Your Yorkshire Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 40)

REAL WEDDINGS 29 R achel and Iain’s relationship started out as a modern fairytale. “We met on Tinder in November 2015,” Rachel tells us. “I was attracted to his beaming smile and noticed his love of music and tattoos, which are also passions of mine. Iain says he first noticed my bright green eyes.” In the weeks that followed, Iain showed his romantic side by sending Rachel recordings of him playing guitar and singing her favourite songs. “Everything was so easy and natural from day one,” she says. A few years later, the couple bought their first home together, and Iain had a surprise for Rachel when they moved in. “I walked through the door after a day at work excited for our first night there,” she says. “I was greeted by our puppy running down the stairs with a ribbon around his neck saying ‘Will you marry me?’” She looked up to see Iain with a bunch of roses and a ring box. The pair started planning their big day for 11 th May, 2019, and they chose The Saddle Room as the setting. We caught up with Rachel to find out more… SETTING THE SCENE Set on a barn conversion as a venue, the search was on for the perfect place. “I love the height of the ceilings in barns and the way light pours through the windows,” Rachel says. “I moved around a lot when I was growing up but spent a few years just down the road from The Saddle Room. The area holds fond memories for both myself and Iain.” The breathtaking scenery of the Yorkshire Dales sealed the deal. Inspired by their surroundings, they filled their day with natural touches, greenery and florals. “I wanted a wild, organic look,” Rachel explains. “Iain’s family are Scottish, so we incorporated blue thistles into the flowers. We then chose vintage pink to contrast against the blue and green; my bouquet was a dream come true.” The venue provided gorgeous candelabra for the tables, which the bride decorated in simple green and white blooms, while the top table had an impressive display. The couple’s cake was an elegant, simple style with white buttercream waves around it. “We decided on three different flavours for each tier and finished it off with a cake topper showing our married name and wedding date,” adds Rachel. There were lots of personal touches throughout the styling. The table plan coordinated beautifully with a similar floral border to the flowers the couple had chosen, and the bride painstakingly created mini wreaths for the place settings. The groom also got crafty by making a wire frame on which they pegged photos of themselves throughout their relationship. “A talented man who lives in our village handmade a sign saying ‘Mr and Mrs MacDonald’ from wood,” Rachel says. LOOKING THE PART Rachel fell in love with the first dress she tried on: Kimberley by Morilee. “I knew I wanted a lace overlay and I didn’t want white,” she remembers. “Me and my mum both pulled this style out when we first went shopping. Although I thought I wanted a fishtail-style gown, when I tried on this strapless ballgown with its huge train I knew it was the one .” Rachel teamed her statement dress with a delicate diamond bracelet and a ring with a blue stone, which belonged to her grandmother. Staying true to his roots, Iain and the groomsmen wore the Flower of Scotland tartan, while Rachel’s best girls looked beautiful in full-length numbers with lace detailing in Scottish-thistle blue. TIME TO CELEBRATE As big music-lovers, Rachel and Iain were keen to incorporate some live music into the day. “We booked Dean from GoGo Disco for our entertainment,” Rachel tells us. “He did a mix of live performances with his guitar and DJ sets to get the party started. Iain even played with him on the day, which was a really special moment.” 