A Loch Lomond Wedding to Remember

Gemma & James at The Cruin

Wedding Date: 19th May 2022 (a look back to the crazy year post pandemic)

In 2020 and 2021, thousands of couples across the country had to put their wedding plans on hold as the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. Guest lists were slashed, travel plans paused, and dream days rescheduled (often more than once!). For Gemma and James, it meant waiting an extra year to say “I do” on the banks of Loch Lomond, but when the day finally arrived, it was more than worth the wait. 3 years later (to the day!), here is the story of their sunshine-filled wedding at The Cruin.

So—tell us a little about you. How did you meet, and how long have you been together?

We met during our first year at university, within the first couple of months, and have been together ever since. James moved up to Scotland when he was younger due to his dad’s job but returned down south for university and ended up staying. We’ve been together for just over ten and a half years now, were engaged for six of those years, and we have a gorgeous 3-year-old son together.

Why choose Scotland to get married in?

Gemma: I fell in love with Scotland from my very first visit. I remember us being on the banks of Loch Lomond one day, thinking to myself, “If we ever get married, this is where I want to do it.” That was before James had even proposed! Plus, even when the weather is rubbish, Scotland (and Loch Lomond in particular) is still stunning, so we felt hopeful that the weather would not ruin our day. Also, it was the perfect opportunity to get our family and friends who hadn’t visited Scotland before to come and fall in love with it themselves.

How did the pandemic affect your plans, especially with a little one running about?

Luckily, we had booked our venue and I had bought my wedding dress before the dreaded pandemic struck, but everything else had to be sorted during the pandemic. Our first ‘meeting’ with Stuart, the photographer at 1500 Photography, was a video call, and we had at least one meeting with Rebecca at The Cruin via video call too. It’s not easy trying to concentrate on a video call when you’ve got a toddler wanting your undivided attention. I think those calls usually resulted in at least one of us being distracted by our son and not being able to fully participate.

We were originally supposed to tie the knot in May 2021. By that point, weddings were going ahead, but there were restrictions regarding the number of guests. We decided that if we couldn’t invite all of our family and friends that we wanted to, then we didn’t want to go ahead with the wedding. It was very important to us that we share our special day with the special people in our lives. Plus, due to the pandemic, we were having trouble organising certain items required for the day, such as bridesmaids’ dresses. My best friend Lisa, who made our amazing personalised signage for the venue, was stuck in Turkey, unable to fly back to the UK. Thankfully, both The Cruin and Stuart were very understanding and accommodating when we made the decision to postpone the wedding for a year.

Who was your wedding dress by, and where did you get it?

My stunning wedding dress is by Watters, and I was very lucky to find and buy it before the pandemic hit, from a bridal shop local to me—Alta Costura Bride in Maidstone, Kent.
📸 @altacosturabride

Who was your florist?

Sarah Michaels Floral Designs in Chatham Maritime, Kent. Initially, I had planned to use a florist close to the wedding venue; however, I then decided that I wanted artificial flowers so that I could keep them after the wedding. The pandemic added to that decision, as restrictions made it difficult to travel up to Scotland to visit any florists.

Who was your hair/makeup artist?

Finding a hair and makeup artist was probably the biggest headache for me. I wanted to use someone local-ish to the venue, but not being a local myself and never having organised a hair and makeup artist before, I had no idea what I was doing. I tried Google and social media, but everyone I contacted either didn’t respond or was already booked up for my date. Then I was saved when Stuart put an ‘SOS’ for me on Facebook, and I found the amazing Ailsa Docherty of Ailsa Doc Makeup & Skincare.
📸 @ailsadocmua

She was the perfect choice for me and my bridesmaids; we are not heavy makeup wearers, and her makeup gave us flawless coverage without feeling heavy or “tarted up.” She listened to what I wanted and didn’t want, and she delivered. With Ailsa’s help, I found Maureen Crolla of The Bride To Be to do our hair, and the pair of them made a fantastic team who went above and beyond on the big day. Thanks to them both, I have never felt so beautiful (and comfortable with a full face of makeup and hair done). My bridesmaids looked absolutely stunning too.

Who ‘dressed’ the room?

All Dressed Up, Alexandria 📸 @alldresseduplochlomond

And finally, the groom’s outfitter?

KJ Mills of The Wedding Planner, Helensburgh, fitted and supplied the groomsmen’s attire. While we’re not Scottish, it felt wrong not to do it properly while in Scotland, so James opted to wear the Help for Heroes tartan. The kilts looked amazing, and KJ & the team did a great job in sorting everything out, especially since, due to geographical constraints, KJ had to take some of the measurements over the phone and never actually met three of the groomsmen.
📸 @wedplannerbridal

Bargain of the Wedding?

Not sure if these count since they were free (wedding gifts), but James’s aunty Jo made our wedding cake and drove it all the way up to Scotland from London for us, and my best friend Lisa made our personalised wedding signage.📸 @handwrittenbylisa

Unnecessary Purchase for the Wedding?

Again, not sure if it counts, but making our own wedding stationery. We thought we’d be able to save ourselves some money by making our own save-the-dates, invites, etc., but it was hard work, especially with a toddler running around making the whole process much longer. It would have been easier, and probably more cost-effective (when you take into consideration how much of our time we put into making them), to pay someone else to make them for us or just buy some standard printed invites.

What was the best bit about your day?

The location and weather. We knew that the venue would be amazing whatever the weather, and we were prepared for rain since it rained for days leading up to the wedding day, but we were blessed with a beautiful, warm, sunny day. The view was breathtaking, and we were able to make the most of the venue (and the photo opportunities). All of our guests from down south couldn’t believe the weather; we were so lucky. The sun even shone on us when we said “I do.”

What were you most looking forward to about the day?

Marrying each other?! Actually, probably spending the day celebrating and partying with our nearest and dearest.

And what (if anything) were you dreading?

Being the centre of attention.

How did you feel (before the wedding) about getting your picture taken?

Apprehensive. I hate posing for photos, and off-guard photos are usually unflattering. It’s very rare for me to like a photo of myself. But Stuart, you really do have a gift! My apprehension was unjustified.

Any advice for future brides-to-be? What do you know now that you wish you knew before the wedding?

If you’re on a budget, be very careful about only buying what you really need for the day. It’s so easy to get carried away, especially with certain apps that give you ideas. I could’ve easily spent lots of money buying unnecessary things. We opted for minimal décor to keep costs down, and we have no regrets. I can’t imagine anyone (us included) will look back on our wedding day in the future and say, “They/we should’ve paid out more for décor.”

If you’re planning a wedding at The Cruin — or anywhere along the bonnie banks — you’re in very good hands. I’ve been lucky enough to shoot here often, and I never tire of the views, the light, or the lovely folk who choose it.

Have a nosey through the gallery, and if it sparks any ideas, you know where I am.