Rose and Em came all the way from New Zealand to marry in Perthshire, striking gold with an early-summer heatwave for their laidback, joyous celebrations at this DIY barn venue
Rose Walker and Emily Button, now the Walker-Buttons
11th May 2024
Venue | The Byre at Inchyra, Perth
Photography | Suzanne Li Photography
"All we knew when we started planning our wedding was that we wanted a humanist ceremony and for it to be outside and surrounded by nature,” says Emily, who married long-time love Rose at The Byre at Inchyra in May 2024.
Satisfying point number one was no problem at all. “We collaborated with celebrant Linda Stewart from Humanist Society Scotland to create our ceremony and vows from scratch, which was very exciting and something we had a lot of fun with.”
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However, the second point was a bit of a gamble, as we all know that Scotland only has two seasons – winter and June. The pair were travelling 11,000 miles across the globe from New Zealand for their wedding, and it would be a tad disappointing if the weather were to scupper their dreams.
Outdoor weddings at The Byre at Inchyra
“We needn’t have worried, as in the end, we got a rare, glorious sunny summer’s day. It ended up being 28°C,” smiles Em. “Our ceremony in the Walled Garden, which was in full bloom, really was idyllic. Walking down the outdoor ‘aisle’ arcade of blossom-laden apple trees while a harpist played will be forever etched in my memory.”
The newlyweds live in Wellington, had their first date in a Glasgow bar 11 years ago, and mutually “decided” to get married at the end of 2020, but only knocked on with planning things in 2023.
“We wanted a wedding back in Scotland so it would be easy for all of our family and friends in the UK to attend,” says Em. “The main problem we had was coordinating suppliers while living in NZ.
“It involved a lot of video calls – most of them at ungodly hours – which certainly slowed down the process. But our family in Scotland helped a lot, visiting the venue and suppliers on our behalf, before we flew out in person to meet them all a few months before the big day.”
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Where is The Byre at Inchyra?
The couple had discovered Perth venue The Byre at Inchyra online, and were swayed by its incredible spaces, both outdoors and inside, for ceremonies and receptions and by its ample accommodation for their 45 guests.
“We saw the beautiful flower fields, trees and blossoms in and around the walled garden, and the rustic blank-canvas byre, and we were sold. We could host our families in the attached cottages, and there were nearby hotels for guests coming from further afield,” recalls Em.
“The venue itself was our biggest inspiration, and the staff were wonderful in talking us through what might work.”
How to plan a wedding ceremony for two brides
From there, the brides set out to devise a wedding to suit their needs. “It was lovely being able to personalise and shape our wedding without being constrained by any set ideas or expectations.
“For instance, we got ready together the morning of the wedding; our dads walked us down the aisle together; our mums tied our tartan handfasting ribbon with us, and our siblings acted as ring-bearers and witnesses. We had no readings, no flowers and a strict no-speeches policy.”
The newlyweds were also keen to shy away from the traditional multi-course meal format and wanted guests (who all “leaned into” the couple’s suggested bright and colourful dress code) to be relaxed and have the option to get up and move around if they wanted.
What are some ideas for outdoor wedding food stations?
“After chatting to Lazy Sunday Catering, we decided on sharing platters of slow-cooked pulled pork with beans, salad and tortillas, alongside fish and some vegetarian options. Our gin station, pie ‘ladder’ and the dessert table were all big hits with our guests.”
“We had several food and drink stations indoors and out, including a gin station that went down a treat, so people could wander around and enjoy the sunshine.”
Read more about some of Scotland's best wedding food and drink suppliers
The “sublime” ceremony was the high point: “Our favourite moment was when our celebrant Linda asked us to kiss again because ‘it was too short’ the first time. It wasn’t – but we were happy to oblige,” laughs Em.
“We did feel nervous before the ceremony, as both of us are quite private – declaring our love in front of an audience was quite the leap for us! But as soon as the ceremony was done, the nerves evaporated, and we had a blast.”
Looking for a candid wedding photographer in Scotland?
Alfresco champagne, finger food and photos followed. “All of our photos look like something out of a fairytale,” smiles Em. “I’d met our photographer, Suzanne Li, at a friend’s wedding the year before and adored her relaxed yet professional approach. Her style is light, beautiful and candid, which suited us perfectly. She’d also shot weddings at Inchyra before, so knew the best spots and times of day for pictures.”
In the evening, ceilidh band Calm Doon kicked off the party. “Our first dance was to our favourite jig, the Gay Gordons. The guys kept the party going when we were all flagging with the heat. We got a fire-pit going outside for anyone who wanted a breather from the dancefloor,” recalls Em.
“We wanted the atmosphere at our wedding to be light, relaxed and joyous. And I’m glad to say: mission accomplished!”
Setting boundaries when planning a wedding
Top tip: “Set aside time each day to do a little bit of planning and admin, but avoid talking about the wedding with each other outside of the time you set aside – otherwise it gets out of hand!” suggests Em. “The last thing you want is wedding planning niggles just before bed!”
Venue and decor The Byre at Inchyra, Perthshire
Photography Suzanne Li Photography
Celebrant Linda Stewart, Humanist Society Scotland
Em’s dress Pronovias, worn with Converse sneakers
Rose’s dress Larimeloom, worn with Vans sneakers
Hair and makeup Lauren Gilmour Hair and Makeup Artistry
Rings The Rolling Mill (New Zealand)
Catering and cake Lazy Sunday Catering
Bar Hutton Bars
Ceremony music Harpist Emma Durkan, booked via Last Minute Musicians
Ceilidh band Calm Doon Ceilidh Band
Stationery DIY using Vistaprint
Em’s mother of the bride outfit Elegance Boutique of Helensburgh
Rose’s mother of the bride outfit Phase Eight
Transport Local taxis
Find even more wedding suppliers on Tie the Knot Scotland's online directory
