We were already in lockdown when Hilary and Craig got in touch with me last April about their wedding in May of this year. At the time, they were planning on going to Mansfield Traquair, but like so many couples, events overtook them so not long after the turn of the year, they decided to have a much more intimate gathering in Hilary’s parents’ garden.

As you can see, we were blessed with a glorious day!

Craig and Hilary didn’t give up on the idea of a big party; they just postponed that to the autumn, but as I said in the ceremony, they didn’t want to wait another day to become husband and wife, surrounded by the people they most care about in a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

Craig and Hilary bonded over a mutual love of good food, good wine and good gin!

They bonded further over their values – friends, family and fun – and they were soon deeply in love. But there was a problem.

Craig lived in Glasgow, whereas Hilary lived in Edinburgh. They spent a few months commuting back and forward before Craig bowed to the inevitable and decided to make the big move across country.

He made his next big move in a place dear to my heart, the beach at Earlsferry on the Fife Riviera…

Craig found a quote that sums up how he feels. “I’m not sure anyone knows what they are looking for until they find it” and he’s so glad he found what he was looking for in Hilary. Hilary is thankful every day for not only knowing and loving him, but the fact that he knows and loves her for who she is.

After a reading from his sister, Kate, we took a moment for reflection before Hilary and Craig told their guests the reasons they want to spend the rest of their lives together – that’s something that definitely takes a bit of courage!

as they chose to speak directly to one another, I decided to step out of the picture…

But then it was time for the vows and the ‘legal declaration’ that they accepted each other in marriage. I love how something so serious can be such fun!

Hilary’s sister Fiona and Craig’s brother Stewart helped them to exchange rings – I thought that was a lovely way to involve them, and it really made it a proper ‘exchange’.

Stewart and Fiona also joined Craig and Hilary as they signed their marriage schedule.

As Hilary said, when she wrote to me the other day, “Fraser’s photos capture so beautifully what a relaxed, fun and magical day it was – you can see so much love and laughter on everyone’s faces! I can’t believe how lucky we were with the weather too.”

Thank you so much for being our celebrant and for all your work with us to make the ceremony so personal to us. It was such a special day and we feel really lucky to have been able to share it with our families in such an intimate setting. While it may not have been our original plan, it turned out to be just what we wanted and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who made it happen.

It had been a while since I’d last conducted a wedding, and I can remember standing there, waiting for Hilary, wondering how I’d feel. And then she appeared, I looked at the faces of the guests, and I knew it was going to be a perfect day.

As lockdown comes slowly to an end, I realise that there was something rather wonderful about the few weddings that I was allowed to conduct. They were a testament to the power of love, a reminder that it is the most important thing in all our lives and they were a symbol of the triumph of hope over adversity. If life ever returns to what we used to call normal, I’ll miss that intensity of feeling.

Even just writing this post is making me smile, and that is largely down to the skill with which Fraser Cameron captured the mood of the day. You can see from the reviews he gets that his clients love his work too!

Thanks again to him and of course to Hilary and Craig – I wish them every happiness in the months and years to come!