Most Brides
at some stage in their life let their imagination wander and think
on the fairytale Wedding they would like and where it will take place
- often reality brings them back to life and perhaps it's not a feasible
or a realistic idea. But for one such Bride it was a dream that became
very real and we were honoured to play a major part in her Wedding
which could have been plucked from any story book.
No doubt you have all heard of Brigadoon - this was the replay of that little
lost Highland village that held so much magic. The Bride had the venue chosen
but it was in the middle of nowhere, down a single track road which went nowhere,
with no lighting, no power, no pews and no alter - just sitting sleepily among
heather rolling hills steeped in history and past occasions that some of us may
never know about. But where did she begin - she lived across the Atlantic and
neither had the contacts or the time to bring her whole dream together. This
is where LITU came into her life and made her dream come true. We made initial
contact and discussed how the final picture would look and from there on in LITU
were allowed to use their ideas, thoughts and imagination on how to bring this
very historical, magical old church to life again.
Our main concern was how, on a cold October day with the ceremony set at 5.15pm,
which in Scotland by this time the evening is creeping in and the daylight starts
to fade pretty rapidly, were we going to get enough light. The problem was solved
by a friend who is a Candle maker, "we'll light it with 450 candles" he said. Every
conceivable nook and cranny had a candle nestling within its old stones. The
cold stone flagged floors were swathed in soft cloths of navy and white adorned
with silver Bowls, Chalices and Salvers holding gently bobbing floating candles
which reflected off the silver. All the tables were draped in matching navy and
white clothes and ail these sleepy corners were highlighted as the candles danced
and flickered with the first. The Altar was lit like a ray of light at one end
from 150 candles seventeen feet above and huge candelabras either side gently
lit the tiny stained glass windows so that they twinkled like crystal, and gradually
but noticeably, the warmth built within the church like old bones warming to
a coal fire on a cold autumn night.
From outside it looked so magical, inviting and welcoming. A little world on
its own that only belonged to those few honoured people who had come this great
distance to witness the dream of a Bride, who arrived to the sound of the traditional
piper dressed in full regalia with pipes droning through the crisp autumn air.
Her Groom was already within this warm and magical world waiting for her to step
inside and savour the surroundings. It was to be one of those memorable occasions
we all talk about and as soon as it begun it was all ending - the fairytale Wedding
passed and two people now as one, the little quiet church back to peace and calm
and the candlelight slowly fading as we returned it to its original form. It
was as if we had woken this sleepy little church and brought it to life momentarily,
and as quickly and quietly laid it back to sleep again. It really was a dream
come true and a memory we will certainly have forever.