Just up the road is one of the most stunning wedding venues in Scotland, the home of the Duke of Atholl, the only person with a private army in Britain. It is Blair Castle. Set in its own magnificent estate, surrounded by “Big Trees” as we call them up here (trees collected last century by plant hunters mainly in North America) it is your archetypical Scottish Victorian baronial pile and filled with all the history you could ever want (mainly guns, guns and more guns. Oh, and swords).
Jojo and Chris’s wedding was the poshest of posh affairs. The majority of the men wore their trews or kilts with black tie and the women were in their finery – though none could eclipse Jojo.
The page boys entered before the stunning bridesmaids and the Jojo and her Dad. We began the ceremony with a Band Warming where the rings are passed amongst the guests and then opened with Bruce and holly absolutely nailing I’ll Be There By Louise Cuddon
I’ll be there, my darling, through thick and through thin.
When your mind’s in a mess and your head’s in a spin.
When your plane’s been delayed, and you’ve missed the last train.
When life is just threatening to drive you insane.
When your thrilling whodunit has lost its last page.
When somebody tells you, you’re looking your age.
When your coffee’s too cool, and your wine is too warm.
When the forecast said, “Fine,” but you’re out in a storm.
When your quick break hotel, turns into a slum.
And your holiday photos show only your special thumb.
When you park for five minutes in a resident’s bay.
And return to discover you’ve been towed away.
When the jeans that you bought in hope or in haste.
Just stick on your hips and don’t reach round your waist.
When the food you most like brings you out in red rashes.
When as soon as you boot up the bloody thing crashes.
So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear…
When you break a rule, when you act the fool.
When you’ve got the flu, when you’re in a stew.
When you’re last in the queue, don’t feel blue.
’cause I’m telling you, I’ll be there.
We had a great laugh at their story of how the two of them got together and embarrassed a few of their friends in the process. The highlight of the story was the 80 year old stranger in a south London pub told Chris that “she is a keeper” and persuaded him to ask Jojo to marry him..
We even had a random sing song with the bridesmaids leading all the guests. Just brilliant!
Balbirnie House is in the village of Markinch just outside Glenrothes and has won the Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year Award so many times it is insane. But not unjustified. A short drive over the Forth Bridge and onwards into the heart of Fife, you approach the house through the manicured golf course. The staff ensure that every wedding is perfect and that certainly was the case with Lindsey and Rob’s big day.
The one thing I remember above all else from the ceremony was just how friendly everyone was and how up for a party they were – I bet it was some night. The ceremony was that perfect mix of laughter and lumps in throats none more so than when they exchanged their pledges:
“I’d like to start by saying that my day was perfect, and that all started with you. I couldn’t have asked for a better ceremony. Everything was amazing from start to finish.
You helped us so much with our preparation and made us feel completely at ease. You’ve had numerous compliments from our guests, and I know that choosing you as our celebrant was the perfect choice. 
offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other relationship can equal. It is a physical and an emotional joining that is
Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly.
Humanist Brian 