Unique Weddings in Scotland

We don't necessarily mean crazy or ‘out-there’, but rather having something that is a little different from the norm, or something that is unique to you. Don’t get us wrong, we always look for inspiration that might appeal to another client. Just don’t fall into the trap of having a conveyor belt wedding. You want your guests to know whose wedding they are at through subtle touches of individuality, things that you personally like, not exactly the same as the wedding they were at before, or will be at next month. Don’t chose elements that you think you ‘should’ have, your fairytale is exactly that - yours!

Some food for though....

Have your wedding in: a vineyard, gallery, boat, up a mountain...

Have a best-woman, or bridesman!

Have a themed wedding: colour, character, celebrity, era...

Personalise gifts: give items engraved, such as a photoframe with a favourite picture in it, passport cover, a star named after them....

Why release sky lanterns or butterflies when you can release bio-degradable dove balloons?! www.dovebaloons.co.uk

Design your own dress or suit!

Favours? Sugar almonds are so standard, and ornaments often get left behind-what a waste of money! Why not hire a characturist to draw pictures of your guests to take home with them?

Ask relatives/close friends to write a personal reading - often so much more special.

While you and your new wife/hubby are away getting pics, give the guests a quiz about you both. Winner can be announced during speeches - the answers they have written can be hilarious to share!

Serve your own personalised renamed cocktail at the usual Champagne Reception section.

Ask guests to tell you their favourite songs when they RSVP. This can help ensure everyone is dancing after dinner! However, make sure you and your bride/groom actually like the songs, it is your day after all!

To find out how we can help you plan your dream wedding, contact Premier Wedding Planners Scotland for your free consultation.

Lucy

Creating unique Scottish Weddings to suit all budgets

Wonderful Winter Wedding Ideas

Winter weddings, although not as popular as summer ones, are just as fabulous. In fact, some would argue that they are very more romantic and luxurious, especially if you have the snow we are currently having in Scotland!

Here are some ideas to consider if you decide to hold your nuptials in the winter months....

Colours

Reds and greens are the traditional colours used at winter weddings, in keeping with the season. However, if overdone, they can make your wedding feel Christmassy rather than a wedding celebration. How about silvers and whites, creating a classy and glamourous feel. Crystals from the candelabras, white ribbons and hurricane candles up the altar.

Flowers

Red roses, calla lilies, and amaryllis are decidedly winter wedding flowers, but if you step outside the flower box, and you'll find a variety of options for winter blooms. Consider fuller flowers, such as white hydrangeas and soft ranunculuses. White boutonnieres can be handsome when they're accented with greenery, but they also look great with a simple white ribbon. Add sparkle to your bouquet by wrapping the stems in ribbon embellished with crystals.

Invitations

Winter weddings often call for a more formal invitations. Colours aforementioned such as whites and silvers are good. Consider also navy blue or chocolate-brown. Or how about Plexiglas invites to reflect the ice & frost of winter?

Centerpieces

Glowing candles to add both warmth and romance to your reception site, and using mirrors under them will reflect the light beautifully. To go for something slightly out of the norm, how about ice sculptures? Grand, a talking point, and not often as expensive as you would think.

Drinks

A winter wedding calls for warm, comforting drinks. As an alternative to a champagne reception, how about hot chocolate with a nip of alcohol? Baileys with warm milk is a yummy alternative to this. Or how about winter themed cocktails, such as Snowballs? (Advocaat, lemonade & lime).

The Cake

Again, a cake trimmed in red or green ribbon looks pretty, but bakers who are willing to push the fondant envelope can reflect the winter in totally creative ways. How about a white, vintage-style cake, dusted with edible silver powder. For accents, have your baker add a white sugar ribbon and crystal drops cascading down one side of the cake.

Favours

Food wedding favours are always a hit. Give out small packages of chocolate-covered cranberries or roasted chestnuts. Or, for a twist on the chocolate fountain station, have your caterer set up a hot chocolate station. A wedding we did last year had a 'Favour Tree'. A huge Christmas tree was decorated in decorations, which guests could choose from to take home as a memento. I have the one I was given by the Bride & Groom on my tree this year, and it is a lovely reminder of their fabulous day.

Honeymoons

While many couples flee the wintery weather for warmer climes, snowy escape can be even more romantic. Consider renting a cosy log cabin in the snowy mountains of France. Snuggling in front of a log-fire with your loved one.....blissful.

Premier Wedding Planners offer free wedding consultations to enable you to meet us for the first time and to discuss your thoughts on the type of wedding you dream of having.

Lucy

Wedding Planning - Who Does What?

There are no hard and fast rules to weddings, but many people consider it an honour to have particular duties before and during your special day. Here are some guidelines of the traditional roles played by members of the bridal party:



The Bride
• Chooses wedding date, type of ceremony, the theme of the wedding and her outfit
• Chooses her attendants and their outfits
• Co-ordinates & advises other members of the bridal party on dress codes & colours
• Throws her bouquet amongst the unmarried female guests
• Writes thank-you notes to helpers and for wedding gifts
• Buys a wedding present for the groom and bridesmaids

The Groom
• Works out the budget
• Buys the wedding rings
• Arranges the outfits of the male members of the bridal party
• Arranges the honeymoon and the wedding night accommodation
• Buys a gift for the best man
• Makes a speech at the reception, on behalf of himself and his new wife

The Best Man
• Helps groom choose his outfits and those of the male attendants
• Arranges the "stag do"
• Along with ushers he is at venue to discuss seating and parking arrangements
• Attends the wedding rehearsal
• Collects hire wear for himself and the groom
• Collects cards or messages from those who cannot attend wedding
• Makes sure that ushers have order of service sheets and buttonholes
• Helps the groom dress and makes sure he gets to the church on time
• Produces the rings when required and gives them to the groom or the officiate
• Escorts the chief bridesmaid to the signing of the register (usually a witness)
• Checks arrangements with the ushers that all guests have transport to the reception
• In the absence of a toastmaster or master of ceremonies, announces events
• Makes a speech and reads out messages
• Helps transport the wedding gifts from the reception to a safe place
• After the wedding, returns groom's hire wear if necessary

Chief Bridesmaid
• Helps the bride choose her outfit and her attendants' outfits
• Helps the bride keep her weddings lists up-to-date
• Organises the "hen do"
• Attends the rehearsal
• Helps arrange and supervise a timetable for the bride on the day
• Helps the bride and her attendants get ready on the day
• At the ceremony venue checks bride's attire and lines up the attendants
• Holds the bride's bouquet during the ceremony
• Escorted by the best man, attends the signing of the register (usually a witness)
• Walks with the best man out of the ceremony
• Places her bouquet, along with the bride's, by the wedding cake
• Helps the bride prepare for "going away", takes charge of the wedding attire
• Along with the best man, transport wedding gifts from the reception to a safe place

Flower Girl (usually a younger bridesmaid)
• Carries a basket of flowers or flower petals
• Joins in the procession with the other attendants Ushers
• Before the wedding day, meet with the best man to work out duties
• Plan parking arrangements
• Collect order of service sheets from the bride or best man
• Provide umbrellas in case of rain
• Arrive first at the ceremony venue
• Organise parking
• Ensure that the approach is clear for the bride's arrival
• Greet guests and distribute buttonholes, order of service sheets and hymnbooks
• Make sure all guests switch off mobile phones
• Escort the bride's mother and elderly guests to their seats
• Help photographer organise people for group shots
• Help best man organise transport for the guests to the reception
• Helps check a few of the tables at the reception to ensure guests are happy
• Make sure all guests are seated for the speeches
• Stsrt applause during bride & groom's first dance, then get everyone up and dancing
• Line up guests when bride and groom leave

Bride's Mother
• Arranges press announcements
• Compiles the guest list in consultation with the groom's family
• Sends out invitations and keeps a note of replies
• Looks after gift list and makes arrangements to display the presents
• Makes a list of the guests for the ushers
• Attends the signing of the register
• Leaves the church on the arm of the groom's father
• Sends cake to those unable to attend the wedding

Bride's Father
• Attends the wedding rehearsal
• Travels with his daughter to the ceremony
• Escorts the bride down the aisle
• Gives the bride away
• Attends the signing of the register

We are in the process of building our resource guide to wedding planning - ideal if you are looking for inspiration and help around your big day whether you plan your own wedding or would like us to become involved.

Cheryl and Andy's perfect day......

Ever since she was a little girl Cheryl dreamed of marrying at Blair Castle, which sits spectacularly within the Perthshire countryside. Her dream came true this summer, when she married Andy in the grand white castle. White and ivory classic colours were used to dispel a crisp clean romantic theme within the castle venue, using hydrangeas, peonies, pearls and candles, as well as a monogram theme to portray a regal element.The champagne reception took place in the glass fronted Banvie hall, which was kitted out in a casino theme to keep guests entertained. Pink champagne and a string quartet accompanied this.The religious ceremony and meal were held in the huge dramatic ballroom, which then hosted ceilidh dancing late into the evening. The night ended with the bride tossing her bouquet and the newlyweds escaping off on their honeymoon...

Their breathtaking day was chosen to be featured in the Scottish Wedding Directory's Real Life Weddings supplement. To read more about it .....

http://www.reallifeweddings.co.uk/PDFs/RLWw09/084_RLWw09.pdf

Lucy
Destination Wedding Planner Scotland

How not to become Bridezilla…..

You might laugh, but it’s easier to turn into her than you think! Or for your Groom to become Groomzilla!! (It does happen, I assure you!)

Firstly, remember that your engagement is supposed to be one of the most exciting times of your lives! Keep the bigger picture in mind – your perfect future together. Try not to get too consumed by it!

Decide early on with your fiancé who is doing what and stick to it. Unless, however, if you are feeling swamped, then speak up and delegate.

With this in mind, try not to let little details send you into frenzy. Entrust friends and family with tasks. Or even let Premier Wedding Planners help you coordinate your day!

Don’t worry about being bossy and opinionated (yes, really!) From our point of view as wedding planners, it’s much easier to work with someone who is clear on exactly what they want, or don’t want. Write down ideas you have and rip out pictures of things you like and keep them in a file.

And last, but certainly not least, do be sure to build in some wedding-free time. As important as your wedding is, it is fundamental that you don’t spend every minute talking about your wedding to your fiancé and friends.

Remember, here at Premier Wedding Planners Scotland we help eliminate the stress of planning your day, leaving you to enjoy the build up and the big day itself without a worry. Whether you want help coordinating the whole event, or just some of the components, send us an email to see how we can help.

Lucy

Having the wedding you really want….

Last week a distraught bride-to-be contacted me in floods of tears…..’I don’t know what to do, it’s gone too far now, I can’t say no, it’ll upset them and cause an argument.…’ She and her fiancé had wanted a small civil ceremony, yet pressure to please everyone had led them to book a Priest & a Cathedral. You might not think this could happen to you, but from the amount of couples I have worked with I know how frequently and easily this happens.…….your cousin assumes she’s a bridesmaid, your Mother wants you to wear her wedding dress, your in-laws want you to have a huge wedding inviting all their friends (most of whom you have never even met. It is important that right from the start you have the wedding that you and your partner want.
It can be easy to get bulldozed into having a particular kind of wedding just to suit your parents/in-laws, even friends. To help this from happening to you, make sure you state the ground rules clearly. Problems often occur when people ‘assume’ you are ‘having this’ or ‘doing that’. Getting everything out in the open and making your intentions clear from the beginning will get any thorny issues discussed at an early stage and cleared up so to minimise any conflict, disappointment - or even resentment - further down the line. It is important to understand and respect the views of others, especially your parents. However, it is equally important that they should respect yours. If parents are contributing, it can be difficult. Let them know what you would like, and start to compromise. Also consider a compromise if it is your partner that you are having disagreement with. A willingness to work together is what marriage is all about! Consider what is really important.

Remember, it is your wedding day. Be true to yourselves. And make it your perfect day.

Lucy.

Oh, and just to let you know, I have now helped that bride-to-be book a quaint venue and a Registrar for her special day….… just the way she wanted it!