Real weddings

Stories from the front of the room.

Every ceremony I lead is written from scratch, so no two are alike. These are the full stories — how the couples met, what they chose, what the day was really like — and below them, moments from many more. If you are planning your own, steal freely.

Burak and Duygu walking back down the aisle of the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel with their hands raised
September · Glasgow University Chapel

Burak & Duygu

Two friends from the same Cyprus classroom, a proposal by self-programmed drone, a Turkish welcome and a ring warming round the whole chapel.

Martha and Gavin walking back down the aisle at Cottiers, guests applauding beneath the painted organ pipes
August · Cottiers, Glasgow West End

Martha & Gavin

A cowboy and Dolly Parton on the first date, a rat's funeral on the third, and a quaich the groom's dad carved by hand.

Egle waiting at the doorway of the panelled Ceremony Room at Rowallan Castle, lanterns lining the aisle
August · Rowallan Castle, Ayrshire

Egle & John

A fireman's hat on the first date, a proposal with a ring made of three carrots, amber on every seat and a dog in charge of the rings.

Kyle and Kirsty walking hand in hand back down the aisle after their wedding ceremony in the Orangery at Sherbrooke Castle Hotel
July · Sherbrooke Castle Hotel, Glasgow

Kyle & Kirsty

Two Freshers' Week pals who took years to admit it. A quaich, a handfasting, a proposal involving a Lidl bag, and a 90-year-old flower girl.

Becky and Tom on the red carpet in Cinema 2 of the Glasgow Film Theatre after their wedding ceremony
August · Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow

Becky & Tom

Two copywriters who met over words and fell in love over films, married on the red carpet in Cinema 2 — popcorn on every seat.

Colin and Lisa Marie's first kiss on the shore of Loch Leven at the Isles of Glencoe, mountains behind
April · Isles of Glencoe Hotel, Loch Leven

Colin & Lisa Marie

Met on a bus to RockNess, a babygrow proposal on Christmas Eve, thirteen years engaged — and married at last under the mountains of Glencoe.

Barry in his kilt and Deborah in her strapless wedding gown with celebrant John Paul at Saltcoats Town Hall
October · Saltcoats Town Hall, Ayrshire

Barry & Deborah

Two blended families, a sand ceremony poured from Stevenston and Saltcoats, and a proposal made over Facebook Messenger from Canada.

Cameron, celebrant John Paul and Rebecca together at Riddles Court, Edinburgh
July · Riddles Court, Edinburgh

Rebecca & Cameron

A Clapham pub, a Krakow proposal, and a quaich poured by a dad and an uncle — our first Edinburgh wedding.

Andrew in a kilt and Alicia in her wedding gown with celebrant John Paul at Crossbasket Castle
August · Crossbasket Castle

Andrew & Alicia

A lost phone, a LinkedIn reunion, a compass-ring proposal in Finnieston, and a handfasting with two tartans.

Chris and David signing their Marriage Schedule at House for an Art Lover, Glasgow
May · House for an Art Lover, Glasgow

Chris & David

Twenty-five years in the making since a Directory Enquiries call centre, an Etta James entrance, and rings carried in on a Jack Russell's collar.

Aimee and Ollie during their ceremony at The Exchange, Royal Exchange Square through the windows
July · The Exchange, Royal Exchange Square

Aimee & Ollie

A violin down the aisle, a quaich toast, Roger Moore's double in the front row — and a two-word proposal in a secret Prague garden.

Stuart and Rebecca at the signing table under a flower arch in Òran Mór's Auditorium
May · Òran Mór, Glasgow

Stuart & Rebecca

A handfasting under Alasdair Gray's painted sky, a Tinder date gone gloriously wrong — and a bride finally free of spelling S-O-O-M-A-N to call centres.

Laura and Marc with John Paul and Gelert the greyhound on Garry Beach, Isle of Lewis
May · Garry Beach, Isle of Lewis

Laura & Marc

A handfasting on white Hebridean sand, morning letters instead of vows — and Gelert the greyhound delivering the rings on his collar.

Emily and Gill, both in white bridal gowns, at The Bothy on Ruthven Lane
April · The Bothy, Ruthven Lane

Emily & Gill

Two brides, gin in the quaich, rings warmed by every hand in the room — and a love story that began with maths worksheets and Neighbours.

Nicole and Andy toasting with champagne after their ceremony at Brig o' Doon House
March · Brig o' Doon House, Alloway

Nicole & Andy

Pipes at the door, Wild Mountain Thyme down the aisle, a quaich of two family tipples — and a proposal on skis at sunset in Norway.

Christine and Stewart with John Paul outside the barn at Fruin Farm
Late August · Fruin Farm, Loch Lomond

Christine & Stewart

Two malts in the quaich, two tartans in the handfasting, a blended family front and centre — and a first date that lasted nine hours.

Sarah and Chris in a group hug with their children on the castle lawn at Cardross
August · Cardross, Firth of Clyde

Sarah & Chris

Two families flown in from Canada, a tartan handfasting for the new clan — and an engagement by helicopter on a mountaintop.

Laura and Chris among the tropical plants of the Kibble Palace glasshouse
April · Kibble Palace, Botanic Gardens

Laura & Chris

The Velvet Underground down the aisle, Carver and bell hooks readings — and an engagement five years to the day after the first date.

Kirsty and Andrew with celebrant John Paul at the signing table after their wedding at Riverside Lodge Hotel, Irvine
March · Riverside Lodge Hotel, Irvine

Kirsty & Andrew

Desks twenty feet apart at work, a Tinder super like, and a proposal interrupted by a taxi horn — sealed with a tartan handfasting stitched with their names.

Frances and Kevin walking back down the aisle at West Lothian Burgh Halls after their wedding ceremony
May · West Lothian Burgh Halls, Linlithgow

Frances & Kevin

A Match.com match on Kevin's last roll of the dice, a spicy-ramen first date, and a proposal met with "I am watching the Bake Off!"

More moments

A few favourites from the front of the room. Click any photo to see it properly.

John Paul with a newly married couple outside a country house venue
Just married, in the sunshine
A couple in kilts signing the marriage schedule with John Paul and their witnesses
Signing the schedule — it's official
John Paul with a beaming couple after a city ceremony
A city-room ceremony, all smiles
Two brides with their dog and John Paul on a Hebridean beach
An island elopement — dug and all