A Q&A with a recent bride on planning a dream wedding in Scotland
Planning a wedding is no small feat, especially when it involves coordinating a destination event in a setting as enchanting as Scotland. From the early stages of planning, to the unforgettable day itself, hiring an experienced wedding planner makes all the difference in ensuring the entire journey is perfect.
In this exclusive Q&A, we delve into the journey one couple took to bring their dream wedding to life with the help of Timeless White. The bride, Casey, shares more about her and her husband Tom’s experience working with Timeless White, and the pivotal role the team played in creating a seamless and personal celebration…
Douneside House, image credit: Emma Lawson
What were the most important elements you wanted in your wedding?
“Guest experience was definitely the most important to us. Since we had people travelling from across the US, UK, Canada and Ireland to be at our wedding, it was important that our guests felt pampered.
“We decided early on that we wanted a smaller wedding because it was important to us that we spent quality time with the people that had travelled far to be with us. We didn’t want our wedding to feel rushed or over-coordinated; we wanted to be able to relax and enjoy the day with those that matter most to us.”
What led you to decide on hiring a wedding planner?
“We knew that we wanted to get married in Scotland, as it’s a very significant place for our relationship having met each other at university there. This meant that having someone local to the area and could recommend local vendors was critical.
“We thought a wedding planner would also ensure that our wedding was truly unique and special. Tom and I, along with every one of our guests, would be travelling a significant distance to celebrate this special day, so we wanted to make it as memorable as possible.
“Besides the challenge of the time difference between the US and UK, Tom and I both work jobs that can be demanding. This limited the time we could dedicate to planning our wedding, and so we were lucky to find someone who could handle the logistics and keep us on track!
Why did you choose Timeless White as your wedding planner?
“A quick online search of wedding planners in the area led us to Timeless White. We spoke to several others, but felt that style of Timeless White weddings most closely matched our personal style.
“When speaking with Emma, we got the sense that not only was she an expert in what she does, but she was also a genuinely lovely person. Having a good relationship with someone who loves what they do and you can trust completely is so important when planning one of the most important events in your life.
“Emma had a way of making us feel as though we were one of only a few clients working directly with her, which made us feel like our wedding was a priority and we could reach out to her whenever we needed to.”
Can you describe the process of collaborating with Timeless White?
“Overall, the whole process was seamless! Emma’s online system was a fantastic way to stay organised, and at the same time we felt that we always had access to her advice and knowledge. She was very accommodating and we easily found times that worked for us to connect via video calls.
“We really appreciated how Emma kept us on track; she wasn’t shy about letting us know when it wasn’t quite time to tackle something, or when to get a move on. Her skills as a planner ensured that everything was getting done at the right times, which took a lot of stress out of the planning process.
“Emma’s expertise during the planning process was something we really relied on. We knew that we wanted our guests to be blown away and for everyone to have a great time, without anything being too “in your face”, but we didn’t know how to bring it all to life. Emma and her team had curated recommendations for vendors every step of the way, and she really took the time to understand us and recommend people she thought we would work best with. We felt like everyone only had our best interests at heart and contributed to the joy we felt on the day.”
Douneside House, image credit: Emma Lawson
What were the challenges that Timeless White helped you overcome?
“We were lucky not to face many challenges during the planning process! The table layout for dinner was tricky, as we had a few more people than the recommended maximum for the space, which was also an unusual hexagon-shaped room.
“We wanted to avoid having round tables of 10 or 12, as we thought that felt impersonal. Emma came up with a number of suggestions, including the one we eventually settled on which consisted of three long tables. We never would have thought of this given the shape of the room, but it ended up working out perfectly and afterwards, our venue even said that it would be their go-to layout going forward.
“With only about a month or so before the wedding, Emma was able to source the tables needed, adjust linen orders and the table centrepiece concepts to work with this new layout. It ended up being perfect and contributed to how enjoyable the dinner service was!”
How did Timeless White help you tailor the wedding to reflect your personality?
“Emma worked tirelessly to recommend vendors that would be best suited not just for the effect we wanted to create, but for us personally. She took the time to get to know us and understand our needs and comfort levels, and matched us with an absolutely stellar group of people to help make our special day possible. For example, Emma respected the fact that we were not very comfortable in front of the camera, and recommended photographers who specialise in documentary-style photography.
“We didn’t want to fuss over the small details, but trusted that we had a team of people who were fantastic at what they did and could execute our vision. From the florist to the cake maker, everyone we worked with was professional, genuinely nice, responsive and seemed to have a better idea of what we wanted than we could ever articulate! It really made the whole process stress free and fun, and it felt like a true representation of us as a couple.”
How closely did the final outcome match your initial vision?
“It honestly exceeded all expectations - Emma and her team were able to take out inspiration images and what we had discussed and fit our vision perfectly to our venue.”
What were some of the most memorable moments from your wedding day?
“There are so many to choose from! From getting ready with my bridesmaids, doing a first look with my dad and a gift exchange with my parents, to having private time together after our ceremony, our 4-course seated dinner with speeches throughout and our first dance - the list goes on!
Douneside House, image credit: Emma Lawson
How did Timeless White contribute to making those moments special?
“Timeless White was instrumental in every one of these special moments. Emma knew that we didn’t want to be rushing around and made sure our timeline incorporated plenty of breathing room for us to enjoy the day and make memories with our guests.
“The flow of the day never faltered, and we moved seamlessly from one portion of the day to the next, not seeing how much work was going on behind the scenes to make our day feel effortless, but knowing it was there!”
What advice would you give to other couples planning their wedding?
“Trust your planner - they are the experts! It’s important to come with a vision of what you want the day to look and feel like, but what’s more important is your experience and the memories you will cherish from the day. Your planner only has your best interest at heart, so take their advice.”
Is there anything you would have done differently in the planning process?
“I wouldn’t change a thing! We were lucky that this incredible destination wedding came together in just 10 months. Sure, you can always start earlier but by having the Timeless White team behind us, we knew that everything would come together in this relatively short amount of time.”
Looking back, how do you feel about your decision to work with a wedding planner?
“We would both agree that hiring a wedding planner is the best decision we made during the whole process. We don’t even want to think about what it would have been like to plan a wedding in a different country without the help of Emma and Timeless White! Having someone like Emma made the whole process seamless and stress free, which was so incredibly important to us. Besides making it logistically feasible, working with a planner gave our wedding that indescribable special quality that we wouldn’t have been able to replicate on our own.”
From the moment you start planning your large luxury wedding in Scotland, every decision you make contributes to creating an unforgettable experience for you and your guests, and our expert wedding planners are here to make your dream a reality…