The city of love and light inspired this country-house wedding that featured an outdoor wedding ceremony and lots of pretty flowers and decor
When it comes to unforgettable love stories, Jayne and Jeremy’s journey from a magical Paris proposal to a stylish outdoor wedding in Scotland ticks all the boxes.
With romantic roots in the City of Light and a wedding day full of elegant pastel details, Parisian-inspired stationery, and a scenic alfresco ceremony by the River Deveron, their celebration is a dream come true for anyone planning a destination wedding in Scotland.
Hosted at the exclusive-use venue Netherdale House, this couple combined heartfelt personal touches with timeless style – making their wedding both deeply meaningful and visually unforgettable.
Wedding highlights at a glance
Wedding venue | Netherdale House, Aberdeenshire
Date | 3rd August 2024
Photography | Jade Esson Photography
Theme and decor | Paris-themed styling with macaron tower, pastel flowers and decor
Guests | 97 guests all day
Ceremony | Humanist ceremony with personal vows written by the couple
Entertainment | Live wedding illustrator/painter, piper and ceilidh band
Read on for the full story...
A Paris proposal for Scottish couple
“Paris is always a good idea,” smiles Jayne, and for good reason – it’s where her now-husband Jeremy proposed. “We met in Aberdeen and, after about four months of dating Jeremy moved to Paris for work, while I stayed in Scotland working as a primary teacher.
“We spent the 2020 lockdown together in Aberdeen, and after that we couldn’t imagine going back to being long-distance, so I moved to Paris that year. We’ve since settled in Belgium, but on our last week in Paris in 2023, Jeremy asked me to marry him. It was the perfect end to our Parisian adventure,” she recalls.
Exactly one year and five months later, the couple hosted their très chic Scottish wedding – a stylish celebration filled with personal touches, elegant details, and “delicious food and lots of dancing” with 97 of their closest friends and family.
“The Lunchbox Boys helped us design a menu with all our favourite foods. We especially loved the trio of desserts (chocolate tart, berry cheesecake and a raspberry-and-gin sorbet) and that we got to do our menu tasting at the catering company’s new hotel, The Crossing in Kingussie.”
Read more about The Lunchbox Boys, a Cairngorms-based wedding caterer
Parisian-inspired wedding styling with a Scottish twist
The wedding aesthetic was heavily inspired by their life in Paris, brought to life with pastel hues, pretty florals, and custom artwork.
“We lived in Paris for five years, so we used that as inspiration for a lot of our styling,” says Jayne.
“As well as doing live painting on the day, illustrator and artist Sarah Leask Studio designed beautiful stationery for us featuring paintings of our favourite cocktail bars in Paris. We also had a macaron tower and favours made by Inverurie-based Cakes by Leanne. We even designed wedding newspapers in the style of Bar Hemingway’s cocktail menu, one of the bars we visited on the night we got engaged.”
“I also loved that my bridesmaids each carried a different colour of flowers that took their lead from my bouquet.”
Exclusive-use Aberdeenshire venue with outdoor ceremony
Planning a destination wedding from Belgium, finding an exclusive-use wedding venue in Scotland was a top priority for Jayne and Jeremy. “We also really wanted to get married outdoors,” shares Jayne. “So we were delighted to find Netherdale House and discover it offered great flexible spaces, indoors and out.”
Find more amazing wedding venues in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
One of Jayne’s standout memories? “The moment I saw all the chairs set up on the grass in front of the Georgian mansion, with the River Deveron in the background, framed between the stunning floral half-arch, will be forever etched in my memory. The rain held off for us and we had an incredible view.”
“A herd of cows oversaw the ceremony from the other side of the river! It was idyllic.”
Personal humanist wedding ceremony ideas
For the couple, writing their own vows was a personal highlight. “We wrote them ourselves and we’re so glad we did. It was such a highlight. This was followed by one of our friends, Craig, who’d come all the way from Canada, reading the poem ‘Like a River’.
Our videographer, Ali from Flat 4D Media, used the reading as part of our film,” smiles Jayne. “We loved that. Every time we look at our video or photographs, it’s like reliving our day all over again. Jade Esson, our photographer, captured everything so beautifully. She was a lot of fun and instantly made us feel relaxed, which I think really comes through in the images.”
Illustrator Sarah Leask was also on hand to create a live painting of the ceremony – a treasured memento presented before the ceilidh.
What is a wedding painter? A guide to adding live art to your wedding
Ceilidhs, cocktails and heartfelt speeches
Entertainment was a big part of the day, blending Scottish wedding traditions with international flair. The couple’s first dance was to Skerryvore’s ‘Take My Hand’, and the ceilidh band It’s No’ Reel kept the dancefloor alive.
“We had international guests who’d never been to a ceilidh before, and they said they had the best time. We also adored guitarist Tommy McGuire, who journeyed from Glasgow to sing at our drinks reception.”
Jayne fondly recalls a touching moment with her father: “Not only did he look great in his kilt as he proudly walked me down the aisle, but he also aced his speech despite being nervous. It meant the world to me.”
The wedding party also played a major role. “Jeremy’s two best men, Ali (his brother) and Robert (whom he’s known since nursery), delivered heartfelt speeches, with only a few jibes!
“I had four bridesmaids: my sister Lynsey and three of my closest friends, Samantha, Kirstie and Jenny. Along with our families, they were a big part of our weekend, all bringing different things, from being organised before the wedding meal to providing fun and laughter – or just trying to get us drunk with shots!”
Jayne and Jeremy's short film by Flat 4D Media
Bride’s top wedding planning tip
“Wedding planning can easily take over, so try to set aside specific times for it. Also, ask your suppliers lots of questions before booking. All of ours were so lovely and couldn’t be happier to help us.”
Wedding suppliers
Venue and decor Netherdale House, Aberdeenshire
Photography Jade Esson Photography
Filmmaker Flat 4D Media
Celebrant Rachel Donald, Humanist Association Scotland
Wedding dress Sassi Holford from Ivory Grace
Bride’s shoes Charlotte Mills
Makeup Steph M Artistry
Hair styling Kerry Anne Bridal Hair
Hairdresser Alison at Linton & Mac
Groomswear 21st Century Kilts
Father of the bride/groom and best men’s outfits Mains Highlandwear
Catering The Lunchbox Boys
Cake and macarons Cakes by Leanne
Flowers and floral decor Flowers by Lilybet (no longer taking bookings)
Wedding invitations Love Paper Co
On-the-day stationery and live painting Sarah Leask Studio
Wedding newspapers The Crafty Lab
Confetti Flutter Darlings!
Table linen 88 Events
Ceremony music Travis the Piper
Drinks reception music Tommy McGuire
Reception band It’s No’ Reel Ceilidh Band
Transport RS Coaches
