He got into his brother's car without kissing her. Then he got straight back out.

Their story

Conor is Claire's wee cousin, and he worked with Russell. He decided they would be perfect together and set them up. Two weeks after Russell first messaged, on 18 March 2023, they met outside Queen Street Station for a first date.

Claire was nervous, and when Claire is nervous she talks. A lot. Russell, to his great credit, loved it. They went to TGI Friday's for drinks and then on to Golf Fang, where who should appear but Katelyn, Conor's sister and now one of Claire's bridesmaids. Both of them decided on the spot that this was a surveillance operation. Having heard the full story, I would not rule it out.

Claire had talked a big game about her golf. Russell is a competitive lad and did not let her win, beating her by four points, and he has kept the scorecard ever since. Claire's own first-date notes point out that he's from Falkirk and had never "kenned" anything, which I will leave Falkirk to argue about. Russell's verdict was simpler: she drinks pints.

Then came the ending. Russell had missed his last train, so his brother Bradley came to collect him. Russell said his goodbyes and got into the car, no kiss, because he had bottled it. And then he got straight back out again, to wait with Claire until her sister Danielle arrived to pick her up, and this time he went in for the kiss. Bradley and Danielle both saw the whole thing. Two siblings as witnesses to a first kiss, and the same two signing as witnesses at the wedding. You could not plan that.

After that, dating came with a mission. Espresso martinis were the cocktail Claire could drink, so finding the best one in Glasgow became the point of half their nights out, and Russell was crowned the Espresso Martini King. There was jet skiing in Marmaris, then Fuerteventura, then Greece, where Claire fell off an e-scooter and Russell sprinted over in a total panic. She was fine, and it is now one of their favourite stories. In March 2024, a year after that first date, they moved in together.

Then Paris, in January 2025. Russell had asked Claire's dad Danny for his blessing (Danny made him sweat for it) and taken Danielle ring shopping. He smuggled the ring all the way to France, invented an excuse to nip back to the hotel for it, and steadied his nerves with a few stops on the walk to the Eiffel Tower. Down a wee lantern-lit path, he asked Claire to step back for a better photo, and when she turned round he was on one knee. Claire was so stunned she asked whether this meant he wanted to marry her, and Russell had to check: "So is it a yes?" It was.

The ceremony

The LA Acoustic Duo played the bridal party in to an acoustic "You to Me Are Everything", and at the end played Claire and Russell back out to the dance version of the same song. Same tune, two moods. Steal that idea. Claire and Russell asked for an unplugged ceremony, so guests watched it properly, and once the schedule was signed I invited everyone up for a wee photo of their own.

They chose a handfasting, the old Scottish custom behind the phrase "tying the knot". I wrapped three loops round their joined arms, one for Russell's love for Claire, one for Claire's love for Russell and one for everyone in the room, and then they pulled their hands back and tied it. For the promises, they went with the traditional words out loud and are keeping their own personal vows for each other, in private. I think that is a lovely option, and more couples should know it's allowed. Bradley brought up the rings, the guests gave me a loud "We do!", and I declared them married.

Handfasting at Citation?

There is something very satisfying about tying a knot in a building that spent its first life, from 1844, as the Sheriff Court. A handfasting suits the room: a cord or a strip of family tartan is all you need, and it reads beautifully from the back row. If you want to know more, there is a full guide to handfasting ceremonies in Scotland.

For the practical side of the building, the Merchant Suite, the balcony and how the day flows, see my Citation venue guide, and for anywhere else in the city start with my Glasgow wedding celebrant page. I live in Kelvinbridge, so couples marrying in Glasgow pay no travel fee. Back in July I married Louis and Melissa in the same room, with the rings hidden under a seat: read their Citation wedding.