Every cloud has a silver lining…even in a pandemic! The new Mrs McGregor tells us how she managed to keep calm amidst the madness, and still have the day of her and Gary’s dreams…
Amy Lennon & Gary McGregor
7th May 2021
Venue | Kinkell Byre, near St Andrews
Photography | Casey Stewart Photography
“After five years together, Gary popped the question at the city walls in Dubrovnik. We threw ourselves into wedding planning, snapping up Kinkell Byre before tackling anything else. It’s a gorgeously rustic and versatile venue, with the most stunning scenery and views over St Andrews. I can’t explain the feeling I had when I visited – when you know, you know!
Our vision had originally been for a big bash with 200 guests, but Covid made sure that didn’t happen. Instead, we had to push our wedding back by a year and reduce our guest list to 50. However, in the end, a smaller wedding was actually the best choice for us, even though it’s something we would never have considered pre-pandemic.
We navigated the uncertainty by staying positive and holding on to the things we could control. Plus, having only our nearest and dearest there meant that we were actually able to have a proper chat with everyone, which was fantastic.
Even though our plans changed, we still wanted the same thing: a relaxed day that was a reflection of us as a couple, with our guests able to enjoy the magic of Kinkell Byre. We used wedding magazines, Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration, and went along to some fairs to get further ideas.
Originally we budgeted for £20-£25k, but Covid changed all that and actually reduced our final cost. We managed the planning well by doing a little, often. Gary set up a spreadsheet to keep track of payments and menu choices. We were also thankful for the help of our family and friends.
For example, some skilled relatives made our welcome board, and Gary’s mum created a personalised, knitted bride and groom to go with the cake. Oh, and my gran served as my maid of honour!
Due to the restrictions, I had to do my own makeup. However, the anticipation made getting ready a real highlight regardless.
We forgot to order corsages for the bridal party. Looking back, I can’t help but laugh when remembering the moment we realised. After a slight panic, we were fortunate enough to be able to organise them last-minute from a local florist in St Andrews.
Annalese McDermott conducted our humanist ceremony beautifully. We felt this was the right way to personalise the service and tell our story. My brother also read a poem during the ceremony, and I walked down the aisle to one of my gran and papa’s favourite songs. Gary and I both agree, though, that seeing each other at the aisle for the first time was our best, and most emotional, moment.
Neither of us are keen on posing, so a photographer who made us feel relaxed was key. Casey Stewart did exactly that, putting us all at ease, joining in on the laughs and talking to everyone. You wouldn’t have even known he was there, but he managed to capture some of the most spectacular, natural shots. His eye for detail is quite something – at one point he was on the floor during our first dance!
The food was incredible. Regis Banqueting provided the most delicious food, and our three-tier cake by Loren Brand Cakes was flavoured with lemon, white chocolate and raspberry, and apple cinnamon. Our guests also got to take home hand-picked and handmade bramble gin and whisky!
Some guests would say that they enjoyed the free bar the most, but everyone raved about the venue and the suppliers. This was the first thing we were able to do as family and friends for over a year, so all our guests loved celebrating with us and we really felt their love.”
Top tip: “Don’t sweat the small stuff. You can be the most organised person and some things will still be out of your control…like a pandemic! Things like that can give you perspective and make you think differently –and perhaps make things even better. Keep the faith and trust that your wedding will be even more wonderful than you could imagine.”
Venue Kinkell Byre, near St Andrews
Photography Casey Stewart Photography
Celebrant Annalese McDermott, Humanist Society Scotland
Bride’s dress Justin Alexander at Gwenne Wedding Services
Bridesmaids’ dresses and mother of the bride outfit Marsha Marshal
Groomswear MacGregor and MacDuff
Cake Loren Brand Cakes
Catering Regis Banqueting
Flowers Stucio & Waow
Chair drapes Ambience Venue Styling
Lighting i-light Productions
Wedding rings Laings
Tent Stretch Tents Scotland
Transport AEW Executive Travel
Filmmaker Lorraine Bhandari Photography & Film (click here to see the video)
Hair Hair Ups Dundee
