A stunning summer wedding at Luss Parish Church, Cruise Loch Lomond and Loch Lomond Arms Hotel

 

Childhood sweethearts Shona and Andy first met at school and had been together for years when he insisted on taking her on a rainy walk to Loch Lomond’s Tarbet Pier one day.

“I couldn’t understand why but it all became apparent when he got down on one knee!” Shona smiles.

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The couple knew they wanted their big day to be fun, relaxed and easily accessible for all their friends and family so searched for a venue that suited their vibe.

“We were so delighted when Loch Lomond Arms could have our wedding after many failed attempts due to Covid 19 and a shut down venue,” says Shona.

In fact, their wedding day was the fifth date they had attempted to say “I do” and 15 months later than planned.

Shona and Andy loved that they could walk from their ceremony at Luss Church to Loch Lomond Arms and fell for the blank canvas wedding suite that
they could decorate as they wished.

“I actually had the bridesmaids’ dresses before my own and they were blush pink so that set the colour scheme,” says Shona.

“Our wonderful florist called it ‘romantic garden party’ theme.”

Lots of greenery, sporadic white flowers and a few blush ones were coupled with subtle gold accessories and Shona’s talented mum wrote their table
plan on a gold-framed antique mirror for the perfect look.

Shona added a personal touch by making her place cards with Polaroid pictures of everyone slotted into a champagne cork – “It took a bit of digging through Facebook pictures but we found collecting corks quite easy!”

Shona admits to being a total girly girl and thought she’d love dress shopping but actually found it pretty stressful trying to pin down her dream dress.

After days of trial and error she hit upon having a bespoke Suzanne Neville dress from Rachel Scott Couture.

“It was very simple, which in hindsight is what I wanted all along,” she says.

“It had a low back with satin buttons down over my bum and fitted me like a glove. Although, I know it will never fit me again!”

When the big day finally arrived, Shona had hardly slept but she didn’t care.

“I was just so excited!” she remembers.

“I felt really calm until I got a lovely bouquet delivered from my in-laws and a delivery from the best man; then I got quite emotional and nervous.”

The nerves melted away when they reached the church and Shona walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of A Thousand Miles.

Luss Parish Church has a lot of meaning to Shona’s family and Rev Ian delivered a beautiful religious ceremony.

After that, Shona and Andy admit to going “a bit extra” with not one, but two drinks receptions.

They started out with a two-hour cruise on Loch Lomond which was very fitting as the boats are run by the bride’s family and the couple spent many summers working onboard.

Then it was a walk back through Luss to the hotel for a further drinks reception and fun fair games.

“This part was so nice and chilled and a great chance to speak to all our friends,” says Shona.

Dance the night away

Shona remembers all the speeches going down really well.

Her brother delivered the Father of the Bride speech and Andy had arranged for some friends and family who couldn’t be there to send across videos.

“It was so lovely to watch them and see all their faces,” says the bride.

“I never really believed people when they said their wedding was the best day of their lives, but having everyone that you love in one room, for both of you, is the best feeling in the whole world,” says Shona.