David and Lauren
31st October 2020 | Edinburgh
Instagram: @laureny1803 | Photos: Kirstin McEwan Photography
David and Lauren had their gorgeous autumnal pre-wedding shoot in Edinburgh where they got engaged. They even included a stop at their favourite ice-cream shop Mary's Milk Bar! Bride to be Lauren tells us all about their spring wedding at Boswells Coach House in April 2022, and what it's been like planning their day through the pandemic...
Tell us how you met...
I was at university and had been working at the same restaurant since school- David later became the manager there but we didn’t become a couple until about a year after he left. We then had to commute between our hometown in Ayrshire and Dumfries where I was at university for the first few years of our relationship. I actually know our photographer, Kirstin, from university! We’ve been together for 5 years and have recently bought our own house where we live with his daughter and our dog.
Tell us your proposal story...
We went to Edinburgh to watch The Lion King as David had bought the tickets for my Christmas. David’s original plan was to propose in Princes Street Gardens but they were closed because of the weather. He later told me he had messaged his family panicking about what to do! After watching The Lion King we headed to The Balmoral for a few drinks. It was absolutely pouring of rain and he got down in one knee… in a puddle! I thought he was kidding until he pulled out the ring, although even then I thought he was joking. After I said yes, he had arranged a few drinks at The Balmoral and told me about how he’d asked my family and his daughter’s permission and had it all planned out. He’d sneakily asked me about what rings I liked months before and ordered one which he’d kept at his mum and dad’s house. He’d tried to throw me off the scent for a while by saying he wasn’t too fussed about getting married, so he spent most of night convincing me he wasn’t kidding!
Why did you choose the shoot location?
We chose Edinburgh for our photos because we got engaged there and it’s also somewhere we have lots of memories. We went there for our first anniversary and tend to go for the Christmas markets and The Fringe. It’s one of our favourite places! It was a total bonus as our photographer created a tour around the city and we got to visit lots of new and familiar places… including a trip to Mary’s Milk Bar for some ice-cream.
What is your favourite photo from the shoot?
It’s hard to choose a favourite because there’s so many lovely ones. The photo with sunshine and Edinburgh Castle in the background is one of our favourites because it’s so natural and we love the Autumn colours. You can barely tell just how cold and windy it was.
Why did you decide to have a pre-wedding shoot?
The pre-wedding shoot was part of our photography package, but it was something we had already discussed doing. We got engaged in a dark, really rainy night and when we went to get a few photos the next day at Edinburgh castle the staff weren’t able to touch anyone else’s phones to take photos; this was just as “Covid” became a thing and a good few weeks before lockdown. We wanted some nice photos to look back on one day.
Did you find the shoot helpful for helping you feel more prepared for the wedding day?
We got engaged just before lockdown and have been planning a wedding without lots of the normal excitement like wedding shows and an engagement party so it was nice to do something normal! It also helped us feel more relaxed and confirmed that we made the right choice with our photographer.
Were there any stand out moments in the shoot?
Our standout moment was when we went to Princess Gardens to have photos taken and realised it was shut because of the weather! Definitely a moment of déjà vu as David originally planned to propose to me there before realising the gardens were shut. I don’t think it was meant to be! Although walking up to Edinburgh castle for photos and nearly blowing over with the wind was a close second…
Did you feel nervous behind the camera?
I think we felt a little nervous at first but that’s to be expected when you are in the middle of Edinburgh having photos taken with lots of people around. Kirstin, our photographer, made us feel at as ease though and was chatting away to us the whole time. Most of the photos were taken by Kirstin just snapping away at her camera whilst we explored the city and chatted. By the end we had almost forgotten there were people around.
Would you recommend that other couples have an engagement shoot?
We would recommend an engagement shoot because it put us at ease for the wedding day and let us build up a relationship with the photographer too. We also really enjoyed having the photos taken and it got us excited for the wedding.
Did your photographer give you any tips before the shoot?
It was more that she talked about what we were looking for and where we would like to go. She suggested places to visit and so did we. Then we worked together to create a route for the day and suggested timings so we weren’t having photos taken in the dark (the joys of Autumn in a drizzly, windy city).
What advice would you give to other couples who do plan to have a pre-wedding shoot?
Speak to your photographer about a location you like as they might just be able to suggest some amazing places to have photos taken! If it’s outside layer up and wear comfy shoes. We both wore clothes that we felt comfortable in and it sounds silly, but I think it helped us feel more like ourselves.
Tell us about your wedding plans...
Our wedding is at Boswells Coach House in April next year. We are getting married in the coach house and having the reception in their amazing marquee. All of our family are invited and we are hoping that it’s relaxed but with good food, drinks and entertainment (there’s definitely a few surprises on that front but I won’t ruin it by giving it away just yet). We are going for spring colours and seasonal flowers with lots of special touches and trying to avoid as much cringe as possible!
What has been your favourite part of wedding planning so far?
Lots of our wedding planning has been done online but I was lucky enough to have my mum with me when choosing my dress which was a special moment. Our favourite part has probably been choosing the venue because we were able to have a look at a few and decide what was important to us and our family. We went to Boswells Coach House first and then went back there a few months later to book. It was so sunny when we went; We are hoping that’s a good sign! It felt like probably the only normal part of the process so far, especially as we still haven’t had an engagement party almost a year later.
What are you most looking forward to about the wedding date?
I would say we are both looking forward to having all of our family together to celebrate. Not being able to see many people for the best part of a year has highlighted the importance of that. Although I’m looking forward to the speeches for sure too- we’ve both worked in hospitality and the speeches are always a good laugh!
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