Katy and Neil’s wedding might have been postponed by a year, but when it finally happened it was a day to remember, filled with joy, colour and laughter
Katy and Neil’s Carlowrie Castle wedding blended modern Scottish style with deep personal meaning, vibrant floral styling and joyful moments shared with their baby son and 128 guests.
Set just outside Edinburgh, the couple chose the contemporary castle venue for its stunning renovation and convenient location for a truly unforgettable summer wedding in Scotland.
Wedding highlights at a glance
Wedding venue | Carlowrie Castle, near Edinburgh
Date | 17th August 2024
Photography | Wonderful and Strange
Theme and decor | Bright, colourful styling in red, pink and orange with flowers and decor by Gloam
Guests | 128 guests all day
Ceremony | Upbeat humanist ceremony with personal vows
Entertainment | Piping and drumming group, ceilidh band, covers band and fireworks
Read on for the full story...
A romantic Scottish proposal
Katy and Neil will forever remember 5th November 2019 – their very first date, at the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch. “I think we both knew that night that we would get married one day,” smiles Katy. Sure enough, love blossomed and, 18 months later, Neil popped the question on a cycling trip along the River Dee in Banchory.
Contemporary castle wedding venue near Edinburgh
Katy is Scottish and so is Neil’s dad, so the couple loved the idea of embracing their roots by getting married in a castle, ideally close to Edinburgh so it would be easy for their 128 guests to get to.
“We didn’t want anywhere too traditional or outdated,” says Katy. “When we saw pictures of Carlowrie Castle online we were so impressed that it had been renovated in a modern, stylish way. We actually booked it without going to see it – our mums viewed it before we did!”
Discover even more fabulous castle wedding venues in Scotland
What to look for in a wedding planner
The couple, both lawyers in London, enlisted wedding planner Mercedes from Scarlett & Bell to help with long-distance planning. “Pick someone who is on the same page as you,” urges Katy.
“We spoke to a few wedding planners before we found Mercedes at Scarlett & Bell who we instantly clicked with and can’t speak more highly of – she is a true gem who took so much of the planning weight off our shoulders. In short: she’s a wonder woman.”
Her support became especially vital when the couple had to postpone their original August 2023 date.
“We had originally planned to marry in August 2023, but due to the sad loss of our baby girl, late in pregnancy the previous August, we decided to postpone our wedding as we didn’t want it to be so close to the first anniversary.
“We also knew we wanted to prioritise growing our family and we were lucky enough to welcome our son Alfie in December 2023.
“It was very special to have Alfie at our wedding in his little kilt. He was the real star of the show.”
Katy notes that Mercedes and the team at Carlowrie Castle made the change of date seamless and they only had to change a couple of suppliers who were no longer available. All they had to do was tell their guests.
“We had to find a new photographer, but we were already huge fans of Wonderful and Strange, who stepped in for our rescheduled date. Martyna and David were super-nice and achieved our vision of contemporary, candid photos.”
Check out another beautiful real wedding photographed by Wonderful and Strange
Vibrant styling and a joyful humanist ceremony
The couple opted for a humanist ceremony in the Orangery at Carlowrie, styled by Gloam. “The bridesmaids wore bright pink, so we wanted the flowers and decor to complement this in shades of pink and orange in a wild and vibrant look.”
After a first look on the main stairs at Carlowrie (which groom Neil says was “so special”), the couple walked down the aisle together to King Creosote’s ‘A Prairie Tale’.
“Neil and I already lived together and had a child, so it just made sense for us to walk down the aisle together,” says Katy. “We were both so nervous in the half-hour before the ceremony. Walking down the aisle was so fun, though; it is such a happy moment with everybody smiling at you.”
Candice Dillen from the Humanist Society Scotland helped create a personal and uplifting experience.
“It was an upbeat, light-hearted ceremony. Our favourite moment was reading our vows to one another which we had written ourselves. I would really recommend doing this to make the ceremony more personal.”
Creative entertainment and a laid-back reception
Once the new Mr and Mrs Campbell had been announced, the drinks reception kicked off. “We wanted to make sure everybody had fun during the drinks reception, so we kept everyone entertained with music from Capella String Quartet, champagne, cocktails, an ice-cream cart, an oyster shucker and a coffee-cart motorbike, which was a huge hit.”
Piping and drumming group Sticks ’n’ Kicks performed at the end of the drinks reception and piped everybody round to the marquee for dinner and speeches.
More Carlowrie Castle real wedding inspiration
“My mum gave a speech, which was very touching, then Neil did one, as did his best man Mark. I read a personalised poem dedicated to Neil. It was all very heartfelt.”
“There was no formal top table,” adds Katy. “We weren’t keen on the thought of us being ‘on show’ during the meal.”
Everyone sat at round tables to enjoy a hearty feast of smoked salmon, beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding. “We did the menu tasting in winter, so perhaps it was quite heavy for an August wedding, but we didn’t want people to leave hungry. We also had delicious carrot, lemon and chocolate cakes from 101 Bakery.”
Ceilidh dancing, fireworks and meaningful extras
“There was a full evening of entertainment to burn off the calories. We had a boisterous hour of ceilidh as our ‘first’ dance, which was chaotic but fun! Then our band Truly Medley Deeply took to the stage. They were epic and created such a party atmosphere. We had the best time dancing.”
Neil reflects, “My outstanding moment was the total high after making it official. It was so nice, and I could then relax.”
The couple treated themselves to some fun and meaningful details. “Neil has the date of our wedding engraved on the inside of his ring. We also had a lot of fun posing for photos in the car we hired from Edinburgh Classic Wedding Cars.
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“We certainly didn’t need them. but we couldn’t resist having fireworks and sparklers – they were so much fun. I also treated myself and my bridesmaids to Desmond & Dempsey pyjamas to wear the night before the wedding,” says Katy.
Katy adds, “Ceremony aside, my highlight was partying with friends and family. I’ll never forget being held in the air for ‘Loch Lomond’ at the end. I’d been looking forward to that moment my whole life!”
Top wedding planning tip
“Have regular catch-ups and set yourselves manageable tasks each week so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. Also be aware that the planning really ramps up in the six to eight weeks before the wedding.”
Wedding suppliers
Venue and catering Carlowrie Castle, Edinburgh
Wedding planner Scarlett & Bell
Photography Wonderful and Strange
Celebrant Candice Dillen, Humanist Society Scotland
Bride’s dress Sassi Holford
Bride’s pyjamas Desmond & Dempsey
Bridesmaid dresses Maids to Measure
Hair and makeup Fina Beauty
Groomswear Stewart Christie & Co
Rings Hancocks London
Mother of the bride’s outfit Erdem
Mother of the groom’s outfit Me and Em
Cake 101 Bakery
Flowers, decor and stationery Gloam
Ceremony and drinks reception music Capella String Quartet
Reception entertainment Sticks ’n’ Kicks
Ceilidh band 7 Hills Ceilidh Band
Party band Truly Medley Deeply
Fireworks 21CC Group
Transport Edinburgh Classic Wedding Cars
Wedding nanny Fiona Barker, Top Notch Event Nanny
Oyster shucking The Oysterman Events
Coffee cart Ride & Grind
Ice-cream cart S. Luca
