Real Wedding – Emily & Graeme Southwood – 4th January 2020

We took one step inside the Byre, looked at each other and in unison said “this is it”

Back in January we had the absolute pleasure of hosting the wedding of Emily & Graeme Southwood. Their 2 year old Gracie absolutely stole the show that day with her gorgeous smile and dance moves! Read a little about their day below!

What first attracted you to Kinkell Byre? And what made you decide that it would be perfect for your special day?

We stumbled across Kinkell Byre one Friday night whilst googling barn wedding venues in Scotland. When we saw the pictures of Kinkell we instantly fell in love and just knew we had to book a viewing. On our drive up from Glasgow we spoke about how if the venue looked like it did in the pictures then it would definitely be up there with our dream venue for our big day. We took one step inside the Byre, looked at each other and in unison said “this is it” – and from that moment we never looked back.

We knew we wanted an exclusive use wedding venue with plenty of space for our guests to move around. The ceremony room, in all its glory is something you could only ever imagine and the lights around the venue which you can design to create the most perfect setting was an absolute game changer. Kinkell Byre ticked all the boxes for us.

Tell us a little bit about planning your wedding? What inspired you to pick all the things that you did and what was most important to you both?

Planning our wedding was quite an organised process, Graeme loves a spreadsheet and was in charge of all the pennies. I lost count of the number of Pinterest boards I created with all my ideas we had for our special day. This was super helpful in sharing our ideas with our suppliers, so they were able to create the most perfect look for us. The most important thing for us was to create a relaxed day that both us and our guests could enjoy. We focussed on picking both a photographer and videographer who fitted our style and also liked to capture the more candid moments of the day. We couldn’t have wished for a better team and they have created memories we can look back on for years to come.

What did you both enjoy planning?

For us, food and drink are a massive part of our lives so this had to be incorporated into every part of our wedding day. The caterers had to be just right as we are total ‘foodies’ and wanted our guests to love every minute of their meal. Gourlay’s delivered everything we could have hoped for and we created a menu that everyone could enjoy. From soup shots, haggis bon bons to a trio of desserts and mini steak pies, kept our guests filled up all day long. We also took a trip to France to buy all of our wine which was quite the adventure… we even had some left over to enjoy after! Beer was also a big priority for Graeme and both him and the boys had a great day creating and bottling ’Gracie’s Favour’ at Drygate Brewery for all our guests to enjoy.

Tell us about your day?

The day itself still feels like a bit of a blur… it is one of the most surreal days of your lives.

I think because it is a day that you plan every element of for so long, it doesn’t quite feel real when it finally arrives. The wedding morning was very chilled which was exactly what we wanted. The boys enjoyed a long lie and nursed a slight hangover with plenty irn bru while the girls took it in turns to get their glam on whilst enjoying some fizz. Arriving at the doors to the Byre before walking down the aisle is still a moment which fills me with butterflies. Saying ‘I Do’ and officially becoming Mrs Southwood surrounded by our family and friends was just amazing. After the ceremony, we took a walk down to the golf course and braved the freezing temperatures to grab some epic shots. The time that we spent together just the two of us was so lovely. It was the first time we had been able to chat since the previous evening and it felt like a lifetime. We walked, chatted and sipped champagne all whilst Stevie and Pretty Little Films worked their magic in the background.  Walking back into the Byre and the wall of noise that hit us with the chatter of our guests made us feel so good. The atmosphere was buzzing, and everyone was having the best time. We partied into the small hours and had more shots than we care to admit…. it really was the best day!!

What made it so special?

Having all our family and friends there to share our day was always what was important to us. Also being able to have our daughter Gracie be a part of this huge milestone was so special. Gracie had just turned 2 when we got married and was a little star the whole day – she completely stole the show and everyone’s hearts. From running down the aisle straight into her daddy’s arms to cutting some serious shapes on the dance floor, she was an absolute asset to us from start to finish. I now love that we all share the same name and can begin our next adventure as ‘The Southwood’s”.

What advice do you have for other couples planning their wedding?

Our biggest advice would definitely be to not focus too much on all the little details and think about what is important to you as a couple. When your big day finally arrives, it passes in a flash and you honestly will not be worrying whether the linen is the right shade of cream or if your candles are arranged in exactly the same way as your Pinterest image. Focus on what you want as a couple and what your guests will remember. For us good food, plenty of booze and a band that kept you on the dance floor all night long was a must.  Also, don’t forget to take some time out just the two of you, away from everyone else, to look at your day from a distance and admire what you have created.

And if it all gets too much… don’t forget the real reason as to why you’re planning all of this – to marry your best friend!

How is married life treating you?

So far so good. Considering coronavirus hit shorty after our big day and we’ve been working from home together ever since, I’m surprised we still enjoy spending time with each other. But all joking aside, we look back on our wedding day with such fond memories and continue to count our blessings that our wedding day was able to go ahead.

Supplier Shout Outs 

Photographer – Stevie Weir

 Videographer – Pretty Little Films

 Flowers – Amy Annand Flowers

Decor – Fifty Six Events (previously Just Vintage Hire) and Two Tabbies

Humanist – Gary Thomson

Band – Pacific Wedding Band

Catering – Gourlay Events

 Dress – Pronovais at Ivory Pinks

Jewellery – Gioia Mia

Make Up – Lesley Neil, Hair – Cameo bridal Styling

Cake – Cakes and Craft Falkirk