Wedding Story
Bride’s Comments: “We played the scores to our favorite video games during the rehearsal dinner and during family portraits after the ceremony. I walked down the aisle to Vitamin String Quartet’s version of Cara Mia Addio from the video game Portal 2. Our first dance was to Vitamin String Quartet’s version of Still Alive from Portal. We loved having our favorite songs playing on our wedding day, and it was more meaningful because the songs came from games we love to play together. We also had Mr. and Mrs. Penguin cake toppers for our wedding cake, because we’ve always said we’re penguins because they mate for life.”
Bridal Q & A
Q1: Tell us about your wedding! A1: “Stu has Scottish heritage from the Grant clan. He wore one of the Grant clan’s tartans for his kilt. We also did a modified handfasting ceremony, where a length of Stu’s tartan was wrapped around our hands after we said our vows. Red was an important part of our day because red is traditional in Chinese weddings, so my mother wore a red dress and I wore red lipstick. Coincidentally, the main color of Stu’s tartan was red, so that was a nice touch as well.” Q2: Let’s talk wedding decor A2: “We wanted the castle’s splendor to speak for itself, so we went very minimal with the decorations. There were white chair covers with white bows on the chairs; they were simple and beautiful. Other than the bows and some DIY centerpieces on the tables, we didn’t decorate the space at all.” Q3: What were the florals like in your wedding? A3: “The flower arrangements on the tables for the rehearsal dinner and reception were curated by our good friend Ross’s mother. Ross lives in Scotland, and his mum volunteered to help us with the flower centerpieces. She found lovely blue hydrangeas and large brandy vases for the arrangements and put them together herself.” “The flowers for my bridal bouquet and my Maid of Honor’s bouquet were hand-picked from the castle’s gardens on the morning of the ceremony. Stu and I both love the color blue, so it was important to us that we had blue flowers for our wedding. The blue hydrangeas were stunning and simple, just the way we wanted.” Q4: Did you personalize the day in any way? A4: “We played the scores to our favorite video games during the rehearsal dinner and during family portraits after the ceremony. I walked down the aisle to Vitamin String Quartet’s version of Cara Mia Addio from the video game Portal 2. Our first dance was to Vitamin String Quartet’s version of Still Alive from Portal. We loved having our favorite songs playing on our wedding day, and it was more meaningful because the songs came from games we love to play together. We also had Mr. and Mrs. Penguin cake toppers for our wedding cake, because we’ve always said we’re penguins because they mate for life.” Q5: Let’s talk fashion A5: “I wore a Truly Zac Posen for David’s Bridal dress. My dress has 3 tiers of horsehair-sculpted tulle for the skirt, with beaded lace appliques on the bodice. We also added a corset to the bodice to really fit the dress to my body. I had thought I wanted a dress completely different from what I wore, but the Zac Posen dress had my heart from the moment I saw it. I wanted to match the beaded floral lace appliques on the dress, so I picked a matching hairpiece and bracelet to complete the look. Underneath the tiers of my skirt, I wore very simple, two-strap royal blue heels for a pop of color that kept with our love of blue. “The moment we decided to have our wedding in Scotland, Stu knew that he wanted to wear a kilt. The Grant clan has a few different tartans for their clan, and we picked the “ancient muted” tartan. The muted red with blue and green accents really stood out on the day, especially with the greenery of Scotland as a backdrop. Stu wore a traditional Prince Charlie jacket, vest, tuxedo shirt with the kilt, as well as brogues and a formal sporran. He rather liked having a “man purse” to put things in on the day!” Q6: How did you meet? A6: “We met online and hit it off immediately. On our 2 year anniversary, Stu proposed to me on the front steps of our first house that we had bought together just the year before. He had told me we were going out for our anniversary dinner, and that there were art galleries and other places we could explore before our reservation. He kept trying to rush me out the door! As we were passing our front door to get to the garage to leave (or so I thought), he told me the wild neighborhood bunnies were out in our front yard. Naturally, I wanted to see the bunnies, so we went down our porch steps, just to have him drop to one knee and propose! One of Stu’s friends hid behind our fence and popped out to take proposal photos, so we have the moment documented forever.” Q7: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day? A7: “Our favorite part of the wedding was the first look. There was so much anticipation, and the moment is forever cemented in our minds. It felt like the world froze around us when he first saw me in my dress; it was like we were in our own little bubble of love. Stu looked so handsome in his kilt that it made me cry when I came up behind him, and when he took off the blindfold, he told me through tears how beautiful I looked. That’s something we’ll never forget.” Q8: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice to share with other couples planning their day? A8: “Our number one piece of advice is to do what you want to do! It’s YOUR day, and it should be exactly as you want it. Don’t let others dictate how your wedding should be, because they aren’t the bride and groom, you are. Couples also need great communication and respect! Wedding planning can be stressful, even if you think it won’t be, and the only way to survive is to be on the same team no matter what. Most of all, enjoy the day! Take a moment to soak it all in and remember it. The day passes by so fast, but it’s the best day of your life!”
Vendors in this Wedding
Ceremony Location: Stonefield Castle Photographer: Krisandra Evans Photography
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