This crafty couple were determined to use as many local resources as possible for their East Lothian nuptials which featured plenty of DIY elements and a hilarious mishap from the groom
Hana Davies Clark & Sam Darwood Young
9th September 2017
Venue | Tyninghame Village Hall, East Lothian
Photography | Jill Cherry Porter Photography
“We held both ceremony and reception at Tyninghame Village Hall in East Lothian. It’s a stunning listed building in the centre of a pretty red sandstone conservation village and a place that has been in both Sam and I’s life for years. It was local to most of our guests too, so meant that only a few would have to find accommodation.
We were determined to use as many local resources as possible, such as crops from local fields. We wanted blasts of colour to come from natural sources. I also visited a nearby upholsterer and they showed me their scrap pile.
I managed to get all the material needed for bunting for under £20! My mother-in-law then very kindly made 143 metres of the stuff to decorate the hall. She also made a gorgeous hessian ring cushion.
Sam is a forester, so we incorporated a lot of wood. He built the bar out of timber, all felled from within five miles of where we live. He also provided all the table rounds that flowers and candles were placed on, and the fire was stacked with his logs.
Sam forgot to write his vows. The celebrant had reminded him to change the example text that she had provided, but he hadn’t done it. It was only the next day it dawned on him that “No talkie time before coffee time” wasn’t a legal declaration! It’s a story that’s now a great source of amusement to our friends and family. To his credit, he bought a notebook and wrote his actual vows afterwards. They’re now framed, hanging above our bed.
We eschewed a lot of the formality associated with a wedding. We didn’t ask anyone to prepare a speech, for example, but kindly the best man, one of my bridesmaids and my father still did, which we really appreciated.
It meant so much to us to have pretty much everyone we care about under one roof. The highlight was being able to share the day with family members like my grandparents and parents (who hadn’t been in the same room for over 10 years). Weddings are a truly touching, once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Top tip: “Don’t buy all your decorations at once, or purchase them from one place. With budget weddings, the key is to squirrel things away. Websites like Gumtree and wedding-related groups on Facebook are a fabulous source of second-hand wedding items, still in good condition, for a fraction of the price – especially after wedding season.”
Brides’ dress Maggie Sottero
Shoes French Sole
Bridesmaids’ dresses Debenhams
Groom’s trews Bowdens
Rings Daniel Henderson Jewellers and Etsy
Celebrant Lorraine Simpson at Humanist Society Scotland
Canapés Take a Slice
Catering Oink
Lighting Arkwright Generators
Reception music Ecosse Entertainments
Flowers and cake Marks & Spencer
Hair Lisa Cockburn at Emma Combe Hair Stylist
Makeup Phoebe Bolton
