Maya Gets Married

The morning of Maya's wedding I was up bright and early to head over to Maya's flat, as she had asked me to do her makeup (eep!). I was both nervous and excited, and honoured that Maya had asked me to be a part of her big day, and trusted me with something so important. 

Also, walking down the street in a fancy dress all made up at 8am Sunday morning? Yeah, you're gonna get a lot of judgemental looks. 

Maya wore a button up shirt and apron over her dress while we were primping her, so that nothing got on the dress - I kept telling her that she should totally just go like that, but for some reason she decided to ignore that.

After I finished the makeup, I left Maya to finish getting ready while I ran home to grab my heels. Maya offered for me to ride to the zoo, where the wedding and reception were being held, so I came back to watch her getting her hair did before hopping in the cab with her and her mum. Jordan, her maid of honour, was off wrangling the boys and the flower arrangements into another cab.

We got to drive up through the zoo, a privilege of wedding parties.

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

The little manor at the zoo which is available for weddings and other occasions was very beautiful from the outside, and quite posh inside as well. The room where the windows are threatening to be overtaken by ivy on the second floor is where the ceremony was held, with the reception held out on the lawn and in a room on the first floor.

This wedding was small, as Maya and Lee needed to get married soon so the military could register Maya as Lee's spouse, making it easier for her to join him in Italy after graduation, where he is stationed. She is planning on having a larger wedding back in the States at a later date, so the guest list for this ceremony was largely friends met in Scotland, as well as some of Lee's military buddies and Maya's mother.

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

After spending some time downstairs drinking champagne and eating some delicious cupcakes, it was time for our visit to the pandas! The Edinburgh Zoo has two pandas on loan from China at the moment, so we got to go special to see them as part of the wedding.

We also got to see the penguins...

... I love penguins.

All in all, a beautiful day, a beautiful ceremony, and a beautiful couple. I was so delighted to get to be a part of it.

Underneath the cut are more photos of the wedding, the guests, and, of course, the penguins.

Maya and her lovely mother

Super special VIP guest entrance to the zoo

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography 

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

(Jordan, the maid of honour, is the blond in red)

Becca and myself

Rachel and myself

Lindsey, Rachel, and Camille

Lindsey, myself, and Camille

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

All of the girls from the course! From the left: Camille, Lindsey, Rachel, me, Maya, Harriet, Becca, and Jade.

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

(the panda was flashing everyone her lady bits, so of course Fran, Jordan, and Maya had to take a selfie with her)

Credit: Brendan MacNeill Photography

(I was sending Logan a bunch of pictures of penguins, because he loves them and I am a terrible/awesome big sister).