There’s a reason that the idea of a Highlands wedding has achieved almost legend status: and that’s because they are, in short, legendary. It was exactly this mythical, whimsical quality that we played on for Chelsea and Matt’s Highlands wedding; paying homage to Chelsea’s love of spooky Victorian ghost stories with a dark, moody, magical mountain elopement.
The location
They chose Glen Etive as their elopement destination, a stunning glen that really shows off the best that Scottish nature has to offer (and which you might recognise from small indie movies like Skyfall and Braveheart…never heard of them? Nah, neither have we.) It was then our job – and our pleasure! – to build upon that backdrop to bring their bohemian dreams to life.
Chelsea and Matt were getting married in a simple but stunning woodland ceremony where the landscape itself was doing all the talking. With that in mind, our focus was on creating a sumptuous reception area for the celebratory element of their Highlands wedding. To this end, we came up with a moody, romantic picnic concept we called ‘Feast Interrupted’: a darkly whimsical celebration of glorious food, a spectacular location, and two people deeply in love.
The colour palette
Our colour palette took its lead from the forest surroundings, of course, and old vintage rugs, using deep reds, forest greens and jewel tones, with creams and neutral shades to complement them.
The set up
Whilst Chelsea and Matt explored Glen Etive for their just married portraits with the exceptionally talented Kitcheners, we worked with the brilliant Ashleigh from By Platter and Melanie from Briar Rose Design on the setup. Setting the dreamy picnic space up meant starting from the ground: whilst batting midges (the joys of a Highland wedding!) we placed a regal peacock chair, a padded leather stool and carefully selected vintage rugs around a low table, which Ashleigh and Melanie then piled high with food and flora.
To really build on the decadent, luxe feel, we used a variety of candles – pillar, taper, tealight, you name it – in tall, gothic candlesticks, and in hurricane lanterns on the floor, styling a space worthy of the decadent, divine grazing plates and jaw-dropping floral arrangements they’d respectively created. We also utilised bespoke handlettered mirrors as a nod to the ultimate Gothic fairytales of yore; it was only right, as Chelsea really was the fairest of them all in her Watters gown, bespoke leather jacket and lace-up boots.
The picnic
As part of the whimsy and romance, it was really important to ensure that the picnic setup felt like it had been borne from the very forest itself, and stumbled upon as a slice of paradise, rather than meticulously planned and then just plonked down. (After all, what’s the best thing about a Highlands wedding, if not the feeling of being totally at one with nature?) With this in mind, we were conscious of adding elements that elevated the atmosphere, rather than starkly contrasted it. This meant natural, battered textures and raw wooden surfaces; deep, dark colours and soft, tactile linens.
We were honoured to style this intimate Highlands wedding for Chelsea and Matt, and absolutely adored sinking our teeth into a brief that was so playful and dramatic – if you’re planning something a bit different too, please feel free to get in touch. We love to create weddings and events that you’ll remember forever (for all the right reasons!)
Styling – Gloam
Photographs – The Kitcheners
Catering – By Platter
Floristry – Briar Rose Design
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