This Edinburgh couple spread their wedding out: a low-key, intimate ceremony followed three weeks later by a glitzy premiere screening and party
Melanie Herriot and Cameron Hunt
11th September 2024 (ceremony)
4th October 2024 (reception)
Ceremony venue | Riddle’s Court, Edinburgh
Reception venue | Scotsman Picture House, Edinburgh
Ceremony photography | Sarah Louise Photography
Reception photography | Susie Olzen Photography
Recent bride Melanie Heriot is a bridal hair and makeup artist, working under the name MHM Styling, so how did her insider knowledge guide her when she was planning her own wedding?
“It helped give me a solid idea of what I didn’t want,” she laughs. “I’ve been to so many weddings where the getting-ready space wasn’t ideal, or where they hadn’t planned ahead with certain things – so I made sure I was prepped and covered all bases.”
There was a downside, though...
“Because I see hundreds of weddings each year, I put a lot of pressure on myself for our wedding to be Instagram-worthy”
"Followers and clients messaged me in the lead-up to say they couldn’t wait to see what I was planning as they knew it was going to look amazing. But it made me think, ‘Oh no, what if it’s not?’”
Melanie did the makeup at this multicultural barn wedding in Perthshire
She needn’t have worried, though. Despite the odd hiccup (a broken-down Rolls-Royce on the way to the ceremony, and an unzipped dress at the reception), it was a triumph. The bride and groom broke the mould by splitting their ceremony and reception over two separate days, three weeks apart.
Do you have to have follow traditional wedding structure?
“Whenever we thought about having a ‘normal’ wedding structure, it just didn’t sit right with us,” says Melanie. “We felt most comfortable having a small ceremony (28 guests), then premiering our wedding film at a bigger reception (140 guests).”
“We got a quite lot of strange looks and unwanted opinions when we shared our plans. Some friends and family had expectations based around tradition that I never thought they’d have, which caused some tension and arguments.”
All of that made the pair second-guess their plans, but in the end they stuck to their guns and forged ahead with their original ideas. “And we are so glad we did!”
Movie premiere wedding theme
The couple had to allow time for their videographer A Cinematic Life to edit their film for the screening. “It was lovely having another big celebration to look forward to after our small day was over,” smiles Melanie, who encouraged a glitzy red-carpet black-tie vibe for their October party at the Scotsman Hotel, complete with buckets of popcorn and movie posters.
The aesthetic at the mid-September ceremony, meanwhile, was “classic and romantic”, which suited the ambience at the venue, the historic A-listed Old Town merchant’s house Riddle’s Court. “We loved its character and when we went to visit, the staff went above and beyond. We knew straight away we could trust them with our day,” Melanie remembers.
Check out other incredible wedding venues in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Ideas for writing your own wedding vows
The “heart-warming and funny” humanist ceremony, led by celebrant Angela Musk, struck all the right notes. “Angela shared our story in a relaxed way. Seeing all our guests listen, interact and laugh along with us is something I’ll remember forever,” smiles the bride. “We wrote three promises to each other as our vows. I was quite nervous reading them aloud and couldn’t get my words out at first, but I really enjoyed saying them in the end.”
After cheese and charcuterie board and drinks at Riddle’s Court, the newlyweds and their friends and family were piped to the nearby Cannonball restaurant for a Scottish tasting menu. “My 12-year-old niece was one of our pipers – a lovely personal touch,” says Melanie.
“We also got illustrations drawn (by Edith Ault of Aulternative Weddings) of all our guests, which we used as place names for the meal. Watching everyone’s reactions when they found their pictures was priceless.”
Being a beauty pro herself, Melanie admits she was “quite fussy” with her hair and makeup. “I like my skin a certain way, so in the end I did most of the makeup myself. The amazing Brooke Lilias did my eyebrows and contour blush, plus makeup for my sister, cousin and friend, and did an incredible job.
What are alternative roles for bridesmaids at an intimate wedding?
“I didn’t have bridesmaids as such as it felt out of place at such a small wedding, but the three of them filled the ‘supportive’ role in the run-up and on the day, just minus the dresses and bouquets!
“I wasn’t such a tricky customer for hair, though, as I knew exactly what I wanted, and Stacey Deane nailed it.”
Dress shopping wasn't as straightforward as Melanie hoped, as she explains: “I went to a lot of boutiques – I was unsure of what I wanted and found the process difficult as often sample sizes were either tiny or huge. I eventually found an Essense of Australia gown that I loved at Kudos Bridal Edinburgh.”
Has going through the process of organising a wedding changed how Melanie deals with clients on their own big days now? She reckons so: “I think I’m now extra-patient with them and vigilant in my communications, even when I’m busy.
“I’m also hyper-aware of details. I’m that extra pair of eyes checking that a bride’s dress is sitting perfectly, as I know how disappointing it feels to look back and think ‘why didn’t I fix that’ or ‘I should’ve checked that’. I want to make sure all those details are spot on.”
How do I prepare my skin for my wedding?
Top tip: “Simplify your skincare with about six months to go and find a routine that works for you – that’s what I did,” says Melanie.
“My best friend is an aesthetic nurse, so she kindly gifted me Profhilo skin boosting treatments which I did two or three times over the year before the wedding. I also undertook a face yoga and massage programme at home which helped keep puffiness at bay.”
Mel and Cameron's trailer by A Cinematic Life
Ceremony and drinks venue Riddle’s Court, Edinburgh
Wedding dinner Cannonball
Reception and screening venue Scotsman Picture House and the Grand Cafe at the Scotsman Hotel, Edinburgh
Photography Sarah Louise Photography and Susie Olzen Photography Filmmaker A Cinematic Life (see trailer above)
Celebrant Angela Musk Celebrant, TLC Faith
Wedding dress Essense of Australia from Kudos Bridal Edinburgh
Reception dress Alena Leena from Stillwhite
Bride’s shoes Loeffler Randall
Veil Tulle and Flo Bridal
Bow Tailored Tulle
Hair Stacey Deane Bridal Hair
Makeup MHM Styling – the bride herself! – and Brooke Lilias Makeup
Nails Studio No.8 Dunfermline
Groomswear Balgonie Kilts
Mother of the bride’s outfit Bear Necessities
Engagement ring Daniel Henderson Jewellers
Wedding rings The Ringmaker
Cake The Pastry Section
Stationery Edith Ault Aulternativeweddings
Grazing boards Crunch Platters
Flowers Ochre Botanical Studios and Celandine Floral Studio
Ceremony and drinks reception music Rico Franchi Music
Reception music Andy Lucas Pianist and Little Red Wedding Band
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