Like so many couples Lorraine & Tomas’ wedding plans had been affected by the pandemic and when I met them in early spring 2021 they were attempting to get their wedding organised for the third time,  for early July. Lorraine grew up locally and I know her family,  which made it extra special for me to support them with their wedding ceremony.  Something else I loved was that Tomas’ is from Lithuania – being Austrian myself, and part of a Scottish-European marriage, I wanted to make sure their wedding celebration truly reflected not just them as two individuals and a couple, but also the two countries and cultures. This was exactly what they wanted to achieve too and so the plan was to not just have a bi-lingual ceremony, with all parts translated for Tomas’ parents, but also incorporate rituals with a connection to Scotland and Lithuania. Unfortunately the continued travel restrictions meant that Tomas’ family was not able to attend after all, but the vows were still spoken in both languages and we had two wonderful rituals to represent the two countries. Lorraine’s parents Mary & Mark welcomed Tomas (and symbolically the new Lithuanian part of the family) by handing over a quaich filled with whisky early in the ceremony.  Quaich rituals are often at the end of wedding ceremonies but in this case the old Scottish tradition of offering a welcoming drink to friends and visitors at clan gatherings and other family occasions seeemed the perfect way to mark this new connection between the two families. The Lithuanian ritual of the parents handing bread and salt to the young couple as symbol of ongoing support was meant to have Tomas’ parents at the centre, but as they were only watching from afar it was Lorraine’s parents who represented them. It was a lovely gesture, especially as the couple’s decision to get married was so influenced by the example set by their parents – what better way to learn the true meaning of a good marriage than seeing it lived, over many decades.

Lorraine’s & Tomas’ personal story, the moving vows and the exchange of rings concluded the ceremony, and after signing the Marriage Schedule the couple was celebrated by their family and friends with flower petal confetti as they walked through the human arch they had created. The setting for this beautiful event was Clachtoll Bay and the stunning turquoise water, white sand and rocky shore presented the perfect backdrop for this joyful occasion.

Lorraine & Tomas thanks for trusting me to work with you on this ‘third time lucky’ wedding ceremony!