Kirsten and Gavin’s wedding date was originally set for April 2020 but with the first UK lockdown being imposed less than 3 weeks before that, they were forced to change plans. In fact, they changed dates twice more before finally making a last-minute decision to downscale from 120 to only 20 guests at their Elsick House micro wedding.
Kirsten remembers, “the first time we had to postpone was extremely difficult as we were only a month out and had everything ready to go. We were in the final stages of organising our big day. At that point we felt that we had no control of the situation. We rearranged for April 2021 but eventually we decided that we did not want to postpone any further and at extremely short notice we set a date in December. The staff at Elsick were very understanding and gave us so much support. They were continually in contact with us to offer reassurance throughout the process. We knew that no matter what numbers we had, we would still have a special day at Elsick House.”
Kirsten and Gavin live in London and discovered Elsick House online while searching for venues near where Kirsten was brought up. She said, “we fell in Love with Elsick house straight away. As soon as we drove into the estate we were mesmerised by its picturesque setting and spacious surroundings. We received such a welcoming reception on each visit from Alison, Joyce and Karen. Whilst being toured around the house we loved the unique characteristics of each room and we were blown away by the gardens. Our main priority when choosing a venue was to be surrounded by Scottish countryside and Elsick House certainly showcased that beautifully. We couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else.”
Despite so many changes Kirsten says their friends and family were very understanding when it came to reducing the guest list. “Unfortunately, I was unable to have two of my two bridesmaids and one of Gavin’s groomsmen at the wedding but they contacted Elsick House to organise a surprise video call. Having our family and friends join us from afar was a really special moment for us.”
When we look back on our day we remember all the happy parts and not the changes that we had to make. My Dad produced a 2-metre stick for walking me down the aisle which was hilarious and as we were unable to do our quaich ceremony with all of our guests, we gave everyone their own separate nip on their seat, as well as their own hand sanitiser and face mask! The fact we managed to get married in a pandemic was pretty unique and being able to share our day with our nearest and dearest was so amazing.”
Speaking of the venue, Kirsten said “it was perfect as the inside and outside spaces are so versatile and allows for lots of proceedings. We had reception drinks in the study and outside in the grounds, the drawing room had all the technology for the video call and we cut the cake in the reception hall. Our families are extremely creative so we got them involved with the decorations and my Granda made our wedding cake. It was exactly as we wanted and a very special moment when we first saw his creation.”
In addition to the support of the staff at Elsick House, Kirsten said, “all of our suppliers were extremely accommodating. Sarah at Hudson’s Catering helped make our day perfect despite the restrictions. Linda from The Flower Pavilion was brilliant and managed to adapt our original spring flower concept for the winter season. Our photographer James Kelly has been with us from the beginning and as soon as we got engaged, we reached out to him to be part of our big day. He kept in contact with us throughout to offer support. Stacey Strachan Makeup calmed my nerves on the day with her bubbly personality and we also felt extremely lucky to have Diane Minty as our celebrant. A family friend, Diane was very supportive and helpful during the constant changes, making it relatively stress free!”
“Although we had to make some harsh decisions initially, our whole wedding day was perfect. We discovered that a small wedding allowed for more intricate engagement with our guests. We were looking forward to introducing our friends to some Scottish country dancing but we’ll save that for another time! Right now, we are enjoying being newlyweds with our puppy, a Boston Terrier called Cameron.”
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