Hailing from Ukraine and Scotland, Veronika and Danny first properly connected during their firm’s annual football tournament in Amsterdam. Their friendship blossomed into romance, and the pair later became engaged during an early Christmas trip to visit Danny’s parents in Edinburgh.
“I intended to pop the question on a hill overlooking Edinburgh at sunset,” he reveals. “Once we walked to the spot I’d planned, I started to get into the words I’d prepared. After the first few words and Veronika realising what was happening, we both got so emotional and somewhere in there I slipped in the words ‘will you marry me?’ and got down on one knee to put on the ring.”
Falling for the elegant climes of Pynes House, the couple drew on their heritage to plan a wedding filled with personal touches and a palette of light blue and peach carried by a gorgeous array of hydrangeas. “They are the favourite flowers of my father who couldn’t be there,” explains Veronika.
“I think the defining thing about our wedding was our mix of our backgrounds and the tributes we paid to them throughout the day,” she continues. Danny’s Scottish heritage was reflected in the kilts and ceilidh dancing (“which is so much fun and is a fantastic way to get people into the dancing spirit!”), while Veronika’s Ukrainian roots proved an emotional aspect of the day.
“It has naturally been a very difficult year and we had to discuss in spring whether we would go ahead with the wedding, given most of my side wouldn’t be able to make it,” she says. “But my parents told us to go ahead and celebrate while we can, because no one never knows what’s going to happen tomorrow and postponing our wedding is not a victory they were prepared to give (speaking of Ukrainian spirit and resilience!).”
With only Veronika’s mother able to attend, the celebrations were a “bittersweet” affair. “Not a dry eye was left in the room during the ceremony and speeches,” recalls Veronika. “But it was also special and beautiful, and a testimony that love wins despite everything. My dad, brother, niece and nephew, and other members of the family and friends were able to dial in and watch the ceremony live.”
Exchanging their vows before a drinks reception in the rose garden, the newly-weds then hosted a Ukrainian welcome ceremony. “My mother tied our hands together with rushnyk (a traditional Ukrainian decorative cloth), the same one that was used at their wedding 38 years ago, as a symbol of our lives now becoming one.”
The wedding breakfast treated guests to the delicious likes of seared scallops, roast rump of lamb, caramel poached pear and baked vanilla cheesecake, fuelling guests for the ceilidh dancing and evening disco, which commenced with one of Veronika’s favourite moments.
“We took some lessons to choreograph our first dance,” she says. “We danced to I Love You Baby by Frankie Valli so everyone sang along, which created an incredible atmosphere.”
A barbecue the next day extended the celebrations, leaving Veronika and Danny to reflect upon their day. “The best advice I received was from my colleague who said: ‘Expect things to go wrong on the day and, in most cases, no one will notice.’ It really helped with letting go of the fact that everything had to be perfect,” she reflects.
Photography Nova Wedding Photography novaweddingphotography.co.uk
Venue Pynes House pyneshouse.co.uk
Wedding planning & styling Grace & Honour Weddings graceandhonourweddings.co.uk
Dress Rosa Clara rosaclara.es
Hair Emma Jane Brides emmajanebrides.com
Make-up Claire Bowring clairebowring.co.uk
Flowers Laura Hingston Flowers laurahingstonflowers.com
Catering Pickle Shack pickleshack.co.uk
Cake Very Vanilla veryvanilla.co.uk
Entertainment Triple Scotch Ceilidh Band tsceilidhband.co.uk
Videography Capture Weddings captureweddings.co.uk
Live Stream John Gurd Media johngurd.co.uk
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