They say it’s all in the details, and never has that been truer than in this Scottish wedding day at Achnagairn Estate & Castle. From individually picked scents and tailored natural confetti to intricate decoration details and colour coordination, everything was planned to perfection. We’re ecstatic to see how our modern venue illustration worked in tying all the wedding stationery together too. Read on for some seriously stunning wedding inspiration.
Caroline and Gary
Ever since they met while working in Singapore, Caroline and Gary have been inseparable. Their first date was at the cheese and chocolate bar in the city’s most renowned hotel – The Marina Bay Sands. That night, they stayed out dancing together until dawn, and from then on they never looked back.
On Caroline’s 30th birthday, the pair got engaged at The Coworth Park Hotel. She had no idea what was about to happen as they shared a meal with close family. But Gary was ready with his surprise, and as soon as they posed for a family photo, he had the perfect moment to propose.
A Great Scottish Outdoors Wedding Theme
Both Gary and Caroline love the outdoors, and Gary spends a lot of his free time climbing in the mountains. With his Scottish heritage and the country’s natural beauty, it made sense to theme their day around The Great Scottish Outdoors.
Gary is from Dundee, so the initial decisions for their colour scheme were straightforward. They’d focus it on the Dundee regiment tartan, which is called Black Watch Tartan and has dark blue, green and black as its base colours. Caroline says she didn’t want the tartan to be too overwhelming, so they found subtle ways to use it, like in their save the date cards, gift ribbons and her evening shawl. The bridesmaids also had navy satin dresses to complement the groomsmen.
It was important to me that the bridesmaids were comfortable. So, they each chose their own style of dress. – Caroline
Fragrances and Florals
Creating the right atmosphere was important to them. To enhance their castle venue setting, they used greenery and carefully chosen fragrances, decorating archways, adding garlands and lighting candles for a subtle aroma of the outdoors.
We used birch trees, ferns and eucalyptus to create the feeling of a secret forest. Pine and lavender candles perfumed the venue, and now, whenever I smell these scents, I’m transported back to our special day. – Caroline
On the day, Caroline wore a Pronovias Atelier dress with a unique peplum design in silk with applique and button detailing. The cathedral length veil looked sensational in their fairytale wedding venue, Achnagairn Estate & Castle. She also carried a bouquet of white Lily in the Valley, chosen because these were the same flowers her mum had at her wedding.
Caroline and Gary put together so many intricate personalised details that even their natural confetti was immaculately thought through. They chose Scottish heather and English lavender, to represent the union of an ‘English lass and a Scot.’
The fragrance I wore for the ceremony was Artemisia by Penhaligon’s which was the fragrance I was wearing when we first met. We call it the ‘Singapore one.’ I also spritzed Gardenia, a traditional white flower bridal fragrance, over my veil. – Caroline
A Unique Wedding Ceremony and Reception
Guests were welcomed to the ceremony with a gold foil order of service card, designed especially for their day with a modern venue illustration. During the service, Caroline’s Auntie read a passage from the bible and Gary’s cousin read a Scottish poem by Rabbie Burns. They also included a Celtic tradition, which involves parents on both sides sharing quiche and tablet. After they read their vows to each other, they also read vows to their two-year-old daughter, Etta Marie, who looked gorgeous in her navy-blue dress.
Once it was time to celebrate at the reception, Caroline removed the longer skirt of her dress to reveal a column shaped dress. They ate canapes, a wedding breakfast and evening meal that had the taste of Scotland, with haggis bon bons, Scottish smoked salmon, braised beef and stovies, made by the caterers at Table Manors restaurant. The groom also got to enjoy his favourite cake – a traditional Victoria sponge, decorated with extra greenery to fit their Scottish wedding theme.
My dad did an epic speech, which had the whole room in tears of laughter and joy. – Caroline
Finally, evening band, Diego, taught their guests how to Ceilidh, and just like on Caroline and Gary’s first date, they danced the night away.
After having such a carefully thought through celebration, Caroline has this advice for anyone planning a wedding:
Take inspiration from your environment and local surroundings – everything from the colour palette to traditions and local suppliers. It tells a true story, and guests love to feel like they know where they are. – Caroline
Caroline and Gary’s Wedding Stationery
For their stationery, Caroline wanted a classic style in blue ink to fit with the tartan colour scheme. We created a modern venue illustration of Achnagairn Estate & Castle, which they decided to use for their wedding invitations and throughout their day. The majestic quality of gold foil suited their setting and looks stunning with navy blue.
Each table was named after a Scottish mountain, with the top table as the highest of them all – Ben Nevis. These were displayed on their wedding table plan and table name cards to help guests find their seats. They also put quotes up around the venue and had a welcome sign to set the scene from the start. The modern venue illustration tied everything together perfectly.
The top table as Ben Nevis was super fun because all the family climbed this mountain together a few days before the wedding. We also gave guests a welcome pack with information about the mountain of the table they were sitting at – Caroline
About Modern Venue Wedding Invitations
Achnagairn Estate & Castle was the ideal choice for Caroline and Gary’s Scottish wedding, becoming a canvas for their great outdoors setting. The modern venue illustration was a consistent image throughout the day, which made it all even more memorable. We think it’s a great example of how using a venue as the basis of your stationery can enhance a wedding theme.
Each of our Modern Venue Invitations includes a bespoke design, which personalises your stationery. All you need to do is send us a picture of your venue, and we’ll illustrate it in our contemporary style. Or, if you prefer, we also offer a sketched-style design. Finally, you can choose the foil and card colours to match the rest of your wedding plans.
Special thanks go to:
Caroline and Gary for sharing their stunning Scottish wedding day with us.
Photography – Chen Sands Photography
Styling – Caroline Connor
Venue – Achnagairn Estate and Castle
Flowers – Amanda Call Wedding Flowers
Bride’s dress – Pronovias
Groom’s suit – Slaters
Bridesmaid’s dresses – Ghost
Groomsmen’s suits – Slaters
Hair and makeup – Suzanne/Gillian
Wedding cake – Jake Mama Jooles
Venue scenting – Penhaligon’s
Wedding favours – Charbonnel et Walker
Thank you gifts – Fortnum & Mason
Engagement venue – Coworth Park
