Category: The Vu

To the Vu with Chelsea, Philip and little Emma

On By @humanistbrianIn The VuLeave a comment

A Thursday is an unusual day for a wedding but that is the day that Chelsea and Philip chose to confirm their commitment to one another and to celebrate their marriage with their family and friends. It was a cloudy and cool day at the spectacular Vu so the stunning views were not all that they might be.
The wedding was originally to be in 2010 but in 2009 they brought their beautiful and mischievous daughter Emma (you can just see her in the bottom left hand corner of the photograph below) into the world and she of course turned their whole world upside down. So the two of them decided to put all of their resources and love into their little one and put their marriage off for a couple of years. Until today!
What a lovely simple ceremony. We had a bit of a laugh, and a few tears because they have faced some set backs, we had two beautiful readings from Jacqueline and from Geraldine and I have included Geraldine’s reading, the lyrics from Steve Curtis Chapman’s I’ll be There below:

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear,
I will be here.
If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
‘Cause I will be here.
I will be here when you feel like being quiet;
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen.
And I will be here when the laughter turns to crying;
Through the winning, losing, and trying, we’ll be together,
‘Cause I will be here.
Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear,
I will be here.
As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetimes are made for years,
So I will be here.
I will be here, so you can cry on my shoulder;
When the mirror tells us we’re older, I will hold you.
And I will be here to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me;
I will be here.
 
I will be true to the promise I have made,
To you and to the One who gave you to me.
As sure as seasons are made for change,
Our lifetimes are made for years,
So I, I will be here.

We’ll be together and I will be here

Absolutely beautiful don’t you think?

To The Vu with Catriona and Keir

On By @humanistbrianIn The VuLeave a comment

Overlooking the rolling West Lothian countryside The Vu, on a sunny day, is the most spectacular venue.

Catriona and Keir wanted a simple, meaningful ceremony for their family and close friends and that is, of course, what the three of us put together. They preferred that I do the readings for them and everything was cut down and kept to the minimum. They did light candles to celebrate their union. They both lit one individually and then used the two candles to light a third symbolising their marriage. Very simple, very beautiful.

The one moment that everyone will remember was when the read their own declarations to each other. Here are Cariona’s:

I will give my love to you equally with my body my heart and my mind, and will be open to your love always.
I will do my utmost to understand your needs, feelings and wishes.
I will always turn to you in need, as I hope you will of me.
Through good humour and imagination may we inspire each other and may we always find a way to overcome challenges in our path.
In the presence of our families and friends
I ask you to be my companion, my husband and lover in life.

Not a dry eye in the room.

The Vu at Bathgate, Craig and Gill’s Big Day

On By @humanistbrianIn Vu, Vu BathgateLeave a comment

I must perform a marriage ceremonies at the Vu at least once a month and yet Craig and Gill are the first couple to actually send me some of their photographs. Thank you, you wonderful people.

What a wonderful ceremony and what a laugh we all had. The story of how Gill and Craig first got together was hilarious and romantic. Craig’s proposal came as a complete surprise when he got down on one knee in front of the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center in New York and the moment was captured on the front page of the New York Times courtesy of a Japanese photographer. Their wedding invitation was a copy of that front page.

And then there was a wonderful surprise, well it was a big surprise to Gill’s grandpa Jack who had composed a wonderful poem for the two of them which he thought he was reading at the reception. There was no escape once I had announced his moment during the ceremony.

By the way, always best to ask the people that you want to do a reading a few weeks beforehand!

The Vu, as I said, is one of my local venues and it is in the most stunning location perched on the hills above the Avon valley with views across to the Highlands. Well, most days. I have been there in the late winter/ early spring when the views were to end of the lake that surrounds the Waterlily – the venue for the ceremony – all of 150m. It might not have all the old world charm of an Incholm Island or Linlithgow Palace but, my goodness, they know what they are doing. The staff are so professional and the food, I hear, is excellent, certainly the canapes are good! If you are looking for a venue that will arrange everything for you (except me), photographers, pipers, cars, the works then look no further. And they will ensure that your day is perfect, exactly as you want it.