Ellie & Gavin | Elsick House Scottish Wedding | A Fun and Memorable Day in Aberdeenshire

Ellie and Gavin’s Elsick House wedding was all about the good times. Imagine a day where the couple and their guests get to hang out, uninterrupted, celebrating with all the people who mean the most. It was exactly that: a bash packed with sentimental touches, fun surprises (hello, flower men!), beautiful Scottish weather, and a whole lot of dancing. Keep scrolling to learn more about their unforgettable day at Elsick House and check out some of the amazing pictures I captured.

The morning started with plenty of laughs with Ellie, her three bridesmaids, and her bridesman. As the bride was gearing up for her first look with her dad (which, spoiler alert, was very emotional), she was surprised with a small gift from Gavin.

Ellie loves all things bees, so it started off strong with a small gift box shaped like a bee. Inside were beautiful earrings. Gavin also included a bee-themed note and a piece of art with different locations, all of which are important to their relationship, including where they met, where they got engaged, and Aberdeenshire, where they got married! It was the perfect present to start the day off with.

While I love when brides get their special moment walking down the aisle, one of my favourite things to see is a groom getting that same attention. It’s their day, too, after all! Gavin began the day with his very own entrance, where he got to walk down the aisle with both of his parents. He gave his mum prime position, putting her in the middle, him to one side, and his dad on the other. It was a truly unique touch that I haven’t seen much of at other weddings.

There were two flower men, and they were the best flower men I have ever seen. They wore bum bags over their shoulders full of confetti to toss as they walked down the aisle. They also had roses, which they handed out to some of the female guests. This was a lovely and thoughtful touch. That wasn’t all, though. They also wore a waistband that had cans of beer stuck in it, and they handed these out to guests as well. It was epic.

As part of the ceremony, Tommy, their officiant, handed out two swords to two of the male guests, and they stood at the entrance to welcome friends and family. Then, they walked down the aisle as part of the bridal procession. The swords were laid on the ground, and Ellie and Gavin stepped over them to represent them moving into the next chapter and the new part of their life.

There was a sand ceremony, and parents, grandma, and siblings were all invited up, one by one, to use small jars of sand to fill up one big jar of sand. It was a symbol of blending all of their lives together to become one, which I thought was absolutely beautiful. They also had the rings blessed with some water from Ploda Falls, a beautiful waterfall in Scotland. The water was inside a horn and then poured out onto the rings to bless and purify them. I’ve seen quite a few ceremonies in my time as a photographer, but this was something I had never seen before, and I loved it.

They also included a hand-tying gesture, known as a handfasting–ceremony, which is very popular in Scotland. It’s actually where the saying tying the knot comes from. The couple tied two pieces of ribbons together in a knot which is said to be stronger than any sailors knot, one tied with love and said to never come undone. To end the ceremony, they drank from a quaich, another common Scottish wedding ceremony gesture. This involves the couple enjoying their first drink together to toast their happily ever after. Ellie and Gavin chose to have a drink of gin. All of these small moments created an extremely beautiful, heartwarming ceremony that I know I and their guests will remember for years to come.

I received separate emails ahead of the wedding day from Ellie and Gavin telling me that they each had a surprise for each other. Ellie emailed me to tell me that she was going to sing at the wedding as a surprise for Gavin. She had arranged this with the band, and after the first dance, she got up and surprised him. She sang Tina Turner’s Proud Mary, and then everyone joined in. The dance floor was buzzing, and everyone was shouting, one more tune, one more tune. So she also did a second song, and she was dancing among the guests. Everyone was singing. It was so much fun and a total surprise for Gavin. This was their song.

What Ellie didn’t know was that Gavin had secretly planned a dance routine to the same song. During his speech, he invited Ellie up to the front and sat her down on a chair. He had been taking lessons and had learned a whole choreographed dance routine. Ellie’s face is an absolute picture in some of the photos I snapped! She had no idea, but it goes to show how obviously meaningful the song is to both of them.

Whether you’re planning a big celebration at Elsick House or somewhere else in Scotland, I’d love to shoot your big day! My goal is to capture all of the laidback, candid and fun moments that you’ll want to cherish for the rest of your life. I just join in on your wedding day and that’s why I can say I have the best job in the world.

Learn more about what it’s like to have me by your side here!

Celebrant: Tommy Baxter
Dress Boutique: La Novia
Florist: Blooming Lovely Flower
Hair Stylist: Simone Saint
Make Up Artist: Mg Make Up & Beauty
Photographer: By Rhea
Venue: Elsick House
Videographer: Simple Wedding Films
Cake Maker: Cakes By Chloe
Band: Jukebox Hero
Caterer: Hudsons Catering
Second Photographer: J Dyer Photography