David and Aika met at University – they were in the same halls and then David was Aika’s landlord in a little house he bought and rented out rooms in during their second and third years. They both were with other people for five years, and when they both finished with their partners, they realised they had feelings for each other (although it was David who realized first!) David and Aika were together for five years before they got married – so 5 years as friends and 5 years together before David proposed is maybe not a whirlwind romance!
David proposed to Aika by organising a surprise weekend away in Nimes, France. The boutique hotel had old roman style colonnades and David had the staff light the lanterns along them and then got down on one knee in the colonnade next to the little central quadrangle. He’d already had the ring made in advance, and presented it there and then, and it fitted! Although he did put it on the wrong finger….
Earlier that day they had driven out to a local town and then David had been keen to see a very famous aqueduct nearby. Once they got there, Aika was surprised that David seemed to have no interest, hurried round and seemed desperate to leave. Little did she know he’d left the ring in his jacket pocket on the back seat of the car in a very public carpark!
Originally David & Aika were going to be married in the church at Melrose, but when they went back for a service, they felt it was too big and impersonal. On the back of the order of service, it said that Bowden and Melrose parishes had merged. David went to school in Melrose and remembered he went on a trip to the kirk there when he was small, and that it was very striking. They drove across and literally as they drove over the little bridge and saw it, they knew it was perfect (www.melrose-parish.fsnet.co.uk). Both Aika and David are from the countryside, Aika grew up next to a little Norman church in Kent and Bowden Kirk originates from the same period. Plus, they felt it was a very friendly little intimate church – perfect for their wedding party of a hundred people and the country wedding they both wanted.
David & Aika had a reception in a marquee in the garden of David’s house in the hills above Earlston because the views are stunning. They both had wanted a summer wedding in a marquee. Plus, this meant they could go up to the top of the Black Hill for some stunning photos courtesy of Mark!
The couple had Callanish as our band (www.callanishmusic.com) but as they were worried that all of the English guests might not want to reel, they had a big playlist drawn up. In the end they only played two non-Scottish dances as everyone just wanted to keep reeling!
The food was an essential part as Aika is a real foodie. The catering was provided by Gill Orde (www.gillordeincatering.co.uk). Much of the food was sourced locally and as one of the guests described it “It felt like coming round to Aika & David’s house for a nice dinner party, just a little larger” (and David thinks better!)
Aika’s wedding dress was from Christina K (www.christinak.co.uk) in Tunbridge Wells, who were very friendly and very patient! And Aika says they knew better than she did what she would look good in. She loved the dress as it was traditional but with a twist “it felt a little 1920s with the drop from below the hips”. Aika also wore an art deco necklace passed down from her grandmother which went perfectly.
David & Aika’s florist was Clova Reid. She produced stunning arrangements in both the church and marquee. The bouquet and buttonholes were by Evergreen in Earlston (www.evergreenflorist.info)
Aika and David chose Archibald Photography because they thought our images “were a great blend of naturalness with a strong creative process behind them”. As David said “the images on your website didn’t look staged or posed but captured the fun of each wedding. Also, when we met Mark, we thought he was fantastic!”
The weather had been terrible in the run up to David and Aika’s day. They couldn’t even get the placenames to stay on the tables in the morning because the wind was blowing so hard through the marquee. However, literally as they came out of the church, the sun burst through and they ended up walking to the car in blazing sunshine with rose petals being thrown at them.
When we asked the couple what the best bit of their day was they said “the actually-getting-married part. But also being surrounded by all your favourite people in the world wishing you well and being able to create a really brilliant day for them. It was totally overwhelming and a once in a life time day.”
So did anything go wrong? Aika forgot her engagement ring, so the wedding car had to turn round and go back to the hotel – meaning that she was 25 minutes late! This meant that David ended up wearing a line in the vestry carpet through pacing up and down in the fear she wouldn’t turn up!
There were also a few parts of the day that the couple found really funny; Aika was knocked flat by her flower girl next to the wedding car, her veil blew off and disappeared down the hillside with David in hot pursuit and the wedding cake started to keel over during the speeches and the grooms father had to hold it up with two fingers all the way through! All moments were captured by Mark!
