Achmelvich beach is a special place for me, and it’s always a joy to share it with couples. But when you plan an end of October wedding in the Highlands, there’s always a little weather worry in the back of your mind. For Natalie and Dean, who live in London but were returning to Natalie’s Scottish roots for their big day, this was no different. In a brilliant gesture of support, Natalie’s work colleagues had bought a “weather spell” on Etsy. What started as a lovely office joke became the day's first piece of magic: we were all amazed to be standing under a vast, brilliant blue sky.

The choice of location was a perfect example of their partnership in action. It’s Dean’s favourite beach, a place he loves, and Natalie, happy to be married in any beautiful outdoor setting, trusted his choice completely. That simple, early gesture of one person's certainty and the other's complete trust set a beautiful tone for the entire celebration.

We had decided to make the journey to the ceremony part of the day itself. After meeting at the car park, we gathered on the big beach for a first welcome before walking together to the more sheltered little beach. This format turns the fifteen-minute walk from a simple necessity into a cohesive and joyful event, a chance for everyone to chat, laugh, and arrive at the final spot as a single, happy group.

Everyone is still talking about how wonderful Monika was. From our initial chat through to the perfect day on Achmelvich Beach, Monika guided us through gently, and with great care and attention. She gave us options to craft our ceremony in our own way, paced all of the decisions well so we weren't overwhelmed and equipped us with all of the information we needed to make the day go without a hitch.

The way Monika wove our story together will forever bring tears to my eyes (and again... as I'm writing this) it was the perfect blend of loving and funny, which suits us perfectly. We had a short walk to the beach with our small group and the way Monika made that part of the ceremony was superb and worked really well. I just can't thank you enough Monika!

Natalie & Dean

Once we found our spot, the ceremony unfolded, full of personal touches and warmth. Their story began in a very 21st-century way on a dating app in London, but it quickly became a tale of second chances, green flags, and a quiet, sudden realisation in a pub corner that this was something serious. Their friends shared two readings that couldn't have been more perfect: one, a poem about a love story being like a book you can’t put down—fitting for Natalie, a passionate reader, and Dean, the man who builds her bookshelves. The other was the wonderfully quirky “A Lovely Love Story” about two dinosaurs, which captured their brilliant sense of humour.

The rituals were just as personal. After a handfasting with two pieces of tartan, they moved to the quaich. In a perfect Scottish twist that had everyone smiling, they filled the traditional sharing cup not with whisky, but with Irn Bru—the best possible toast to their new married life!

The whole day was simply amazing, filled with an easy, happy love that was a joy to be around. Thank you, Natalie and Dean, for trusting me with your day, for bringing so much warmth and laughter to the Highlands, and for letting me be a part of your beautiful story. It was one of those days where everything just clicks into place, and I won’t forget it.

Photos: Regenweibchen