Leah and Nathan live in Australia and decided to marry in Scotland where Leah is from. They chose Coul House Hotel in Contin in the Highlands to host their day with an outdoor ceremony in the gardens.

Leah looked oh so lovely in her tulle and lace dress with black sash while Nathan wore a grey three piece suit with black tie to coordinate with the bridesmaids. There were pretty Lillies and Irises used in the bouquets and table flowers and a decadent chocolate cake from Marks and Spencer.

I adore the simplicity of their beautiful and fresh wedding day.

Thanks so much to Mack Photography for sharing their exquisite images with us today.

 

The Proposal… The proposal was in April 2012. Nathan at the time was working away from home for four weeks at a time and then would only have one week at home. We had gone for a drive up to one of the local beaches just outside of Brisbane in Queensland. We were walking along the beach and all of a sudden he was on one knee with a ring, asking me to spend the rest of my life with him, it was a complete shock and amazing. It turned out he had been secretly planning it for months and I had no idea, it was perfect.

The Vision for the Day… The vision for the day was simple, the bringing together of two lives (the scottish and australian) with good company, food, wine and music!

The Planning Process… Planning was difficult! We decided that we would have the wedding back in Scotland (where I, Leah, am from). We set the date very soon after the proposal to allow our Australian friends and family enough time to plan a trip. Then everything was essentially organised by Leah’s parents, via skype and done over the internet.

Budget… We tried to be realistic in this regard and looked at ways in which we could keep costs down by shopping around.

The Venue… The venue was the Coul House Hotel in Contin in the Highlands of Scotland. One of the most beautiful places on earth, it was a fairy tail setting. Moreover the staff made us feel so special and absolutely made our day and weekend.

The Dress + Accessories… I bought my dress from a boutique in Brisbane. It had a detailed bodice with a lot of tulle. I had an amazing long veil and then earrings from Claire’s accessories (i loved them). My something old was my late grandmother’s engagement ring, very special. I was made especially beautiful by Stephanie McDonald who did my make up and Eva Trubshaw who made an amazing job of my hair.

Finding the Dress… I tried on several dresses and had decided I wanted something simple. I was trying on different styles though and when I put on my dress (which was exactly the style I thought I didn’t want) I felt beautiful. I knew it was the one.

Groom’s Attire… Grey suit with waistcoat and black ties to match the bridesmaids. The suits were all rented but were amazing!

The Readings + Music… We had two readings one by Nathan’s mum, The Art of marriage by Wilfred Peterson and Leah’s brother who wrote a poem suitably named a Highland Wedding. It was heart warming. Later in the evening we had a live band playing called Funk Nation (from Glasgow). They were awesome and had everyone dancing all night.

Beautiful Bridesmaids… Three amazing girls! Poppy my friend from Aus, Helen my best friend from school and Aimee who I had grown up with. They looked like three goddesses with gorgeous one shouldered, black dresses and they did a phenomenal job of looking after Leah.

The Flowers… The flowers were done by Nathan’s mum. She used to run a florist with her mum in Australia and as such the beautiful bouquets were doubly special. The bridesmaids carried white cala lillies and Leah carried the lillies mixed with blue irises (something blue).

The Cake… A double chocolate cake from marks and spencers, delicious.

Your Photographer… Lindsey Parker from Mack Photography photographed our day. She is amazing and managed to capture true love on film. :)

The Details + Decor… Again Nathan’s mum decorated out room. It was very simple with calla lilies and irises submerged in jugs of water with candles floating on top. The room was octagonal in shape with an amazingly corniced ceiling so really did not need much by way of decorating as it was beautiful as it was.

The Honeymoon… The honeymoon 5 nights in Italy split between Lake Garda and Venice. We were treated like royalty.

Memorable Moments… The speeches were very memorable. So many beautiful things were said to wish us every happiness. Everyone having a hit of a golf ball after dinner, dancing to the funk, catching up with so many friends and family, the delicious food, the kiss, and of course the laughs and tears that will last a lifetime!

Advice for Other Couples… enjoy every minute because it will fly by.

Credit Where Credit is Due…

http://mackphotography.co.uk/ photographer

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieHaloBeautician make-up artist

http://www.coulhousehotel.com/index.asp venue

http://www.belladonnagowns.com.au/ dress shop

http://www.slaters.co.uk/ suit hire

http://www.funknation.co.uk/wp/ band

 

How utterly lovely. Thanks so much to Leah and Nathan for sharing their beautiful wedding day with us XOXO Lou