Allanah Watson and Lawrence O’Brien
15th July 2022
Venue | Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire
Photographer | Studio Snap
Why shouldn’t your wedding day be the greatest party you’ve ever thrown? Swapping the red plastic cups for champagne flutes, and the crisps and nuts for elegant canapés is a given, of course. But just because you’re making things official doesn’t mean you need to compromise on the fun. In Allanah and Lawrence’s case, their bash at Crieff Hydro had their 200 guests entertained from beginning to end.
“Our band, Franco, played ‘Dream Catch Me’ by Newton Faulkner for our first dance, then later on we had a set from Zander Nation, which was a full-on rave,” the bride recalls.
“Nobody expected it! We had high energy all day from everyone, and still now we have people telling us what an amazing day it was and how it was the best wedding they’d ever been to.”
The couple, who booked their big day in February 2021, chose the venue after visiting just one other place, as they knew right away that it fitted the bill of what they were looking for.
“Crieff Hydro feels like a proper hideaway – even though it’s a very big resort, it still feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere,” explains Allanah. “The events team were really accommodating considering the number of guests we were planning to invite, and proposed various options for us to choose from to really make the day our own.”
In the aftermath of the pandemic, many of the guests used the wedding as an opportunity to catch up, and Crieff proved to be an ideal backdrop for celebrations.
“The outdoor space was what really sold it to us – I had always dreamed of an outdoor wedding in midsummer, and the locations for getting photographs taken just sealed the deal,” smiles Allanah. “We have a big friendship group, so as we were using the outside space we just had music playing and people coming and going for drinks for our reception. It was very relaxed.”
The couple wanted to spend as much time as possible with their guests (who hailed from Spain, Finland and across Scotland) so held the wedding on a Friday, with many guests staying for the full weekend across the hotel and its surrounding lodges.
Before the party commenced, guests enjoyed a decadent three-course meal (the tables were named after Scottish munros, in tribute to the newlyweds’ love of the great outdoors). “The venue really went with what we wanted, even to the point of tailoring the menu choices. Nothing was too big an ask,” commends the bride. “The events team were fantastic and ensured everything went seamlessly from booking the wedding, right through to the day itself.”
With special moments such as a the bridal party entering to ‘Freed from Desire’; having their two-year-old daughter join in the handfasting ceremony; and even honouring their beloved dog’s birthday during the ceremony, the couple say their dreams came true.
“We had everyone we love around us and it was the best celebration ever,” remembers the new Mrs O’Brien with a smile. “I managed to speak to all our guests, there were no hiccups on the day, we got our outdoor ceremony, and the food and drink was amazing. It really was the best day even if I do say so myself!”
