Kerry & Allan - 28.08.21
At the end of August last year we celebrated the marriage of Kerry and Allan at the beautiful Sligachan Hotel here on Skye. Their Wedding was originally meant to take place in October 2020 but due to Covid and the ever-changing guidelines that just wasn’t possible, so their plans had had to change quite dramatically. The couple cut down their guest list and changed the layout of their Wedding meal, but perhaps the biggest change was the colour scheme and style of the day itself. As the season their Wedding was held in had now changed from Autumn to the next Summer, the Bride decided to change colour scheme to a much lighter, fresh look. It worked out so beautifully and couldn’t have been a more perfect day!
The Planning Process
The planning process, once the final date had been set, felt very quick and everything fell into place in the last few weeks. We were lucky to already be working with some amazing vendors who had moved the date from the original Wedding, as well as finding some great last-minute ones who by pure luck still had the 28th of August available! The Bride and Groom were hard at work during the last few weeks making some incredible decorations for the Wedding, along with the help of their family. They really did make some beautiful pieces that were so perfect for the Venue and the whole day itself.
The Day Before
The day before the Wedding was bright, sunny and full of excitement on all sides I think! I met the couple and some of their family members at the venue to store all their décor, to make last minute decisions on the layout of the day (Kerry and Allan were considering having their Ceremony outside in the garden but ended up choosing to hold it in Seumas’s Bar instead) and to get the Bride and her Bridesmaid checked into their room where they stayed for the night. Once everything was sorted out, I left them to get themselves settled and got myself prepared to arrive back at the Venue early the next morning.
The Wedding Day
As soon as I arrived at the venue on the morning of the Wedding, all systems were go and preparation was immediately in full swing. The hairdresser had arrived nice and early to get the Bridal party started whilst I began by setting up the tables and chairs for the Ceremony and meal. The décor inside Sligachan Hotel was made up of white tulle fabric, hand-dyed table runners, acrylic signage and the most incredible handmade floral arch - amongst the many other finishing touches.
The florist (Donald at Loch Duich) arrived as I was setting up the tables with the incredible bouquets, a flower crown for the Junior Bridesmaid, buttonholes, foliage for the tables & loose flowers for the jars. The florals themselves were stunning – thistles, sunflowers, foliage and little pops of lilac and white – which is a combination I would never think to put together, but it worked so beautifully!
Over the next few hours everybody at the Venue and the other vendors were working hard to ensure everything was going to plan and sticking to the timeline so before we knew it the cake was in place, makeup was done and setup was ready to go. Photographer Karol Makula had begun getting pictures of the Bridal prep and venue and it was at this point that the first few guests began to arrive.
By 3pm it was time for the Ceremony to begin and the wonderful harpist Ciorstaidh Beaton began playing to signal the entrance of the Bridesmaids and the Bride herself. This was such a lovely addition to the ceremony and I would highly recommend a live musician to any other couples looking to add a soft, romantic atmosphere to the room. Kerry and Allan were then wed in the presence of their treasured family, friends and their little son (who was wearing the cutest little kilt I have ever seen!). Following the ceremony came the confetti toss, formal photographs and drinks reception where Ciorstaidh continued to play as guests mingled and canapes were handed out.
During this time, myself and the Venue staff did a quick turnaround of the floral arch and chairs – taking them from the Ceremony area to the tables. My favourite addition at this time was the neon sign which we added to the floral arch above the top table – it changed the whole energy of the room and looked absolutely incredible. It was then time for the meal (with a delicious, fairly traditional Scottish menu chosen by the couple themselves) followed by the speeches.
As night fell the band then arrived and drinks started to flow. The newly married couple had a lovely first dance and then invited everyone else onto the dancefloor to really get the party started! The band were playing a great mixture of traditional Scottish ceilidh dances and covers from some well-known favourite songs, and the atmosphere was just so much fun. It felt so good to be back at an event like this, even more so as we all knew how long Kerry and Allan had been waiting for this day to come around!
This Wedding truly was such a special day and was absolutely stunning from start to finish. The set-up, the location itself and all of the people involved made it into such a memorable day that I am still so proud and grateful to have been a part of. A huge thank you to the couple for trusting me with the planning process and to all of the other vendors who made it into such a wonderful day.
Vendors:
Baker: Creatures of Habit Cakery
Wedding Planner: Blossom Weddings and Events
Daisy x
