Happy New Year darlings! And welcome to all of you new to Love My Dress, who may have gotten engaged over the festive period – so much love and congratulations to you.
Love My Dress is a place for you to enjoy and and seek inspiration as you plan your wedding. It is a safe online space where you can find reliable and trusted venue and supplier recommendations, immerse yourself in beautifully produced, heart-led storytelling and find all the best bridal fashion. We’ve been wedding obsessed since November 2009 when Love My Dress was established by me, Annabel Beeforth – you can find out more here.
Every week, we share multiple real weddings and we take great care in doing so – honouring the couple’s story and memories of their day and showcasing their chosen supplier talent. This is our first wedding of the new year and it features the work of three of our talented recommended suppliers, including bridal fashion brand Indiebride London, floral designer Wild Flower Workshop and the incredible photographer Caro Weiss, whose work we’ve been sharing since 2009.
Couple Nicola and Andrew, who both work in public policy, tied the knot on 7th October 2023, at The Cow Shed in Crail. Their delightful Autumn wedding is full of charm and style and I know you’re going to love it. Enjoy!
Bridal Beauty & Accessories
My makeup artist was Sophie Alexis, based in Fife – and her colleague Iliana, styled hair. They were really lovely, made the whole bridal party feel very at ease, and we were all very happy with the outcome.
I loved the Carly veil – from Indiebride, as soon as I saw it – it was completely different from anything I had seen before, with a beautiful floral print.
I wasn’t sure whether it was going to be right for me, but decided to go for it in – and was really happy with how it turned out, as it really paired well with the simplicity of the dress.
I really like independent jewellery company, Lines And Current, based in out Belfast, and found exactly the earring and rings I wanted for the day there.
My shoes (just like my bridesmaids shoes) were by Esska – my absolute favourite brand for heels (lovely designs, and comfortable enough to wear all night).
Shop Esska Shoes Online
The Venue & Flowers
We went with Wild Flower Workshop, based in Glasgow, when it came to flowers. I love absolutely all of their creations, and we were so happy with what they designed for our wedding.
I loved the natural look, which focuses on seasonal flowers. That perfectly matched the general aesthetic of the wedding.
We chose the venue for a number of reasons, the first being it’s stunning setting at the prow of a hill overlooking Crail and the sea beyond. Second, that the space itself was exactly what we were looking for: rustic, pared back, and blank canvass.
Third, that the location is halfway between Edinburgh, where I grew up; and North Fife, where Andrew grew up.
Explore our recommended venues
How They Met
We met on the first day of University, both studying Law in Glasgow. We got engaged a few (13!) years later on the Isle of Skye, on our first proper holiday post-Covid. And we got married just over a couple of years later.
Andrew went for Kinloch Anderson as they are known for their very high quality, and helpfully run monthly appointments in London, so he could go for his fittings from home.
Andrew wore a kilt, also autumnal in colour (muted browns, oranges etc). This was fitted and made by Kinloch Anderson. He also wore all the usual kilt accessories, ie, a sporran, sgian-dubh etc, and shoes from Tricker’s.
Evening & Dancing
In the evening, the Foot Stompin’ Ceilidh Band Band entertained our guests.
We wanted to get everyone up dancing with us for the first dance, so we skipped the traditional first-dance, and went straight into the Gay Gordons ceilidh dance, which got everyone on the dance floor.
Words of Wedded Wisdom
- Organisation is key – and good excel skill shelp!
- Do a little bit of ‘wedmin’ every week if you can, to keep momentum and avoid a hugely stressful last couple of months.
- Don’t worry – as long as people are fed, watered and have shelter, they’ll have fun! Especially about the things you can’t control – we were very stressed about the amber weather warning over the weekend of our wedding, but it didn’t matter at all on the day!
Regarding our wedding budget – we had a pot, which we probably went deeper into that then we wanted! But we didn’t set out with a hard limit.
Also, working with a blank canvas venue can be a lot of work, especially if you don’t have a wedding planner. On the flip side, you get complete creative control, and free choice over suppliers, which we enjoyed. However – quite glad the weekends of ‘wedmin’ are over.
