Glittering Glasgow Cottiers wedding with drag queens, first dance choreography and Studio 54 vibe!

Grooms in matching cream and white trousers dancing surrounded by crowd

Alistair Fitton and David Weir, now the Fitton-Weirs!

28th September 2023

Venue | Cottiers Glasgow
Photography | Connor McEwan Photography

"And everything went from wrong to right
And the stars came out, filled up the sky
The music you were playing really blew my mind
It was love at first sight..."

Those iconic Kylie Minogue lyrics are exactly what David and Alistair felt the second they set eyes on one another in the bustling Delmonicas in Glasgow's Merchant City.

"I was a student living on Sauchiehall Street and David lived nearby, so after we'd been chatting online for a bit, it was only a matter of time before we met," smiles Alistair. "We were both out in Delmonicas one night and bumped into one another, it was an instant magnetic attraction. We arranged to go to for one drink in the Variety Bar after, and the next day we decided to have a 'proper date'."

"We both had this feeling as soon as we met that this was the real deal, that's why we always say Kylie's song sums us up," David recalls. "I invited Alistair over and cooked dinner, and basically he just never left!"

The pair were together for two years before Alistair decided to pop the question at one of their favourite events, Manchester Pride, in a nod to one of their favourite programmes, Queer as Folk.

"Our goal was to create the biggest, best party we could. We even managed to find the biggest disco ball in Scotland!"

"Alistair had this whole big plan of meeting up with our friends and popping the question, but an issue with our hotel room meant we were running behind and the plan didn't work," recalls David. "So instead he actually got down on one knee in a cab at the top of Canal Street, it couldn't have been more us."

Despite their engagement happening down south, the couple were set on getting married in Glasgow.

"We had originally looked at getting married in a stately home or a castle, but we weren't keen on the fact that with a lot of these venues, you were actually having to get married in a marquee," explains David. "Alistair had previously performed in Cottiers in Glasgow, so he knew it was a great venue."

Alistair adds: "We wanted somewhere central that our guests could get home from easily. We had over 100 guests join us during the day, with 200 in the evening. Our goal was to create the biggest, best party we could. We even managed to find the biggest disco ball in Scotland!"

Alistair is a performer who works on cruise liners across the globe, so wedding planning was not always carried out in a conventional way.

"I went out to visit Alistair whilst he was on a ship and I remember we bought a wedding planning book," recalls David. "We sat in a beautiful park in Rotterdam and that's when we realised planning a wedding was more than just getting a venue, a few things to eat and a couple of outfits – it was actually a whole lot more! Our goal was to create a day that was sentimental, beautiful and individual to us...but also the biggest, gayest, best party anyone has ever been to!"

The ceremony was a stand-out part of the day: with everything from drinking pink gin from the quaich, having 12 'rainbow children' act as their wedding party (with one even cartwheeling down the aisle!), to traditional and personal touches making it a true reflection of the couple.

"We had an amazing pianist who helped us plan a roster of music, with everything from that Kylie song to Celine Dion's cover of Here, There & Everywhere being part of it. We signed the register to Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten and walked down the aisle as husband and husband to I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) by George Michael and Aretha Franklin," beams Alistair.

black and white image of grooms embracing holding one arm out

When the couple discussed the wedding party, they said they would have 'more people in that than in the congregation' so sought inspiration from a wedding David had come across on TikTok to include loved ones in their big day: "We chose 10 people to stand up and say a few words during the ceremony. We did not know what to expect, but it was just so special as we know for a lot of people they were definitely out of their comfort zones having to do that. You can see us both roarin' and greetin' on the wedding video!"

After enjoying a banqueting-style meal (and the spectacle of cutting the impressive sculpted wedding cake created by Marie-Clare Cake Design in the shape of an intertwined thistle and rose) it was time to get the party started, and it certainly wasn't hard with everything the grooms had planned...

"We had the incredible performer Geezah Gobble on hosting duties, whilst one of Gran Canaria's top drag queens, Armani Dvyne, flew in to perform. She was incredible and performed as Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston," reminisces Alistair.

"A lot of our families actually had never been to a drag show and didn't really know that side of David and I, but left saying it was truly the best party of their lives."

Understandably for the couple it is hard to choose a real 'stand out' moment from the day that was filled with lots of love, laughter and light (and tables named after icons like Lady Gaga, Madonna and Bowie) but their first dance is something that they (and the thousands of people who have since watched it on social media!) will remember forever.

"She was incredible and performed as Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston"

"We knew we wanted to do a choreographed first dance and chose Scared of the Dark by Steps. Alistair had been teaching me in the house but our knees kept knocking together and I was getting frustrated," remembers David. "I happened to bring it up to Mark who I see in the gym and he just happened to be a trained ballroom dancer! He helped us perfect a rumba and foxtrot that worked perfectly with the track. Our friends joined in for a flashdance too – it was amazing."

The couple were also kitted out in special outfits throughout the day, created by friend and designer Somebody Else's Guy.

"We loved the idea of sustainable couture, so worked with Newcastle-based designer Corey to create our outfits for the ceremony and reception and then our evening look (matching corsets, trousers and glittery shoes)," explains Alistair. "The pieces are upcycled and diverse and we travelled up and down for various fittings, with Corey actually coming to get us dressed on the day."

Top tip: "Work to each other's strengths - I am a known Monica from Friends with my plans and spreadsheets, whilst Alistair is the creative one. This was a great mix when we were planning," adds David.