Abbie and James celebrated at Ballogie House in Aberdeenshire with 75 guests, colourful styling, an outdoor handfasting and a sun-soaked marquee party
Abbie and James Forbes turned their Ballogie House wedding into a four-night summer escape, filling the exclusive-use Aberdeenshire venue with bright florals, outdoor celebrations and a relaxed garden-party atmosphere.
The couple married on 12th July 2025 in front of 75 guests, exchanging personal vows during a sun-soaked outdoor handfasting ceremony before dinner in the Orangery and dancing in the marquee.
And when Scotland delivered temperatures of 33°C? It made their colourful countryside wedding all the more memorable.
Wedding highlights at a glance
Venue | Ballogie House, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire
Date | 12th July 2025
Photography | Jules Williams Photography
Guests | 75
Ceremony | Outdoor ceremony with a family-tartan handfasting
Reception | Dinner in the Orangery followed by a marquee party
Style | Colourful summer garden party
Finding their Aberdeenshire wedding venue
There was no shortage of research behind Abbie and James’s venue decision. The couple visited eight other wedding venues across Aberdeenshire and Edinburgh before narrowing the search to two.
“James and I actually visited eight other venues across the Aberdeenshire region and Edinburgh area. We then shortlisted them down to two venues, but Ballogie House won us over,” says Abbie.
The couple knew they wanted an Aberdeenshire wedding venue that could offer more than one space, accommodation and plenty of room outdoors.
“We knew we wanted something that felt more like a garden party than a formal wedding, plus the venue needed to have accommodation with multiple wedding spaces. Ballogie House hit all of those points."
“It feels secluded and private, but has plenty of garden space, a marquee and greenery. We also loved the fact that we could book Ballogie from the Thursday to Monday (our wedding being on the Saturday). It made everything feel more relaxed.”
Having the house for several days meant the celebrations could begin long before the ceremony. The night before the wedding, the couple hosted a family pizza night, exchanged gifts and practised their ceremony.
“It helped ease our nerves before the big day,” laughs the bride.
A relaxed wedding morning at Ballogie House
The extended stay also meant there was no frantic start to the wedding day.
“And the morning of our wedding couldn’t have been any better. James and I were both so calm and relaxed, and the sun was shining as we shared breakfast together. We both knew we didn’t want to be apart right up until we both had to get changed.”
That easygoing atmosphere continued into the ceremony, which was held outside on the lawn with the surrounding countryside providing the backdrop.
An outdoor handfasting ceremony using their family tartans
The couple chose Annalese McDermott of Humanist Society Scotland to conduct their ceremony, incorporating one particularly meaningful Scottish wedding tradition.
“Our celebrant did an amazing job – she really made everybody feel so comfortable.
“Our favourite moment was when we had our handfasting ceremony. We both used our family tartans to ‘tie the knot’ in a handfasting ceremony, and the highlight was saying our personal vows. It felt like it was just us two in the room.”
The family tartans made the handfasting personal to both sides, while colourful florals by Nicky Walker Florist framed the outdoor ceremony space.
Colourful wedding breakfast in the Ballogie House Orangery
Cocktail hour was followed by dinner in the Orangery, with guests choosing between Balmoral chicken and ratatouille before sticky toffee pudding or chocolate delice for dessert.
The light-filled room continued the colourful garden-party theme, with Hudsons Catering also taking care of the table dressing.
“We had five rectangular tables and one round one in the middle (acting as the top table). And the room was set up with bright flowers, pastel linen and colourful candles. It was beautiful.”
Rather than sticking to a muted palette, the couple embraced pinks, greens and other summery shades across the flowers, stationery, candles and table settings.
A laidback marquee wedding reception
After dinner, the party moved into Ballogie House’s marquee, where The Sapiens provided the live music before DJ Michael Stenhouse kept the celebrations going.
Guests were free to move between the marquee and gardens throughout the evening.
“It was very laidback. People come and go as they please between spaces if they wanted a dance or play garden games on the lawn.”
It was exactly the informal celebration Abbie and James had envisaged when they first began looking for a venue – helped by unexpectedly glorious Scottish weather.
“Our wedding day was wonderful from start to finish,” smiles the couple. “We’re so grateful that everyone was there to celebrate – and thankful for the weather, too!
“Although, in hindsight, we probably should have packed more fans… but you don’t expect 33 degrees in Scotland!”
Wedding suppliers
Venue and marquee Ballogie House, Aboyne
Photography Jules Williams Photography
Celebrant Annalese McDermott, Humanist Society Scotland
Catering and table dressing Hudsons Catering
Wedding dress Stella York
Bridesmaid dresses Six Stories
Hair Simone Saint Hair & Makeup
Jewellery Liam Ross Jewellery
Groomswear Neil Selbie & Co
Flowers Nicky Walker Florist
Stationery Eva Snedden Illustration
Ceremony benches Rustic Look Aberdeen
Wedding band The Sapiens
DJ Michael Stenhouse
Handfasting ribbon Kinloch Anderson
