LOVE HAS BLOSSOMED in a Moray garden centre that has as a result hosted its first ever wedding reception when Margaret and Ewan Tulloch chose Mackenzie and Cruickshank in Forres for their first meal as husband and wife.
The couple got hitched on Saturday (December 12) after ditching their grand plans for a lavish wedding in April when trying to fit it in around work commitments became too stressful.
So instead they opted for their local garden centre where Margaret’s youngest son Euan works – and they even went to work before and after the wedding themselves.
The couple, who run a transport business together, were delighted with their alternative plans, as Margaret explained: “We were going to go to a local hotel and have a big lavish wedding.
“I had planned to get my dress made and have a big reception but it just got too stressful and complicated trying to fit it in around work. Our business is owned by Ewan and we have just been so busy – trying to plan a big wedding was getting ridiculous.
“So we decided to just have something simple and opted for Mackenzie and Cruickshank. We don’t get a lot of time together on our own and we try to have lunch there every Saturday – so it seemed the right place to have our wedding reception.”
Margaret and Ewan tied the knot in Nairn with them both wearing just jeans. They were joined by 18 friends and family.
“It was great,” said Margaret. “We both did our school runs in the morning, got married, had lunch and then did the school runs in the afternoon.
“Mackenzie and Cruickshank staff couldn’t have done more for us. The staff had dressed the room and put flowers on the table. We hadn’t asked them to do that, they went above and beyond. We just ate from the menu – most of us actually opted for soup, but the staff would have done us a special meal if we had wanted. It was fantastic.”
Peter Wilson, owner of the garden centre said: “We are delighted that Margaret and Ewan chose Mackenzie and Cruickshank for their wedding reception venue. They were most welcome. It is a first for us, but maybe it won’t be the last.”