We first met in 2021 while working at the Castletown Hotel in Caithness. For a year, we were simply colleagues, but one coffee date at a local café changed everything. On June 5th we became a couple, and later that same evening, we walked along Castletown beach. Sitting together on a rock by the shore, we shared our first kiss. That rock quickly became a symbol of our journey and would appear again in the most important moments of our lives.
Our daughter, Letha, was born in May 2023 with complex congenital heart defects. Her first weeks of life were spent in hospital, undergoing surgery, procedures, and recovering from a stroke. She spent time at Glasgow’s QEUH NICU before being transferred to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. On June 5th—our anniversary—she was finally discharged after five long weeks.
Just a few days later, Ben proposed on that same Castletown beach rock where we first kissed. Despite the challenges we faced as a family, that moment symbolised strength, resilience, and the deep love holding us together.
By April 2024, once Letha had recovered from surgery, we began planning our wedding. When I attended an open day at Stemster House, just outside Thurso, I immediately fell in love with it. The romantic woodland ceremony space, known as The Hollow, was perfect for the intimate Caithness wedding we wanted. With its charm and tranquillity, we never considered anywhere else.
Our wedding was filled with DIY elements, making the day truly personal. I created the floral arch, lanterns, flower columns, centrepieces, and all of our stationery. The bud vases were especially meaningful, filled with sea glass and Groatie Buckies from Castletown beach, alongside dried flowers from bunches Ben had given me and his mum. My sibling wrapped them in fairy lights, adding a magical glow.
I also made our favours—small jars decorated with vinyl initials and filled with sweets, plus three flavours of homemade fudge: Biscoff, Custard Cream, and Chocolate Marshmallow. From the flower girl’s wand to Ben’s buttonhole, many details were lovingly handcrafted.
On the morning of the wedding, I got ready with my bridesmaids in the Library of The Pentland Hotel in Thurso. Before the ceremony, Ben and I shared a “first look” in the gardens and exchanged handwritten letters.
Our ceremony took place in The Hollow at Stemster House, with just 21 guests. We included a handfasting ceremony, using a tie made by my mum that also incorporated jewellery from Ben’s late mother, ensuring she was with us in spirit.
Our daughter Letha was our flower girl, wearing a dress crafted by my grandmother from the train of my mum’s wedding gown, paired with a hand-knitted cardigan. Our son Jackson, only four months old, played the role of ring bearer.
Afterwards, we returned to The Pentland Hotel in Thurso for a relaxed meal and evening celebration with our guests. From my white floral Doc Martens to the wedding cake baked by my mum, every detail told our story and reflected the people we love most.
Looking back, our Stemster House wedding was more than just a ceremony—it was a celebration of love, resilience, and family. For couples searching for a romantic Caithness wedding venue or planning a Scottish Highlands wedding, Stemster House and The Pentland Hotel in Thurso created the perfect setting for memories we will treasure forever.
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