time begins
Making the most of their wedding weekend, the to-be-weds hosted a gathering full of love and laughter the night before the big day; the perfect opportunity
for those who had travelled up from England to relax.
The following morning, Rowan woke calm and collected (whilst Martyn was overcome with emotion).
“Because we were sharing the castle with our nearest and dearest, the morning was so special.
Country Flavours supplied us with breakfast and I had a nice slow start to the day,” she remembers.
Going all in with the Scottish vibes, Rowan walked down the aisle to Highland Cathedral on the bagpipes.
She and Martyn said their vows in a personalised humanist ceremony.
“Mary gave us a few options for the vows and we chose ones that suited us.
“Because we’d been together for more than 10 years, we didn’t feel we needed to go exceedingly soppy.”
Everyone celebrated with wine and Champagne (bought by vino fan Martyn on a trip to France), whilst the super-friendly team at 10 Dollar Shake were on and for some “incredible” cocktails.
The couple loved Country Flavours’ bespoke approach to the wedding breakfast, giving them the option to choose everything from the menu and set-up to the plates and cutlery.
“We had a 2pm ceremony and decided to make the canapés our starter then serve the main meal, dessert and coffee at 5pm.
“We didn’t want people waiting too long to eat – or to be stuffed with three courses in quick succession.”
The good food carried on later in the evening too, with a ‘posh chip station’.
Country Flavours served twice-cooked fries with lots of options for pimping them up.
“It was everyone’s peckish 10pm dream!” Rowan smiles.
Thinking back
Reflecting on the experience, Rowan would advise others to remember that their special day can be anything they want it to be – and that they shouldn’t focus on doing things for the benefit of others.
“As a guest at other weddings, how many meals and seating plans do you really remember?” she asks.
“Making it truly yours will mean you stood by your intentions, and you’ll have no regrets.
“Also, we had a mostly child-free wedding (except our nephews), which felt like a good decision for us.
“It meant a lot of our guests had to have a weekend away from their children but they all seemed to enjoy the break!
“Everyone had the best time.”
Cluny Castle
- 01330 833302
- Sauchen, Inverurie AB51 7RT, UK
- weddings@clunycastle.com
- www.clunycastle.com
Fire & Ice
“Cluny Castle is a photographer’s dream. Rowan and Martyn were such a fantastic couple who allowed us full creative freedom. They were an absolute joy to work with and made this wedding truly unforgettable. We’re truly honoured that they chose us to capture their day!”
Rebecca
Here are the amazing suppliers that helped make our wedding so special
– I’d highly recommend them.
Band | WooHoo Band
Bride’s dress | Evie Young Bridal at Lotte Rose Bridal
Bride’s earrings | Swarovski
Bride’s necklace | Evie Young Bridal
Bride’s shoes | New Look
Cake | Portly Byrd Doughnuts
Catering | Country Flavours
Celebrant | Mary Gibson of The Celebrant Angel
Décor | Country Flavours
Drinks | 10 Dollar Shake
Favours | Popcorn Shed
Flowers | XOXO Florist
Groom’s suit | Charles Tyrwhitt
Make-up | StephM.Artistry
Videography | Fire & Ice
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