Choosing an exclusive use venue was important to Lauren and Ali. After postponing their original date due to the pandemic, spending their wedding weekend with family and friends in a relaxed and welcoming venue was top of their priority list and even on the wettest day of the year in Aberdeenshire, it was everything they dreamed of.
Lauren explains, “We got engaged in Santorini. We were watching the sunset one evening and I couldn’t believe it when I heard our song come on (Jess Glynne, Take Me Home). I turned around to see Ali on one knee! We spent the rest of the holiday in our own happy bubble! When we returned we started to look at venues and agreed that we liked the idea of something that is exclusive use. We searched online and came across Elsick House which we discovered is only ten minutes from where we live, so we requested a viewing!
As we drove towards the house we both said, “this is the one!” It was so close to our own home yet it felt really secluded with so much peace and quiet within the beautiful grounds.
We had a warm welcome from Alison who gave us all the information we needed and then we looked around the house and all its rooms. We quickly got excited and started planning things like who would sleep in each room and how we would use the public spaces! Everything was perfect for us both and we found the whole experience so welcoming and relaxing as well as informative. A week later, we visited again with my Mum and sister. We had that same magical feeling again that we’d experienced coming up the drive for the first time, so we knew it was right and we booked our wedding right then!”
What made your wedding unique? “It was the rainiest day of the year in Aberdeenshire and it down poured from the moment we got up until the evening! However, when the rain eventually stopped we went out to the walled gardens where Donna Murray Photography captured the most amazing night time portraits of us, which we absolutely love!”
Why would you recommend Elsick House? “There are two main reasons – the house itself and the staff. Having exclusive use of the house meant we could share special time with all our own family and friends under one roof. Our guests felt at home, enjoying a drink around the fireplace or taking a walk in the gardens together. We loved that we didn’t have to say goodbye to our family on the night of the wedding – we carried on into the evening at the house and we woke up the next day to spend time talking all about it. We felt like we had an extra day of our wedding.
Alison, Karen and Joyce were fantastic. The communication was always quick and they answered any query we had. We were made to feel so welcome on every visit and the staff took a genuine interest in our lives so we felt like we really got to know each other. We know there are many weddings at Elsick House but Alison and the team made us feel like we were the only couple they had. Along with the wonderful team from Hudson’s Catering, they couldn’t do enough to make sure our day ran perfectly.”
Photography: Donna Murray Photography
Florist: Kim Dalglish Florist
Brides dress: Donna Salado at Elmar Bridal
Kilt: 8Yards
Catering: Hudsons Catering
Cake: Arty Crafty Cakes by Leah
Stationery: One of A Kind
Download our wedding brochure here or view a virtual tour of the house and grounds.
To arrange a visit to Elsick House or for more information about wedding and events please contact us at house@elsick.co.uk