With the new year in full swing, we’ve been looking back on all of the brilliant wedding days we were a part of in 2023. When we saw the spectacular images from Louis and Xenia’s wedding, we just knew we wanted to know more about the story behind their day. The couple were kind enough to take the time to tell us about their wedding day, as well as their experience with our Tartan Design Service.
First things first, we wanted to know what made Louis decide to wear a kilt on his wedding day and why MacGregor and MacDuff? Louis explained, “Having and representing 2 distinct cultures, I wanted a way of representing my Nigerian side and Scottish side on my wedding day. Being from Aberdeen, I knew I wanted to get married in a kilt. There’s always been something about kilts at a wedding that resonated with me. The kilt felt like the best way I could represent Scotland while getting married to a Catalan girl in Spain.”
“Macgregor and Macduff were always the number one choice for me. I was always drawn to the store but more importantly, the highland wear just looked first class. I had been searching for the perfect kilt to wear for my wedding. The kilt hires looked lovely but since it was my wedding, I wanted it to be even more special. I wanted to own a kilt. Initially the “Mist” tartan series were my top choice until I saw the option to design your own kilt.” We couldn’t agree with Louis more, designing your own tartan is such a special addition to your big day.
We asked Louis to tell us a bit more about his thought process behind designing his own tartan. This is what he told us, “You only get married once” so I wanted to make it completely special. I wanted to have something that is not only mine, but part of our new family legacy. It sounds silly but owning a tartan felt like my Scottish heritage was immortalised and couldn’t be taken away or forgotten with time. Since I now live & work in England, I always wanted to have something of me in Scotland and something of Scotland with me.”
Louis went on to explain a little more about the inspiration behind the colours and pattern of his tartan. He said, “Having Nigerian heritage, I definitely wanted to have the flag colours (green & white) represented somewhere in the tartan. I spoke to my siblings and parents to try and find some common colours they liked and took inspiration from the Saltire blue. The final piece of the puzzle was my favourite colour (burgundy) and the colours were set. Erin & the designer really should take the credit for combining them into a tartan that my family and I love.” Whether you're honouring your roots, celebrating an event or adding some unique branding to your business, our in-house tartan designer can bring your vision to life.
Louis and Xenia tied the knot in a stunning Spanish venue. We asked them to tell us a little more about it. “It was on the outskirts of Barcelona in a place called Terrassa. We knew that since we had lots of people travelling for the wedding, we wanted to get married at least close to one of our homes. Since my wife’s from Barcelona, it made perfect sense as a lot of people saw the wedding as a ‘destination wedding’ in the middle of a larger holiday. We had 5 venues in Catalunya to see during last Christmas. This was the last viewing and I almost didn’t want to go after such a draining week… but when we saw it, we knew we had our winner.” The couple’s research certainly paid off!
We loved that Louis’ grooms party outfits were different to his yet they complimented each other so well. We asked the groom how he chose them. “I wanted all of us to be in kilts for sure. I wanted the guys to look fantastic but different to me somehow but I wasn’t sure what would work. The theme for the wedding was burgundy so I wanted that to be reflected in the groomsmens kilts and ties. The bridesmaids wore lovely burgundy dresses. Everyone looked fantastic individually and even better when all of them were together.” Our team are experts in wedding party coordination, book an appointment today for the ultimate styling experience.
As with all newlyweds, we were keen to learn this couple’s favourite part of the day. We loved Louis and Xenia’s answer. “The favourite part of the wedding day was when we had our grand entrances. First to the garden area, and second to the hall (for the meal). We came in, dancing to our favourite song and everyone cheering us on. It felt amazing seeing our family and friends smiling at us and joining in. Watching the wedding video back, it looked even better seeing it from a third person view.”
We love to hear about our grooms getting the chance to wear their kilts again and Louis has some dates in the diary already! He told us this, “One of my very best friends is getting married in Glasgow next July and I am returning the favour as his best man. I think there’s a series of mate’s weddings coming up so the kilt will be worked overtime.”
Louis went on to tell us what other items he would like to have made in his Coker Tartan. “When I ordered my kilt, I ordered ties & kilts for my brother, cousin and dad. I ordered shawls & scarves for my wife, sisters, and mum. Really, I couldn’t get enough tartan. When I’m financially recovered from the wedding, I would love a wallet, hip flask, cap but really the list goes on and on…” We look forward to seeing these tartan accessories brought to life!
Lastly, we asked if these newlyweds had any advice for future brides and grooms. Louis told us, “Best advice I received and can give to other couples is to remember that you are a team. As difficult as it can be to plan a wedding, the most important people are you two. Even if you have different opinions about the planning, you both want the best for each other and the day. Trust each other and trust some close friends to help you as well. Everyone wants the best for you; you’re never alone.”
Thank you to Louis and Xenia for taking the time to share their story with us. We wish them all the best for their future together.
Suppliers:
Esther Con Hache Photography
Maggie Sottero Designs
Lovely As It Seams
Masia Egara
Mimah Studio
Ke Magdalenas Catering & Eventos
Anna Muniz Peluqueria
Pirouette Bridal