Aviemore Wedding Fair was an inspiration to so many who met the experts.
Those planning their own big events – or just window shopping – were guided through the various aspects of the big day.
Macdonald Aviemore Resort’s Peregrine Suite was elegantly decorated for the occasion, surrounded by the best wedding specialists and suppliers from across the Highlands and beyond, each inspired in their own way.
“Doing this was so good for me,” explained Claire Smith, who runs Lily Rose Cakes. “After losing my lovely father, Malcolm, I decided in 2016 to focus on the art of making beautifully designed cakes.
“I had been a graphic designer and wanted to use my skills in a new way. Developing the skill helped me grieve and now I love presenting uniquely decorated cakes – all statement pieces.”
Another exhibitor was Steve MacLennan of Tomatin, a distillery worker who has himself developed a fascinating sideline as something of a wedding decoration and developed Highlanders 4 Hire.
“We provide real, traditionally equipped Highland honor guards complete with raised crossed swords and our own crafted sgian dubhs and sgian brews,” he said.
He works with wood from the distillery’s redundant casks to create excellent Highland dress knives – and openers.
When it came to dressing for the occasion, the highlight of the day was the afternoon fashion show, with stunning wedding gowns and beautiful formal wear for the mothers of the bride and groom.
From Elgin, Christine Fraser’s Xanadu Ladies Fashion showcased an exquisite collection of beautiful wedding and bridesmaid dresses, while Marian Grant’s La-Di-Da Fashion of Inverness highlighted the versatile range of stunning outfits for mothers of the bride and guests. Their models wowed their rapt audience with an array of dresses in cream and taupe, cobalt, hot pink, cream and black lace.
Xanadu’s Jenny, Jane, Amber and another Jane presented a hugely varied selection for all tastes, sizes and ages, showcasing the latest from Danielle Couture, Phoenix Gowns and Tiffany’s Serenade designs.
Xanadu Ladies Fashions and Bridal Boutique also has a large selection of bride/groom, wedding guest and special occasion outfits. They also offer a hat rental service with a selection of over 300 to choose from.
The fair came complete with one of the country’s most popular wedding pipers – Spud the Piper, whose all-weather solo internet posts during the lockdown spread his reputation across the globe. “It did me a world of good!” confirmed Calum (Fraser), from Aviemore, who has since claimed both the Vows and Scottish Wedding Awards crowns for his entertaining performances in film, television, documentary and especially weddings.
Another local representative was Dougie Burns, who to let everyone know that one of Strathspey’s most endearing and enduring buildings was available for the perfect Highland wedding.
Abernethy Old Kirk in Nethy Bridge, he told visitors, offers the perfect setting for a truly traditional ceremony, with no better backdrop for the wedding album.
He explained: “The association was formed 14 years ago when the Church of Scotland trustees no longer required the building for their purposes. A group of local people came together to save the historic building for the future use of Nethybridge and the wider community.
“As a result, the building can still be used for weddings and for funerals, which can be either Christian or humanist.”