AN INTIMATE FIFE ARMS WEDDING IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
FEATURING
Jalan + Graeme’s Fife Arms wedding was a gorgeous intimate affair in the Scottish Highlands!
“I just wish I could do it all again so I could take it in more and enjoy. It flew by so fast, and I had so much fun.”
~ Jalan + Graeme
We Fell In Love With…
Wild autumnal florals and the quirky, cosy, and luxurious setting of The Fife Arms. Not forgetting the embroidered dress of dreams!
The Fife Arms is a real gem of a venue in the Scottish Highlands and the perfect host for Jalan and Graeme’s celebration. We love the intimate feel of their big day and how they didn’t let the pouring rain outside ruin their fun.
Read on to see all the gorgeous inspo and stay tuned to the end to get some important advice from this lovely couple.
TELL US ABOUT YOU TWO + YOUR WEDDING JOURNEY
We met in Aberdeen in 2019. Graeme proposed on the top of Bennachie in 2022 and we married a year later.
We had always loved The Fife Arms, having spent birthdays and celebrations there, so it was the obvious choice for our wedding. It was a total dream come true that we could make it happen. There was no theme, other than an appreciation of the amazing eclectic decor that the hotel has to offer with sublime autumnal colours everywhere you looked.
The event team helped us so much with all elements of the wedding planning, making it super easy and stress free. All our superstar suppliers were amazing. The only unexpected challenge was the pouring rain on the actual wedding day, but the hotel seamlessly took care of it, giving our guests a lift to St Margaret’s and back.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS
Jalan searched high and low for a wedding dress (not an easy task when you are a bride over 6ft). Eventually she found her dream dress by Sassi Holford at Ivory Grace Bridal Boutique in Aberdeen. It stood out and won Jalan over with the floral pops of colour! Her shoes were from Otto + Ivy, a fantastic brand for tall ladies.
It was always going to be a kilt for Graeme, and he knew that a classic charcoal grey from Soy Kilts would be the perfect compliment to our winter wedding.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CEREMONY
We prioritised a personal yet fun ceremony with our lovely celebrant Lesley as well as having a close friend speak. It was exactly what we wished for and our favourite part of the day. Short and sweet, it was the right level of informal and relaxed with profound loving meaning.
The venue for our ceremony was St Margaret’s in Braemar, a short walk across the way from The Fife Arms Hotel. The space was decorated minimally with natural flowers and botanicals by the wonderful Hollie Berries. Her brief had been to keep everything as wild and organic as possible, all homegrown flowers with an emphasis on bringing the autumnal outdoors inside.
TELL US ABOUT THE RECEPTION
It would be a hard feat to not enjoy The Fife Arms Hotel. They set the vibe and scene with spectacular food and drink, lovely staff and stunning interiors. We couldn’t have asked for more for our wedding reception!
At night we had the fantastic Cairngorm Ceilidh Band play, which of course was a huge hit with all our guests, even the Londoners who got stuck in with lots of Scottish ceilidh dancing!
We had so much fun with our photographers Carole-Ann and Hazel from Harper Scott Photography, you can tell from our photos how much we laughed with them! They smoothly dealt with a busy day, including some unpredictable weather and changes to location, all while making us crack up with laughter. We now have the most amazing photos that totally capture our marvellous day!
ANY LESSONS LEARNED OR ADVICE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
We both just wish we could do it all again! The day flew by so fast and although we had so much fun, it would be lovely to experience that time with family and friends all over again.
Two key tips for future couples:
1. Do not stress about the weather (it is most likely going to rain anyway). It totally poured down on our day, changes had to be made… but honestly we didn’t care at all. It isn’t something we ever think about when we reminisce about our big day.
2. Make sure you take time alone together. It is such a busy day, and all your favourite people are there, but allow moments for just the two of you. Carole-Ann and Hazel dragged us away to take some photos, and during that time it was so lovely to simply absorb where we were together. A total dream of a day!
