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My Very First Wedding as a Celebrant – Lauren & Markus | 31 May 2026

Andrea McDougall
Aug 4
2 min read

Every celebrant remembers their very first wedding and I honestly couldn't have wished for a lovelier couple than Lauren and Markus.


Their original celebrant unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute and through Lauren's wonderful stepmum, who I know personally, I was asked if I could step in. It was an absolute privilege to be trusted with such an important role and I'll always be grateful to Lauren and Markus for giving me that opportunity.


Their wedding took place at the beautiful Meldrum House Estate with the ceremony held in The Stables. The Scottish weather certainly tried its best to keep us on our toes! It was absolutely pouring with rain when I first arrived but thankfully, just as it was time for Lauren to make her entrance, the rain eased and everything fell perfectly into place.


One of the best parts of being a celebrant is catching up with other wedding suppliers. I already knew the incredibly talented Paula Beattie who created Lauren's beautiful makeup and amazing hairdresser Lauren Pallister so it was lovely to see familiar faces and receive their encouragement before my first ceremony.


Lauren has to be one of the most laid back brides I've ever met. Calm, smiling and completely taking everything in her stride. She made my job so easy.


Now for the confession...

Because I was dashing between the bridal suite and the ceremony room, I swapped my heels for my trusty Crocs. I left my heels tucked under a table thinking I'd pop them back on before the guests arrived. Except...I walked back into The Stables to find every single guest already seated... and there I was walking down the aisle in my Crocs! Thankfully I managed to retrieve my heels before the ceremony actually began but it's a moment I'll never forget and one that still makes me laugh.


Before the ceremony started Lauren's mum didn't have anyone to escort her down the aisle so I had the honour of walking the Mother of the Bride to her seat. It was a lovely little moment that wasn't planned but felt incredibly special.


The ceremony itself went exactly as we'd hoped. There were smiles, a few laughs and even a little surprise when I included a few words in Japanese for Markus' brother. It's those personal touches that make every ceremony unique.


A huge thank you also goes to the wonderful Laura French who captured the day beautifully and to James Cooper whose piping and encouraging words added that unmistakable Scottish magic to the celebrations.


As I drove home that afternoon, I was absolutely buzzing. My first wedding was complete and I knew I'd found exactly where I was meant to be.


Lauren and Markus, thank you for trusting me with such an important day in your lives. I'll never forget it and you'll always have a very special place in my celebrant journey.



 
 
 

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