A Marriage made in West Lothian 2024

9 in West Lothian A marriage made

Weddings at

Deer Park Club provides a prestigious and unique setting for your wedding.

As a private Club, we boast excellent photo opportunities in and around the grounds, including our gazebo area.

Our versatile Fairways suite can be sectioned according to your exact requirements, and is self-contained with its own bar, toilet facilities and Bridal gift room for your personal use. Our Fairways suite can hold up to 160 guests for the ceremo ny and wedding breakfast and 200 guests for an evening reception

Choosing Deer Park to host your special day is all you need to ensure that your day runs smoothly and

50 Day Guests & 100 Evening Guests

Hire of fairways, eagles and the lounge area

Wedding menu tasting for couple

Red carpet arrival

75 Day Guests & 150 Evening Guests

White chair covers & table linen for ceremony and meal

Glass of sparkling after ceremony

Grounds and gazebo for photog raphs

50 Day Guests & 100 Evening Guests

Hire of fairways, eagles and the lounge area

Wedding menu tasting for couple

Red carpet arrival

Starlight backdrop and white aisle runner for your ceremony

Glass of sparkling for toast

Three-course set wedding breakfast

Hot rolls for evening buffet

75 Day Guests & 150 Evening Guests

White chair covers & table linen for ceremony & meal

Chair ties and table runners for the ceremony & meal

Glass of sparkling served with canapés after ceremony

Grounds and gazebo for photographs

Glass of sparkling for toast drink

Three-course set wedding breakfast

Two bottles of house wine per table

Evening entertainment provided by Coasters Discotheques

Four-item finger buffet

For further information please contact our sales coordinator on 01506 446699 or email efarrell@muir-group.co.uk Deer Park Golf and Country Club, Golf Course Road, Livingston, EH54 8AB

I am an AWARD-WINNING FLORIST with over 30 years’ experience with flowers I can create something perfect for you, from the smallest buttonhole to the perfect bouquet, through to large weddings and corporate events

I’ve been lucky enough to be nominated for awards from the Scottish Wedding Awards (winning both South East in 2019 and overall in 2022), Confetti Awards, VOWS awards, Your Scottish Wedding Awards and The Nation's Awards (winning 2022).

Customer service is as important as creating the perfect floral bouquets, so my end goal regardless of budgets or tastes, is to create something beautiful that is loved by the people who matter most - those that place the order. Tel: 07803 036288 www.beckysflowers.co.uk Email: becky@beckysflowers.co.uk

R & I Macdonald Kiltmakers are a long-established family business based in the central Scotland town of West Calder. For over 78 years we have produced handsewn kilts of the highest quality for customers both locally and internationally.

We specialise in made-to-measure outfits for gents, but also o er full highland dress hire service for gents and boys, handsewn dancers kilts, kilt alterations, all styles of plaids and ladies’ kilted skirts. We have a good stock of accessories for gents’ outfits as well as a little something for the ladies.

We work hard to support Scottish manufacturers of highland wear accessories, and aim to source 100% of our stock from Scotland.

We strive to provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with a personal touch where we will listen to your requirements and give you all the options available, so you walk away with the outfit you desire.

9154 I email: artworkservices@mybusinessclient.com

45 Main Street, West Calder, West Lothian EH55 8DP Phone: 01506 872 678 • todd@macdonaldkiltmakers.co.uk www.macdonaldkiltmakers.co.uk

PENTLAND VIEW @

Pumpherston Golf Club

Per fectly located outside Edinburgh with unique views over the golf course and Pentland Hills, our venue of fers a perfect set ting to host your special day.

Pumpherston Golf Club has an amazing team to help with your dream day. We have bespoke packages and work closely with local suppliers to ensure your big day is ever ything you imagined.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: Tel: 0150 6 4 33337 email: manager@pumpherstongolfclub .co.uk www.pumpherstongolfclub .co.uk

Lisa Barrie

tel: 01506 858 858 mob: 07989 972 353 www.lisabarrie.com lisa@lisabarrie.com

LisaBarriePhotography lisabarriephotography

9 in West Lothian A marriage made

Published by: My Business Client Ltd

Martinique House, Hampshire Road, Bordon, Hampshire GU35 0HJ

Tel: 01420 477080

Email: sales@mybusinessclient.com

Web: www.mybusinessclient.com

Please note:

This publication is wholly or partially funded by the advertisers herein and the publisher. It is provided at no charge to the Council.

Our Advertisers:

We gratefully acknowledge the support of all the firms whose advertisements appear in these pages. Without their help we would not be able to produce this guide. As a reciprocal gesture we have pleasure in drawing the attention of our readers to their announcements, but wish to make it clear that West Lothian Council can accept no responsibility for their products or services advertised.

All adverts correct at time they were signed off.

Welcome

Congratulations on your forthcoming ceremony. Choosing the perfect setting to celebrate your relationship is important and we are delighted that you have chosen West Lothian for your special day.

This brochure illustrates the wide range of options available to you and we have everything you need to make your ceremony special.

By choosing a civil ceremony, you are opting to have something that is unique and personal to you. You will have freedom of choice on how you wish your ceremony to be, from the traditional to the modern, and we will work with you to ensure you have a special and memorable day.

The Almond Suite provides the perfect venue for your ceremony. The comfortable and stylish suite can accommodate up to 50 guests with its own entrance and the grounds is ideal for photographs.

Alternatively, there are a wide range of perfect venues within West Lothian to choose from for your perfect day.

Whatever your choices, we will make every effort to ensure you have a truly memorable day.

The fee quoted is inclusive of meeting the Registrar and planning your personal ceremony, legal requirements and your Marriage/Civil Partnership certificate. There are no hidden extras. The Marriage/Civil Partnership schedule collection and return is all part of our unique service.

For full information on arranging your ceremony, please contact the Registration Office, Civil Centre, Livingston where our experienced registration team will be delighted to assist you.

Let us create your special day Unique to you in every way West Lothian Registrars xx

Why should I choose a Registrar?

The nature of civil marriage has changed dramatically since it was first introduced in Scotland in 1940.

Historically, civil marriages were governed by strict rules, and could only take place in the office of an authorised registrar, Monday to Friday, in a short ceremony which focused on the legal requirements of marriage.

Today, this couldn’t be further from the case. The rules have changed and there is much more flexibility. Registrars understand the diverse needs of people today, and can reflect the culture and social mix in our communities.

As a result, civil marriages can now include personal touches such as live music, readings and additional enhancements, making the ceremony unique to the couple.

A registrar will encourage couples to make their own contributions to the ceremony and there is huge scope to include family and friends. Although traditionally civil marriages were entirely non-religious, there is now no set format and religious context can be included if the couple wish.

You may also want to think about including some ceremony enhancements, such as handfasting, sand ceremonies, remembrance candles or the well-known Scottish tradition of drinking from the quaich.

If you are from a country that has their own traditions for ceremonies we would welcome these to be included, giving you a little piece of home.

Civil ceremonies can take place almost anywhere, and at times including Saturdays and Sundays. You can be married in a hotel, beauty spot, castle or even your garden; essentially any location that is special to you.

The role of a Registrar is also unique – only registrars can guide you through the whole marriage process including:

• Choosing a venue

• Submitting marriage notices and checking all the required documentation

• Tailoring the ceremony

• Bringing the marriage schedule to the venue and returning it

• Registering the marriage

• Issuing the marriage certificate

A civil marriage gives you the opportunity to have a ceremony truly reflecting your personalities, and registrars will help you every step of the way to ensure it is a day to remember.

The registration team will be happy to assist in the planning of your ceremony. Whether you choose a simple intimate ceremony or a large, grander event, our team are here to develop and provide tailor-made ceremonies to your personal requirements.

9 Ceremony Enhancements

A lovely way to personalise your ceremony can be through a variety of ceremony enhancements.

Handfasting

Handfasting is an ancient Celtic/medieval custom in which the couple come together at the start of their marriage relationship to declare of their own free will that they intended to marry.

While facing each other, the couple will join hands while a cloth is tied around their hands in a knot. This is where the term “tie the knot” comes from. Couples often choose a cloth made of a particular clan tartan or a specific colour of cloth symbolising something important to them.

What you will need:

• A cloth or ribbon suitable for handfasting

The Quaich ceremony

The quaich is a two-handed loving cup shared between the couple. It symbolises a bond between the two families or clans where the couple celebrate their marriage by taking their first toast together.

What you will need:

• A quaich (sometimes the couple will have this engraved with their names and date of marriage)

Oathing Stone

The oathing stone is an old Scottish tradition where the couple place their hands upon

a stone while saying their vows. Any stone can be used for this purpose; one collected by the couple from a favourite place i.e. beach, or a local beauty spot etc would be appropriate. The stone can be engraved with their names and date of marriage if desired.

This is where the term “setting an oath in stone” comes from.

What you will need:

• Collect a stone suitable for use as an oathing stone

Unity Candle

A unity candle symbolises the joining of the two families and two individuals becoming one in commitment. This ceremony involves the lighting of two taper candles which represent their individual lives up to this point and then lighting the unity candle from them as they become one.

What you will need:

• 1 large candle (this is the unity candle)

• 2 smaller candles (1 each for the bride and groom or two civil partners)

Your

Love Story

The Registrar can tell story of your life together so far. This can include how you met, how you were proposed to and what your plans for the future may be.

The Sand Ceremony

This ceremony requires the couple to pour different coloured sand from their individual vessels and combine the grains into a single container. This represents the joining of two people coming together and the creation of a new union and family, their hopes and dreams. Just as the grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so too will your marriage and family forever be intertwined.

What you will need:

• Two containers of sand, a different colour in each

• One large container capable of holding the sand from both smaller containers

Guest/Children Vows

• Ask your guests to join in on your vows or involve children.

• Have them bring the rings forward

• Have them do a reading/poem/song/play an instrument

• Let them tie the knot for a handfasting ceremony

• Give the child(ren) a ring or gift as a welcome to new family unit

• Let them hold the stone in an oathing stone ceremony (which they may have painted)

Remember Absent Loved Ones

There are many ways you may like to remember absent loved ones on your special day:

• The lighting of a memorial candle in memory of an individual or a group of individuals

• A table of remembrance with a photograph of your loved one(s) – you can also include a memorial candle here

• Have a friend or family member do a reading or small speech in memory of the person/people

• Reserve a seat for your absent loved one including the “Reserved” reading Acknowledgement

The Registrar can include a “thank you” as part of your ceremony, to those who

have travelled from afar for attending or someone who has helped with all the arrangements.

The Rose Ceremony

The rose has always been the flower associated with love and a single rose says the words “I love you”.

There are several different ways this ceremony can be performed which can involve the couple exchanging the gift of a rose to each other or it can involve the bestman/witness bringing the roses forward and doing a reading.

What you will need:

• Two red roses

Ring Warming Ceremony

A ring warming ceremony is when you give your loved ones the opportunity to hold the couple’s wedding rings with a wish or blessing for your marriage.

By the time your rings make it on to your fingers, they will be saturated with the love of their friends and family.

Pinning of the Tartan Ceremony

Following the proclamation that the couple are now married, the pinning of the tartan can take place.

Each family would customise this, depending on who is being accepted into who’s clan.

Love Lock Ceremony

This is a symbolic act of locking two padlocks together to represent the unbreakable bond of a couple’s love. The discarding of the keys signifies the couple’s intention to never unlock their love, and to remain committed to each other for the rest of their lives.

What you will need:

• Two padlocks with their clasps open

*All of the above enhancements are suitable for all types of civil ceremonies.

9 Legal Paperwork

Whether you choose a civil or religious/belief marriage, the legal requirements remain the same.

Both parties to the marriage are required by law to complete and sign Marriage Notice forms and submit them to the registrar in whose district the marriage is to take place. Marriage Notice forms can be obtained from any registration office in Scotland.

A signed Marriage Notice form is only valid for three months. By law, the minimum period of notice that you must give the registrar before the date of your marriage is 29 days. We recommend submitting your marriage notice forms approximately 8 to 10 weeks prior to the date of your marriage ceremony.

The leaflet Marriage in Scotland (RM1) is available from any registration office in Scotland and gives more guidance to getting married in Scotland.

Submitting Your Marriage Notice Form

It is recommended that Marriage Notice forms are submitted to the registrar approximately 8 to 10 weeks prior to the date of the marriage, together with the additional documents the registrar may require and the appropriate fee.

Additional documents include:-

• Birth certificate for both parties

• Proof of termination of a previous marriage where applicable (please note that if you are submitting a foreign divorce document, you will need to complete a foreign divorce questionnaire)

• Passports (if applicable)

• Proof of place of residence (utility bill no older than 3 months, bank statement no

older than 1 month, most recent council tax bill or valid UK driving licence)

• A declaration of Status by Non-UK Nationals form if applicable (if nationality on their notice form is not shown as British)

If any of the above documents are in a language other than English, a certified translation must be included.

An appointment should be made with the registrar to submit Marriage Notice forms and accompanying documents.

Witnesses

You will need to arrange for two people to be present to act as witnesses to your marriage. The two witnesses must be over 16 years of age and must be capable of fully understanding the proceedings.

Marriage Schedule

If you are having a religious/belief ceremony, the Registrar will arrange an appointment for you to collect your Marriage Schedule within 7 days prior to the date of your ceremony.

The Marriage Schedule is the legal document the celebrant conducting your marriage requires; without this document your marriage cannot proceed.

After your marriage, the schedule is returned to the registration office within three days of your marriage taking place, where the marriage is registered and your certificate posted out.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

9

Are all couples required to wait the minimum 29 day notice period?

Yes, unless they are granted dispensation under exceptional circumstances.

The date that notices are submitted will begin the 29 day minimum notice period.

Can couples who submit notice now extend their notice period if required?

No, the notices are valid for a maximum of 3 calendar months. After this time new notices must be submitted if there are any changes to the date.

I am in the UK on a working VISA, can I get married in Scotland?

If you are a national of a country outside the UK and you intend to get married or to register a civil partnership in Scotland, then you will need an entry clearance.

If you are already in the UK and are subject to immigration control but do not have a VISA which is specifically for the purpose of being married or entering into a civil partnership, we will automatically refer the marriage to the Home Office for their approval. This can increase the notice period from 29 to 70 days so it is recommended you submit your paperwork to the registrar as early as possible.

Do I need to pay a deposit when I book my ceremony?

Yes, we require a non-refundable deposit at the time of the booking.

What is the role of a witness and can you provide them?

Witnesses are required to observe you make your verbal contract of marriage, and to sign the marriage schedule. Therefore, they need to be present throughout the ceremony. Witnesses need to be able to speak and understand English and should be 16 years of age or over. You will only require two witnesses. They do not need to bring ID on the day. You must supply your own witnesses as West Lothian Council are not able to provide them for your ceremony.

Can I personalise the ceremony and write my own vows?

Yes. As long as you and your partner exchange the required legal wording, you are free to add to the vows and script.

Do we have to exchange rings?

No. Your registrar will check with you beforehand if you are exchanging rings during the ceremony. If you choose not to exchange rings, please be assured this does not affect the validity of your marriage.

What time should I arrive for my ceremony?

If you are getting married at the registration office, your guests should arrive around 30 minutes prior to your ceremony starting. If you are arriving separately and you do not wish to see each other before the ceremony, please feel free to discuss with your registrar about suitable arrangements and times.

If you are getting married at a venue of your choice the registrar will be there approximately 1 hour prior to your ceremony beginning.

Can we include music?

A selection of music is available at the registration office as well as a Bluetooth speaker and CD player but please feel free to discuss choosing your special pieces of music. You can also have live music to complement your ceremony if you wish.

What are the differences between a marriage and a civil partnership?

It is now possible for couples who are the same or mixed gender to choose to enter into a marriage or a civil partnership. Scottish Government have now released a guide on the differences and legalities of these relationships to help couples to

make an informed choice. Remember, your Registrar is happy to help you with any questions you may have.

What difference is there between a Registrar and a Non-Belief/ Faith Celebrant?

If the ceremony is conducted by a Registrar the paperwork and ceremony arrangements are all included as one service. A civil ceremony is conducted by a Registrar who can add personalised content to a ceremony.

When using a non-belief or faith celebrant you still need to contact the registrar to submit the legal paperwork. The schedule you sign on the day of your ceremony must be collected on the week of the wedding which can only be done by the couple being married or civilly partnered. The schedule must then be returned to the registrar within 3 days of the ceremony.

Can I add some religious element to my ceremony?

Yes, however we would request that a guest or family member reads out the religious wording.

Can we throw confetti?

Confetti can be used, but only outside the building. Please remind your guests to dispose of empty boxes carefully.

Wedding Anniversaries

9

1st Paper

2nd Cotton

3rd Leather

4th Silk

5th Wood

6th Iron

7th Wool

8th Bronze

9th Pottery

10th Tin

15th Crystal 20th China

25th Silver 30th Pearl 35th Coral 40th Ruby

45th Sapphire 50th Gold

55th Emerald 60th Diamond

65th Blue Sapphire

70th Platinum

75th Second Diamond

80 Oak

9

We always say West Lothian is full of beautiful places for your perfect day but did you know that we also have lots of amazing suppliers who can work with you to make your day perfect here in West Lothian?

From cake makers to florists and everything in between, our suppliers would be thrilled to be part of your day!

We want to do all we can to support our local businesses and wedding service suppliers in our area, so please have a look at what is available and get in touch.

BRID AL CAR HIRE

A stunning setting for your special day.

The iconic Linlithgow Burgh Halls is situated at the heart of historic Linlithgow next to Linlithgow Palace, St Michael's Church and Linlithgow Loch.