The Offbeat Bride: Melissa – Executive Director, but you may remember her from being profiled previously on OffbeatBride.com in “Offbeat Military Weddings.”
Her Offbeat Partner: Sean – Soldier
Location & Date of wedding: Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Scotland — Sept 11, 2007
What made our wedding offbeat: Blue medieval wedding dress custom made, all the guys in uniforms, the hubby in his military dress uniform (from a Canadian Highland regiment), a Mountie in full red serge in Scotland, totally tripped out the tourists, and mismatched bridesmaids.
Lots of Scottish culture, hand-fasting, non-traditional readings, and much, much single malt scotch. And all of this taking place in a medieval castle built on top of an inactive volcano.
Full military honour guard with WWII rifles at our unit armoury for our reception back home, cut the cake with a sword, and toasted with a full bottle of Glenlivet 15 year old, after just having gotten back from the distillery in Speyside.
Our biggest challenge: Booking everything in Scotland from Canada. All done by e-mail, which worked out amazingly well, except for when the hairdresser who didn't bother to show up, so we walked to a salon who was able to take us in at the last minute.
My favorite moment: Standing on the battlements of the castle in an amazing dress with my stunning new husband, sitting on a canon and looking down the mountain over the entirety of the city of Edinburgh.
My advice for other offbeat brides: Whatever you do, make sure it MEANS something to you. Bring in your own culture, traditions, hobbies, loves, and make it really YOURS.
Enough talk — click the picture below to see the wedding porn and to find out what a skean dubh is:
It looks like you had a fab day. My partner works as a curator at the castle so I know how lovely it can be (when it’s not raining!)
I love the fact that there was a Mountie there! I’m working on my own very Canadian wedding, and I think that’s all we’re missing!!! This looks like it was a wonderful day. All the best to both of you!
I love all the vivid colors! And Glenlivet? Yum! Congratulations! (And your hair looks lovely!)
I love everything… and the blueness of that dress is just incredible! So amazing!
You look divine! The blue just pops. Congratulations!
Beautiful blue! I love castle weddings, especially ones like this that come off as fun and casual rather than a costume party! Brilliant!
I love this wedding! Whenever I see the photos in the OBB Flickr account I always squee!
Holy crap how in the world did they get to do their wedding at the Edinburgh Castle?!?! So awesome.
I can’t believe I was featured, this is great!
If anyone else wants to get married at Edinburgh Castle, they do rent certain venues:
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/hire/weddings/weddings-edinburgh-castle.htm
Thanks everyone for the nice comments, it was an amazing day!
That’s amazing! I didn’t realize Edinburgh Castle did weddings (being such a tourist hotspot) but I love it! My fiance is Scottish (lives in Aberdeen) and we were tempted to just get legally married and do the actual wedding in Scotland at a castle, but we were impatient so we’re doing it in California 🙂
Your wedding looks marvelous!
First let me say that you look amazing! My good friend lives in Edinburgh and I was lucky enough to travel there not to long ago. I LOVE the city, it’s probably one of my favorite places on Earth, and the castle is so beautiful. How awesome that you had your wedding there! Congrats!!!