Devon and Claire met at University in St. Andrews. 

They spent three years talking over Skype while Claire studied in Madrid, and Devon found a job in London, but they didn’t just maintain their relationship: they spent those three years falling more deeply in love with one another as they grew as individuals.


Their ceremony was both thoughtful and fun, and they personalised it in some very clever ways.

isn’t this the coolest wedding car you ever saw?

In the first place, they both greeted their guests as they arrived at the Royal College of Physicians on Queen Street. It’s an imposing place, but they made it feel very relaxed and welcoming.

Then they both came into the library with their parents – bride first, followed by groom, which is original.

Rather than marry at one end of the room, as is usual, they chose to stand in the centre, where they could be surrounded by guests on all sides.

I did the introduction, then handed over to Anne, Byron and Julia, who began their story.

In between each reading, Devon and Claire turned by 90 degrees, so they were always visible to three quarters of the audience at any given time.

Stewart read a Burns poem, Love for Love, then we talked about their reasons for marrying, in which they quoted Madeleine L’Engle, who said, “If we commit ourselves to one person for life this is not as many people think a rejection of freedom rather it demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom and the risk of love which is permanent into that love which is not possession but participation.”

After their vows, and an exchange of rings, Grandpa Leo & Grandpa Ray witnessed the signing of the Marriage Schedule. They’d both worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Company in Toronto back in the day, but didn’t really know each other then, so the story of how their grandchildren met in the smallest student residence in one of Scotland’s smallest universities is now one of their favourite tales. 

The ceremony ended after the guests spoke the Apache Wedding Blessing…

Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be shelter for the other.

Then the happy couple went out into the glorious afternoon to take some more photographs with the talented Kasia Maliszewska. 


Claire and Devon said, “We have had a lovely first year of marriage, and still think back to our wedding day almost every day. We came across our ceremony program yesterday actually, and were re-living how much fun it was to put it together, with so much love coming from our friends’ and family’s contributions… thanks again for helping us to orchestrate the most important part of the day!”


Kasia put lots more photos from the wedding on her blog which you can see here. I really like the way she used the upper gallery to give another perspective on the ceremony – and caught some great little details like these too.

Thanks to her and of course thanks most of all to Devon and Claire for sharing this with me and all of you!