With previous connections to Schloss Roxburghe, Katy and Gregor knew it was the perfect place to say 'I do'. Despite the Scottish Borders venue being under renovations they didn't hesitate to book

A bride wearing a white dress and a leather jacket holds hands with a groom wearing a red kilt walking across a lawn

Katy Nimmo and Gregor Millar, now Mr and Mrs Millar

7th July 2023

Venue | Schloss Roxburghe
Photography | Duncan Ireland Photography 

Sometimes, things are truly written in the stars. Imagine meeting the love of your life at an event you weren’t going to go to, or discovering that the last pair of Manolos in the sale are in your size. It can feel that some things are just meant to be. That’s what it felt like when Katy and Gregor were deciding where to get married.

They were looking for a venue that was “luxurious, country and relaxed with a modern feel” to suit their 100 guests (to be joined by a further 60 friends for the evening reception), with some people making the journey all the way from West Africa and the Middle East.

Could that venue ever have been anything other than Schloss Roxburghe? The bride’s family has had ties to the Borders hotel for quite some time: “My mum worked there as a receptionist and wedding planner when I was younger, and my dad has been a member at the golf club for years and was even club captain the year before we got married. It has always been my dream to get married there.”

So this was clearly the obvious choice – but there was a small problem: “When we were looking to book, in the autumn of 2022, the hotel was in the middle of a renovation, including the room the reception would be in,” explains the bride. It meant they’d be booking the venue without seeing exactly what they’d be getting.

Should they take a chance and trust that it would be all they’d hoped for? There was never any doubt: “We could see the potential and already loved the original hotel and grounds,” says the bride. 

They didn’t have a theme as such, but knew they wanted a traditional Scottish wedding. The day started with a church service in Katy’s home village of Ancrum, Before the happy couple and their guests drove 15 minutes to the hotel’s Teviot Suite for the reception. 

“We went for the Tartan package, which was £125 per person. It included a reception drink, canapés, a three-course meal, half a bottle of wine per person and a drink for the speeches,” shares Katy. “We then added in extra drinks for everyone and an evening buffet. The hotel also organised cocktails for us. We prepaid for these and guests were given a token to take to the bar for either the bride’s choice (a passionfruit martini) or the groom’s (a mojito).”

“There was no stress at all on the actual day of the wedding. But I’m sure that was only because lots of people were running about behind the scenes making sure everything went smoothly!”

As well as receiving support from the events team to put together their dream day, Katy was kept very busy, creating nearly all the wedding stationery and decor to complement the venue. 

The couple were able to make use of the stunning scenery around the Borders landmark and beyond. “We had the drinks reception out on the hotel lawn while Gregor and I went to my parents’ farm for photos. So by the time we got back, everyone had already had drinks and canapés,” recalls Katy. “The sun was shining and we were really lucky with the weather, so it was great to be able to spend some time outdoors in the hotel’s gorgeous gardens.”

Despite Schloss Roxburghe’s wedding coordinator having to go off on maternity leave shortly before their date, Katy says the big day was completely stress-free: “The whole team were lovely. Everyone was very accommodating and relaxed, which helped keep me calm."

Venue Schloss Roxburghe
Photography 
Duncan Ireland Photography
Wedding Dress and bridesmaid dresses
 Reflections Bridal
Shoes Russell & Bromley
Hair vine and leather jacket  Alexandra Bespoke
Groomswear David Thomson & Son
Officiant Rev. Una Stewart
Cake Dizlicious
Catering Schloss Roxburghe Hotel
Flowers Flora Fauna Event Flower Design
Guest Book design and invites Gavin Douglas
Engagement/wedding rings and jewellery Laings 
Ceremony music Organist Jamie Mckenzie, Bagpipes Doug Whitson
Reception music The Jordan Murray Band 
Transport Borders Vintage Experience 
Hair Hair by Jess
Nails Cora B Nails in Nails by G
Tan (Celui tan) Laura Louvain's
Make- up Becca Hutchison Make up

A woman applies makeup with a brush to a woman's face while another woman in pajamas looks on
A woman looks at her reflection in a hand held mirror
A bride standing in a long flowing wedding dress with floral applique, a deep neckline and thin straps
Five men stand with their arms around each other smiling in a green jackets and different coloured kilts
A group of people help a bride with the long skirt and train of her wedding dress
A bride walks arm in arm with her father up the aisle towards the groomsmen and officiant in a church
Bridesmaids in green dresses and groomsmen in red kilts during a wedding ceremony in a church
A bride sitting down signing the marriage license while the groom, a bridesmaid and a groomsmen stand behind her
A man in a kilt and a bride in a wedding dress link arms and walk down the aisle
On the left a bride and groom stand in the arched doorway of a church, on the right a bride faces away from the camera wearing a black leather jacket with the words 'Just Married' on the back
A bride and groom walk hand in hand along a path as their guests on either side throw confetti
A white vintage car parked outside a country house
A large group of people standing outside a country house
A bride and groom stand in a garden with the bride's veil blowing behind her in the wind
A bride in a white dress and a groom in a red tartan kilt and green jacket stand in front of a cottage
Bunches of orange and pink flowers on the floor next to a seating chart display and a table full of glass jars of sweets
Wooden letters with the initials 'K & G' in a floral print and the words 'Mr & Mrs' on a table
Orange and pink flowers sit in milk pails and flower pots sit together in front of tables with white table cloths
On the left a bride and groom sit on a wooden swing outside a country house, on the right a bride and groom stand in a field with two labradors
On the left a bride and groom walk holding hands across a sunny lawn, on the right a bride and groom look into each other's eyes in a garden
A bride wearing a white dress and a leather jacket holds hands with a groom wearing a red kilt walking across a lawn
A two tie wedding cake with a floral design on the left, and the newlywed couple cutting the cake on the right
On the left a bride and groom dance together on a dancefloor with a band in the background, on the right a seating chart in a frame sits behind a hamper on a table with a white table cloth
Bride and groom dancing and being lifted by the wedding party

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