24 Aug Real Wedding: Annina & Steven, June, 2023
“When we started to plan our wedding, we knew we wanted to get married in a castle in Scotland and throw a celebration which reflected us personally. It was also important for us that the venue would be easily accessible for all our family and friends, with many flying in from abroad. Dundas Castle was the first venue we visited, and the feeling it gave us unmatched anywhere else. We could instantly see ourselves gathering with everyone on the castle grounds, getting married in the courtyard and celebrating the night away with the backdrop of the spectacular scenery of Dundas Castle. We also felt connected with the team at Dundas and confident they would not only allow us to bring our vision to life but also help us to get there. We didn’t have too many traditions in mind but rather wanted to bring our own twists in to make it truly personal to us – from incorporating sports into our celebrations, working with Heritage to build a menu which reflected our backgrounds, allowing for alternative bridal party entrances and bringing full party vibes to the castle, Dundas were open and supportive as we brought our personal flavour to the wedding.”
“Annina is German. Steven is Scottish but grew up in France. We met in Spain. Our friends and family are fairly spread out, and many had never met before, so we saw our wedding not only as a celebration of love but also as a one-off opportunity to bring our closest people together and have the best party of our lives. We had a two-day celebration in mind, with the first day being a mixer in the form of a Team Bride vs. Team Groom sports day to break the ice and get everyone connected and relaxed. Team Groom took the win on home turf, but the most important thing was by the end of the day, language barriers and any other walls were falling down – even the younger guests were using their phones to communicate via Google Translate. So, we were all set up for the wedding to get going and the party to unleash!”
“Dundas was extremely versatile, and we were determined to make the most of the opportunities it presented – Steven and his boys played golf, or at least tried to, the morning of the wedding before taking to the Billiards Room for plenty of posing whilst Annina was able to enjoy her wedding preparations in the beautiful Winter bedroom. After many rain dances, it couldn’t have been a better day, and the courtyard ceremony was everything and more than we had hoped for – from fun side entrances to long, romantic, and dramatic entrances from the main gates.”
“There is so much to enjoy at Dundas, especially on a sunny day. After the wedding ceremony, the party was able to get started, and Steven had kept a surprise up his sleeve. After our grandiose staircase introduction as a married couple, we headed outside to soak up the sunshine where Clann an Drumma, a tribal band Steven and his brother had seen at a Scotland game some months prior, were waiting to kick celebrations off with a bang! It set the tone for the rest of the day perfectly, and the party continued in the Pavilion, where everyone danced and danced, especially Annina until the perfect day and night came to a close with a little bit of tradition and the sound of the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.”
Photographer – Sophie Alexandria
Videographer – Afterglow Weddings
Florist – Liberty Blooms
Make-up Artist & Hairdresser – Melanie Herriot
Music During Drinks Reception – Clann an Drumma
Music During Evening Reception – DJ Graham from 5 Start Discos
Saxophonist – Elliot G Sax