A cool Halloween micro-wedding at the Walled Garden, South Queensferry

Rachel and Rory were just eight weeks away from getting married at Cottiers when lockdown happened.

They initially delayed from a May 2020 celebration but knew by August that their second date in November was still looking too risky.

“The next Saturday we could get was February 2022 so we decided that rather than wait we would have a little DIY wedding in the town we live in,” says Rachel.

“It was a major blow for us but when we started planning the little wedding knowing our big [2022] wedding was far enough away (fingers crossed) the stress and worry lifted.”

The couple tell us all about their gorgeous micro-wedding below, with beautiful pictures by Ross Alexander Photography.

As a self-confessed “adult goth,” Rachel fell in love with the venue for their “big wedding” Cottiers.

“It ticked the boxes for us and our wedding has a celestial theme and the roof is a starry sky and couldn’t be more perfect,” says the bride.

The celestial theme of their Cottiers wedding is a nod to Rory’s dad who passed away four years ago as he was an amateur astronomer.

But when their smaller marriage ceremony was booked for October 2020 the couple opted for an autumnal pumpkin-themed wedding.

“It was as Halloweeny as I could make it but still a little bit trendy,” says Rachel. “If I could have pumped in pumpkin spice scent I would have!”

The bride and groom bought 15 little pumpkins to dress the walled garden where they were tying the knot and florist Poppy Floral Design ran with the theme.

A picture of Rory’s dad was also displayed in pride of place.

Covid restrictions meant the couple had to cut their guest list down to just 20 for their wedding day and, although they will have four bridesmaids, a best woman and three groomsmen for their Cottiers do, they chose their three nieces for flowergirls and two nephews for groomsmen for the actual ceremony.

Changes also meant Rachel is keeping her original wedding dress until 2022 and chose a simple ASOS gown for the garden ceremony which she accessorised in true cool bride style with her leather jacket, white Doc Martens and a star hairband.

And keeping things personal Rory wore his own kilt which was his grandfather’s.

The lead-up to the wedding was stressful to say the least but kicking back in a suite at the Dakota Hotel the night before with her mum Rachel felt very spoiled.

“It felt like a wedding which surprised me, given we are in the middle of a global pandemic,” she smiles.

“The morning flew by in such a flash but I had a great time with my mum.”

Walking down the aisle the bride admits to feeling very emotional, especially as her parents are separated and from two other households so had to keep their 2m distance as they walked her in.

“Getting to see Rory at the top of our little DIY aisle [was a highlight],” she smiles.

“I didn’t think I would get to see that this year.

I had such a feeling of relief that we had managed to actually get married, even though it wasn’t what we wanted.”

When she eventually gets to walk down the aisle at Cottiers it will be to Today by the Smashing Pumpkins and Rachel says a bit of her was humming in her head entering her little wedding.

The couple said “I do” in a personalised humanist ceremony conducted by celebrant Kathryn Hanson, who even donned a Halloween-style skirt for them.

Both being “major introverts” they wrote their private vows in letters they gave each other the night before – sweet!

Then once they’d tied the knot, the whole party celebrated with some fizz in the park before walking to South Queensferry’s Down the Hatch for dirty burgers and fries, Lily Allen and David Harbour-style.  

Now that they’re finally Mr and Mrs, Rachel says it feels like they have their lives back again.

“Since March (like a lot of other people) we feel robbed of so much this year and we put so much on hold, separate to the wedding, like getting a dog and getting a bit of a life plan together,” she says.

“Now we’re married not only can we relax, we can pick up the things that were on pause.”