When Doug proposed at South Queensferry Pier, I was completely taken by surprise. He had this beautiful vintage family heirloom ring, and I’ll never forget the way he looked when he asked me to marry him. It was such a perfect moment, and the fact that the ring had so much sentimental value made it all the more special.

Before all the wedding madness, we each had a getaway with our friends. Doug headed to the Euros in Germany, soaking up the football
(and probably more beer than he’d admit!), while I went to Lisbon with my girls. We
had the best time.

Since I’m a florist, we always knew the flowers would be the stars of the show! Doug’s last name is Garden so it made sense to bring the outside in, with vibrant florals everywhere you looked. I wanted colour — rich, bold shades that reflected late summer and autumn — but absolutely no white! Not even the linens. Without A Hitch helped us pull it together. I’m so grateful we had their support, especially with the marquee setup and all the outdoor logistics.

Maryculter House was our venue. Doug grew up nearby so it felt personal, and we loved the warm, welcoming atmosphere. Plus, with so many guests travelling from overseas, it gave them a true taste of a traditional Scottish wedding. We loved gathering by the fire pits in the courtyard the night before for drinks and a cosy catch-up with everyone.

All the floral arrangements (apart from my bouquet, which was made by my best friend) were done by my lovely colleagues at the Flower Shop in Peterhead, and there were a lot of flowers! From the aisle to the tables, every space was filled with blooms. I wanted it to feel like you were stepping into a garden with layers of texture, colour and fragrance. It was a labour of love and being surrounded by the flowers I’d dreamed of made it all worth it.

As for the dress, believe it or not, it was the first one I tried on! The dress was called Dorchester, the same as one of my favourite roses, and it felt like fate. It was elegant and simple so the flowers could take centre stage.

The wedding day was magical from start to finish. We started with a mini-drinks reception in the marquee where guests were treated to entertainment from the drummers of Clann An Drumma. This really got the party started. It was such a great way to set the mood.

We did a first look before the ceremony and I’m so glad we did. Doug was so nervous and I knew seeing each other would help calm him down. Plus, it gave us some extra time for photos, which was a huge bonus.

The ceremony was everything we wanted; personal, intimate and full of little moments that reflected us. Caron Harper led a humanist ceremony that had everyone laughing, and we included a traditional Scottish quaich ceremony to symbolise the joining of our two families. Both of our dads joined us for that, which made it even more special.

Afterwards, we headed back to the marquee for canapés and the cutting of our stunning cake, which we served there and then. It was a big hit! We had Ross Graham playing music while our live artist, Katie McKay, sketched portraits of our guests. People loved it. It was such a unique touch and gave everyone something special to take home.

Then it was off to the ballroom for the most incredible four-course meal, served by the amazing team at Maryculter. After dinner the real party began. Corra kept the dance floor packed all night long with a mix of ceilidh dancing and some wilder moves later in the evening (thanks to the glow sticks)!

Looking back, it was truly a day to remember. My only advice to others is this: Don’t do it all alone! Even with all my experience in the wedding industry, letting go and trusting our suppliers was the best decision I made. Every single one of them went above and beyond. And because of that, I was able to just enjoy the day. It was absolutely perfect! Oh, and if you can, definitely add lots of flowers… You’ll never regret it!

Amy's Little White Book

Band Corra

Bridesmaid's dresses Blush Bridal

Cake Lana Lou's Cake Studio

Celebrant Caron Harper

Bridal Outfit Perfect Bridal Rooms

Entertainment Katie McKay Artist

Ross Graham

Clann An Drumma

Flowers The Flower Shop, Peterhead

Groom's Outfit Mitchell Scott

Hair The Hair Room

Lighting Illumin8

Makeup Samantha Cardno Makeup

Marquee Elegant Pitches

MOB outfit Nina Edge Design

Photographer By Rhea, Barry Robb Photography

Planning and styling Without A Hitch

Seating Rustic Look

Stationery Love Paper Co.

Venue Maryculter House

Videographer Cloud Company Creative