Rachel has worked ‘behind the scenes,’ at Elsick for two and a half years, managing our social media and website content.
How did you come to work for Elsick House? I was already working for the owners of Elsick House (the Duke and Duchess of Fife) as I manage the social media and organise the events programme for the nearby new town of Chapelton. As Elsick House got busier with more weddings they needed someone to create the content for their social media. I had been a guest at a friends’ wedding at Elsick House in the spring of that year and fell in love with it. I couldn’t say no.
What does a typical day in your role involve? It’s a varied role which can involve going to Elsick to take my own photos of the gardens and grounds for social media or selecting photos from wedding photographers’ galleries that we can use on our pages and website. I create and upload content but also spend time online, interacting with other accounts and looking at insights and trends.
What is your favourite part of the job? I feel very privileged to be granted access to wedding photos and I always have a smile on my face when I’m looking through couples’ galleries. I used to run my own business making wedding stationery and I always loved hearing about people’s plans for their big day. It’s amazing to see all the ways that couples put their style into Elsick House, each wedding is so unique and Elsick provides such a great backdrop for making it your own. Learning about the history of the house and its royal connection has been so fascinating too.
What is your favourite part of the house and why? I love the Alexandra bridal suite. It’s so bright and spacious. The traditional features are the perfect backdrop for all those ‘getting ready’ photos. I also love that it has an open plan en suite and a bath with a view, it feels so luxurious and romantic. The marquee is also fantastic. It looks right into the gardens and has a huge space for a dancefloor.
What do you enjoy doing out of work? Taking my daughters to their dancing, netball and piano lessons takes up most of my free time but we love weekends for visiting family, going ice skating or having movie nights. Our puppy Louis is an 11 month old black lab, he is lots of fun and shares his name with the late Duke of Fife’s black lab, which is no coincidence. There is a mural in the disused swimming pool at Elsick that the Duke commissioned, featuring all of his favourite things, including his beloved dog Louis. I was researching the mural right before we got our puppy and the name just seemed to fit. We really enjoy going on family walks with him and we often go on The Chapelton Trail which takes us past the Elsick gates.
What do you think makes Elsick House so special? The gardens are simply breath-taking, they look stunning all year round thanks to Alec and Mandy, the gardeners here. There are so many beautiful places for ceremonies and photos. When I arrived as a guest at our friends’ wedding at Elsick I remember thinking they had chosen somewhere truly special to get married. I was amazed that it was so close to Aberdeen yet hidden away in acres of land and trees – it felt so private and exclusive. Our friends adopted Elsick as their ‘home from home’ for a full wedding weekend and everyone was made to feel so welcome by the staff. I now know that every wedding is treated with the same care and attentiveness, it’s a really special team.
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 on house@elsick.co.uk