Jack and Sophie Simpson were the first couple to get married in the new wedding suite at The Gailes Hotel & Spa near Irvine. Karen Peattie caught up with them to hear all about their wonderful wedding in September – attended by cockapoos Maggie and Murphy too.
For Jack and Sophie Simpson, there was never really any question that they wouldn’t have their wedding at The Gailes Hotel & Spa near Irvine. It is, after all, part of SimpsInns, Jack’s family’s business.
The Lagavulin Suite and rooftop terrace at The Gailes had also undergone a stunning makeover to make it one of the most stylish and contemporary wedding venues on the Ayrshire coast. It was only fitting that Jack and Sophie were the first to tie the knot there.
As Jack recalls, “the paint was literally still drying”, adding: “It was brand new, fresh and for me it was a sentimental thing too to get married at The Gailes. I’d also project-managed the makeover so it was great to see it dressed for our wedding and looking so fantastic.”
Sophie adds: “We did look at other venues for a bit of inspiration and I went to quite few places with my mum, but we spend so much time here at The Gailes that it would have been strange getting married anywhere else.”
For Jack, reinventing the Lagavulin Suite was a journey that involved taking on feedback from guests as well as working with designers and incorporating some of his own ideas. “It’s a really popular venue so we wanted to do it justice,” he explains. “Previously, there were a lot of bold, statement colours, but we wanted to make it more muted, elegant and neutral – it’s a big transformation and we’re really pleased with the outcome.”
We spend so much time here at The Gailes that it would have been strange getting married anywhere else.
Sophie, a mortgage adviser who also works for the business at weekends, is delighted with how her big day went. “We got married on September 17, just 10 days shy of when we got engaged last year,” she explains. “I didn’t want to have a long engagement and it was a case of just getting on with it and getting organised.
“I wasn’t stressed on the day and everything ran smoothly – I think it helped that we knew all the staff – many of them have been there for over 20 years and have seen Jack grow up and wanted to be there for him.”
Jack agrees that the staff “absolutely smashed it”, adding: “There were no hiccups on the day at all – I’m so proud of the team.”
In the days after the wedding, says Sophie, guests were so positive and said how much they enjoyed the day. “It really was amazing – I loved my big day and it felt like we were having a big party.”
And what about The Dress? Sophie, originally from Stirling, chose her dress at Emma Roy of Edinburgh, a long-established bridalwear specialist. “They were amazing, so helpful and knowledgeable,” she says. “It was quite a lengthy process as the dress I chose – it was the second or third one I tried on – was sleeveless and I wanted sleeves. They made them for me and it worked perfectly – my dream wedding dress.”
Sophie’s bridesmaids wore gorgeous blue dresses and her flowers featured ivories and shades of blue too, and worked perfectly with the groom’s kilt as it had a blue stripe. The couple worked with Jam Events who organised the flowers as well as the décor. “It’s funny because I was never really into flowers, I didn’t have a favourite flower and definitely didn’t want an elaborate bouquet,” says Sophie. “After seeing my wedding flowers, I love them – I can’t get enough flowers now.”
For Jack, getting suited and booted involved a couple of trips to specialist Kilts 4 U at Hillington, Glasgow. He opted for Fraser Hunting Ancient tartan – the Simpsons are connected to Clan Fraser – and bespoke kilts were created for Jack, his dad Malcolm and older brother Lee.
Kilts 4 U even created special tartan collars for Jack and Sophie’s cockapoos, Maggie and Murphy, who attended the wedding too. “They were there on and off throughout the day – they’re quite excitable and I didn’t want them jumping up and damaging my dress so my young cousins were despatched throughout the day to take them for walks and look after them,” laughs Sophie.
The dogs also enjoyed part one of the couple’s honeymoon – a stay at Loch Tay – although pined for Jack and Sophie when part two took them to the Bahamas for 10 days.
Jack and Sophie, both graduates of Strathclyde Business School at the University of Strathclyde – Jack graduated in hospitality and tourism management and Sophie in finance – met in a Glasgow nightclub.
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