Catherine Duffy and Steven Rae
7th October 2017
Venue | The Barn at Barra Castle
Photography | Scott Hogg Photography
“Our main caveat when it came to hunting for a venue for our wedding was that it must have a big dancefloor – we wanted to put on a ceilidh to remember.
The Barn at Barra Castle in Oldmeldrum suited us down to the ground. It offers vistas across the surrounding Aberdeenshire countryside, including Bennachie (a local hill) where, as chance would have it, we had our second date.
I’m a vet, so the venue’s connection to farming and animals was also a bonus. We even cow ear-tags to help people find their seats. Each table corresponded to a breed of cattle and each tag had a guest’s name on it with the breed/table they were at.
I cannot resist sparkles. We had twinkling heart balloons as reception décor and hired a giant disco ball from local wedding dressing specialist Your Day to glimmer above the dancefloor. The bridesmaids and flower girls wore sequin-covered dresses and I even picked my Irregular Choice bow shoes on the basis that they were glittery!
One of the most fun parts of the day was being picked up by my cousin Adam in his purple Mini Cooper. With Motown music blasting, my two bridesmaids and I travelled to the ceremony smiling and laughing the whole way.
Getting married was the biggest thrill! Our humanist celebrant, Vanessa Smith from the Humanist Society Scotland, personalised the ceremony for us and made it totally unforgettable.”
Top tip: “Call in favours! Our friends and family chipped in to assist which made our big day all the more special. Alongside input from my creative sister, my father-in-law Jim baked one of our cakes and decorated it with puffins. We had another cake made by Love Laura Lane – a gift from my auntie and uncle. Two mates, Grace and Martin, stepped in to film the day, while my hairdresser pal, Audra, was on hand to put my tresses up in the morning. We couldn’t have done it without their contributions.”
Dress House of Mooshki at Pretty Woman
Bridesmaids’ dresses ASOS
Celebrant Vanessa Smith at the Humanist Society Scotland
Cake One baked by the groom’s dad with a second by Love Laura Lane
Flowers Isla Duncan Florist
Entertainment Beinn Lee Ceilidh
Balloons & disco ball hire Your Day
Hair Audra Davidson at Angels Hair Design
Makeup Stacey Strachan Makeup
