The Wedding of…………….

Hayley & Michael

Love Stories

Hayley & Michael’s Wedding at Achnagairn Castle

Spring is my favourite time of year. Not just to photograph a wedding, but in general.  Coming out of winter, temperature starting to climb, days getting longer, cherry blossom, etc.  It just puts a smile on my face.  And of course, summer to look forward to as well.

Hayley and Michael married at Achnagairn Castle on 23rd March 2019 and were blessed with a beautiful spring day for their wedding.  They were joined with 140 family and friends and none more important than their daughter, Maisie -such a little character and absolute star.  I do not recall her being grumpy once, which is no mean feat for a toddler!!  At time’s she stole the show, but I don’t think mum and dad minded too much.

I truly enjoyed photographing this wedding.  It was a perfect day and their family and friends were a joy to be around.

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Why did you choose Andy as your photographer?

We really liked Andy’s photos and looked on Instagram and Facebook for information, we like both the relaxed and formal shots he took and when we met with him he was really easy going and we were comfortable with him straight away, this was important to two people who don’t like getting their photo taken! On the day he was fantastic, with Hayley he worked really well around the hair and make-up being done and with such a crowded room took some fabulous shots, at times you wouldn’t have even noticed he was there! Guests commented on how approachable he was when asked for photos and he took some great shots of couples and groups as well as us. We were delighted with our photos and when we first saw them we were instantly taken back to the day itself and it was great to see moments we had missed and remember everyone that was there.

Andy also gave us our number one tip we now share with others: get a babysitter sorted for our daughter. We did this and it was the best thing for both her and us. Having someone there with the responsibility of her meant that she could relax, enjoy the day, take time away and do what two year old’s do best without having to rely on family and friends who also want to enjoy their day.

THE PREPARATIONS
The Venue

Why did you choose Achnagairn Castle as your venue?

Hayley had seen pictures of Achnagairn online for years as a wedding venue and to her it just looked absolutely beautiful so when we both visited the venue together for the first time it blew us away and we knew it was for us! It was important to us that the venue had places for people to stay for a weekend; neither of us are from Inverness but now live here and this is where we wanted to get married which meant a lot of our guests would have to travel. Achnagairn allowed our guests, who were coming from all over the world, to stay which meant we could catch up with friends and family and see everyone throughout the wedding weekend.
”On the day Andy was fantastic,  he worked really well around the hair and make-up being done and with such a crowded room took some fabulous shots, at times you wouldn’t have even noticed he was there!”
Hayley
CEREMONY & RECEPTION
The Dress

How did you go about deciding your look?

I used Pinterest A LOT! Discussions with Angela and Nicola on what they thought would work alongside our ideas was the biggest help.  Their expertise and knowledge was invaluable.

My dress was from a small shop, in Hawick, which has sadly now closed. It was a real find and I loved it although it was totally different from the dresses I imagined myself in! My jewellery was gifted to me from my mum on the day of the wedding and it matched perfectly with the dress! My bouquet was done by Angela Hunter and she did such a fabulous job even giving our wee girl her own flower wand! I have since had my bouquet framed and preserved so I can keep a small part of the day forever! Hair and make up were done by Kristine Bondare, with eight members of the wedding party to organise her team were amazing, they were so professional, organised and made everyone feel and look beautiful!

The Decor

Did you have a particular theme, colour or feel for your wedding?

As a Forbes, Michael’s kilt is navy and green with a white check and this became our starting point for inspiration. I had also seen a bouquet of thistles, baby’s breath and white roses, this alongside the kilt colours were the inspiration for the theme of the day. From there we were able to plan and tie in everything else including the cake, stationary, chair covers and small details. Angela and Nicola’s magic touch brought our ideas to life for a perfect look beyond what we could have imagined!
EVENING CELEBRATIONS
What was the favourite part of your day?
Hayley: My favourite part of the day, apart from actually marrying Michael was getting ready in the morning with the bridesmaids, my mum and mother in law to be. We had an absolute ball and enjoyed all the build-up, it was like a really exciting sleepover all in our personalised pyjamas in the morning, enjoying both champagne which Michael had sent up and non-alcoholic bubbles as one of the bridesmaids was pregnant. It was such a laugh and we were so excited for the day ahead and all that was to come.

Michael: My favourite parts of the day was the service. The service was a very relaxed and enjoyable part of the day. Although it is also the most formal, having Michael Macdonald as our minister just made it really memorable and gave it that special touch, as we all shared a laugh and a joke together in front of our family and friends, it really was a special moment. Tying in a blessing for our daughter alongside our marriage and walking her up and down the aisle is a moment I will always treasure.

”Hayley had seen pictures of Achnagairn online for years as a wedding venue and to her it just looked absolutely beautiful so when we both visited the venue together for the first time it blew us away.”
HAYLEY & MICHAEL’S TEAM

Achnagairn gave us a list of suppliers they recommended when we booked with them. This was really helpful and allowed us to look at people who had worked at the venue before, this was important to us because we wanted the day to run as smoothly and perfectly as possible for everyone.  Having looked through the list we chose our top preferences with the help of recommendations and our own research, we were very lucky as we got our first choice with every supplier. This showed on the day with how well everyone worked together and how amazing it all turned out.

Please click on any link below to find out more about Hayley & Michael’s suppliers

Venue

Achnagairn Castle

Decorations

Nicola – Eva’s Covers

Videographer

Thistle Productions

Band

Corra

Celebrant

Michael Macdonald

Piper

Spud the Piper

Florist

Angela Hunter Flowers

Hair & Make-up

Kristine Bondare