AN ECLECTIC WINTON CASTLE WEDDING WITH A MAXIMALIST MOOD
FEATURING
Shanleigh & Nelson’s Winton Castle wedding was an inclusive and eclectic celebration designed to reflect who they are.
“Embrace the unpredictability. No matter how much you plan, there will be surprises. Flexibility and a sense of humour will save your sanity!”
~ Shanleigh + Nelson
We Fell In Love With…
Maximalist vibes, a double dress situation and all the family feels!
Shanleigh and Nelson planned their Winton Castle wedding day all the way from Colorado. They designed their day with an eclectic feel that was inclusive and truly reflected who they are as people, and as a couple – bold, colourful and creative!
Read on to see all the bright and beautiful inspiration, including some invaluable tips for planning your own big day from near or far.
TELL US ABOUT YOU TWO + YOUR WEDDING JOURNEY
We met through colleagues. The night ended at a karaoke bar, which is where Nathan discovered that Shanleigh was also a singer. He hired her to sing vocals on a track, and a collaboration soon turned into a close friendship. Which evolved into love.
We’ve always been drawn to Scotland, the landscapes, the culture, the people and the endlessly entertaining expressions! After learning we could get married in a castle and have our closest friends and family stay with us, it felt like the perfect fit. We couldn’t imagine a better setting for a celebration full of life, personality and love.
We initially hoped for a spring wedding but settled on early July due to availability. We worried it might be too hot, but the weather turned out perfect every day.
We knew we didn’t want a traditional wedding. There were no bridesmaids, groomsmen or staged photos. Our wedding was an eclectic celebration, inclusive and true to who we are.
Our lives are full of bold, colourful, and creative things. We collect unusual art, love loud patterns, and both sing in eccentric cover bands. It only felt right to carry that same energy into our wedding with a maximalist theme, encouraging our guests to embrace patterns, bold colours, textures and statement pieces. The louder, the better!
Planning an international wedding came with its challenges. Coordinating across time zones and navigating differences between American and Scottish traditions was no small feat. Luckily, we had an amazing team to help us. Winton Castle’s wedding coordinator, Johanne, was instrumental in making our day seamless, from vendor recommendations to understanding the quirks of Scottish weddings. My best friend, a wedding planner in Aspen, was also a huge help.
Despite the hurdles, everything came together better than we could have imagined. We even managed to fit in a pre-wedding trip to Scotland. It was an unforgettable journey, just like our wedding.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR OUTFITS
When it came to wedding attire Shanleigh wanted something bold and bright. The first piece she found was a hot pink mini dress by Camila Coelho, it was love at first sight.
She decided to get a longer dress for the ceremony and quickly found the perfect one. A floor-length white and silver sequined gown by Nookie, paired with a simple, waist-length veil.
Nelson wanted to embrace Scottish tradition with a custom kilt. Shanleigh’s distant ancestors were Scottish so we chose their tartan.
Our photographers, Jo + Liam, recommended MacGregor & MacDuff, and they created a kilt that was nothing short of a masterpiece.
On the day of the wedding an issue cropped up, how does one put on a kilt? We resigned ourselves to YouTube tutorials, but thankfully, Liam (of Jo + Liam) saved the day. He walked Nelson through every step. For the ceremony, Nelson wore the full traditional kilt look with a white button-down shirt.
Afterward, it was time to embrace the fun. Shanleigh changed into her hot pink mini dress, and Nelson swapped his white shirt for a bold, colourful button-down. We struck the perfect balance between honouring tradition and being a bit eccentric.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CEREMONY
Our ceremony was held in Winton Castle’s drawing room, with our 45 guests seated in a semi-circle around the grand stone fireplace. We’d asked our guests to dress boldly, and they delivered. Picture an explosion of colour, glitter, and textures—it was like a maximalist dream brought to life.
In the front row we left one chair empty, with a colourful image to honour Shanleigh’s late best friend, Lauren Skillman. It was important to have a tangible way to feel her presence that day.
Since we were already legally married, there was no paperwork or official business to handle. Instead, the ceremony was about love, laughter, and the people who mean the most to us. One of our best friends, Lance Johnston, officiated.
Shanleigh entered to a piano rendition of “There She Goes” by The La’s. Lance opened by taking a moment to honour Lauren. From there, he led the ceremony with the perfect balance of love and humour.
After a short but perfect ceremony, we were whisked away to the main suite for a private moment to toast with champagne and change into our after-ceremony outfits. Meanwhile, our guests were escorted outside to enjoy a falconry display.
Looking back, it was everything we wanted and more. It was a ceremony filled with love, laughter, and the vibrant energy of the people we love most.
TELL US ABOUT THE RECEPTION
When we were searching for a wedding venue in Scotland, we noticed that many offered a “falconry display” as a wedding add-on. As Shanleigh volunteers in a wild bird ICU in Colorado, this felt like a no-brainer.
Elite Falconry brought an absolutely breathtaking experience. Initially, we were worried that the gap between the ceremony and dinner might drag, but thanks to the falconry display, it absolutely flew by (yes, we had to!).
Guests then moved to the vibrant pink dining room for dinner. Our smaller group allowed us to use long, grand tables. Each table was decorated with silver candelabras and mismatched floral arrangements in small vases. We created custom name cards for every guest. Each card featured their name surrounded by little illustrations of items that reminded us of them.
The Edinburgh Catering Company delivered a meal that people still rave about.
After dinner, we gathered in the drawing room for toasts. Then came the “cake.” Adding to our list of silly wedding mishaps, we completely forgot to order one in the whirlwind of planning. Enter the Winton Castle team, who saved the day in the most charming way possible. They surprised us with two Colin the Caterpillar cakes, one boy and one girl caterpillar. They did clarify that this quirky choice wouldn’t be suitable for most weddings, but after getting to know us, they felt it was exactly the kind of lighthearted touch we’d appreciate.
We kicked off the dancing with our first dance to “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. As the night cooled, Winton staff lit fireplaces inside and small fires outside, creating a cosy, magical atmosphere.
Our wedding didn’t have a single dramatic moment or complaint—just joy, love, and laughter. It was truly flawless, and we wouldn’t change a thing.
WHICH SUPPLIERS ROCKED YOUR DAY?
We truly couldn’t have asked for better suppliers, they all went above and beyond to make our day unforgettable.
The Winton Castle team was absolutely incredible. They thought of everything and ensured every detail went off without a hitch. They struck the perfect balance of being efficient and personable, and they made the whole experience feel seamless and fun.
We could write a book about our love for Jo + Liam. They took the time to get to know us, went out of their way to capture our wedding exactly as we envisioned. Jo and Liam are two of the most lovely, enthusiastic, and hilarious people we’ve ever met, and their presence alone lifted the energy in every room.
Suzanne Christie was a godsend. She graciously arrived at the castle at 6 am (!) to do hair and makeup for Shanleigh and several of our guests. Not only did she make Shanleigh’s hair look stunning but she also created beautiful, unique looks for each guest. She nailed every vision with ease.
Where do we even begin with the Edinburgh Catering Company? They delivered the best wedding meal any of us had ever experienced. Every course was fresh, thoughtful, and absolutely delicious.
Finally, we have to give a massive shoutout to Elite Falconry. We never imagined a falconry display could be so engaging, but they absolutely blew us (and our guests) away. The birds were incredible, the presentation was fascinating, and every single guest was captivated from start to finish.
ANY LESSONS LEARNED OR ADVICE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
Planning a wedding overseas comes with its fair share of challenges, but the biggest for us was estimating the headcount. We invited 160 people, hoping for around 60-80 attendees. It turns out that guessing how many people will cross an ocean for your wedding is harder than predicting the weather in Scotland. I used a website called TextMyGuests to send a friendly, automated follow-up to everyone who had replied by the RSVP deadline. It saved so much time and sanity. I can’t recommend a tool like this enough.
We definitely advise encouraging early bookings. Gently remind your guests to make their travel and lodging arrangements as soon as possible to avoid last-minute stress.
Another challenge came from the currency exchange. When we started planning the GBP and USD were fairly close. By the time the wedding rolled around the pound had surged, increasing our costs by roughly 30%. In hindsight, we wish we’d kept a closer eye on the exchange rate and made payments during favourable windows.
Most importantly, embrace the unpredictability. No matter how much you plan, there will be surprises. Flexibility and a sense of humour will save your sanity!
