Their story…
Alyssa and Kate initially planned to wed in March of 2020. With family spread across the U.S. and UK, they decided to assemble in Scotland for a long weekend to allow for bonding as well as celebration.
The weekend was a blur of joyful celebration. Alyssa and Kate were finally able to say “I Do” on a heather-covered hill along the Dava Way in the Highlands, joined by their immediate families including their daughter, Isla, and Kate’s daughter, Frankie, who helped them complete the traditional handfasting,
So…..why Scotland?
We had both separately fallen in love with the wild and beautiful landscape of Scotland on previous travels. Also, Kate’s sister and her family live there and were able to help with some coordination.
Tell us about your dream team…
Our photographers, Jo & Liam were amazing and truly made our day special, capturing perfect moments big and small. We also loved Neil, our officiant, who helped pull very broad ideas together into a meaningful ceremony. Finally, Gulli, our caterer, created delicious and diverse meals over the course of the whole weekend to please a crew ranging in age from 16 months to 70+ years – all while accommodating numerous dietary restrictions.
You’d waited so long for your Scottish wedding. What were you most looking forward to?
We had a fairly straightforward plan for our day – we got ready and headed to a beautiful hillside where we exchanged our vows. We were excited about our talented piper, Gus, and the views were breathtaking. We recommend taking some time with your new spouse directly after your ceremony to get away a bit and take some pictures – some of our favourite memories are from that stolen hour together.
We then headed to the pub, where our families had gathered for a casual lunch and all raised a pint together. The day ended with a formal dinner back at Brodie Castle and we all still talk about our impromptu trip to the castle’s playground to hop on the zip line. Alyssa took a ride in her wedding dress and was joined by her mother and aunt!
Any advice for couples considering planning a wedding from outside Scotland?
It was definitely an organizational feat. Alyssa took the lead on the planning and maintained many a spreadsheet to get it all done. International phone charges were a challenge, as was connecting for conversations with a time difference. Download a calling card app that will allow you to make international calls more cheaply. Conduct as much business over the phone directly as possible, rather than relying on forms and emails – it is so much easier to get a sense of details and specific needs.
We started with a week’s holiday down in Wales before making our way up north for the wedding. In retrospect, we would have loved even a night or two of downtime AFTER the wedding. You will be tired, so build in some downtime even if you can’t head off on a honeymoon right away! If you are a whisky fan, we highly recommend Gordon & Macphail, who put together a custom tasting for us, following a tour of the Benromach Distillery.
Pick three things you care about the most and focus on making sure those will happen – the rest will fall into place or won’t matter as much as you think it will!
Photographer | Jo + Liam
Reception Venue/Accommodation | Laird’s Wing at Brodie Castle
Caterer | Gulli Skatun, Marcassie Farm Kitchen
Celebrant | Neil Lynch, Humanist Society Scotland
Flowers | Ishy Walters (family friend)
