Laura and James swapped their planned back garden wedding for a celebration at the Old Course Hotel just three months before the big day, going all out with flowers and surprise entertainment
When Laura and James McKenzie discovered that their dream back garden wedding was going to cost considerably more than expected, they decided to change plans.
A last-minute cancellation at the Old Course Hotel gave them the chance to marry at a venue they already loved, with just three months to pull everything together.
The result? A spectacular St Andrews wedding filled with pink flowers, personalised details, fireworks and entertainment that kept their guests guessing all day.
Wedding highlights at a glance
Wedding venue | Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews, Fife
Date | 15th May 2026
Photography | Victoria Photography
Guests | 77 during the day, around 120 in the evening
Décor | Abundant pink flowers, gold accents and elevated table styling
Entertainment | Magician, live music, DJ, saxophonist, disco dancers, rave bagpipes and fireworks
From a back garden wedding to a £40,000 price tag
When Laura and James reunited in 2023, six years after life had taken them in different directions, they already knew marriage was on the cards.
“Right from the beginning, we knew we were going to get married,” says Laura. “Getting engaged was really a formality, so we just went shopping for a ring together.”
“That was fine by me – I don't like being the centre of attention. I would have hated it if James had got down on one knee in front of everybody,” she laughs.
Their original wedding plans were similarly low-key, with around 40 guests invited to celebrate in the couple's back garden in Fife. However, when a marquee quote came back at almost £10,000, they began to reconsider.
Once toilets, bar staff, décor and the rest of the infrastructure were factored in, the projected cost had reached £40,000 – and they'd still effectively be hosting the wedding themselves.
A last-minute venue change to the Old Course Hotel
By February, with their wedding planned for 15th May, Laura was having second thoughts. “I said to James, ‘Do you think we're making a mistake?’”
The couple began looking at alternative wedding venues in Fife and discovered that the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews had received a cancellation for their exact date.
Explore more wedding venues in Fife
“It was pure chance,” says James. “But even if we'd booked it two years earlier, that would still have been our venue of choice.”
With just three months to go, the couple contacted their existing suppliers, all of whom thankfully agreed to relocate. Their guest list expanded too, with 77 attending during the day and around 120 joining the evening celebrations.
“We're very impulsive and we just do it,” admits James. “If we like something, we just go for it.”
A personal wedding ceremony in St Andrews
The couple married in the Old Course Hotel's conservatory, with Laura's good friend TJ Thomson conducting the ceremony.
“We'd based our initial wedding date around TJ's availability,” says Laura. “She's brilliant and brought so much energy to the ceremony – it was completely tailored to us. She also gave us so many fantastic supplier recommendations when we were planning.”
Keeping guests entertained was a priority throughout the day, particularly while the newlyweds were away having their photographs taken.
Magician Cameron Young performed during the drinks reception, while singer and pianist Rico Franchi provided live music.
Beach wedding photographs and a private magic show
During their wedding portraits on the beach with Vicki from Victoria Photography, Laura and James found themselves in an unexpected race with a passing jogger.
“We were trying to run faster than him and he started picking up the pace,” James laughs. “It was so funny.”
Back at the hotel, the couple enjoyed a quieter moment together in the Library, where Cameron Young treated them to a private magic show while they ate their canapés.
“That was one part of the day that really sticks in my mind. We were just chilled, taking a little bit of time out,” Laura says.
It was a rare moment of calm before the celebrations stepped up a gear.
A wedding reception with a pre-dinner rave and surprise first dance
If there's one thing Laura and James wanted from their wedding, it was a proper party.
DJ Jonny Ruiz got everyone dancing during a ten-minute pre-dinner rave, while the newlyweds had another surprise up their sleeves: a choreographed first dance they'd only started rehearsing two weeks earlier with Fife Dance Dreams.
“It started with ‘Iris’ by Goo Goo Dolls, so everyone thought we were just going to slow dance,” laughs Laura.
The music then switched into a mash-up featuring Grease, Rihanna and more.
“Nobody expected it, especially not from me!” Laura says.
All of the different types of entertainment you can have at your wedding
The entertainment didn't stop there. Saxophonist Saxingh and gold disco-ball-headed dancers from Ace Tribe kept the party going, while piper Dean Saunders swapped traditional piping duties for an Ibiza-style rave bagpipe set later in the evening.
“We have friends who don't dance under any circumstances, but even they were on the dancefloor all night,” laughs James.
At around 10.30pm, guests were piped outside for another surprise: a fireworks display.
“We kept the day flowing by keeping our guests in anticipation of what was coming next,” says James. “For us it was a case of go big or go home!”
Pink wedding flowers and gold reception décor
While entertainment was central to the celebrations, Laura had another non-negotiable: real flowers.
“In my mind, real flowers were non-negotiable; they were going to make the wedding.”
Edinburgh-based Feather Grass Florals worked with the couple on colours and moodboards before creating abundant, natural arrangements in a pink and gold palette.
The TTKS team share their wedding Pinterest mood boards
To complement the flowers, Laura and James hired glassware, gold cutlery, charger plates, linens and chairs. Pin-spot lighting was also installed to highlight the floral displays.
“For a special occasion, I think the details matter,” says Laura. “Those seemingly little things that we added – like properly pressed tablecloths – made a difference.”
A penthouse wedding morning and a sunny St Andrews celebration
The couple's last-minute upgrades didn't end with their wedding décor.
The day before the wedding, Laura and James decided to treat themselves to the Penthouse suite at the Old Course Hotel.
“When you spend that much money on a hotel room, you might end up regretting it – but we didn't,” says Laura.
“I had the most beautiful moment, sitting with a glass of champagne on the balcony with one of my best friends the morning of the wedding, enjoying the sunshine, taking it all in.”
And according to the newlyweds, that beautiful weather might not have been entirely down to chance.
“We'd buried sausages around the hotel grounds the night before, so we were delighted when it turned out a perfect clear, dry day!”
Wedding suppliers
Venue Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews
Photography Victoria Photography
Content creator Social Brides Club
Filmmaker Rizzo Films
Celebrant TJ Thomson Celebrant
Wedding planner Next Step Events
Wedding dress Bijoux Bridal
Alterations and customisations Mirka Bridal
Reception dress Nadine Merabi
Groomswear Edinburgh Tailoring Company
Flowers Feather Grass Florals
Cake Cherry on Top
Linen and tableware hire 88 Events
Ceremony and drinks reception entertainment Rico Franchi Music Magician Cameron Young Magic
DJ Jonny Ruiz
Saxophonist Saxingh
Piper Dean Saunders Piper
Disco ball-head dancers Ace Tribe Entertainments
Fireworks, pyrotechnics and lighting 21CC
Magazine photo booth Picture Perfect Helensburgh
Dance lessons Fife Dance Dreams
