Covid-19 completely reshaped Michelle and Peter’s plans, but their wee wedding on the bonnie banks turned out better than they could’ve imagined
Michelle McCallum & Peter Brown
24th September 2020
Venue | The Shore, Loch Lomond (closed down)
Photography | 1500 Photography
“Peter and I started dating on 24th September 1995, making our wedding date our 25th anniversary of being together! He proposed to me in our living room on my 40th birthday in April 2018.
We visited The Shore, Loch Lomond, when first looking at venues. We were swayed by its modern interior, large open spaces and views of the loch. We had booked it for ceremony, meal and evening reception for 75 day guests, with 40 more expected in the evening – but due to Covid-19, this obviously didn’t turn out to be the case.
The pandemic completely reshaped our wedding plans. However, we were determined to proceed on our date if we could, as it marked such a significant milestone in our relationship. In the end, just 20 of us attended our ceremony and small drinks reception. Restrictions eased the week of our wedding which would have allowed us to have a meal, but by that point, we decided we didn’t have the time or resources to organise such at the eleventh hour.
Our outdoor ceremony by the loch was led by local minister Rev. Ian Miller. We had a right laugh, as when he asked the obligatory ‘does anyone object?’ question, a duck quacked at that exact moment!
After the ceremony, we hired boat Beau Jangles to take ourselves and our guests out for trips up the loch. Due to social distancing, we had to amend the number of people on the boat on each trip, but it made for great photos.
I really hate getting my photo taken. Consequently, it was important that our photographer made me feel comfortable. Admittedly, I was still a bit anxious about it on the day, but Stuart Wood from 1500 Photography made me feel at ease. We honestly can’t believe how amazing all our photos turned out and put that firmly down to Stuart’s talent and direction.
My star supplier accolade goes to Christine Fyfe who runs Bridal Atelier Loch Lomond. She went above and beyond to ensure that my dress was ready and altered on time, despite shipping problems caused by the pandemic. She also handmade my hair accessory, earrings, face mask and garter (the latter two were a surprise which was a lovely gesture).
All our suppliers and guests adhered to the strict government guidelines put in place: masks were worn, sanitiser used and social distancing was carried out. Everyone commented on how safe they felt at the wedding.
One benefit of the restrictions was that we got to spend quality time with every guest. If we had had our original numbers, I’m not sure this would have been the case. All being well, we are planning on holding our evening reception on 24th September 2021. Sadly, The Shore has went out of business, so we shall have to find another venue.”
Top tip: “Don’t put pressure on yourself to achieve the ‘perfect’ day. We discovered that even though our wedding was nowhere near what we had planned, it was far better than we could ever have expected. It was only when we had to amend our plans, that we started thinking about what we wanted and not other people. I was stressing myself out trying to keep others happy prior to that.”
Venue The Shore, Loch Lomond (closed down)
Photography 1500 Photography
Bride’s dress Bridal Atelier Loch Lomond
Bridesmaids’ dresses David’s Bridal
Groomswear McCalls
Flowers Lily’s Florist
Venue décor All Dressed Up
Wedding rings Ernest Jones
Makeup Maxine Fyfe
Bride’s hair Jacqueline Glennie at Platinum Hair Salon
Bridesmaids’ hair Get it Glam
Boat hire Beau Jangles
