RELAXED VIBES FOR A COLOURFUL COASTAL WEDDING

After planning six different weddings to fit the ever-changing Covid restrictions, Emma and Chris opted for a relaxed celebration at home. Their ceremony took place on the coast of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian, followed by an after party in their back garden.

We’re loving the stunning florals by Emma, a talented florist, herself and the fun, colourful vibes!

How did you two meet?

We met 7 years ago on a super yacht in Miami. Sounds outrageous right?! But we did… At that time we were both working in the yachting industry (Chris still does). We had an instant connection and we both found each other’s accents intriguing! A Scot and a South African.

What inspired your wedding plans?

Each other. We are very down to earth, chilled and laidback people. We didn’t want a huge fuss and we didn’t want the wedding any other way but ours. We did a lot of DIY as it was in our own home and I got a lot of inspo from colour as I always do with anything. I wanted our wedding to be very colourful, fun and full of natural energy!

Tell us about the setting…

We got married at Gullane bents, just on the green beside the car park, overlooking the ocean. As I’m a beach bum, I wanted to be close to the ocean and as we live down the road it was perfect.

The reception was at home in our back garden and we turned our garage into the bar and dancefloor. It was so special to have everyone that we loved in our own home and we could do whatever we wanted!

We love your outfits! Tell us more…

The dress was perfect. I hadn’t a clue what I wanted so I tried on a few in different boutiques, but then went to a shop in London and found the one… I wasn’t prepared to pay full retail price so I found the exact same one online and took a risk that it would fit. WHICH IT DID! The dress was elegant but sexy. I loved wearing it.

I also wore my grandmother’s pearl earrings, and Chris gifted me a stunning bracelet which has rubies in it.

Chris wore a traditional kilt in the Pyle tartan, which his mum had made. The boys decided to wear just a waistcoat to give an informal feel but still looked smart.

Your photos capture the day so beautifully! 

Sinéad was an absolute gem! We wanted natural, fun, loving and happy photos from our day and Sinéad captured them beautifully! From out first meeting, right up until our day, she made us feel at ease and comfortable. She has a very easy going, but professional approach to her work.

Tell us more about the flowers…

A little girl grows up dreaming about her wedding dress… I dreamed about my wedding flowers. I wanted the flowers to be all my favourite colours and I wanted specific varieties. My style is natural, wild, romantic and colourful. Focusing on the shapes and really trying to show off each flower in their natural way.

Our table arrangements mainly consisted of flowers in concrete troughs creating a modern feel, and our ceremony flowers were meadow boxes placed on the floor, framing the aisle, using pampas grass and reflexed roses as the focal flowers. The  pampas grass was picked from my mother-in-law’s garden. I really enjoyed doing my own flowers, especially my bouquet. I loved it!

Were there any challenges along the way?

Yes Covid. We planned about six different weddings in ways that could fit each stage of Covid, as we had to keep moving our wedding and the caterers kept pulling out. In the end, our at home wedding suited us perfectly.

Did you manage to stick to your budget?

Nope! We spent more as we wanted it to be exactly as we imagined.

Any advice?

Do not listen to anyone else. Do what you want to do and stick to it. That is all that matters. At the end of the day it’s you that is getting married. Also, not having a caterer and other suppliers around made it magical as it was just us. Hiring a venue is great, but having it in your own home is even better!

Honeymoon or minimoon?

Imagine Tuscany, vineyards, infinity pools, and an authentic boutique villa in Tuscany. We road tripped to the coast and jumped on a ferry to the island of Gigglio. Local seafood, white wine, clear blue ocean. Again, none of this was planned. We booked the first tuscan hotel and then just followed the sun!

What’s the one moment you will always remember?

Arriving home and seeing everything set up and all our family and friends enjoying themselves was the best feeling..

How fun does this dancefloor look? Thanks for sharing your wedding story and gorgeous photos with us Emma and Chris! x