Crieff Hydro Hotel

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? Growing up, Crieff was a regular family holiday every year, sometimes more. It felt like home. So what better way than to celebrate my marriage in Crieff to top off all my memories I've had. Luc was convinced once we had our first wedding meeting with Dawn/Hannah - they were super helpful and full of Joy. We both agreed that Crieff would be a great venue as guests could make a lovely weekend of it by staying for a few nights. (Which is what a lot of the guests did; it was great to spend time with family for a couple of days). What would be your one key piece of advice Bride to Bride & Groom to Groom? Groom to Groom - At some point during the day (I would recommend prior to the first dance/evening reception) take your wife away and go for a walk around the grounds - talk, laugh, make memories - take it all in. The day goes past so fast and it’s easy to get caught up in it all and forget you have married your best friend. So yes, take 10mins and go for a walk. Bride to Bride - I was told so many times how fast the day goes by, but I never actually thought it would go past as fast as it did. So, remember to take a step back regularly and take it all in. It's the best day of your life so make sure you make memories to remember. Where did you get your dress and how did you choose it? Elganza were brilliant. They ask lots of questions and work out your style. The personal advisor then picks out dresses they think you will love based on your answers. One of the dresses that my advisor chose, I didn't like at first, (probably because of the big bow on the front) but I tried it anyway. I instantly fell in love with it, (as long as the bow was removed). Elganza spoke with the designers who agreed to remove the bow and let me design my own belt. So not only did I get my perfect dress, the dress was personal and unique to me. (The belt even had my name on it). How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? I met Ruth at a church lunch and the rest is history. I proposed to Ruth on a beach in Ness, Isle of Lewis. (Homeland). I chose Ness as that was the place I fell in love with Ruth, on a weekend visiting her family. I knew Ruth had always wanted a candy floss machine and had a strange taste in RAP music. So, on the beach, I set up a candy floss maker... it didn't work. I forgot about the Lewis winds… Onto my main event. I wrote Ruth a RAP to her favourite song and rapped it to her. The proposal followed on from the RAP - I got a long eeeeehhhhhhh and then a big YES!! Followed by a statement you can't RAP. Overjoyed was an understatement. I didn’t need to RAP every again. How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? There wasn’t really a defining moment, but it slowly became apparent that I was lost when I wasn't with Ruth. I needed Ruth. She completes me. I can't help but smile when I am with her, see her and hear her. That’s when I knew I had to spend the rest of my life with her. Like Luc, there wasn't a defining moment of "the one." Over time I Luc's true character and the fact that he puts me first in every single way imaginable melted my heart. His character made me want to not let him go. What was your favourite part of the day? Luc - Seeing Ruth for the first time as she walked down the aisle (After a cheeky look back Ruth - Apart from the obvious, the morning time. it was lovely just to chill and spend some time with my family and closes friends. What song did you choose for your first dance? Far side of the world - Tidelines What was the most romantic thing about the day? The photos in the grounds of Crieff. The photographers were amazing and we were just able to be ourselves. Did anything funny happen on the day? Ruth during the vows said "I Luc" - that created a lot of laughs. What was the most memorable part of the day? Saying I do Speaking to all the guests and all saying how much fun they are having.

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? John has been visiting the Hydro with his family since he was a wee boy and he is now nearly 50! We have been visiting the Hydro together for nearly 14 years and have always loved the Hotel, its friendliness and it is like a little community with everything at hand. We have always received excellent service and just knew that it would make a fantastic wedding venue for us to make more special memories at the Hydro. We wanted to make a weekend of it as we had family travelling from places such as Australia, Plymouth & Manchester - there was more than sufficient accommodation of varying types for our guests. We arranged a fun golf competition on the Friday afternoon and for those who didn't play golf we visited the spa and relaxed for a couple of hours. Everyone enjoyed their stay. What would be your one key piece of advice Bride to Bride & Groom to Groom? Be as organised as you can throughout the planning of your wedding and do as much as possible well before the week leading up to your wedding and then you can relax!! A spreadsheet with everything on it is really handy.</p> <p>Relax on the day and enjoy it. Don't worry about the day itself as Dawn and Claire had noted and thought of everything. They are so professional. Where did you get your dress and how did you choose it? Apple Blossom Time, Glencarse, Perth. I tried on many different styles of dresses, however, I loved the dress I choose because I think it was simple and classy. The lace detail on it was amazing and it was super comfy. How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? We met whilst working at Montrose Police Office. John proposed to Gillian on the island of Lanzarote after a romantic dinner at a beach front restaurant by producing a ring box from a magic bag after Gillian played along and had checked it was empty. Then John popped the question. How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? We have been together for nearly 14 years, we always have lots of fun together. We share a lot of the same interests and make each other laugh and we can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together What was your favourite part of the day? There was not one favourite part to the day it was all fantastic from start to finish, the weather, the venue, the decorations, the photographer, the piper, the ceremony, the drinks reception, the meal, the evening reception and food, the band and all the Crieff Hydro Staff. If we were to be pinned down to one thing it who have to be the ceremony itself with the grandeur of the drawing room, the view out of the window and the decoration all contributing to the excitement and atmosphere of the occasion. What song did you choose for your first dance? I'm Ready by Bryan Adams. We love the song and it is special to us because it is so appropriate and Bryan Adams played it in our home town of Montrose a few years ago. What was the most romantic thing about the day? There were many special moments throughout the day but one moment we will remember was after the end of the day when we managed to take a breath we headed back to our room expecting it to be a bit of a mess only to find it was immaculately tidy with a bottle champagne, chocolates and a bowl of fruit sitting waiting for us. What a beautiful touch. Did anything funny happen on the day? I hadn't expected the morning whilst I was getting ready with my bridesmaids to be so much fun, I hadn't actually thought too much about it. We went out for a run at 0730 hours which was great, it was such a lovely morning and was wonderful to run round the empty streets of Crieff and just chill. Anybody that we passed was made aware that I was getting married!!!! lol lol The time, thereafter, spent getting ready was just so memorable, we all laughed from start to finish and even the hairdressers / make up artist / photographer joined in and commented later on how much hilarity was coming from the room. My friends had made a mini buffet which everybody tucked in to. Such an entertaining, unexpected few hours at the start of my wedding day. What was the most memorable part of the day? Although there were many memorable parts to the day. The two 2 year olds (Parker and Elsie) stole the show, they were the equivalent of little Ant and Dec. They stay at opposite ends of the country and had only spoken on the phone before the wedding. See the attached photograph which looks like they are an old married couple and Elsie is adjusting Parkers button hole to smarten him up. They were both beautiful and sooo cute.

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? My husband and I have been coming to Crieff hydro every year since 2010. We bought a deal after the really bad winter and our flat got flooded and we needed a break. We booked a deal and fell in love with the place and have returned 2 or 3 times a year ever since. It was an ideal venue as it was half way between both our families as my hubby’s family live in Paisley and my family are from Inverness. I have always dreamed of getting married in Crieff Hydro and or dreams came true. What would be your one key piece of advice Bride to Bride & Groom to Groom? From bride to bride: I would advise to please yourself and your hubby and do what you both want and what makes you happy. Make time for each other on the day just the two of you as it goes by in a flash I had a groom who liked to be in control in a good way and he eventually realised that you cannot control what happens on the day and to trust everyone that you have booked as everything comes together perfectly. My hubby wishes he spent more time for himself and us and less time trying to run around after everyone. It's your day and you get one shot at it, make the most of it 😃 Where did you get your dress and how did you choose it? My dress was the first one had seen online... I tried it on and fell in love with it. My bridesmaids and mum could not believe it as I have spent more time picking dresses and being indecisive for friends’ weddings than in did for my own. Apparently, I made it very easy and stress free for them. My wee mum bought my beautiful dress from Bibbidi Bibbidi boo in East Kilbride. My dress was beautiful and I wish I could wear it again. How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? Kenny and I both work in the police and worked together on the shift as neighbours for a year before we started dating. That was over 10 years ago now and it has flown by. Kenny loves Crieff hydro as much as me and it is our hideaway and place to chill and relax away from the stresses of everyday life so it was even more special when he chose to propose to me near the tennis courts on the 8th June 2016 and I said yes. Needless to say, it didn't go as planned and we had such a laugh but it worked out perfectly in the end. Our engagement story formed part of the highlight of our ceremony. How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? We just clicked and were amazing friends before anything actually happened and I just knew when we started dating that he was the one. He looks after and protects me and also drives me crazy. I know I drive him nuts too and that's how we have lasted so long. We bicker and argue like any other couple but we both know we couldn't live without each other. What was your favourite part of the day? Everything about the day was just perfect. I cannot thank Dawn and Clare enough for everything they did as not a thing went wrong. I loved getting ready in the beautiful bridal suite with my mum and girls to walking down the aisle with my wee dad and then marrying my soul mate. Having all our friends and family there who travelled so far and the majority spent the whole weekend with us. The wedding lasted for days and it has been great memories for us. What song did you choose for your first dance? Ed Sheeran – Perfect - Chris Suckle played the song for us and his band were amazing. What was the most romantic thing about the day? Marrying Kenny and saying our vows to sneaking off with the photographer to have some time together and take it all in. We went up to the Knock for some time on our own and have the most beautiful photos of just the two of us. I am so grateful to our photographer for stealing us away for half an hour to have that time alone with my new hubby. We both loved it and enjoyed a wee fizz and took a deep breath taking it all in Did anything funny happen on the day? The best man's speech was the most hilarious part of the day. Chris, Kenny’s brother did him proud and got him a belter. He had no idea and Chris made such an effort with a slide show and everything. We were taken aback and it was just so funny... we had tears running down our faces and the photos say it all. What was the most memorable part of the day? The most memorable part of the day was our ceremony. John Foley our celebrant helped write our script perfectly and everything about it was about us. That's what we wanted and for everyone to know our story and we also said things about each other that we both didn't know until the day which made it even more special to hear what each other felt about one another.

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? My husband and I have been coming to Crieff hydro every year since 2010. We bought a deal after the really bad winter and our flat got flooded and we needed a break. We booked a deal and fell in love with the place and have returned 2 or 3 times a year ever since. It was an ideal venue as it was half way between both our families as my hubby’s family live in Paisley and my family are from Inverness. I have always dreamed of getting married in Crieff Hydro and or dreams came true. What would be your one key piece of advice Bride to Bride & Groom to Groom? From bride to bride: I would advise to please yourself and your hubby and do what you both want and what makes you happy. Make time for each other on the day just the two of you as it goes by in a flash I had a groom who liked to be in control in a good way and he eventually realised that you cannot control what happens on the day and to trust everyone that you have booked as everything comes together perfectly. My hubby wishes he spent more time for himself and us and less time trying to run around after everyone. It's your day and you get one shot at it, make the most of it 😃 Where did you get your dress and how did you choose it? My dress was the first one had seen online... I tried it on and fell in love with it. My bridesmaids and mum could not believe it as I have spent more time picking dresses and being indecisive for friends’ weddings than in did for my own. Apparently, I made it very easy and stress free for them. My wee mum bought my beautiful dress from Bibbidi Bibbidi boo in East Kilbride. My dress was beautiful and I wish I could wear it again. How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? Kenny and I both work in the police and worked together on the shift as neighbours for a year before we started dating. That was over 10 years ago now and it has flown by. Kenny loves Crieff hydro as much as me and it is our hideaway and place to chill and relax away from the stresses of everyday life so it was even more special when he chose to propose to me near the tennis courts on the 8th June 2016 and I said yes. Needless to say, it didn't go as planned and we had such a laugh but it worked out perfectly in the end. Our engagement story formed part of the highlight of our ceremony. How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? We just clicked and were amazing friends before anything actually happened and I just knew when we started dating that he was the one. He looks after and protects me and also drives me crazy. I know I drive him nuts too and that's how we have lasted so long. We bicker and argue like any other couple but we both know we couldn't live without each other. What was your favourite part of the day? Everything about the day was just perfect. I cannot thank Dawn and Clare enough for everything they did as not a thing went wrong. I loved getting ready in the beautiful bridal suite with my mum and girls to walking down the aisle with my wee dad and then marrying my soul mate. Having all our friends and family there who travelled so far and the majority spent the whole weekend with us. The wedding lasted for days and it has been great memories for us. What song did you choose for your first dance? Ed Sheeran – Perfect - Chris Suckle played the song for us and his band were amazing. What was the most romantic thing about the day? Marrying Kenny and saying our vows to sneaking off with the photographer to have some time together and take it all in. We went up to the Knock for some time on our own and have the most beautiful photos of just the two of us. I am so grateful to our photographer for stealing us away for half an hour to have that time alone with my new hubby. We both loved it and enjoyed a wee fizz and took a deep breath taking it all in Did anything funny happen on the day? The best man's speech was the most hilarious part of the day. Chris, Kenny’s brother did him proud and got him a belter. He had no idea and Chris made such an effort with a slide show and everything. We were taken aback and it was just so funny... we had tears running down our faces and the photos say it all. What was the most memorable part of the day? The most memorable part of the day was our ceremony. John Foley our celebrant helped write our script perfectly and everything about it was about us. That's what we wanted and for everyone to know our story and we also said things about each other that we both didn't know until the day which made it even more special to hear what each other felt about one another.

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? Friends of ours were married at the Crieff Hydro a few years before and I was completely blown away by the style of the venue and the service – there was really no contest! And true to our expectation, it was everything we wanted in a wedding venue: elegant and sophisticated surroundings; the coordinator, master of ceremonies and staff were so friendly and professional; and the food is to die for! All through the day my guests were coming up to tell me what a great location we had chosen for the wedding, and now, after seeing mine, another friend of mine is even looking to have her wedding here too! What would be your one key piece of advice bride to bride & groom to groom? Bride to Bride: I would advise a bride to work up from the bottom up. It is easy to get pulled in to picking the dresses first, or the centrepieces but try to pick out the fundamentals first. Start with the venue, the flowers, the cake, the DJ and then move on to the dresses, favours, etc., after that. Personally, I felt it helped keep control of the whole wedding and kept me organised. Groom to Groom: Just give the bride control over the day… It is easier that way! How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? We met when we were both teenagers while we were working at Homebase. It was my first job, and Matthew was my first ever boyfriend! We hit it off right away and in the time we were apart, we kept in touch until we got back together. Matthew proposed on his 30th birthday. He was actually planning to propose the day after while we were walking around Loch Muick, but I actually took the day off to surprise him. I pretended to get up early to go to work, while I was actually downstairs getting the house decorated and bringing out the cake and his presents. After I realised he was set on a proper lie in (he does love a lie in!) I put our fancy breakfast on a decorated tray and woke him up. I gave him his presents, then he told me he had a present for me – and popped the question! How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? You never think the person you meet when you are 16 will be the one you end up marrying, but equally, I always knew that when we broke up (always amicably!) it wasn’t the end. In fact, whenever we bumped into each other we always grabbed a coffee and it was like we had never been apart! That and he always made me laugh, always made me feel safe and happy. What was your favourite part of the day? Our favourite part of the day had to be the ceremony – just because it was so beautiful, everything was perfect and it was amazing coming up the aisle to see Matthew waiting for me. It felt so surreal walking past all our family and friends, it was very emotional. What song did you choose for your first dance? For our first dance we chose “Feeling Good”, by Michael Bublé as we both wanted something a little different, romantic but not overly so. We thought that it perfectly summed up how we felt on the day. What was the most romantic thing about the day? The most romantic part of the day was when we were off to get the photographs at the View Point. I think this was because it was our spell of alone time during the wedding, and it was such a beautiful spot. We were all excited from having just finished our ceremony and it just felt really surreal. Did anything funny happen/unexpected on the day? Matthew had told me the night before the wedding that I wasn’t to worry, he would deal with everything on the day. So when the day arrived and he’d lost the marriage schedule there was a bit of a panic. His sister, also one of the bridesmaids, saw him running around (apparently he’d gone through his room, his parent’s room, and all the bags but just couldn’t find it anywhere!) Thank goodness she mentioned it to me, because the whole time I had it sitting on the dressing table. It’s one of these things that’s pretty funny in hindsight- so is the fact he thought I would let him take charge of the paperwork!!! What was the most memorable part of the day? The most memorable part of the day would have to be during the ceremony when we heard for the first time the three things we love most about the other. Although we live together and have been together for so many years you don’t always say these things out loud and to be honest, some of what Matthew had said surprised me (in a good way!) I know I surprised him with mine!

What made you choose Crieff Hydro? When we first enquired about our wedding at Crieff Hydro in March 2017, we had never been to the hotel before! My parent's (Bride) had been several times and often with my little niece and nephew and they always talked about what a wonderful place it was. We were not disappointed when we first visited the hotel on Saturday 1 April. We loved it straight away! We arrived early for our appointment and took some time to wonder around... every person we met was warm and friendly and we knew that Crieff Hydro was going to the perfect place for us to celebrate our marriage. What would be your one key piece of advice Bride to Bride & Groom to Groom? We recently discussed this because our best friends are getting married in 2019. My advice to any bride is to get in to their wedding dress as soon as they can! Seems like strange advice but the morning of our wedding was so stress free... right up until the last minute when I was trying to get ready as well as 5 bridesmaids, one flower girl, one glamorous Mother of the Bride and a handsome Father of the Bride. I loved my dress so much, as I am sure any bride would, so my advice would be to wear it for as long as possible!!! Nick's advice to any groom would be (a) don't go for 'one pint' the night before and get home a lot later than planned!!!! and (b) don't feel you have to get round everyone on the day, people will be enjoying themselves and will come and see you! Where did you get your dress and how did you choose it? I thought that choosing a wedding dress would be easy! I was wrong! I lost count of the number of Boutiques I visited but of course, you will always find the one! I found mine at June Brides in Glasgow. I found my perfect wedding dress by trying on A LOT! I also put a lot of trust in Carol, Owner of June Brides. Carol has so much experience helping Brides find their perfect dress (although I think she prefers the word, 'gown') :-) and it was also a lovely touch that Carol also helped my younger sister, Clare, find her 'gown' when she got married 10 years ago! The amazing thing was that Carol remembered the Designer Clare chose and the name of the dress!!!! I'm not sure I even remember the name of my dress and I only got married 6 months ago!!! How did you meet, who proposed and how did they do it? We met at Saint Brides High School, East Kilbride. Nick was the year above me and I was besotted with him... I eventually got him to go out with me and we spent 4 years growing up together and building such an amazing relationship and friendship. We split up when we were 18 years old but always kept in touch... our birthdays are close together and I must admit it was always Nick who remembered to send me a quick Happy Birthday message 15 years later... Nick sent me a message which changed everything! It said - 'Stop the search...' He was, of course, just kidding but it totally worked! I stopped the search and after our (second) first date we were quickly an item (as my mum would say) and enjoying getting to know each other again. In March 2017 Nick and I went to Venice and unfortunately Nick became very ill on the plane on the way there. We were in a beautiful city but didn't get to experience it fully because Nick was really struggling. Nick was hugely disappointed because he had planned to hire a Gondola to propose... he had taken my Dad for a drink and asked his permission and was all set to pop the question! Although the Gondola proposal didn't happen, on our way back to the airport, on a private water taxi, Nick got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! At least I think he said those words... I cried a lot and can't really remember! Although I do know it was perfect and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! How did you know that your partner was ‘The One’? Our families will always say that we were always meant to be together! Nick was always 'my one' and I was always his! We grew up together, separated and grew up a little bit more without each other, and now we can't wait to grow old together! What was your favourite part of the day? I loved hearing Nick's speech! He had been worried about it but I couldn't take my eyes off him as he spoke with confidence and humility. He made people laugh (and cry) but most of all he didn't try and deliver a speech that wasn't him. He wanted to say things that he would naturally say to me, or to anyone else, and not just say them because it was our wedding day! I was super proud of him. Nick's favourite part of the day was being in the car, on the way to the Church, so excited about the day ahead. He also said his favourite part was when the realisation set in that we were married!!! What song did you choose for your first dance? We chose Barry White, My First My Last My Everything! Why? Simple! We were each other's first loves, we will be each other's last loves and we mean everything to each other! What was the most romantic thing about the day? Our car journey from East Kilbride to Crieff was the first chance we had to be alone together, as the new Mr and Mrs West! It was surreal. We sipped champagne and told each other about our mornings and how nervous we had been! It was so exciting to sit together and think about the day ahead and all the things we had to look forward too. Did anything funny happen on the day? I am now famous for saying "Where's Nick" because I said it a lot on our wedding day! We were so lucky with our weather and our guests got to enjoy the beautiful hotel, and the amazing grounds! With the hotel being so big though... I did seem to 'lose' Nick... particularly when the pictures were being taken!!! What was the most memorable part of the day? We remember our wedding day with the fondest of memories! It went by in a flash but we enjoyed every single second! Our most memorable part of the day was when we sat down for our wedding breakfast and looked at all our guests! It was just overwhelming to see all our amazing friends and family in one room and to think that they were all there to celebrate with us! When we first got engaged we talked about whether to have a small wedding or a big one... as we looked at all our guests... we knew we made the right decision to go BIG!