I love this photo, because Richard and Karen are clearly smiling and kissing at the same time: it just sums up their ceremony, which was great fun, from start to finish!
Richard and Karen first met at at Alicante
airport when Karen was pretending to be ‘Vhari’ the
hyperactive taxi driver who’d been booked to pick him up and take him to see his daughter Rikki, who was working nearby.
airport when Karen was pretending to be ‘Vhari’ the
hyperactive taxi driver who’d been booked to pick him up and take him to see his daughter Rikki, who was working nearby.
After the holiday, they kept in touch, even though Richard thought that the 30 miles between Airdrie and Edinburgh meant he was getting into a long-distance relationship.
When the time came, Karen made her entrance with great panache: proceeded by a regiment of lady friends of all ages, led (of course) by a female piper.
It’s not hard to see that this is a case of ‘opposites attract’. Karen introduced Richard to the wonders of
wild camping, hill climbing and heavy rock music.
wild camping, hill climbing and heavy rock music.
In return, Richard introduced Karen
to Edinburgh’s ‘old men bars’, Northern Soul, and red pudding!
to Edinburgh’s ‘old men bars’, Northern Soul, and red pudding!
Events moved at a pace. On Richard’s birthday in April 2013 they discovered they were expecting, and in November, their son Archie was born!
For the next few years they continued to
learn and grow, not only as a family but as a couple. When Richard proposed in July 2015 it seemed
fitting that they ‘tie the knot’ on Karen’s birthday – and that’s what brought us all the way to the Brasserie at Swanston.
learn and grow, not only as a family but as a couple. When Richard proposed in July 2015 it seemed
fitting that they ‘tie the knot’ on Karen’s birthday – and that’s what brought us all the way to the Brasserie at Swanston.
They had intended to marry in Spain but when that became impossible, Karen said it could be anywhere with a view of greenery and lots of windows. Richard set out to find the best viewpoint in Edinburgh, and his research led him to Swanston, which was the perfect place for them to ‘tee off’ married life.
They were having a bit of difficulty deciding what to say in their ceremony, but when Rikki posted this quote from Little Penny Thoughts on Social Media, Karen and Richard realised it summed up exactly what they were trying to say.
‘Sometimes you meet someone, and it’s so clear that the two
of you, on some level, belong together. As
lovers, as friends or as family, or as something entirely different, you just
work, whether you understand one another or you’re in love or you’re partners in crime.
of you, on some level, belong together. As
lovers, as friends or as family, or as something entirely different, you just
work, whether you understand one another or you’re in love or you’re partners in crime.
You meet these people throughout your life, out of no-where, under the strangest of circumstances, and they help you feel alive.
I don’t know if that makes me believe in coincidence, or fate, or sheer blind luck but it definitely makes me believe in something’.
So thank you Rikki, for helping dad and Karen get over their writers’ block!
It was just one of those days when I couldn’t stop smiling!
Along with these excellent photos, the new Mr and Mrs. Wilkes sent me a thank you in their own inimitable style.
Just to say again thank you so much for everything on, and in the lead up to, Friday.
It really was a great day and everyone has said how much they enjoyed the ceremony.
Awra best, awra time, Love Karen & Richard
Something tells me this pair are going to stay laughing together for a long, long time! Thank you so much Richard and Karen for sharing your story with me, and of course, my thanks to your friend Nicola Brown, who took these brilliant pics!
PS My thanks too, go to Wylie Morrison, who’s always my Main Man at Swanston, for making sure that the marriage schedule was on the table even before I got there. Now, that’s what I call attention to detail!
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