Ashleigh McNeish and Scott Mathieson
3rd December 2022
Venue | Crossbasket Castle
Photography | Maureen Bell Photography
It’s true what they say: parents really will stop at nothing to ensure their children are happy. For your wee ones, it might mean sacrificing your phone battery to keep them occupied watching videos while out for a family meal. For parents of brand-new 18-year-olds, it could see you start your weekly taxi service from the local nightclub. In bride Ashleigh’s case, it meant her much-loved parents carting items for her Crossbasket Castle wedding eight hours across the globe.
“My parents live in Dubai, which is a special place to us as a family,” says the bride, who married Scott, her partner of almost ten years, in December. “My mum comes back regularly, and in the lead-up to the wedding managed to bring a dozen massive perspex candelabras with her to Scotland.
“My dad sat with my favourite chocolate cake on his lap the full eight-hour flight! I am so lucky they were willing to help out in this way.”
The couple’s big day was rearranged three times due to the pandemic, and in the time between their engagement on a beach in the Middle East and their magical winter wedding in Lanarkshire, they welcomed their daughter Maisie into the world. “We wanted to get married somewhere close to us in Motherwell, and Crossbasket was the first venue we looked at,” recalls the bride. “I think we’d always known that it would be the place for us, and being able to have a big winter wedding really appealed to us both.”
The couple had 100 day guests, with 70 more joining them at night, hailing from all over the UK, as well as Dubai and the US. The luxurious hotel offered a lot more than just a convenient location, though. It’s renowned for its fine dining, and this was a huge selling point for the couple. “The food at Crossbasket is incredible. The kitchen is overseen by Michel Roux Jr, so we knew it would be good,” says Ashleigh. “A highlight was the dessert – brownies with popcorn were such a hit!”
The couple and their families stayed over the night before and took advantage of the accommodation’s hot tub. The following morning was a highlight, as the bridal party had a lazy brunch before getting ready with the help of makeup artist Rachael Hunter and Cameo Bridal Styling. Having exclusive use of the venue was a real bonus, says Ashleigh. “I snuck downstairs in the morning when everyone was getting ready, and seeing it all set up and exactly how I imagined was really special,” she remembers.
“The Crossbasket team were so helpful about us making the place our own. We had arranged to have our signature scent from The White Company sprayed in all the rooms, so everything smelled like Christmas. It’s such a wonderful memory to have.”
Guests were entertained by Circus Band and saxophonist Saxingh in the evening, who ensured the ‘Ibiza-vibe’ party continued into the wee hours. Ashleigh and Scott couldn’t be happier with the way it all went: “Events coordinator Laura McAulay stayed with us all day and made sure everything went according to plan. It was a dream day from start to finish and all the wee details really made it.”
