26th-27th May 2017
Venue | Largs Registration Office and the bride’s parents’ house, North Ayrshire
Photography | Jarvie & Jones
“We currently live in Kenya and got engaged when staying at a stunning safari lodge. We’d been on a camel trek with a Masai guide, had a picnic by the river, saw elephants feeding in the bush and watched the sunset on a hilltop enjoying a cocktail. We got back just in time for a big thunderstorm and as we sat by a roaring fire, Alex got down on one knee and proposed!
Our first decision was to have the celebration at Barrie’s parents’ house in North Ayrshire. Realising the enormity of planning a wedding from 4,500 miles and two time zones away, our second decision was to ask event planners Laura and Natalie at Lemonbox Studios to help organise the wedding.
We had our ceremony the day before the reception at the registry office in Largs with 18 of our nearest and dearest, then 134 joined us the next day for a party.
The wedding was themed around ‘our journey’ – all the places we’ve been lucky enough to visit or work since we met. We imported roses from a farm near where we live in Kenya, had Ethiopian coffee brought back from Addis Ababa and a doughnut stand to display a tower of Fisher & Donaldson fudge doughnuts (a favourite from Barrie’s student days at St Andrews).
Instead of a sit-down dinner, we had food stations from around the world. Each station was from a country or region we have lived, worked or travelled in, and the dishes comprised some of our favourites from our time there. We were so impressed with the way our caterers, Ginger Snap, embraced this idea and produced a fantastic, delicious spread.
Alex is famous for his terrible puns, so we didn’t miss the opportunities for some fun signs with our surname, Way.”
Top tip: “One thing that was really important was that we planned the wedding together with equal input. Often, the majority of wedding planning falls to the bride, but it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s one of the biggest projects that a couple will take on – and for us it was all about partnership.”
Dress David’s Bridal
Shoes LK Bennett
Rings Whibleys
Groomswear Bäumler at House of Fraser
Marquee Myreton Marquees Hire
Styling and planning Lemonbox Studios
Catering Ginger Snap, with additional desserts by Naked Dough and ice cream from Lime Tree Larder
Cake Happyhills Cake
Flowers Lorraine Wood Flowers
Stationery paperless invites by Greenvelope
Entertainment Jim Jam Ceilidh Band
Hair Hannah at Elements Hair & Beauty
