Valentine’s in the Clouds

Written by Caitlin Hoare
Images by Willow & Wilde.
We’re spoiling you this Valentine’s Day with an utterly magical editorial at the ever-so-pretty Auchen Castle in Scotland.

They’ve recently renovated the castle turrets, transforming them into a stylish (and totally romantic) elopement / micro wedding venue – the perfect place to play out your own unique fairytale. This shoot, to showcase their new spaces, features beautiful blooms by To A Mountain Daisy, an ethereal, tulle dress-of-dreams by Kirsty Doyle, and a gallery of images by Willow & Wilde which are, quite frankly, going straight on our Pinterest board!

So lovers, let’s kick of the V-Day celebrations in style and head over to Auchen Castle…

Notes from the Venue

Auchen Castle offers a majestic feel which highly resonates a true love story. Love should feel like a fairytale, taking you on a wild adventure, so with the acres of land, surrounding spaces and hidden rooms, Auchen Castle delivers exactly that. We’re delighted to share our Turret shoot because, just like falling in love, you’ll be on cloud nine when you step through to the recently refurbished Turret Suites…

Climb a secret spiral staircase to uncover a hidden gem, a secret far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. Spend special moments with your loved ones in the cylindrical dressing room, whisper your heartfelt ‘I do‘ in the romantic candlelit ceremony suite, and toast your love in the intimate dining room.

The overall theme was a whimsical earthy style. We wanted the style to remain simple and classy whilst offering a touch of indulgence. To achieve this the palette remained soft and pastel-like but rich and elevated in it’s feel. At times the shoot has a little moody vibe whilst offering a spring-like theme. We purposefully moved between an atmospheric yet light palette to ensure the season captured both an autumnal feel whilst equally feeling spring appropriate. Whilst the aesthetics were dark and rich the palette remained light and ethereal.

The fashion represents a whimsical carefree bride with a boho, modern-day charm. This should represent a understated bold and glamorous overall look and feel.

Decor incorporated a romanticised setting, creating a dramatic and bold look. Minimal colours were used, just clean and earthy tones to tie in with the turret aesthetics and castle interiors. We went heavy with our use of candles, dried flowers and soft lighting to complement our whimsical setting.

Having styled Auchen Castle many times, To A Mountain Daisy understood the brief entirely. They used a blend of dried flowers, climbing greenery and orchids. Together they managed to create that romantic and wild feel that’s typically sympathetic to Auchen’s usual aesthetics. The dried hoop vines provided a more organic shape to the room that worked very well for our turrets. An abundance of gypsophila was chosen for the suspended cloud over the table to achieve a sculptural feel but is also symbolic to our photoshoot ‘in the clouds‘.

Whether its an elopement wedding for two or an intimate wedding of eight, each space you see here can be utilised on the day. Our wedding turrets have a pre-ceremony room for getting ready in, a ceremony room for the big moment and a lovely wedding breakfast room. We work with a wonderful team of local suppliers who can decorate our turrets to your prefered taste. From shimmering garlands in the winter to pastel blooms in the summer, your wish is their command! The turrets naturally create the most romantic setting so however you choose to say ‘I do‘ you’ll be transported to a place where time stands still.

Credits

Venue Auchen Castle

Photography Willow & Wilde

Florist To A Mountain Daisy

Hair Elegant Bridal Hairstyling

Makeup Sarah Jane Macinnes Makeup

Wedding Dress Kirsty Doyle

With thanks to Model Couple The Lawrence Grahams

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