LIKE a lot of little girls, Averil Keith dreamed about having a fairy-tale wedding when she would be treated like a princess.
A stunning dress, pretty bridesmaids, a glass-covered horse-drawn carriage and, of course, a tall, dark, handsome groom waiting at the end of the church aisle for her, all figured highly in her dreams.
This summer, her wishes came true when the 33-year-old, of Aird Avenue, Inverness, tied the knot with Angus (Gus) MacLean, 40, a self-employed taxi driver of Altan Place, Culloden.
Wearing a stunning pale pink blush-coloured strapless dress with an impressive nine-foot ruffled train, a glitzy tiara and hair and make-up designed to make the already bonnie girl look as glamorous as possible, she literally stopped the traffic in the Highland capital as she made her way to the Baptist Church on Castle Street.
Averil, who works as a senior HR administrator with Capgemini, takes up the story:
“I met Gus three years ago, but apparently he’d had his eye on me for years before that,” said Averil.
“He spotted me one day in Inverness then spent months looking for me. Eventually, we bumped into each other and he gave me his number, but I was seeing someone, so didn’t ring him.
“Months went by, but Gus never stopped looking for me, always hoping I’d phone.
“He then confessed to a friend that he couldn’t get me out of his mind and was annoyed that he hadn’t found me in a place as small as Inverness.
“By chance, his friend’s wife recognised my description and revealed that she knew where I lived.
“The next day, he sent me a bunch of roses and invited me on a date.
“I liked him straight away and he treated me like a princess from the start.”
Two years ago, Gus proposed, Averil accepted, and they began planning and saving up for their wedding.
“It was quite easy because I knew I wanted a fairy-tale bash with a really big dress,” said Averil.
“When Jordan (Katie Price) married, she wore a dress that was really over the top, but I wanted one in a smaller, but similar, style with a hint of pink.
“I designed my dress and Moira Withers, from Glitterati Designer Gowns in Glasgow, made it for just over £2,000.”
The bridesmaids, younger sister Emma, 31, and friends Michelle Way, 32, and Kirsty Foyle, 32, wore the same outfits as Jordan’s bridesmaids.
“I thought I would have to have these specially made, but discovered Berketex made them.”
The groom and best man, Trevor Wood, wore grey tails with pink ruched ties and waistcoats.
“I was an hour late for my wedding because of the dress. The only time I had tried it on was in the shop, when a team of staff helped me into it,” said Averil.
“My mum and bridesmaids did an excellent job, but it took far longer than expected to put it on.
“By the time I got to the church in the horse and carriage, there were literally hundreds of people waiting outside, including lots of tourists, who were snapping away when they saw the dress.
“I apologised for being late to Gus, but he just said, ‘I knew you’d come’.”
After the ceremony, the wedding party adjourned to Achnagairn House, a spectacular Edwardian house with an elegant ballroom in a fairy-tale setting near Kirkhill, Inverness, for a reception party with 200 guests.
“We kept the glamorous theme and had huge candelabras and bottles of pink champagne on the tables, and a chocolate fountain, and handed out favours of miniature perfume for the ladies and aftershave for the gents.
“The main bridal party got gifts from Tiffany, the jewellers.
“My wedding day was everything I hoped it would be and I loved every second of it.
“The best bit is that I’m going to wear my dress again as the photographer was so taken with it she wants to take pictures of me in different locations – I can’t wait.”