Their story…
Kate and Kevin love travelling, they really love Scotland so where better to hold their destination wedding?
Why did you choose Scotland for your wedding?
Fell in love with the country when traveling. I knew I didn’t want a huge hometown wedding, so I started looking at destination weddings in magazines like Destination I Do. I saw an article about Drumtochty and fell in love with the idea.
Did you plan everything yourself?
I did some research on Instagram as well but I had an amazing planner, Lisa at Tartan Weddings. I would have been lost without her. Lisa was able to send me photos and videos of the location and we were able to visit once in person prior to the wedding. Lisa helped me feel less crazy when trying to make all of our plans. I lost count of the phone calls and text messages we exchanged over all that time. She had a great list of vendors to research and choose from. Lisa was more than a planner. She was a therapist, a driver, a problem solver and a friend. She took care of things I didn’t even know about and made all of my family and guests feel so comfortable.
Jill from Hays Flowers made everything sound easy (even if it wasn’t). She went over and above to ensure I loved my flowers. Bridgit with Bonnets and Boots was super sweet and has kept in contact via Instagram since the wedding. Nikki at Drumtochty Castle was amazing as well. She helped us navigate a very stressful time during Covid.Â
Your wedding day was full of very special moments, wasn’t it?
It was surreal. I was excited to just enjoy the day with family and friends, to celebrate with Kevin but also celebrate my dad. I wanted everyone to love Scotland as much as I do. I was excited about it all. I wanted everyone to see this gorgeous historic church, to hear the strings play, and to feel at home in a castle we had all to ourselves.
We planned it for September 17 which happens to be my father’s birthday. Lots to celebrate that day. Our officiant, John Watson, felt like family by the time we got married. He was amazing and kept in touch with us during those 2 years of planning. He made sure to make the wedding day special, which included baptizing my dad during our ceremony. It was very special.
My favourite memory was probably when I announced my pregnancy at the reception. I loved seeing the reactions. That moment, and seeing my dad dancing to the music of The Man from Delmonte (he is a huge live music fan). Everyone wants to go back and rent the castle again just to spend time there. It was so peaceful.
I have had many people say their lives are changed forever. I think that is what Scotland does to you.
Other than your wedding, what else did you do whilst you were in Scotland? Any recommendations?
Since we have been to certain areas previously, we revisited a few places to show family prior to the wedding weekend. After the wedding weekend, we planned a guided tour using Discover Scotland Tours. Twenty one of us were collected from the castle before making our way to the west coast. It was amazing. Our drivers were the best! I would highly recommend booking travel with Discover Scotland Tours and take away the stress of driving yourself.
What’s your top tips for others thinking of doing the same?
Research where you’re going, plan as much as possible ahead of time and definitely have backup ideas in case things change.
Venue | St. Palladius Church and Drumtochty Castle
Photographer | Sam Brill
Video | Strangeworx Films
Minister | John Watson
Planner | Lisa Bauer, Tartan Weddings
Florist | Hays Flowers
Cake | Love Laura Lane
Cupcakes | Wild Thistle Cake Design
Band | The Man from Delmonte
Landrover & Driver | Bonnets & Boots Land Rovers
