Melissa & Sean's Edinburgh Castle Wedding

The Offbeat Bride: Melissa - Executive Director, but you may remember her from being profiled previously on OffbeatBride.com in "Offbeat Military Weddings."

Her Offbeat Partner: Sean - Soldier

Location & Date of wedding: Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Scotland — Sept 11, 2007

What made our wedding offbeat:

Look closely and you can see the groom's skean dubh.

Look closely and you can see the groom's "skean dbuh."

Blue medieval wedding dress custom made, all the guys in uniforms, the hubby in his military dress uniform (from a Canadian Highland regiment), a Mountie in full red serge in Scotland, totally tripped out the tourists, and mismatched bridesmaids.

Lots of Scottish culture, hand-fasting, non-traditional readings, and much, much single malt scotch. And all of this taking place in a medieval castle built on top of an inactive volcano.

Full military honour guard with WWII rifles at our unit armoury for our reception back home, cut the cake with a sword, and toasted with a full bottle of Glenlivet 15 year old, after just having gotten back from the distillery in Speyside.

Typical Canadian…

Our biggest challenge: Booking everything in Scotland from Canada. All done by e-mail, which worked out amazingly well, except for when the hairdresser who didn't bother to show up, so we walked to a salon who was able to take us in at the last minute.

My favorite moment: Standing on the battlements of the castle in an amazing dress with my stunning new husband, sitting on a canon and looking down the mountain over the entirety of the city of Edinburgh.

My advice for other offbeat brides: Whatever you do, make sure it MEANS something to you. Bring in your own culture, traditions, hobbies, loves, and make it really YOURS.

Enough talk — click the picture below to see the wedding porn and to find out what a skean dubh is:

Read more posts about: castle, colorful wedding, medieval wedding, military, scotland, scottish, uk

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RESPONSES: 11 Comments, 0 THIS! votes

On April 21st, 2009 at 5:09 AM
La Petit Mort said

It looks like you had a fab day. My partner works as a curator at the castle so I know how lovely it can be (when it's not raining!)

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On April 21st, 2009 at 7:16 AM
Jen Janusz said

I love the fact that there was a Mountie there! I'm working on my own very Canadian wedding, and I think that's all we're missing!!! This looks like it was a wonderful day. All the best to both of you!

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On April 21st, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Beti said

I love all the vivid colors! And Glenlivet? Yum! Congratulations! (And your hair looks lovely!)

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On April 21st, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Sandy said

I love everything… and the blueness of that dress is just incredible! So amazing!

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On April 21st, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Jessica said

You look divine! The blue just pops. Congratulations!

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On April 21st, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Wedding Skulls said

Beautiful blue! I love castle weddings, especially ones like this that come off as fun and casual rather than a costume party! Brilliant!

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On April 21st, 2009 at 6:36 PM
iLiveinmyLab said

I love this wedding! Whenever I see the photos in the OBB Flickr account I always squee!

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On April 25th, 2009 at 5:32 AM
roopa said

Holy crap how in the world did they get to do their wedding at the Edinburgh Castle?!?! So awesome.

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On April 25th, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Melissa said

I can't believe I was featured, this is great!

If anyone else wants to get married at Edinburgh Castle, they do rent certain venues:

http://www.historic-scotland.g…castle.htm

Thanks everyone for the nice comments, it was an amazing day!

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On April 26th, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Laura said

That's amazing! I didn't realize Edinburgh Castle did weddings (being such a tourist hotspot) but I love it! My fiance is Scottish (lives in Aberdeen) and we were tempted to just get legally married and do the actual wedding in Scotland at a castle, but we were impatient so we're doing it in California

Your wedding looks marvelous!

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On May 1st, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Tara said

First let me say that you look amazing! My good friend lives in Edinburgh and I was lucky enough to travel there not to long ago. I LOVE the city, it's probably one of my favorite places on Earth, and the castle is so beautiful. How awesome that you had your wedding there! Congrats!!!

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