Mariana + Neale

17 Jun

A beautiful fusion of Scottish and Chilean cultures. Mariana and Neale’s wedding at the enchanting Balbirnie House Hotel in Scotland was a beautiful fusion of cultures and love. The couple, who reside in Santiago, Chile, chose this picturesque venue to celebrate their union, and the day was nothing short of magical. Mariana, originally from Chile, and Neale, from Scotland, brought together friends and family from both sides of the Atlantic, creating a unique and joyous atmosphere. One of the most touching moments was Mariana's "first look" with her father before the ceremony. His beaming smile of happiness and pride set the perfect tone for the day.

The ceremony itself was an emotional and heartwarming affair. Neale’s happiness and pride were palpable as he stood beside his beautiful bride, Mariana. Following the ceremony, the celebration continued with canapés and drinks in the picturesque surroundings of Balbirnie House. It was a delight to capture the joyful interactions and laughter of the guests, who were clearly enjoying every moment. As the festivities moved to the wedding breakfast, the heartfelt speeches delivered in both English and Chilean added a personal and intimate touch to the day, reflecting the couple's beautiful blend of cultures.

The fun and laughter continued with a traditional game where Mariana and Neale dashed around the room, taking funny photos with each table of guests in under three minutes. This game brought a lot of laughter and created some fantastic candid moments. As the evening progressed, the couple showcased their dance skills with a well-rehearsed first dance, followed by a touching dance between Mariana and her father. The dance floor remained full as I captured the vibrant energy and joy of the guests. As I departed, the sounds of fun and laughter echoed into the night, a testament to the love and joy that filled Mariana and Neale’s special day.

I asked Ruth and Sean to answer my usual four questions and below are their answers.

Can you give me a brief rundown of your wedding day?:

Casual start to the day with a gentle walk to freshen up after the night before and settle the nerves with groomsmen on the grounds whilst Mariana and the bridesmaids enjoyed champagne and getting ready. Then back to the room for beers and getting suited and booted with all the groomsmen before coming down to do the deed.
From that point on we did the obligatory walk with confetti and kicked off the pictures whilst guests enjoyed drinks and canapes.
After the photos it was straight downstairs for the walk to the top table, then straight in to speeches and then food. After which we tool some more photos and had a moment to ourselves in the room before heading downstairs to cut the cake and do the first dance and after that it was party the night away.

What do you remember most about your wedding day?:

Mariana - when the make-up was finished and felt that relief I looked perfect - the whole ceremony was very entertaining and memorable.
Neale - Having a lump in my throat the whole ceremony and forgetting my speech and winging it.

Why did you choose your wedding venue?:

The venue was great, perfectly located for me (Neale - I live 7 miles away), excellent staff and reputation with the perfect ambiance we were looking for.