Kavya and David wanted their wedding to be a special celebration of both their backgrounds, and they did just that. Their pastel-themed Cameron House wedding was a stunning mix of cultures, with every detail carefully planned. From the food to the decor, they made sure their guests had an amazing experience, creating a beautiful and meaningful day that brought their cultures together.

Their big day started with a traditional South Indian Hindu ceremony in the morning, held in a beautifully decorated mandap with the stunning Loch Lomond as the backdrop. After completing the rituals, guests enjoyed a traditional South Indian lunch with a specially curated menu. In the evening, they hosted a Scottish-style celebration that began with drinks and canapés. The ballroom reception was brought to life with lush floral and greenery installations, and the night featured a Scottish handfasting ceremony, heartfelt speeches, cake cutting, and plenty of dancing.

This beautiful celebration blended their love story with the stunning natural surroundings, creating an event you definitely don’t want to miss. Get ready to be amazed by all the gorgeous details expertly captured by Junebug vendor Ricky Baillie.

The Couple:

Kavya and David

The Wedding:

Cameron House, Scotland, United Kingdom

Making Tradition Accessible at Their Cameron House Wedding

We kept our wedding ceremony very traditional. However, because South Indian ceremonies are conducted by priests in the ancient language of Sanskrit, we had a translator, who is actually the priest’s daughter, explain each ritual and its significance in English to the guests. Additionally, we printed a guide to our ceremony for each guest, which helped them stay involved and made the long ceremony enjoyable. Since the morning ceremony was outdoors, we also added a personalized touch by giving each guest a shawl in case they got cold.

A Dhaare Ritual and South Indian Feast by the Lake

The morning ceremony included completing rituals in a beautifully decorated outdoor mandap by our florist, against the backdrop of the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Unique to Kavya’s roots, we held a Dhaare ritual where each guest blessed the bride and groom by pouring milk over coconuts held in their hands. This was followed by a traditional South Indian lunch with a carefully curated menu.

From Whisky Tasting to Dancing: A Night of Scottish Traditions

In the evening, we hosted a Scottish-style celebration starting with a drink and canapé hour. We offered our guests an outdoor whisky-tasting experience in the beautiful gardens of Cameron House, accompanied by live jazz music in the background. This was followed by a reception in a beautifully decorated ballroom featuring a Scottish handfasting ceremony, speeches, cake cutting, and dancing.

Embracing Both Cultures at Their Cameron House Wedding

Watching everyone embrace both our cultures was undoubtedly the highlight of our day. For instance, seeing David’s Scottish family dressed in Indian attire for the first time and wholeheartedly enjoying the traditions filled us with joy. Likewise, witnessing our guests embrace Scottish customs and enthusiastically partake in whisky tastings added a delightful touch to the celebration.

Combining South Indian Sarees with Scottish Kilts

For the morning Hindu ceremony, we chose traditional South Indian attire. Everything was sourced from Bangalore, India, with much help from Kavya’s mom. The saree and groom’s coat were sourced from Angadi Silks, Bangalore. We paired traditional temple jewelry with the attire from Navrathan Jewellers. The saree blouse was custom-made with Scottish thistle motifs by Sithara Kudige. David wore a traditional Scottish kilt in midnight blue tartan for the evening Scottish ceremony. I chose a Manish Malhotra gown in royal blue to fit with the Scottish theme of the evening ceremony.

Why Early Planning and a Wedding Planner Are Essential for Destination Weddings

Planning a destination wedding is challenging especially when there is a huge time zone difference. We recommend starting at least 8-9 months ahead of the desired date, highly recommend having a wedding planner. This will save you a lot of sleepless nights trying to coordinate with vendors yourself with time zone difference. As stressful as it might be, we ensured that we enjoyed the process overall by not losing sight of the big picture.

Managing a Multi-National Wedding By  Balancing Busy Schedules and Focusing on Guest Experience

We are proud of ourselves for pulling together a fantastic celebration and a lifetime of memories, of course, with a lot of help from all the vendors. The day after the wedding, we woke up with relief and high-fived each other on our success. It made the months of planning, early morning meetings, and stressful decisions worth it. With our hectic schedules, planning a wedding in Scotland from Alaska, USA, was challenging. David traveled often for work, and as a physician, Kavya had busy hours and took multiple calls in the months leading up to the wedding. Guests flew in from the USA, Canada, India, and Scotland to attend our wedding. We needed to ensure a fun-filled day for ourselves, our families, and our guests.

Congratulations to Kavya and David on their pastel Cameron House wedding, which is a beautiful blend of cultures. A big thank you to Junebug vendor Ricky Baillie for capturing every stunning detail and unforgettable moment. To see more beautiful celebrations like this one, check out Ricky’s profile in our directory of talented photographers from around the world.

Their wedding is a perfect example of how personal and creative details can make your big day memorable. If you’re feeling inspired by their celebration but need help figuring out where to begin, you’re in the right place! Our guide to planning a multicultural wedding is packed with ideas to help you kickstart your own unique and unforgettable experience.