Are you lucky? Alana and Luke are. 

They fell in love the first time they met. Five years later, they got married.

They had one of those perfect Indian summer days for their wedding and they made the most of it, as these amazing shots from Marc Miller show. The exterior shots are  beautiful (and you can see lots more of them on Marc’s blog here) but I really wanted you to see photos from the ceremony itself because Luke and Alana had lots of ideas that I think will inspire you.

Can a byre be more magical than a castle? 

When it looks like this it can! Sandy Fyfe and his team at Kinkell Byre do a great job, and Luke and Alana came up with some great decorative touches of their own

The place was absolutely rammed. There must have been about 130 guests and the atmosphere was electric. before we started, I asked the guests their eyes not their iPhones, and then in came Alana, with her twin sister Lisa, and her mum, Fiona.

Luke and Alana are both from the world of the performing arts, so they really embraced my suggestion that they involve their guests in the ceremony. I really enjoyed playing my part, but I loved the way they cast many of their friends in starring roles.

Ashleigh and Esme told Luke and Alana’s story in words of their own, which came as a surprise to the couple who sat down in the audience to enjoy the tale.

Then Luke’s oldest friend Alex read a poem from the book that Luke made Alana for the engagement

They did a hand fasting with football scarves: Arsenal for Luke and Hearts for Alana. 

Then Owain and his sister Sooz gave us a song, called In This Room

 

Alana and Luke then sealed two letters they’d written each other into a box along with a bottle of wine to be opened in ten years time

We had a wee pause for contemplation to remember the people who couldn’t be with us, and then nine of their friends asked them to make promises that put them on the spot. 


Sarah asked Luke if he would accept that Alana will wear granny pants six days out of seven, and Alana promised not to be annoyed when Luke has to go to the toilet sixteen times before he can leave the house. 

We had an unusual contributor at vow number nine: their dog, Pongo.

I asked him if he agreed to mummy and daddy tying the knot today and he said ‘woof!’

Eileen Dunn of Sugar 8 shot a beautiful movie on old Super 8 film of the day: you can see the trailer here

Alana & Luke Trailer from Sugar8 on Vimeo.

Alana and Luke spoke their serious vows to one another, Marc got the all-important clean two-shot for the kiss, their mums witnessed the Marriage Schedule and then before they left, I spoke a very short blessing that Luke and Alana composed themselves. 

 

It was a very joyous occasion, as I think you can see. Luke and Alana went off to play in a VW Campervan

before heading off into the sunset to get some more dreamy portraits.  

I was very pleased when Alana wrote to me with these photos and said, “Thanks so much again for making our wedding day the dream – so many people commented that it was the best ceremony they had ever been to!” 


The reason for that is simple, Alana and Luke – that’s because you wrote it! Thanks again for asking me to be your celebrant, and drop me a line in ten years time when you open that wine and read those letters!