Gatsby Glamour – A Black Tie Winter Wedding

Black and white with a splash of gold was the order of the day for Sarah and Graeme’s glam city wedding. Their Humanist ceremony included handwritten vows and was followed by a fun casino and cocktail hour while the two of them headed outdoors for photos in the golden winter light. Having once welcomed the legendary Frank Sinatra, their iconic hotel venue in the heart of Glasgow was the perfect place to dance the night away!

How did you two meet?

Graeme and I knew each other from school. It wasn’t until a few years later, when we started dating that we both knew how serious things were going to be. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me. We are complete opposites and it works perfectly!

What inspired your wedding plans?

Glasgow Gatsby! We wanted something different, classy and memorable. Black and white with a splash of gold – it was December after all!

Grand Central Hotel is a gorgeous, iconic hotel in the heart of Glasgow. It was originally built in the late 19th century as a great British railway hotel and has welcomed many famous guests including Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill, throughout the years.

I often looked on We Fell In Love. It was great to use when brainstorming ideas or when I was looking for something unique!

I was obsessed with Kirstie’s Flowers and would regularly search her Instagram and Facebook pages to check on her newest wedding creations. From the first time I visited the team in their gorgeous shop I was sold. They were up to the task of finding me all white flowers in the hardest season of the year and they did not disappoint! We chose sprayed white decadence roses for the bouquets and buttonholes, giving the ultimate winter white feel.

We love your dress! Tell us more…

I searched for quite a while to find my dress. When I arrived in Eleganza Sposa in Glasgow I knew I would get my dress there. I had it narrowed down to two dresses and tried both on again to make the big choice. The Essence of Australia gown was the clear winner, when I had it on I just knew that was what I was going to marry Graeme in. The back of the gown showcased an illusion tulle keyhole back, surrounded by breathtaking lace. A dramatic train finished the look off magnificently. The back of the gown had beautiful silk fabric buttons.

My accessories were very minimal as I wanted my dress to stand out. I wore a beautiful headpiece that I found in Debenhams just the week before we got married, and some simple droplet earrings. I decided to wear my gorgeous engagement ring from Laings Glasgow on my right hand until after the ceremony when I switched it over!

The personal gifts I received from my new husband were my favourite. He bought me a stunning Mulberry handbag (Bayswater zipped) – it’s my new pride and joy. He also sent me some Hermes perfume, Jo malone products and fluffy socks from the White Company – urging me not to get cold feet!

The girls all wore different styles of sparkly gold gowns. The shop had so much variety to choose from and it meant every bridesmaid could be unique in her own way.

We were set on black tie for the men in our wedding party. Graeme wanted his suit to be special and to keep it forever. He went to Forbes on the Square for a custom tuxedo. The quality and service was amazing.

Your photos are so beautiful and atmospheric!

Audrey from Tandem Photo was our wonderful photographer. Her style is natural, chic and personal. Tandem offered the option for one or two photographers on the day and we picked two in order to capture every moment. They were so invested in getting the images we wanted and making it personal to us. Warming, hard working and creative. We will cherish our photos forever!

Our wedding film was made by Ian from Swift Productions who was helpful, relaxed and creative. He was unobtrusive and was willing to get out into the streets of Glasgow to get those one of a kind shots!

What was your first dance song?

For our first dance we chose an acoustic version of ‘Treasure’ by Bruno Mars. It’s a special song for us and reminds us of a brilliant memory. It was nice when our wedding party joined us on the floor towards the end and the party really begun!

The Big Papas were amazing! They fitted the vibe of our day perfectly and our floor was busy all night long. We also booked Big Deal Fun Casino who kept our guests entertained during our photographs and cocktail hour!

Honeymoon or minimoon?

We headed off to Gleneagles for a mini break after our wedding, which was such an amazing time to relax and enjoy each other’s company after the busy few weeks leading up to it! It was lovely to toast each other as the new Mr and Mrs Kerr!

In April we visited the Maldives and stayed at the Centara Grand Island Resort. We had an overwater bungalow with amazing views. The perfect peace and tranquility to celebrate the start of married life!

Any advice?


Trust yourselves and what you both want. It’s nice to have input from family and friends but it’s your special day! Things go wrong and that’s just life but try to relax and remember why you started this whole process – you love each other!

What’s the one truly unforgettable thing about your wedding day?

Our ceremony! It meant so much to us both. I really felt like it was a moment to remember forever. We read handwritten vows to each other and I will never forget them.

We love winter weddings, don’t you?! So atmospheric, sparkly and full of warmth. Hope those of you planning a December wedding of your own are feeling inspired. And huge congrats to Sarah & Graeme – thank you for sharing your story and photos! x