Gillian Fitzpatrick and Chris Burns
5th August 2023
Venue | Citation Glasgow
Photography | Isaac Craig Photography
Words by Amy Shearer
There’s no denying it. Glasgow is a pretty special city, famed for its architecture, its Clockwork Orange and for being name-checked by ABBA in that karaoke classic. It’s no wonder Gillian and Chris were set on surrounding themselves with the greatness of Glesga when they got hitched this summer.
“We knew we wanted a Glasgow wedding,” smiles the bride. “It has always meant so much to us and we just love everything about the city. From date nights to days wandering around town, it’s somewhere Chris and I have spent so much time throughout our relationship.”
The couple shortlisted five venues, one of which was Citation. As soon as they saw it, they knew there was no point looking anywhere else.
“Citation had the best of everything – stunning architecture, an ideal location, a beautiful interior and fantastic staff,” explains Gillian. “We knew that it was previously run as a bar and restaurant which gave us faith that the kitchen would be able to handle dinner service seamlessly, and that the bar would be fully stocked too.”
She and Chris were impressed by how much space there was for guests to dance, mingle, grab a drink at the bar or take a seat and relax. “We had quite big numbers, especially in the evening, so it was important for us to have plenty of room for everybody,” she says.
The Merchant City played a key role in their relationship, so it was nice to return there at such a significant time: “It’s where we went on our first date back in July 2014! It felt a bit like a full-circle moment to be getting married back in the very place we’d strolled past all those years ago!”
The couple invited 105 guests to join them during the day and an additional 70 at night, with most hailing from Scotland but some coming from further afield too. “We wanted to make things as straightforward as possible for our guests, which for us meant ensuring it was super-easy for them to get to our wedding and not have to travel for hours on the day,” explains Gillian.
The couple were keen to put their own stamp on their wedding, which they were able to do with help from Citation’s events coordinator, Pauline.
“Pauline couldn’t have been more accommodating in the lead up or on the day itself,” recalls Gillian. “She really got to know us and made some suggestions she knew we’d like. Nothing was too much trouble. If there were any problems on our day, neither Chris nor I knew anything about it!”
The couple’s party was set across two floors in the venue for a seamless transition from day to night: “Our ceremony was upstairs, then our guests headed downstairs for the drinks reception. It was back upstairs for speeches and dinner, then we came down for our evening reception. It was lovely to have the two separate spaces and they both felt quite different.”
The pair are self-proclaimed foodies so laid on a feast: canapés during the reception, a delicious three-course meal then a tasty buffet including gyoza and chicken tempura to keep energy levels up as the dancing got underway.
“There was never a moment where we felt we needed something and we couldn’t find a member of staff to help us. The team were so friendly, helpful and accommodating, not just to us, but to all our guests, making us feel so special all day,” adds Gillian.
