Murthly Castle: Max & Hannah

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

I'm very excited to share these pictures, and had a hard time choosing as you can see...While the actual ceremony was in Murthly Castle Chapel, with the reception in a Triple Tepee in the walled garden there, the Brides Team got ready at Eastwood House, and the Grooms Team got ready at Dunkeld House - so between them they covered almost all my most local venues...in fact a few photos over at the Hermitage would have completed the set!

Anyway, the Chapel is amazing in many ways...the colours, the history, the artworks, the positive feel of the place, and indeed the family who care for it and by whom it is still used by as a place of worship, as well as allowing Humanist's like myself to conduct ceremonies there.

...and although I've conducted several over the years, I have so far failed spectacularly to get any decent photos...So Hannah sending these through and saying I can take my pick pretty much made my day, and I couldn't wait to get them up here! 

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

 Hannah & Max fell in love with the place on their first speculative visit, and wanted to get all the family and friends away from the usual haunts in Edinburgh for the celebrations.

They'd been together for over 10 years already, and are very close to all of each others families and friends, so there weren't going to be any awkward introductions or quiet tables at the meal, and that familiarity also meant that they felt comfortable enough to be absolutely themselves, and pretty relaxed - even in all their finery, and standing in front of everyone.

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

Who says veils don't work on windy days? Depends what you want to use them for!

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

In contrast to the drama of the setting the ceremony itself was elegantly simple and flowed beautifully, with a string quartet playing and particularly lovely readings, but no handfasting, candles or anything...just beautiful words about Hannah & Max themselves, their lives together and their friends and families...and several teasing mentions of their devotion to food!

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

 The vows were simple but heartfelt too, borrowed from the work of Bertrand Russell

Today I marry my Best friend,

The one I have laughed and cried with,

The one I have learned from and shared with,

The one I have chosen to support, encourage,

And give myself to, 

Through all the days given us to share.

Today I marry the one I love.

Thank you for letting me share a few glimpses of your day guys, and my very best wishes for the future.

Links below to the Venue at Murthly Estate and to the Photographer, Ricky Baillie

Photographs by Ricky Baillie

http://www.rickybaillie.com/edinburgh-wedding-photographer-ricky-baillie-latest-weddings-blog/


http://www.murthly-estate.com/

Rachael & Mark ~ April 2016 ~ Dunkeld House Hotel

Jen and Craig ~ 20 May 2016 ~ Huntingtower Hotel, Perth

Craig's Vows

Jen, I love you

From the tips of my toes

to the ever decreasing hairs on my head

I love how you accept me for who I am

How you are kind and gentle

How you suport and encourage me

How you challenge and inspire us

You are the Leia to my Han

The Belle to my Beast

The angel to my cake

You are the first person I think of when I wak

The last person I think of when I go to slepp

I vow to love you when it's easy and love you more when it's not

I vow to stand by your side for our amazing journey through life

I vow to be the man you deserve

Jen's Vows

Craig, you drive me mental.

Your untidiness makes me want to pull my hair out,

Your podcasts make me want to scream,

And your casual desregard for punctuality makes me want to smack my head off a wall.

But despite all of this, I happen to love you very much.

I love the way you always know how to make me laugh.

Your constant optimism is infectious and

Your love of life is unquestioning. 

You always see the good in people,

And you always see the best in me.

Not a day goes by when I don't thank my lucky stars that we met.

The last three years have been the happiest of my life,

And I love you more and more as each day passes.

You make my life complete.

I promise to support and encourage you in all that you do,

And to love you for the rest of my days...

...To infinity and beyond.

Together:

Do you promise to share your lives with each other;

To love and protect each other;

And to always be supportive and understanding?

"We do."

Do you promise to be trusting and honest;

To comfort and encourage each other

In times of sickness and in health,

Whatever the future may hold

From this day forward?

"We Do"

...and to all our guests, today, do you, their friends and family who have loved and supported them in the past, offer your blessing for Jen and Craig's marriage, promising to support and encourage them in their lifelong commitment to each other?  If you agree, please say, "We do."

"We do."

Andrea & Tom ~ Atholl Palace ~ November 2015

As you might know, Humanists don't have a book of rules that says what a marriage should be, understanding that each marriage is as individual as the couple who are making it their own.  For Andrea and Tom, marriage means:

Accepting one another, in his or her entirety, as a lover, companion and friend.  It means caring and working for each other so that each feels loved, safe and secure.

It means to give your support, patience, and try your best to be understanding (not always easy!).

Being there for each other when the other needs it the most.  Helping with Architect exams!

It means putting a cold face cloth on Tom's head when he has a migraine...or is hungover.

Best of all, this marriage will signify a union of two amazing families, with plenty "character" (Jack's 'irn bur' kilt) and a lot of love to give.

 In committing themselves to each other in marriage, Andrea and Tom will share laughter and tears, joy and sadness...they will not belong to each other, but will belong with each other.

 They each understand that the commitment they are making today will require hard work and sacrifice on both sides, that their voyage through life together will sometimes be calm and may sometimes be story, but they know now that their love for each other will see them through.

Annie & Donny at Kennacoil, Dunkeld

Wonderful, sunny, crazy chaotic afternoon with Annie & Donny at Kennacoil above Dunkeld. All the family in attendance and of course Winston the greyhound in his collar and tie. Good look for him. 

Some of the ceremony was literally made up as we went along, as a few things had to be left out for practical reasons, but as more elements seemed to add themselves as we went along, it wasn't a problem...the first time I've seen a handfasting done by ALL the children at the ceremony, who got to pick their own ribbons from the bag too...Molly got in there first and tied her Mum and Dad up with the skull and crossbones one!

My own photo's this time but I hope to get better ones once their photographer sorts everything out.

Blyth & Jeff at St. Brides Kirk, Blair Castle

Blyth & Jeff at St. Brides Kirk, Blair Castle: lovely setting, great music and a perfect walk back to the castle through the woods. Chilli's were the floral theme!

Photo's above by Liron Erel, and below by me...

Leanne & Alex at Dunkeld House

This was one of those perfect summer days in Perthshire...and it feels so right that you can trully imagine it being like this all the time! Though everyone was dressed up and the setting was rather grand, the wedding still managed to feel small and relaxed with lots of laughs, and really personal vows spoken by both the Bride & Groom.

Down by the river after the ceremony. Photo by David Lozowy.

I took this one myself...just amazed that so much of the river bed was exposed...where Alex & Leanne are standing will 20 feet under the Tay by the end of November!