We're always in awe of couples who put their talents to work on their weddings, and today's couple are a particularly fabulous example of that! Irish groom James and Welsh bride Kath are both visual artists, so naturally, the aesthetic details of their big day were hugely important, but keeping costs down was just as big of a priority! Kath made her own wedding dress (the whole look cost a bargainous £150!), along with the couple's stationery, and some of the reception space décor. Even the elderflower gin wedding favours were DIYed! But what we love about these guys is that they admit that, while they don't regret anything about their gorgeous, pre-pandemic Glasgow city wedding, many of their budget-saving techniques carried a large, non-financial cost! Eoin Kirwan Photography documented their Glasgow Botanic Gardens ceremony and reception at The Bothy restaurant, so let's dive in!

Kath tells us that she met James in Venice in 2009, where they were both working at the Venice Biennale of Art for a couple of months. "We’re both visual artists, I was working for the Welsh Pavilion and James the Irish. There’s a tradition of the Welsh, Scottish, Irish and Australians working at the Biennale getting together to hang out after long days at work. We would drink lots of Aperol spritz and talk at the side of canals or under the Rialto Bridge. I thought it was obvious to James that I fancied him, but he was none the wiser and nothing happened!"

But, over the next few years, the pair made sure to keep in touch. "James visited Wales in 2011 and it was clear we were both in love," Kath says. "It was complicated, and we didn’t know how to make it work long distance between Cardiff and Dublin. Eventually in 2014, I turned up in Dublin to tell James how much I loved him. Luckily, it was mutual and the rest is history! Our first son was born in 2016 and our second arrived in summer 2019!"

This couple actually planned their engagement together, which I think is such a lovely idea! "I wanted to give James an engagement ring, too!" Kath says. "My ring was from Wales, with emeralds for the emerald isle, and rubies for Wales. James’s ring was a simple band with three sapphires, his birthstone. We took the train with our eldest, who was five months old at the time, and chose a quiet spot by the side of Loch Lomond. James proposed on one knee, and then I did the same – our baby very kindly slept for the whole thing! We celebrated on the deck of the Maid of the Loch with a Champagne toast."

Kath describes their wedding day as, "handmade, leafy and lush. It was an intimate, botanical, and lace-filled Welsh and Irish wedding in Scotland, with a star and moon-themed evening party. The wedding was a labour of love and made on a budget."

Kath designed, illustrated and printed the couple's wedding programme - what a talented bride!

It's safe to say that I am a huge fan of Kath's bridal party style! "I asked my bridesmaids to choose their own outfits in either gold or olive or both," she explains. "We had lots of gold sequins, olive lace, beading and my male bridesmaid wore a khaki kilt!"

The first decision to be made was whether to host the wedding in Ireland, Wales or the couple's former country of residence, Scotland. "Though both Celtic, neither of us are Scottish," Kath says, "but we really wanted to celebrate the value of our time there. Our first child was born in Glasgow, so having James and the groomsmen in full Highland regalia felt so right. James spoke with many Scottish friends about tartans and tradition, and we chose unique kilt pins for all the men."

For a couple with a deep love of nature, The Botanic Gardens provided the perfect ceremony location. "It was a really important place for us throughout our relationship, and being in Scotland, it was possible for us to have our legal ceremony wherever we wished," Kath says. "Having the rich greens of the plants and foliage as a backdrop was magical and unique, and amplified the colour scheme of the wedding. The glasshouse was light and airy and felt otherworldly."

The couple's little boy, Teifion, absolutely stole the show on the day in his tiny kilt, which features the same tartan as his Dad's, naturally!

As Kath is a first-language Welsh speaker, it was really important that Welsh was incorporated throughout the ceremony. "It was also key for me that the Welsh harp provided the music for this special occasion." She walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love with You by Elvis Presley, which holds special meaning for the couple. "In the years when we were out of touch, a Welsh male choir came into the Globe bar in Dublin, where James was working, and sang this song. It inspired us to reconnect. It was also our first dance at the party, sung by the fabulous Fort Theatre Amateur Dramatics group."

As we previously mentioned, Kath made her own wedding dress. "As a plus-size bride, I was too fat for most bridal shops and there is no decent bridal market for the larger bride who is into vintage lace," she says. "My hands still hurt from all the beading! The back of my dress had embroidered swans (I’m from Swansea), a toad for our wee son and our initials like a tattoo on my back. I wore a £15 H&M slip underneath. My veil was from Monsoon, and my vintage wax flower crown was from eBay. All in all, it cost me around £150 and I love a bargain. My shoes were customised eBay finds. I swapped them for Lotta from Stockholm gold clogs to dance in at the party."

For this couple, having a small guest list was paramount. "One of the main priorities for us was that there was no 'top table' and that every guest felt special."

For their reception venue, they chose The Bothy, a beloved restaurant a short walk from the gardens. "Its traditional Scottish vibe and menu was in keeping with our desire to celebrate our life in Glasgow," Kath says. "The food selection was outstanding, and because our party was so intimate, the kitchen could tailor each meal depending on guests’ tastes and requirements. It was a foodie’s dream, with seared Isle of Barra Scallops and Vegetarian Anster Risotto as starter options, and Gartmorn Roast Duck Breast and Tomato and Basil Girasole amongst the mains." Ok, we're officially hungry!

The couple's cake was decorated with lace from Kath's dress. What a sweet way to tie the day together!

Kath admits that the couple were overly ambitious with some of their plans. This is the kind of #realtalk we love to hear, and pass on to other couples!  "A DIY wedding is a pleasure and can really reflect the couple's identity and taste," she says. "However, we did too much, and on the day, needed to hand over more tasks. So my advice would be to organise plenty of delegation!"

The couple tell us that they have yet to go on honeymoon. "We moved to Manchester for work immediately after the wedding. We then relocated to Wales to our forever home and have welcomed our second baby, Taran, to the family! We had a lovely but brief break in Edinburgh after the wedding took place, but, as parents, it’s hard to prioritise a honeymoon. We will have one one day, when our babas are older!"

That's a wrap on James and Kath's gorgeous day! We have to say a huge thank you to the couple for letting us take a peek behind the curtains of their big day, and to Eoin Kirwan Photography for providing the beautiful imagery! There are lots more images in the gallery below so be sure to click through for a look.