A fun-filled urban micro-wedding at Òran Mór, Glasgow

They say, “If music be the food of love” and it happened to work out that way for Laura and Steve.

The couple first met playing together in Glasgow’s samba band, SambaYaBamba.

They dated for just a year and a half before Steve proposed after a date night at Ubiquitous Chip and, fittingly, Òran Mór.

At the time they didn’t realise they’d also tie the knot there but changed their plans so they could actually marry in 2020.

Here they tell us all about their big day, with gorgeous photos by Mark Swaroop Photography.

Laura knew she had a good feeling about her relationship with Steve early on.

“After a couple of serious relationships in our 20s we knew ourselves better and felt we had both figured out faster what we did – and didn’t want in a relationship.”

And Laura’s mum even gave her her own first engagement ring on her 30^th birthday to use as an engagement ring or whatever she wanted.

While Steve proposed with a party ring eight months later, they took her mum’s ring to be remodelled.

The couple then started their search for the perfect venue, somewhere that would suit both Steve’s urban wedding vision and the rustic vibe Laura fancied.

They hit upon a teepee wedding at Greenbank Garden with Below Canvas with a May 2020 date.

But a week before lockdown they realised their plans wouldn’t happen and postponed until September, just before their proposed honeymoon in Bali.

As the months went by that looked more and more doubtful but they were adamant they would marry that year.

“We didn’t want to hold off and if 2020 has taught us anything, life is for cherishing,” says Laura.

So with their hearts set on a September ceremony they searched for a venue that their permitted 20 guests wouldn’t feel lost in.

“We met Pauline at Òran Mór and she was so supportive and went out of her way to make our day what we wanted,” says Laura.

“When we saw the room with that Alasdair Gray mural it felt perfect.”

Luckily the soft green and purple colour scheme Laura had planned for their big Greenbank Gardens wedding (which they still hope to hold) suited the change of venue beautifully.

Laura had already enjoyed the whole dress-shopping experience before the pandemic and had great fun finding her showstopper Sottero & Midgley dress with her mum, mother-in-law and two of her bridesmaids.

The groom’s side of the bridal party suffered another pandemic-related setback as one of the two best men Rob was stuck in a local lockdown in south Wales.

His other best man Liam made a joke during his impromptu speech that being an engineer Steve likes to plan for any eventuality, such as having two best men in case ones ends up unable to travel due to a worldwide pandemic!

Laura and Steve stayed together at the Hilton the night before and say it was lovely to wake up together and get excited about their wedding day.

They spent a fun morning getting ready and then Laura says the nerves really kicked in just as she was about to go.

“It was a pretty short walk down the aisle and my mum was telling me to slow down!” she remembers.

“Steve looked so emotional I just wanted to get to him and hold his hand.”

Humanist celebrant Ronit Quayle conducted their ceremony and when they first met her the couple knew she was the one.

“She has a forthright nature with a whole bunch of sweary sarcasm and an excellent Glasgow accent,” says Laura.

“It was incredible how she wove funny anecdotes in, picked up on certain bits of information and threaded together a beautiful and personal story of us.

“Her tone of funny and sarcastic with a dash of sentimentalism had people laughing and crying. Us especially.

“We were pretty emotional reading our vows. There were a few tears from the guests too!”

Because the Covid rules in September meant the couple couldn’t have a reception they actually changed their clothes to go and have a meal elsewhere and ended up having burgers and chips on their knees!

And while they still have their big teepee reception to look forward to they absolutely loved their wedding day.

“Covid-19 really took away a lot of the ‘stuff’ and it forced us to really focus on the ceremony and it was beautiful,” says Laura.