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As the Laird of Balgonie’s piper plays a Scottish tune, the laird, center, welcomes the newlyweds into The bridal party makes its way toward the chapel to the tune of a traditional Scottish pipe melody. They are, from left: the the great hall for their wedding feast. The coats of arms of previous owners and notables associated Laird of Balgonie, Raymond Morris of Balgonie and Eddergol; the bride, Kim Ann Perino, escorted by her son, Wesley Duke with the castle are painted on the panels of the musician’s gallery above the hall entrance. Perino; Amanda Brooke Perino, the bride's daughter and maid of honor; and the laird’s piper. Tips for planning a wedding in Scotland Arranging weddings in historic Scottish venues is a booming business, with ceremonies at castles and stately homes in all regions. Much of the research can be done on the Internet. For help in answering the “who, what, when, how Aye, Scotland makes and how much” questions, see www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/grosweb/grosweb.nsf /pages/gromar. Everything is clearly and concisely explained. The Web site has required forms to download and print, as well as links to the various registrar offices where the paperwork needs to be filed at least three weeks before the wedding. Balgonie Castle has an excellent Web site at www.balgonie-castle.com. for a bonnie wedding Gode Cookery, which made our special wedding cookies, offers a variety of designs and flavors, and the cookies stay fresh for weeks and even freeze well. Its BY STEPHEN MICHAEL mance — and Web site is www.godecookery.com/cookies/cookies.html. AND KIM PERINO MICHAEL price. We paid The Web site for Message on a Bottle, which provided the souvenir Scotch Stipes Travel readers for the use of and bottles, is www.messageonabottle.biz. the 14th-centu- Rabbies Tours arranged for guest accommodations in the area and a day-after ou meet the princess of your ry chapel and Highlands tour. Its Web site is www.rabbies.com. dreams, she meets her great hall, al- prince charming . . . What though either — STEPHEN AND Ycan you do to weave the venue is avail- KIM PERINO MICHAEL magic and romance into the fabric of able separately, reality? How about: Rent a castle, wed and the laird in the medieval chapel and feast in a arranged a great banquet hall? minister to When we decided to get married, officiate and the we knew we wanted to do it in Scot- use of his piper land, due to ancestral connections and to “pipe in the our mutual love of all things Scottish. bride.” We also spend much of our off-duty We also met time in Edin- with a catering burgh, the capital official who was TRAVEL city where we Banners reflecting the arms of previous owners of Balgonie willing to pro- own a modest Castle adorn the great hall, and heraldic symbolism can be vide champagne apartment, and it seen throughout the castle. and hors d’ou- TALES was from here we vres, a sit-down began our quest. Photos by Alastair Stevens this expensive and difficult. We decid- dinner and a Our initial Bride Kim Ann Perino, in a gold, medieval-style gown, and bridegroom Stephen Anthony Michael, dressed in his family’s ed to find a venue near Edinburgh, limited bar within our budget. question was: one of Scotland’s two major cities with During one weekend in February tartan with a blue velvet Highland doublet, stand in front of the chapel altar at Balgonie Castle in Scotland. The dark dia- “Can two Americans living in Belgium international airports, excellent rail 2004, we attended a local wedding monds on the wall are the coats of arms of previous owners. Chapel lighting comes solely from candles. be married in Scotland?” Pleasantly, show. Sifting through the dozens of the answer was “Yes.” In fact almost connections, and a plethora of hotels, restaurants and nearby castles. services on offer, we found a wedding With the venue and clothing evok- added a feature to the evening that and England were able to fly into anyone can marry in Scotland provid- cake designer, stills photographer and ed they are legally free to wed. We We settled on Balgonie Castle in ing medieval splendor, we decided the was mildly out of sync with the venue: either Glasgow or Edinburgh with Fife, about 35 miles outside Edin- videographer. We asked acquaintan- wedding feast should have a similar We procured dozens of instruments — ease. Using Rabbies Tours to arrange went to the Internet and found the ces in Edinburgh about potential information we needed, including burgh on the northern side of the theme. Again using the Internet, we egg shakers, rhythm blocks, wrist hotels for all guests, as well as a full- florists and were delighted to secure required forms to download. Firth of Forth. We visited the castle, located a company specializing in bells, ocarinas and tambourines — day excursion to the Highlands on the the services of Stems Limited, the But where does one begin to find receiving a hearty welcome and guid- medieval cookies using authentic and placed them on the tables of the day after the wedding, made the expe- that special venue? Obviously the rich ed tour from the Laird of Balgonie same company that provided the ingredients and recipes — these Great Hall so our guests could contrib- rience painless. and famous (like Madonna and Guy himself. This location is fast becoming floral arrangements for the 2003 MTV would accompany the coffee or tea at ute to the festive mood by making We pronounced the event a dream Ritchie) have no problem — and no one of Scotland’s most popular and Europe music awards. The prices the end of the evening. their own music. come true. People traveled a long way budget concerns — but we are humble affordable wedding locations. The were affordable, the owner intuitive In a bridal magazine, we read about Finally, another Fife company, to help us celebrate, and we wanted civil servants. So we turned again to laird was happy to show us photos of and professional, and the arrange- a troupe of traditional Scottish enter- Message on a Bottle, customized bot- them to leave with something memora- the Internet, and also invested in previous wedding parties and to rec- ments breathtaking. tainers called Herald Events, which tles of fine Scotch with our name, ble. They did — and you can, too. For copies of U.K. bridal magazines. ommend local businesses to help us Kim found a gorgeous, medi- offered music, drama and merriment wedding date and Stephen’s personal the wedding of your dreams, consider After considering sites on the west- out, such as photographers, florists eval-style wedding gown in gold silk, in traditional Highland style. After coat of arms, giving guests yet another bonnie Scotland. ern coast of Scotland where Stephen’s and caterers. and Stephen engaged the Celtic Craft talking to the founder and listening to unique remembrance of our wedding. Stephen Michael, a retired Air Force lieutenant ancestors lived before immigrating to Almost instantly we knew we had Centre to manufacture a Highland one of their CDs, we booked them for Logistics was a key concern in colonel, and Kim Perino Michael live near Chievres, Belgium, where they both work for Guests take their places at the banquet tables in the Laird’s Hall, or great hall, of Balgonie Castle. Like the chapel, the hall is America, we realized that the logistics found our ideal castle. it had the per- doublet in blue velvet to wear with his the post-feast entertainment. planning the wedding. Guests from the 80th Area Support Group. E-mail them at lit only with candles. It seats up to 50 guests comfortably, including the wedding party at the head table. of a wedding in Scotland would make fect balance of magic, history, ro- Michael from Appin tartan kilt. Due to our ’60s “coming of age,” we the United States, Belgium, Germany [email protected].