After getting engaged in January, sustainability analyst Gemma Loudon will marry insurance agent Lewis Malcolm on 1st June 2025 at Brig o’ Doon House Hotel in Ayrshire
Seven months to go! Sustainability analyst Gemma will marry insurance agent Lewis on 1st June 2025 at Brig o’ Doon House Hotel in Ayrshire
The couple recently visited Islay, where they firmed up their honeymoon plans
November 2024 update
If I had a penny for every time someone has told us ‘the wedding will be here before you know it’, we could pay for the honeymoon! But it is definitely starting to feel like the big day is almost here – we have just seven months to go!
We’ve been doing some small fun jobs for the wedding over the last few months. Lewis and I went to Glasgow to have a look at kilts, and it was so great to get an idea of what he might wear on the day. This will be the only time I get a sneak peek – I want to be surprised!
We were fortunate to get some time away recently on a family holiday to Islay, where Lewis and I had space to think about honeymoons.
We’ve decided to head to Mauritius to soak up the sun and relax on the beaches. We’ve actually decided to go straight from the wedding to the honeymoon, which might be a mad choice. But I think it’ll be fun to spend our first day as husband and wife jetting off somewhere tropical!
Gemma and Lewis are going to Mauritius on honeymoon (Photo: Shutterstock)
Now that the wedding is getting close, we need to sort out a few things this side of Christmas. We’re speaking with our venue coordinator to work out our timings for the day, and this will let us get started on our invitations.
I’m really looking forward to working with our stationer, the amazingly talented Jenni from Two Tabbies, on the design of our invitations. We’re hoping for something traditionally Scottish combined with a bit of our colourful style.
Find out what you need to do to sort out the paperwork for your wedding ceremony here
Just this week our lovely celebrant Susan Miller of Blossom Tree Ceremonies reached out to us to start planning the ceremony, so we’re making a date night of answering some of her questions and reminiscing over our stories from the last three years that we want to include. It’s all starting to feel very real!
Lewis and Gemma have booked Two Tabbies to do all their wedding stationery
What's next?
Lewis is hoping to organise his outfit soon and we’re both gathering lots of inspiration for our decor, flowers and photography so we can share some ideas with our suppliers in the new year.
We’ll be booking in with our baker to do a cake tasting (which our married friends assure us is the most fun part of wedding planning).
We are also looking forward to getting ready for our first (and only) Christmas as an engaged couple. Exciting things ahead!
September 2024 update
Lewis and I met in classic lockdown fashion, a facetime date! It was hard to connect via video but thankfully a year later, in June 2021, we caught up again and went on our first real date.
“When you know, you know” is something we often say; we moved in together the following summer because we just knew this was it.
She said yes! Lewis popped the question in the couple's favourite place, Oban
We live in Hamilton with our wee dog Cooper and we love going on adventures around Scotland and especially to our favourite place, Oban. On 1st January this year just after midnight as the fireworks were going off over the bay in Oban, Lewis popped the question and I couldn’t say yes fast enough!
We’d been watching the fireworks with my parents and I’m pretty sure my mum was hugging us both before I’d even got the ring on my finger – she was so excited for us!
Left: We love the couple's save the dates, aren't they the cutest? Right: Gemma has already said 'I do' to her dream dress at Bijoux Bridal!
I’m a numbers girl and I love that we moved in after one year, got engaged after two years and now, after three years, we’ll be getting married. I love how over the last three years we’ve grown together and I’m still head over heels for my husband-to be!
As a couple in our late twenties we have a lot of experience of being wedding guests. I think we’ve been to nine in the three years we’ve been together! It has helped us get an idea of what we might like for our day.
I like how the rhyme makes it so easy to remember: 1st of June at Brig o’ Doon!
Going into planning, I was sure we’d pick a city-centre venue based around music and very modern styling. Well, all it took was five minutes of walking around Brig o’ Doon House Hotel to see that it was the perfect place for us!
It’s traditional and full of period charm, set in gorgeous, romantic gardens – so quite different from my initial ideas. I love it! Within four weeks of being engaged, the biggest decision had been made and our venue was booked.
I like how the rhyme makes it so easy to remember: 1st of June at Brig o’ Doon!
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With our venue sorted, we booked our celebrant, Susan Miller at Blossom Tree Ceremonies. She is so friendly and immediately put us at ease, telling us that our service can be really personal and anything we want it to be.
We also booked our wedding band, The Big Papas, after seeing them live at their showcase.
Picking our bridal party and ‘popping the question’ was so much fun! I’ve asked my bridesmaids and maid of honour and Lewis has asked his best man and groomsmen. They really are the dream team!
Just recently I said yes to the dress at Bijoux Bridal at my very first appointment to try on dresses. It felt unreal to find the gown I’ll wear to say ‘I do’! Lewis has started looking for his wedding outfit. He plans to celebrate his roots and wear a kilt.
The couple say they have been to a lot of weddings, so are well-versed in what makes a good one!
Despite not being very crafty, I decided to DIY our save-the-dates (above) after seeing an idea online to make them look like photobooth strips. They turned out so well, and I love popping into friends’ houses and seeing them on the fridge door!
What's next?
We need to book a warm-up session with our photographer. Our bridal party have starting planning our hen and stag dos. And in late October we’ll sit down with our celebrant to begin planning our ceremony.
