THE WEDDING PLANNERS

A Scottish Spring Wedding at Winton House

An interview with the bride’s parents
Eileen and David Black held a Scottish wedding for their daughter Kirsten and her fiancée Scott Kavanagh at Winton House in late March 2010. It turned out to be a beautiful early spring day with the daffodils in full bloom after a hard winter, a perfect day for a romantic wedding at this venue in Scotland.

David and Eileen explained why they chose Winton House for their daughter’s wedding and told us how the day went.
1. Why did you choose Winton House for your daughter’s wedding?
“David knew Winton House having used the meeting venue in Edinburgh before for a corporate team-building day. Our daughter, Kirsten, wanted somewhere which had a large country house or castle feel to it and Winton was ideal.
“We chose Winton because they allowed us to do what we wanted. Unlike other venues, they weren’t prescriptive about the band, the menus and other important elements of the wedding. We felt comfortable and at ease there, and it has a lovely warm ambience.
“Winton also restricts the number of Weddings it hosts which meant that only one or two guests had been there before.”

2. Who were the guests at the wedding? Where did they travel from?
“The guests were primarily family and friends from the Edinburgh and Fife area, seventy-eight in total. Kirsten’s cousin from Portland in Oregon, USA, travelled the furthest.”

3. What was the format on the day?
“It was very traditional. The chief bridesmaid stayed with us on the eve of the wedding. Kirsten and her entourage used the facilities at the romantic wedding venue in Scotland on the Saturday morning to get ready and guests arrived early in the afternoon.
“Most of the male guests wore traditional highland dress and the ladies all looked fabulous in their colourful frocks.
“There was a civil ceremony in the beautiful drawing room with sun streaming in through its south-facing windows. That was followed by photographs and a drinks reception, then we were piped in by a lady piper for a fantastic meal in the dining room.
“We had smoked salmon to start with followed by roast beef then sticky toffee pudding, all prepared from fresh local produce by Elizabeth, Winton’s award-winning chef.
“The evening’s entertainment was a combination of ceilidh band and popular covers performed by the band. “My daughter and son-in-law, now Mr and Mrs Scott Kavanagh, stayed at Winton House overnight in one of its eight bedrooms.”

4. What was the feedback from guests?
“Everyone we have spoken to was tremendously complimentary about the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, the format and the food. It was an incredibly memorable day.
“It felt like your own private party. The Romantic Wedding Venues Scotland was spectacular and the food was excellent. Guests also enjoyed going for walks in the gardens before and after dinner.”

5. What comments do you have on the quality of Winton’s hospitality?
“We were very well looked after from the moment we were shown around.
“On the day itself we couldn’t fault a thing. Everyone was very welcoming and caring. Harry even spent time pushing my grandson’s pushchair around the house.”

6. Is there anything unique that makes Winton stand out?
“The fact that the house itself is actually someone’s home and feels just like someone’s home. The atmosphere in the house is exceptional.”
Thanks are due to Graham Carnie for allowing Winton to use some of the wedding photographs he took on the day. For more information please visit http://www.grahamcarniephotography.co.uk

About the Author

Lewis Carroll

HotScotch Ceilidh Band Edinburgh – Gay Gordons

Planning a Wedding Reception at Home $18 Planning a Wedding Reception at Home

Best Wedding Reception Ever! $21.11 In a book with 150 color photos, a renown wedding entertainer explains how to have a fun and exciting reception by finding the right vendors, mapping out a plan for pacing the event and personalizing the reception so that guests will have a night they wil

The Royal Wedding 1947 Princess Elizabeth and Edinburgh $15.99 The Royal Wedding 1947 Princess Elizabeth and Edinburgh

Wedding Bells Candy $6.95 These miniature white wedding bells are both sweet and tart and make a perfect candy favor for your wedding reception. Whether you place them in a self-serve jar or individually present them in small containers with ribbon, theyre wonderfully effortless and appropriate. Sold in 12 oz. bags.

Edinburgh $46 Edinburgh

Metallic Wedding Camera $5.95 Ideal for engagement parties, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding reception, these manual-flash cameras come in shiny silver- or gold-tone plastic with a black back panel and buttons. Preloaded with quality 400-speed film; 27 exposures. Each camera measures 4 1/2" x 1" x 2 1/4".

Personalized Favor Tags – Wedding Bells $14.95 Tag your wedding favors with something personal! These sturdy cardstock tags feature your choice of 75 new designs to coordinate with your reception. Choose a round, diamond, or rectangle shape and personalize with your names and wedding date. Sold in packs of 30. (Ribbon not included.)