Chic black-tie wedding at Kimpton Blythswood Square in Glasgow

Glasgow city centre wedding venue Kimpton Blythswood Square hosted these two grooms who opted for black tuxedos from Gilt Edged and matching bow ties by Gucci.

Alongside their humanist celebrant, these grooms created a meaningful ceremony which included readings from family and friends, plus a beautiful tribute to a lost loved one.

Photographer Stuart Churchill and content creator Your Day Unplugged were on hand to capture all the details from their celebrations, including entertainment from Amarone Music and Velvet Noir band, plus favours by Ellis Gin.

Keep reading to see the pictures and to hear more about their special day...

Declan Hattie and Jonathan Larkins

15th September 2024  

Venue | Kimpton Blythswood Square, Glasgow
Photography | Stuart Churchill Photography and Your Day Unplugged

Meeting online and getting married

When Declan swiped right on a dating app almost 11 years ago, he never expected his life to change forever – especially when that decision cost just 79 pence.

“I was using the free version of the app, which only allowed me to match with people who were within a ten-mile radius,” he recalls.

“I was about to delete it when a notification popped up asking if I’d like to upgrade. I did, and moments later I spotted Jonathan who was 11 miles away. It was fate.”

Surprise engagement on holiday

To Jonathan’s complete surprise, Declan popped the question during a holiday to Las Vegas and Los Angeles in 2019 and, five years later, their love for Hollywood went on to influence the style of their Glasgow wedding.

“Initially, we fell in love with a venue in Cyprus and planned to tie the knot there with a small group of family and friends. Sadly, that hotel went into liquidation, but we took it as a sign.

"The next plan was to elope to New York, but when we priced everything up it was a little out of our budget."

City centre wedding venue in Glasgow

“When we viewed the Blythswood hotel in Glasgow, it finally felt like everything had fallen into place. Our date was available (we married exactly ten years after we got together), it had that glamorous feel, and the location was perfect, meaning everyone we loved could attend.

"We had 45 guests during the day, then another 60 joined us in the evening."

They set a budget of £15k – but did they manage to stick to it? Well, without scrimping on any aspect and truly fulfilling their luxe wedding vibe, the couple managed to keep costs to just over £16k.

Black tie wedding at Kimpton Blythswood Square Glasgow

“From the get-go, Jonathan and I wanted the colour palette to be simply black and white, so any decor was very minimal. Our friend Gemma at Pretty Little Details helped bring this to life and gave us the chic look we were hoping for.”

No effort was left spared when it came to the details. They had personalised favours (the pair created their own tipple with Ellis Gin), hired a string quartet, and arrived in style in a Bentley as their ‘something blue’.

Luxe groomswear from Scottish retailer

As for their outfits, the details mattered there too. “Jonathan and I opted for black tuxedos, which we got from Gilt Edged,” says Declan.

"But we decided to splurge on Gucci bow ties and shoes as a treat. We figured that we weren’t spending on bouquets – and it was our wedding day, after all!”

The black-and-white theme was extended to the grooms­ maids’ outfits: black floor-length gowns paired with white bouquets.

“We asked Jonathan’s two sisters, Chelsea and Kayleigh, then four of our closest friends, Amy, Alicia, Emma and Kirsty, to be by our side. They were so supportive throughout.”

Were there any pre-wedding nerves? Not for these guys. “We stayed with my mum and then we got ready together. We were super-chilled and there was no stress – which was exactly the way we wanted it to be,” smiles Declan.

Honouring a lost loved one on your wedding day

One thing the soon-to-be Mr and Mr were certain about was that their ceremony had be meaningful and full of love and laughter.

“Just a few weeks before we married, we sadly lost Jonathan’s mum, Mandy, after a long battle with cancer. It was so important to us that we paid tribute to her and made it feel like she was part of our special day – we saved a seat for Mandy at the ceremony.”

Declan’s mum, Caroline, and Jonathan’s dad, John, then walked the couple down the aisle to the sound of ‘Highland Cathedral’ being played on the bagpipes.

How to involve friends and family in a wedding ceremony

“Our parents signed the register for us, too. We asked friends to surprise us during the ceremony with poems or readings they felt were a good fit for us. Two people ended up picking the same poem, ‘Love Like a River’ by Whitney Hanson, which now has a special place in our hearts.

“We also had a handfasting and shared three reasons why we love each other. It’s a moment we’ll never forget.”

Keeping in touch with wedding suppliers

A major priority for the couple was bringing the party vibes and not being away from their guests for too long for photographs.

“We asked our photographers to keep the shots of the two of us to a minimum as we wanted to spend as much time as possible with our guests. They nailed the brief – all our suppliers did.

"We needed a team we could put our trust in, and they made us feel so relaxed on the day. Good communication was the key.”

Once the meal was over (Declan and Jonathan opted for a banquet-style table setting), it was time for the grooms to put on their dancing shoes.

“Bringing the fun was always going to be a priority for us, and I think we did exactly that. We had a band, a DJ, a saxophone player, dancers with disco balls on their heads and a 360-photobooth. We had the time of our lives.”

Supplier list

Venue Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow
Photography Stuart Churchill Photography
Content creation and photography Your Day Unplugged
Celebrant Michael McCann Celebrant
Groomswear Gilt Edged
Groomsmaid dresses Angelique Lamont (closed)
Declan’s mother’s dress Catherines of Partick
Venue decor Pretty Little Details
Cake Iced by Leah
Desserts Cheesecake Delights
Stationery Kimpton Blythswood Square and designed by the grooms
Favours Ellis Gin
Wedding rings ROX Diamonds & Thrills
Groomsmaids’ hair Hair by Hayley Sweeney
Groomsmaids’ makeup Jen Stu Makeup
Caroline’s hair and makeup L’Perfection
Pre-wedding skincare Sharon Cameron Advanced Therapist
Aesthetics Angelina’s Aesthetics and Beauty
Ceremony music Amarone Music and Derek Owen Piper
Drinks reception music Dave Towers Saxophone
Reception entertainment Velvet Noir band, DJ Stevie Lennon and Ace Tribe Dance Company
Transport Laze Executive Travel