We love it when we get a call from overseas.
The excitement of clients who have committed to flying family and friends across the sea to Scotland for a big family celebration is infectious. We never pass up the chance of an international soiree. Showing Scotland off never gets old.
We’ll be honest, there’s always a high probability that the initial call or zoom meeting will inevitably involve a castle reference, but when clients begin to see the variety of venues our amazing country has to offer the fun can truly begin.
As planners, its our job to find the best venue for our clients and when those clients are unfamiliar with the local geography, it is such a fun puzzle finding the perfect location.
This was definitely the case with our wonderful American clients Matthew and Amy.
The planning timeline for this event was relatively short. 10 weeks.
But, we love a challenge. And we know our suppliers do too!!!
Travelling to Scotland for the wedding of their son, Nicholas, to Scottish born Maddie, Matthew and Amy wanted to bring a little American tradition across the pond with them and host a rehearsal dinner for family and friends, possibly in, you’ve guessed it…a castle.
After a few tactful conversations about a castle potentially upstaging the spectacle of the wedding day itself, we began to focus on city centre venues.
The rehearsal dinner was to take place the evening before the wedding and so we wanted to ensure the bride, who had an early start with hair and make-up, was able to get some rest before the big day. Therefore, timings and location were vitally important.
Glasgow has some incredible venues to offer, and while we followed the brief of high ceilings, stained glass, spacious rooms…. we did throw them something of a curveball.
When sourcing venues for clients we always follow the brief. Stick to budget, stick to location, stick to theme. But every now and then, we’ll add in a wildcard. A venue we feel could offer everything the client is looking for but is perhaps a little off-book. We will always submit venues which match the brief perfectly, but sometimes, we need to go with our gut. And on this occasion, we knew The Haberdashery was the one.
While a more intimate venue than was initially discussed, we felt the bar area had a real New York feel and was a great space for pre-dinner mingling.
This was to be a chilled out, lower-key event in the run up to the wedding and this venue had a great relaxed energy but at the same time was incredibly stylish which would allow the two families an opportunity to chat excitedly about the day ahead while enjoying canapes and champagne.
I think we all eventually agreed to have booked a larger, grander venue for this event would have overpowered for the desired ambience and wouldn’t have allowed enough of a shift change going into the wedding….. the main event!!!
That’s not to say we didn’t make it memorable.
From initial mood boards, we worked with Make Believe Events and 360 Events to transform the dining space to an elegant, rustic space with lots of ceiling lights and candles. The unveiling of this space for guests was a real wow moment.
Matthew and Amy had been clear, even in our first consultation, that they wanted the food to be incredible. Step up Twenty-Four Carrot. These ladies make magic happen and this night was no exception.
We went back and forth on floor layout, but the u-shaped set up we eventually went for not only worked perfectly in the dining space of the venue, allowing conversation to flow amongst all guests, it also provided an excellent platform for our surprise guest.
Now, we get the cliché of throwing everything tartan and “hoots mon” at an event when the guests are predominantly from overseas, but we make no apology for the fact that while, on this occasion, we really played into this, the guests at the rehearsal dinner had an absolute ball.
Haggis did come up in conversation a lot, but hesitant to commit to a full course, we suggested a little taster plate for guests. So, between the starters and main, our unsuspecting audience were stunned by the sound of pipes. The incomparable Roddy the Piper, followed by the all-important haggis made an unforgettable appearance culminating in one of the best addresses to the haggis you will ever see.
Our mid-meal surprise wasn’t without a last-minute hitch when we found ourselves having to negotiate a sound limitation, but with small pipes at the ready, Roddy saved the day!
When the father of the groom comes up to high five you mid-way through dinner service, you get the sense that it went well.
We don’t have the opportunity to plan many rehearsal dinners but this was one we will never forget.
Great venue, great décor, great food, great entertainment, great guests and a truly great night overall.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to what was a special night before a very special day.
All event images by Daniel Mainland Photography
