One of the highlights of being a celebrant, along with spending time with so many very lovely people, is being able to lead ceremonies in incredible places.

Amy and Greg chose to make their Marriage Vows to one another in the historic 13th century Barnbougle Castle in South Queensferry. It’s a dramatic location. The formidable 13th century tower rises up where sea meets land, commanding sweeping views of the Firth of Forth.

When Greg and Amy first met with me to plan their ceremony, they asked me to create a simple, romantic, traditional ceremony that sang of their love and their stories. They wanted everyone attending to feel the joy of their connection and to enjoy every minute of the ceremony.

On the day, the atmosphere in the great hall was vibrant and heartfelt. Amy and Greg love to travel and have friends in countries all around the world. Many had been able to make the journey to join them and, for the first time in two years, they were all able to gather together.

Their ceremony was a perfect blend of poignant and joyful fun. We heard stories of Greg and Amy’s adventures across Turkmenistan, British Columbia, Ireland and Scotland. And how it was clear pretty early in their relationship that if Amy wanted to make it work with Greg she would need to learn to ski – to keep up with his first love (sorry, second love) the mountains.

We heard about their greatest adventure of all .. when Greg popped the question to Amy on (a rather shaky) bended knee in the small wicker basket of a hot air balloon at 1,000 feet above the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

We talked of love and marriage and what choosing to be together means to both Greg and Amy. They exchanged rings and Marriage Vows then celebrated their union with a shared drink from the Quaich to the cheers of their family and friends.

The whole event was brilliant and it was hard to resist being swept away by the timeless grandeur and elegance of the castle setting. Amy told me afterwards that her dad had noted in his father-of-the-bride speech that all weddings should follow the same approach as theirs. In his words, “it was perfect.” I couldn’t agree more – it really was beautiful.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be your celebrant, Amy and Greg. I’m delighted for you both. Thank you for choosing to share these sweet details with us all.

Thank you also to Derek Christie for the stunning photos.

Dress by Carolyn Baxter.

Flowers by Liberty Blooms.

Venue: Barnbougle Castle.

Piper: Scottish Bagpipers.

There’s something wonderful about getting married in the place where you’ve chosen to lay down your roots. And Andrew and Kate did just that. They held their “no fuss” Leith wedding at a creative community hub, The Biscuit Factory, just a few streets from their beautiful home. By working with local suppliers they also helped to fulfill their wish of making their day as sustainable and ethical as possible.

SG Mark Photography

When I met with Kate and Andrew they told me they would like a simple ceremony and that, for them, their wedding was mostly a chance for everyone they know and love to come together to celebrate the joining of their two families. They also said they didn’t want to be mentioned much in their ceremony! In Kate’s words, “we can’t think of anything more embarrassing than hearing nice things about ourselves.” 

So, we honoured these two unassuming, kind, funny, thoughtful people – without putting the spotlight on them too much – and it was wonderful!

We talked about love, family and togetherness. We shared what marriage means to them both, sang rousing songs and heard gorgeous poetry.

You’ll be mine, noo, an’ till the end o’ time,

ma bonnie lassie, I’ll tak the full guid o’ ye’ 

and gie it back, and gie it back tae ye:

a furst kiss, a lang promise, time’s gowden ring.

Extract of A Lang Promise by Jackie Kay

Andrew and Kate shared joint vows and exchanged rings.

Will you both be there for each other, not out of dependence but out of love, building on your long friendship, your similarities and your differences? 

“We will!”

Then they affirmed their love to each other with a traditional Handfasting. Each of their mums presented the Handfasting cords that would symbolise the intertwining of their lives; Morrison tartan for Andrew’s family, and a silk scarf for Kate’s family.

They toasted their union with the sharing of the Quaich, with their dads presenting the Quaich and whisky. Their first wedding toast was a sip of Balvenie, reminding Andrew and Kate of the time they celebrated climbing their first munro together with a dram of Balvenie – and Andrew had discovered he liked whisky, after all. 

The groomsmen then handed out miniature whiskies and mocktails to all the guests and we toasted Kate and Andrew as they walked into their future together.

Congratulations Kate and Andrew! I wish you so much happiness and adventure in your lives together. It was a great honour being your celebrant. Thank you for sharing these sweet details of your day.

Thank you also to SG Mark Photography for the beautiful photos.

It’s always a pleasure to lead a ceremony close to home. Kim and Chris chose to celebrate their Marriage with an intimate gathering of their close family and friends at the village hall near their countryside home in East Saltoun, East Lothian (less than five miles from where I live).

They had both said before their wedding day that they were a wee bit nervous at the prospect of being the centre of attention. They needn’t have worried; their ceremony was relaxed, fun and incredibly personal.

We started with some beautiful words that Chris and Kim’s further afield friends had shared with me in secret when planning the ceremony. This helped put them both at ease as we all laughed and shed happy tears at their funny, insightful thoughts. Not least, how it was clear that Chris was a keeper, after two close friends of Kim’s had seen his ability over the festive season to handle single malt and oversized Christmas trees!

We heard the funny-sweet story of how Chris and Kim met at a friends wedding and how, within eight months of meeting, they decided it was “for real”. Chris then persuaded Kim to leave her Manchester home to join him in East Lothian with the promise that there were no spiders in Scotland … something Kim soon found to be a clear misrepresentation!

During their ceremony, Kim and Chris exchanged personal joint vows and rings before making their Marriage Vows to one another. Kim’s mother gave a heartfelt reading: James Dillet Freeman’s Blessings for a Marriage.

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.

May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.

A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it.

So let it be with you and you.

Extract of James Dillet Freeman’s Blessings for a Marriage

Kim and Chris made their first toast together as a married couple with a shared drink from the Quaich … single malt whisky, of course … before walking down the aisle and into their future together to the ebullient cheers of their family and friends.

Huge congratulations to you both, Chris and Kim. It was a great pleasure and honour to lead your ceremony for you. Thank you for sharing these lovely details of your day.

Thank you also to Sarah Campbell for the gorgeous photos.

The privacy and simplicity of Lizzie and Nicky’s wedding ceremony was intentional. Their wish was to have a wedding adventure that gave them the freedom to honour the important and, at times, challenging journey that had brought them to be where they are in their lives today. They wanted to walk and share stories, sing and read poetry, be both silly and sincere. To connect with the true essence of love and commitment at the heart of their Marriage commitments.

With two of their closest friends as witnesses they chose to mark the beginning of their long and beautiful journey as a married couple with a ceremony that unfolded along a walk up one of Scotland’s stunning Munros.

Being in nature is perfect. Here we are invited to respond to the shifting moods of the world around us, to be authentic and free. Today’s walk up the mountain is about you both being able to be fully yourselves. It’s about sharing truths and being honest and open, allowing emotion to flow and taking time to contemplate whatever is needed. It’s about all of us coming together to share in this intimacy, compassion and connection to support you both as you step into your future together.

We set off in the pouring rain, both brides-to-be laughing that despite the stormy forecast, they had risen early to iron their wedding dresses. As we approached the gate to take us onto the mountain path, I opened the ceremony and shared some secret words from Nicky’s parents.

The rain began to ease and the clouds rolled back to reveal the twin peaks of Ben More and Stob Binnein. We paused by a rock overlooking the valley. Nicky sang a sweet song about her favourite pair of shoes – an ode to her younger self, the importance of friendship, and a reminder of the small but important things in life. Lizzie read a poem about the boisterous fun and happy times spent with her closest childhood friend.

The two river crossings on the journey up to Stob Binnein provided the perfect, symbolic setting for Lizzie and Nicky to exchange stories about their own life crossings, times when their paths had unknowingly intersected many years earlier. And, when suitably out of breath after a very steep climb (and chasing a rucksack that rolled most of the way back down the hill), we held space for Nicky and Lizzie to talk openly about the challenges they have faced in their own personal journeys to be true to themselves and find each other. Their good friends led a gorgeous ritual for letting go on the bealach between the two peaks, and gave a beautiful reading.

We sheltered from the wind by a boulder shrouded in mist as Nicky and Lizzie spoke of their deep gratitude for their family life and shared a gorgeous poem written by Lizzie’s son.

As we approached the pinnacle of Stob Binnein, the wind stilled and a brilliant sunlit cloud wrapped us in a wonderful calm. Lizzie and Nicky exchanged personal vows and rings declared their Marriage Vows to one another. It was my honour to read a beautiful poem by Lizzie and declare them legally married.

A Time for Love

There is a time for love,

a time when her net thrown wide

catches a shining beauty,

after all the patient hours of waiting.

There is a time for love,

a time when she clears the brambles

and picks the ripest fruit,

after all the stumbling and scrambling.

There is a time for love,

a time when the crashing waves calm

and the boat sails to shore,

after all the days without direction.

There is a time for love,

a time when love settles like a bird,

silently, as if from nowhere,

a peaceful offering, when home arrives. 

Lizzie Ashworth

The wind picked up as we returned to the bealach, just in time to reveal the sweeping majestic views as we shared cake and prosecco. Then we released thousands of dandelion seeds onto the wind as just-married blessings for them both.

Heartfelt congratulations and so much love to you both, Lizzie and Nicky. I loved being part of your soulful, fun, epic wedding. Thank you for choosing to share these gorgeous details with us all.

Thank you to Mark from North Hold Photography for these stunning photos.

When I first met with Hollie and Shaz, they told me that they would like a ceremony that was “simple, beautiful, relaxed, and nothing too ‘lovey-dovey.” Hollie even admitted that she had been googling ‘non-gushy weddings’ just before our meeting. Importantly, they wanted their ceremony to be inclusive and respectful of the shared and varied beliefs among their close friends and family.

Their Marriage ceremony in the candlelit ballroom at the Ghillie Dhu was a celebration of their many years together and their great friendship. It was about affirming what they already have and making a lifelong commitment to be with each other.  

Their ceremony was romantic, elegant, beautiful and funny. I shared some sweet, joyful (not-too-gushy) words about how Hollie and Shaz first fell into life and love together, including some of the entertaining and poignant secret thoughts Shaz and Hollie had shared with me when I asked about their love and connection. Hollie’s brother and a close friend gave gorgeous readings of Union by Robert Fulghum and song lyrics by Bob Marley.

The Arta String Quartet gave a soaring rendition of Love is like a red red rose by Rabbie Burns – Hollie’s dad’s favourite song. A chance for us all to pause and enjoy the moment before their vows and, for those who wished to, to make a prayer, blessing or well-wishing thought for Hollie and Shaz.

Shaz and Hollie exchanged rings and made their Marriage Vows to each other and it was my honour to declare them legally married to the cheers of their family and friends.

After the ceremony, some of Shaz and Hollie’s friends came up to me to say it was the loveliest ceremony they had ever experienced. I couldn’t agree more … it really was magical.

So much love to you both, Hollie and Shaz. I’m so happy for you that, after so many rescheduled dates, you were finally able to go ahead with your beautiful celebration. Thank you for inviting me to be your celebrant and for sharing these gorgeous details of your day. It’s been my absolute pleasure getting to know you both. Congratulations!

Thank you to Anna Urban for the stunning photos.

Alfie and Jess,

Above you are the stars, below you is the earth.

As time passes, remember …

Like the stars, your love should be a constant source of light

And like the earth your love should be a firm foundation from which to grow.

When Alfie and Jess contacted me to plan their secret elopement ceremony in Roslin Glen, Jess said she would like to feel like an Elven princess emerging from the woods to meet her prince. And their romantic, calm, beautiful ceremony, between earth and sky and by trees and water, did feel magical.

As the ceremony began, we took a moment to honour the ancient tradition of making promises close to an Oathing Stone. It is an ancient Celtic belief that vows made in the presence of water and stone are especially binding. Alfie and Jess held all four hands around their Oathing Stone, as they reflected on all that had brought them to be where they are today, and the life promises they would be making to one another. They then placed the stone on the earth close by.

We shared stories from their eight years together; how their deep friendship became the foundation for their love. We spoke of how brilliantly they work together as a couple and how, even though Jess had been dropping hints for years, Alfie managed to surprise her by proposing with a beautiful fire opal ring on the day of her University graduation.

”Jess, you are the volcano and Alfie, the ocean. You complement each other brilliantly. Like volcanoes and the ocean you work together to create something new. You are part of each other and you have both changed each other for the better.”

Autumn leaves drifted down as we enjoyed the peaceful surroundings while listening to ‘Roslin and Adama’ by Bear McCreary from Battlestar Galactica – a show they will be watching for the tenth time to celebrate their ten years together. Jess and Alfie shared emotional vows and gifted each other a ring.

Then they made their Marriage vows with a traditional Handfasting. The yellow gold and sea blue ribbon representing Alfie and the forest green, burgundy and black ribbons represent Jess. The beautiful woven ribbon combining navy, chosen by Jess, and gold, chosen by Alfie, to symbolise the intertwining of their lives.

It was my absolute honour to declare Alfie and Jess legally married in this peaceful place.

Congratulations to you both, Jess and Alfie. Thank you for trusting me with your ceremony and for choosing to share these gorgeous details of your day with us all. Wishing you so much love and happiness for the future.

Thank you to Raini Rowell for these stunning photographs.

“You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.”

Robert Fulghum

I absolutely loved being part of Amy and David’s gorgeous Autumn wedding. The whole day was infused with a lightness and joy that left me smiling for such a long time after.

These two funny, thoughtful people invited family and friends from Ireland and Scotland to join them for the weekend. The cosy and welcoming Newhall Estate, surrounded by beautiful woods aflame with rich autumnal colours, was the perfect place for their gathering.

The light, airy Sun Room was decorated with the most beautiful flower arch by Barbara at Wild Flower Workshop in tones that perfectly matched Amy’s stunning dress. We celebrated Dave and Amy by sharing the entertaining and lovely story of how their two completely opposite personalities made for a few excellent first dates that resulted in them falling into love and life together. In their words, “it all just felt so, so right.”

During the ceremony, I surprised them both by sharing some of the poignant and funny thoughts they had told me in secret and wished to share with each other – about their love for each other, their connection, and how despite Dave’s need for cleanliness, he’ll put up with any number of animals-in-need-of-tlc brought home by Amy, if it makes her happy.

It was especially lovely to lead a shared ceremony for Amy and Dave as their families represented several different beliefs and faiths. Dave’s family, having only attended religious ceremonies in the past, told me afterwards that they were delighted with how personal, uplifting and intimate the whole ceremony was. It was an honour to lead an inclusive ceremony that fully respected everyone’s individual beliefs, values and wishes.

Will you continue to laugh together every day, embracing life’s great adventure, creating a life that you love as much as you love each other, and a home filled with love and happiness?

“We will!”

Dave and Amy exchanged wedding bands and made their Marriage Vows to one another with a traditional Handfasting. Their pastel-coloured Hansfasting ribbons had been embroidered with a quote from one of their favourite songs, “Home is wherever I’m with you.” It was my honour to declare them married to the joyful cheers of their family and friends.

Dave and Amy shared a just-married toast with a sip of blended Irish and Scottish whisky in their wedding Quaich, symbolising the joining of their two families and two countries. The groomsmen did a fantastic job of handing out miniatures to everyone. Then we toasted Amy and Dave with jubilant shouts of “Slàinte Mhath” as they walked into their future together.

Sharing these glorious photos taken by the wonderfully talented Rachel and Tonie Photography, with kind permission from Dave and Amy, I am struck again by what a very great privilege it is to be a part of such meaningful, beautiful moments. And how, especially now as the shifting sands of the global pandemic feel ever more precarious, taking time to celebrate love and life feels even more important.

Congratulations, David and Amy! May you have many wonderful adventures in the years to come, and all the happiness … and animals … you could wish for. Thank you for trusting me with your ceremony, and thank you for sharing these beautiful details of your day.

“We have a beautiful cosmos, you and me.”

Ivor Cutler

When I met with Anita and Matt, it was clear from our first conversation that their ceremony would be incredibly personal. In their words, their wish was: “a simple, beautiful ceremony that’s part of a lovely day where we can all relax and enjoy each other’s company.”

We met on the banks of the Solway Firth, at a sweet cottage where they often spend time together with their friendly labrador, Orla. Anita had decorated the cottage in stunning flowers and quotes from their favourite songs.

Before the ceremony, we all spent a mellow time chatting, enjoying delicious snacks and fizz, and toasting Matt and Anita’s exciting day.

Their secret ceremony took place beneath an apple tree arch in the cottage garden with sea and sky as witnesses. The sound of the waves gently crashing to the shore created a perfect cocoon for the sharing of their story.

Holding their wedding rings in the centre of their joined hands, bound by the beautiful Handfasting ribbons that they had made to symbolise their love and partnership, Matt and Anita declared their intention to share their future together.

“In binding your hands together, you are declaring your wish and intention to leave this place today with your lives bound together as one. After today, the two stories of your lives will come together and two sets of hopes and desires for the future are joined in commitment and intention.”

I tied the knot as they declared their shared promises. Then Matt and Anita exchanged emotional Marriage Vows then gifted each other a ring. The whole event was infused with a joyful intimacy and beautiful authenticity. It was my absolute pleasure and honour to declare these two kind-hearted people married.

Anita and Matt began their married life by sharing with these gorgeous lyrics from Mike Scott’s Open:

“Open to the world

Open to spirit

Open to the changing wind

Open to touch

Open to nature

Open to the world within

Open to change

Open to adventure

Open to the new

Open to love

Open to miracles

Open Beloved to You

Open to learn

Open to laughter

Open to being blessed

Open to joy

Open to service

Open to saying “Yes!”

Open to risk

Open to passion

To peace and silence too

Open to love

Open to beauty

Open Beloved to You”

Congratulations Anita and Matt. Wishing you both many wonderful adventures in the years to come with all the happiness, long walks, great talks, adventure and joy that you could wish for. Thank you for trusting me with your ceremony, and for sharing these beautiful details with us.

Thank you also to Sean Bell and Justyna Maria, talented partnership behind We Are Elopers, for so wonderfully capturing these gorgeous moments of Matt and Anita’s day.

Stunning floral displays by Mountain Daisy Flower Farm.

I don’t know how you are so familiar to me—or why it feels less like I am getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are. How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have loved you before—in another time, a different place, some other existence.

Lan Leav

Angela and Neil’s romantic ceremony in the stunning Dunglass chapel was long-awaited and absolutely gorgeous. After all the shifting plans due to the global situation, it felt even more poignant for their family and friends to gather together to celebrate their love.

Angie had done an incredible job of decorating the chapel with handmade flowers and candles. The sun shone and the wind whistled through. The chapel felt peaceful and filled with love as they each shared a gorgous reading with each other before exchanging vows and rings.

There were happy tears and cheers as they were declared married. It was a wonderful day and my absolute pleasure to declare these two lovely people married after their very long wait.

Huge congratulations to you both, Neil and Angela. I’m so delighted for you and wish you all the love and happiness for your future together. Thank you for sharing these lovely details of your day.

Thank you to Justyna Maria Photography for the sweet photos.

You fell in love by chance, but you’re here today because you’re making a choice. You both are choosing each other. You’ve chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile, and who makes you stop and think “if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”

Kurt Vonnegut

I couldn’t be happier for Kim and Lewie, two fun-loving, thoughtful people who I’ve spent the past two years getting to know, as we planned their ceremony through the constantly changing landscape of pandemic restrictions and rescheduled weddings.

They say it’s lucky for rain to fall on your wedding day and the heavens opened for Lewie and Kim’s ceremony. The rain added to the atmosphere as their nearest and dearest gathered in the gorgeous polytunnel at Colstoun House.

In a light, poignant ceremony, Kim and Lewie shared some incredibly moving personal thoughts with each other that they had written especially for the day.

I revealed the funny and lovely story as to how these two excellent people eventually met and got together, to the delighted shouts of ‘finally!’ from their close friends.

Lewie and Kim exchanged rings and beautiful Marriage Vows before sharing a first kiss, to the applause of their family and friends.

Kim surprised Lewie with a specially distilled whisky for their first married toast in the Quaich; a potent Laphroaig that was filled on the day that they first met and married together with sherry casks from their birth years.

The sun shone and everyone went wild with the confetti, just in time for the post-ceremony celebrations and for Lewie to break out the Ian Curtis dance moves. It was glorious!

Thank you so much, Kim and Lewie, for inviting me to be part of your wonderful day. It’s been such a pleasure getting to know you both and I absolutely loved being your celebrant. Congratulations!

Thanks to Zoe Alexandra Photography for the stunning photos and to Kim and Lewie for sharing these beautiful details of their day.