After receiving difficult news, Fiona and Greg relied on the help of family, friends and their venue to organise their wedding in just a few months
Fiona McLaren and Greg Leighton, now Mr and Mrs Leighton
22nd October 2022
Photography | Taken by friends and family
Venue | Low Parks Museum
Anything is possible when you have the right people supporting you. Whether it’s your best friend sitting for hours rehearsing questions with you ahead of an important interview, or your personal trainer at the gym encouraging you to do one more rep when you feel like throwing in the towel, these people mean more than they may ever realise.
When fate dealt Fiona and Greg several heavy blows, they could easily have given up. But instead, with a little help from their friends, they were able to have the day of their dreams in a “venue with soul”, Low Parks Museum.
“A few months before our wedding, Greg’s dad Brian received the news that he was losing his battle with cancer,” remembers the bride. “We had been talking about getting married for some time, but Brian’s news clinched the deal. But shortly after we made this decision, in June 2022, Greg suffered a traumatic seizure at work and tests showed that he had a sizeable growth in his brain.”
Not surprisingly, the couple were knocked for six. And that’s when their “loving and supportive tribe” helped pull their big day together, Fiona says. “Greg was struggling to function on a daily basis, far less make decisions about wedding details. But my daughter, Ellis, was relentless in her love and support. She showered us with care and love from the outset and I knew I could count on her to help navigate the future and plan the wedding.
"The friends and family who were so important to us during the wedding preparation continue to be our lifeboats in these choppy waters.”
The couple had started out hoping to pull their day together within two months, but soon realised they would need some room to manoeuvre – and that’s exactly what they found at Low Parks Museum. “It was crucial that the venue was flexible and would allow us to create an event that suited our very special needs and what we wanted to achieve,” Fiona tells us.
“We were so impressed by the flexibility that the museum offered and the variety of spaces available. We changed our date a couple of times and the venue was completely supportive and supremely patient.”
Low Parks’ Christine Slowey and Katrina McEvoy went above and beyond for the pair, and friends and family stepped up too: one friend took Fiona ring shopping, two others arranged their wedding transport, another pal even baked the cake… Fiona and Greg affectionately dubbed these helpers their “wedding flingers”.
“We wanted our day to be full of positivity and to celebrate love and friendship. Our particular situation put constraints on the way we approached that, so we had to consider very carefully what was important to us,” recalls the bride.
“Through the hard times that we’d faced and the planning of our wedding, our tribe stepped up to help and support us."
The couple were also keen to have a space where guests could spend the whole day, so they made use of various areas to create a full experience. “We were drawn to the museum’s elegant atmosphere, which was perfect for us. The Assembly Room was formal, with long windows which flooded the space with daylight during the ceremony and was exquisitely laid out with gold and ivory chairs forming a central aisle,” remembers Fiona.
“As darkness fell, the room glowed with twinkling fairylights and LED candles which gave the afternoon tea more intimate atmosphere. The Portland Gallery was a good area for people to mingle with a glass of fizz and enjoy the artwork with friends and family.”
In lieu of a professional photographer, the couple enlisted the help of their guests to ensure no moment would be missed during this emotional day.
“We didn’t want staged photos. Instead, we wanted candid reminders of every aspect of the day from the viewpoint of everyone who attended,” smiles the bride.
“Our friends took quirky, funny, soulful photos which caught a thousand moments on the day, and later uploaded them to a website so we could all share them.”
"The theme of our wedding extended from the love of two people to the love we felt from others.”
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the wedding, Fiona says the day was “unique and charged with love and happiness”, which she puts down to everyone who helped make it happen.
“From the outset, Low Parks Museum made it clear that nothing would be too much trouble. I made many, many visits to the venue and called in a panic loads of times, but at no point did anyone give the slightest indication that I was getting on their nerves,” she laughs.
“We have had so many compliments from our guests, who’ve told us it was the best wedding they’ve ever been to: full of authenticity and genuine joy. Many commented that the feeling of love was tangible – and I feel that the venue and staff helped create that atmosphere."
Venue Low Parks Museum
Photography Captured by guests,
including the bride’s uncle, Tom mccrum
Filmmaker Video by guest Eilish Brand
Registrar Michelle Kilpatrick via South
Lanarkshire Council
Bride’s Dress Monsoon
Bride’s Shoes Quiz Clothing
Bride’s Necklace John Lewis
Bridesmaid Dresses ASOS
Hair Liz Cox, Park West Luxury Health &
Beauty Spa
Nails Dead Glam Salon
Groomswear Slater Menswear
Rings Chisholm Hunter
Cake Made by friend Fiona MacGregor
Stationery Ever After Design
Favours Guitar pins and donation to
Macmillan Cancer Support
Pre-Wedding Treatments Tai Chi
Wellness Centre
Transport Arranged by friends Iain
Sharp and Ian Halforty
