Elopement Wedding Piper in Scotland
Updated: Apr 2, 2021
2020 has been a very difficult year for everyone and played havoc with the dreams and hopes of every couple planning to get married.
This is the story of a lovely couple Gary and Jennifer, who after lots of planning and preparation had to postpone their original wedding in Majorca and after that their hastily arranged second wedding date for August in Scotland. They then realised that more than anything else they just wanted to be married and immediately on the easing of lockdown and Covid 19 restrictions allowing small outdoor weddings to go ahead, they agreed to elope without telling their families or friends and get married in secret on their original wedding date.
Gary first got in touch with me on the 11th July to see if I would be available to play for them. He had just got the paperwork through and was delighted they could marry on their original date of the 21st July and had chosen the idyllic setting of Dunmore Loch just outside Pitlochry. He also advised me that he wanted my involvement to be a surprise for Jennifer and a series of secret texts and phone calls followed over the next few days when Jennifer was out to get everything in place.
Tuesday 21st July was a beautiful warm summer day and Dunmore Loch looked amazing, a perfect day to get married. I arrived early got fully dressed and blew the pipes in for ten minutes. I was then joined by the wonderful wedding celebrant for the day, Lesley Anderson and soon after Gary and his best man Paul arrived. Paul's phone was buzzing constantly with messages from family and friends sharing thoughts and love on what should have been their wedding day! How they managed to keep it all secret I'll never know. They all then headed round to the little jetty where the wedding was to take place as I waited for the Bride to arrive.
A little bit late due to a taxi mix up! I eventually saw the car coming down the track to the car pack and struck up, watched by a couple of curious walkers, no doubt wondering what could be happening, I could see a delighted and surprised Jennifer as she and her bridesmaid Rachel alighting from the taxi and smiles and excitement.
Quick introductions and a quick photo, assuring Jennifer it's okay and there's no rush even though she's late and Gary knew that the next time he heard the pipes meant that his bride was here. Time to settle and catch her breath.
I then led Jennifer and Rachel 200 metres or so along the woodland path skirting the loch side to the Jetty where Gary, Paul and Lesley were waiting.
A beautiful short ceremony took place and before long Gary and Jennifer were officially married.
One of the most amazing parts of the day was watching Paul and Rachel alternate between their roles as Best Man and Bridesmaid to photographer and Videographer with a couple of fixed cameras, and a video to record the ceremony. Then Paul got the drone out and recorded some amazing footage as I led the newly weds back around the loch to the car park.
I have been fortunate to be a wedding piper at a number of similar very small and intimate weddings and elopements in Scotland and it is truly an honour to be part of such an emotional and special day in people's lives.
Since this wedding I have attended similar micro weddings with couples determined to not let Covid restrictions prevent them from getting married. Although not the day they originally planned I know from speaking to them afterwards that they have no regrets and perhaps even preferred the small intimate wedding that circumstances dictated. As a supplier these unique weddings will live long in the memory.
If you are planning a truly Scottish Wedding, whether it's a Micro or Massive affair, you really should have a bagpiper perform at some point during the day. So get in touch with us for all your Wedding Piper needs, we also provide Drummers and Highland Dancers.