Bride & groom outdoors embracing while looking at the camera

Real wedding: First love

First love, everlasting love

If you can survive as a couple through those late teenage years – those years of self-growth and discovery – and you come through the other end still wanting to be together, then the likelihood is you’ve created a strong foundation for a marriage.

Jordan and Laura met at high school when they were just 17. They have been fortunate to have already enjoyed 11 years of making memories together before making the ultimate commitment. How amazing is it that their first love is their last?

Cheeky boy with bride & groom sticking his tongue out

When and how did the proposal happen?

In May 2021, when lockdown restrictions had eased off a bit, we took the opportunity to have a romantic getaway in a lodge in Royal Deeside – The Hideaway Experience, a private lodge on a farm in Dundee. After a bite to eat and a few drinks, Jordan got down on one knee!

Where was the ceremony held?

We chose The Den at Culross. We fell in love with it the minute we walked into the courtyard, and it just got better and better from there. It’s absolutely stunning and, as far as we’re concerned, it’s one-of-a-kind. It had the cosy byre for the ceremony and the barn (for the dinner and reception) had the wow factor. And to top it all, they had a wonderful team of people on hand to make our day so special – the owners, Audrey and John, Elaine the wedding coordinator, and Joanne. They were all, quite simply, amazing!

Wedding venue set out with dining tables and illuminated Mr & Mrs sign in the background

What was your favourite part of the wedding planning?

Not going to lie, the wedding planning was stressful! But we actually really enjoyed preparing a lot of the DIY elements we used to decorate the venue. We also loved all the different wedding cake tastings!

Rustic chairs adorned with wooden groom & bride signs

Selection of DIY wedding decorations including a basket of flip flops

DIY wedding decor - wooden to have & to hold sign

Recycled gin bottle with fairy lights inside

Why did you want a humanist ceremony?

It was important to us for our day to be super relaxed and fun. We wanted all our guests to be involved and for the ceremony to be personal to us. A humanist ceremony afforded us all of these elements.

Bride & groom joining hands in front of celebrant with onlooking guests

Which celebrant did you choose and why?

We actually found Alex Moore on Facebook and YouTube. We met with one other celebrant aside from Alex but, from the get go, he was so invested in us and our wedding. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know us and after that first meeting, we left feeling so at ease and excited for our ceremony.

The intricacies of a wedding ceremony and the legalities of getting married in Scotland were things we knew very little about. Alex talked us through everything and answered every single question we had. We felt like we were spending time with a long-lost pal.

There was no doubt in our minds that Alex was the man for us. We wanted him to conduct our ceremony on our big day.

Bride & groom joining hands in ceremony with onlooking guests

What was your favourite part of the whole day?

The whole day was amazing, so it’s hard to pick one particular moment. The ceremony was definitely a highlight though; it was perfect. It was so personal and exactly what we dreamed it would be. It was so clear that Alex had spent a lot of time and energy perfecting our ceremony. He delivered it with such warmth and personality, and he regularly had us in stitches.

What was your favourite part of the ceremony?

We really liked being able to share our story and what we love about each other. The poem ‘Forever’ by Ms Moem was a great addition. And the handfasting ritual was really special too.

Bride & groom standing in front of celebrant during handfasting ritual

Your photographs are absolutely fabulous. Who did you choose and why?

Isaac Craig Photography. We got chatting to a number of different photographers but decided to go with Craig after meeting him at the Scottish Wedding Show. His personality and particular photography style were perfect for us. Craig made it clear to us that he much prefers taking candid shots over formal ones. This was right up our street and exactly what we were looking for.

Bride & groom punching they air - just married - with onlooking guests

What about your videographer? Who did you choose and why?

Dynamic Frame were recommended to us by Craig, since they regularly work together. We watched other wedding films they had captured. The footage was amazing and was edited together so well, which made our decision so much easier. Darryn captured our day perfectly.

With hindsight, is there anything that you would have done differently?

Our only regret is that we didn’t book Craig and Darryn to stay a bit longer to capture more of our evening celebrations.

Bride & groom kissing after being announced married

And finally, any advice for other couples?

The best bit of advice we got before the wedding was to remember to take small moments every so often to look around and take it all in. There was a point in the ceremony when Alex asked us to do this. That really sticks our minds and is a moment we won’t ever forget.

After the ceremony is done, sneak away for 5-10 minutes when you can just chill out and absorb everything as a couple. It’s such an emotional day and we really appreciated the small break to relax after the ceremony.

Grazing table at wedding including a cheese tower

Consider doing a cheese tower / grazing table instead of canapés for your post-ceremony drinks reception. This went down a treat with our guests. It also saved us some pennies, which we were able to use for other aspects of the wedding.