Fiona and Craig’s wedding ceremony took place in a twelfth-century church followed by a reception in a Renaissance castle. These historic locations were the ultimate spots to celebrate their love for each other and create the traditional Scottish wedding they dreamed of.
The wedding locations needed to be particularly beautiful to match Fiona’s grace and elegance. She ignored bridal trends and chose a look that reflected her personal style – a classic lace gown, with cap sleeves and sweetheart neckline. As Fiona loved the idea of wearing flowers in her hair, the SOMERSET headpiece was the perfect accessory, as it features an everlasting floral arrangement of clay flowers and pearl and crystal sprigs.
Historic locations
Edinburgh-based Fiona and Craig wanted their wedding to be relaxed and traditional and they wanted their guests to feel at home. They achieved this with their stunning venues and classic styling.
“We got married in a picturesque twelfth-century church which has family connections and is such a unique and meaningful place. Our reception took place at Winton Castle near Edinburgh which dates back to the year 1190,” says Fiona. “Our ceremony and reception venues both had a really warm ambience and romantic feel to them and all that was needed was some flowers and candles. Both locations were really stunning on their own – it made sense to let the beauty of the venues speak for themselves!”
Family is really important to us – Grandparents in particular. My husband Craig’s grandmother and grandfather were an important part of the day and we were absolutely delighted that his grandfather said a few words in the church on behalf of the rest of our grandparents, who are no longer with us. This was a really emotional and meaningful moment for us – there were certainly a few tears from our guests!”
The perfect dress
Fiona advises brides-to-be to take plenty of time to research and ponder potential dresses, to make sure what you’re buying is the right option for you.
“It is easy to make a purchase to tick something off your list but, in the end, I was really pleased I’d taken the time and care to be sure whatever I was buying was right for me,” says Fiona.
When choosing her dress, she knew she wanted a timeless style that was suitable for the warm May weather in Scotland. With a few tweaks, Fiona’s dress was customised to suit her style and the weather.
“I tried on a particular dress that had gorgeous long lace sleeves which I loved but had the potential to be a little too hot. The owner of the shop where I bought my dress cleverly tucked the long lace sleeves into the inside of the dress and then appeared with these gorgeous small pieces of lace that she draped over my shoulders and pinned into place. It just instantly worked and looked really fresh,” says Fiona. “The lace cap sleeves with the lace bodice worked so well with the plain silk organza skirt that was separated by a ribbon at the waist. It was everything I had in my head and they were even able to change the dress to include the v-shaped back that I was looking for.”
Somerset headpiece
In the lead up to her wedding, Fiona used her daily commute as an opportunity to browse through Pinterest and Instagram for bridal ideas.
“I kept coming across images of beautiful hairpieces and saved them all to a folder. I kept adding images for a few months when I had a spare few moments and when I came to actually check where the pieces were from, I realised that the vast majority were from the same designer, which is when I discovered Tania Maras! As soon as I visited the website, I knew that nothing else would compare,” says Fiona.
Fiona decided on the exquisite SOMERSET headpiece in silver tones, which features delicate blooms surrounded by pearls and crystal branches .
“I love flowers and really loved the idea of having flowers in my hair for the wedding. Once I had found Tania’s designs, I realised that I could have a hairpiece which had delicate flowers in it that I could keep forever. I actually bought my hairpiece before I found my wedding dress which I think says a lot! I love the idea that I can wear it for special occasions for years to come and that hopefully one day I will be able to pass it on.”
Best advice
“Everyone who gave us advice said the same thing – take the time to enjoy it, whatever happens! It is also a good idea to start making a list of ‘must-have’ wedding photos that you don’t want to miss, a month or so before the wedding. The day does go by so quickly so dance as much as you can and take a moment to watch everyone smiling and enjoying the wonderful day you have worked so hard on!”
Special Thanks to…
- Dress designer – Suzanne Neville
- Dress shop –Rachel Scott Couture
- Headpiece – SOMERSET headpiece
- Photographer – Craig & Eva Sanders Photography
