“Ossian’s Hall is beautiful, like something straight out of a fairytale! We fell in love with the place last year when we visited on a walk”, said Sam when she got in touch with me last year about her marriage to Ashley. They were so excited at the prospect they sent me their LoveWork in record time and as I told them, “it’s just so brimming with love, it was a joy to read!”

It’s hard to believe that it was more than a year later that I made my way to The Hermitage, accompanied by my friend and former Celebrate People colleague, Iain Sinclair.

It was lovely to have his company, not least because I conducted his own wedding to Amanda on the beach at Yellowcraigs back in August 2017. He was there to conduct the legal part of the ceremony because my new organisation, Humankind, had yet to be authorised. (I’m glad to say We are now!)

The Institute for Government says, “same-sex marriages are a core part of the UK’s culture, communities and institutions”, but they’re still rare, and that makes them very special. As a celebrant, I’ve noticed that emotions tend to run higher – and that was certainly the case for Ashley and Sam!

They made their ceremony so much fun!

As I said at the start, “Ash and Sam have actually written this ceremony themselves, but I’ll be speaking for them, because they don’t want to ugly cry and ruin their nice makeup!“

Their relationship began on a livestream on TikTok before gravitating to a private Snapchat but Ash told Sam that Snapchat ate her battery life so could they chat on WhatsApp instead? (Smooth way to get a phone number right?) 

It was definitely a whirlwind romance! As they said, “in true lesbian fashion, the first date lasted 5 days in total!” And after 6 months they were living together in their “wee hoose” in Edinburgh with their beautiful daughter Lilly and their dogs, Aubrey & Isla. 

It was at the Red burn waterfall on Ben Nevis where Sam asked Ash to find “a very pretty rock for a magic trick” and abracadabra! she turned it into the most beautiful engagement ring. 

Ash and Sam put their own twist on the handfasting ritual, by inviting their dads, Mike and Ewan, to give them away by placing the ribbons over their hands, but then they tied the knot themselves.  

Then they played ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors” to decide who got to speak their vows first – and every single time, they did exactly the same thing!

I’ve never met a couple more excited about getting married – and I’ve never been sent photographs from a wedding quite so quickly either!

As I said at 2.43 pm on Instagram that very afternoon, “at 11 am this morning, Iain and I conducted a very moving and intimate ceremony at Ossian’s Hall, and look – Ash has just dropped off the signed Marriage Schedule!”

As Sam said when she sent me these pics, “We can’t thank you enough. That honestly was the most beautiful ceremony. Everyone has complemented you both and said how wonderful it was!”

“The way in which our story was read was so beautiful and it’s brought back so many fun memories for us. PS – We’re still currently tied on rock paper scissors and we’re finding it impossible to beat one another!”

Well it was an absolute joy as far as I am concerned, Ash & Sam, and I am sure that Iain will agree.

Thank you so much for your beautiful words but thank you much more than that for really embracing the whole process and creating a ceremony that was not just absolutely unique, but also absolutely you!

You chose a spectacular place to get married, and you chose a great photographer to capture every moment – Rhian Wood – the name of whose company could have been dreamt up for you , because it’s Babe in the Wood!

And thank you too, for a great line to sign off with…

“Ladies and gentlemen, gays and theys, and all the doggies, may I present “Mrs. and Mrs. Thomson!”