Their story…
Scottish weather is famously changeable but today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky, right? Ludivine and Antoine could’ve opened a distillery after ALL the weather happened on their wedding day…
A French wedding in rural Lanarkshire. How did that happen?
Scotland is probably our favourite place in the world. We come here at least once a year and it really feels like home. It was a very natural choice and it gave our friends and family the opportunity to discover this beautiful country too.
We found out getting married in Scotland was possible thanks to Gabrielle Plasman. Speaking English, I had considered planning it all by myself but it was the paperwork part that really made me think we might need help from someone based in Scotland. Gabrielle was our official wedding planner and guided us through every step but she was so much more than just a planner; she is absolutely adorable, very responsive and so energetic! She always had a Plan B, C, D in mind so we didn’t have challenges. Maybe Gabrielle did, but she was professional enough that we never knew!
Alan Barr, our celebrant, is an absolute gem. He was so professional and made us feel really special. Our ceremony was perfect and it’s mainly thanks to his presence.
We only visited one venue and that was Folkerton Mill. Not only did we fall in love with this beautiful place but the owners, Scott and Penny, are just amazing. We instantly felt very comfortable with them. They went above and beyond for us to have the most perfect wedding.
We designed our cake with Lisa, from Little Cake Parlour and she came up with really good suggestions. She was very flexible and available, another gem, and the cake was delicious.
I (Ludovine) also had my hair and make up done by Gaynor at Elegant Bridal Hair and Hania of Make Up By Hania. These two were so, so funny and nice and really helped me relax before the ceremony. They both paid close attention to what I wanted and I felt really pretty all day.
You awoke to Scotland’s finest weather on the morning of your wedding, didn’t you?
Our big day started quite terribly. It had been raining relentlessly and some roads were under water.
Unbelievably, as everyone started to arrive for our wedding, the sun was starting to shine. All our guests and my husband arrived in a coach. They too had a little adventure- a Royal Mail van had broken down, blocking the road. A few guests helped to move the van and said goodbye to a very grateful postman.
A memorable start to your wedding but tout est bien qui finit bien! Talk us through the rest of the day…
My friend Jocelyn, a French bagpiper, walked me down the aisle in the beautiful Scottish countryside where I discovered all the happy faces of my friends and family, wrapped up in blankets.
The ceremony was incredibly emotional. From that moment, everything made sense; we were here, in our beloved Scotland, to say ‘I do’ surrounded by the most important people in our lives. The sun showed up and pierced the sky when we tied the knot and if some didn’t believe Scotland was magic before that, this moment proved them wrong.
I’m pretty sure everybody cried at some point. Antoine and I did – a lot. This is what our guests talk a lot about: the ceremony was genuine and moving because Alan is very good at making you cry and laugh and cry and laugh.They all loved it.
Once we’d stopped crying (!), we went to the yard to take a few pictures and have a drink. The bar was set with the grazing table. Jocelyn did a little improvised ceilidh with our two Scottish friends and our guests really enjoyed it.
We later all discovered Gabrielle’s stunning decoration skills in the barn. Everything was absolutely perfect and everybody was blown away by the venue. We had really nice burgers (best of my life – said Marianne, our dear friend and photographer) and a lovely cake before doing a few traditional dances and enjoying the rest of the night together.
Did you get a chance to relax after your wedding?
We spent two weeks in Scotland. We knew several places already but decided to take the time and enjoy autumn in Scotland, which is our favourite time of the year there. We did a road trip to Skye with many stops along the way, including a post-wedding photoshoot in Glencoe, then came back to Glasgow through the Cairngorms region. We really loved the Torridon region which we didn’t know!
What are your top tips for couples considering marrying in Scotland?
Trust your wedding planner!
Be realistic regarding your budget and what it allows you to do
Magic will happen if you surround yourself with dedicated professionals and if you go with the flow!
Suppliers:
Venue: Rustic Scottish Barn Wedding Venue: Barn, Water Mill, Gardens, Courtyard — Folkerton Mill
Photographer: Marianne Aguilera Photography
Planner: Gabrielle Plasman
Celebrant: Alan Barr – Humanist Celebrant Independent Humanist Ceremonies
Makeup: Makeup by Hania
Hair: Elegant Bridal Hairstyling
Cake: The Little Cake Parlour
Catering: Peck Catering and Luxford Burgers
