Love these...

http://www.weddingchicks.com/2011/03/29/printable-bag-designs

The sense of Lunga

A lovely Lunga wedding featured on The Before The Big Day blog. The fabulous photography by Elemental gives a wonderful sense of our landscape.

http://www.beforethebigday.co.uk/2011/01/real-wedding-catriona-chris.html

Happy Monday!

I promised you a Bohemian Lunga wedding. Here it is.

I was going to describe this wedding to you myself, but Jenny tells her own story so much better. I love her comment: 'it took a lot of effort and planning to create the casual effect we were after'. Never a truer word! Anyway, over to Jenny:

the moments before

'We couldn't believe our luck when we found that Lunga House was available for the date we wanted to hold our wedding.  We had holidayed in the area before and sailed out of Craobh Haven and knew that Lunga would be the perfect location for the wedding.  

I jokingly referred to the theme of wedding as rustic bohemian victoriana and wanted it to be a really laidback and relaxed weekend.  Meg and Les and all the staff at Lunga were so accomodating in every way in helping us create exactly the wedding we wanted.  It actually took a lot of effort and planning to create the casual event we were after and Meg paid close attention to my endless lists of details: she really went above and beyond in making the weekend very special indeed.

I really wanted to get married outside however it was raining in the morning and I assumed we would have it in the house.  When the time for the ceremony was approaching, and if truth be told we were not entirely ready, Meg encouraged me to hold off and sure enough the sun came out and I had the outdoor wedding I'd dreamed of.  My close friends played guitar and sang 'Wild Mountain Thyme' and the guests all joined in as the bridesmaids, my dad and I came in under the ribboned rose trellises into the garden. 

Neil and I were married by Annie Loughlin, the very local and lovely Humanist Celebrant in the centre of a circle of our friends and family.  When we were married my dad piped us through to the middle garden for drinks and delicious canapes.  

The Indian marquee we had hired fitted perfectely onto the top garden area at Lunga and fired torches marked the way to the reception.  The party went on into the small hours and everyone said it was the best wedding ever.  

All our friends still talk about how magical a location Lunga house is and are all desperate for a reason to come back.  We were all able to hang out and relax on the Sunday with a fantastic BBQ in the garden and then a chilled out night in the pub.  

the end

The wedding was perfect in every way and I couldn't recommend Lunga more as a wedding venue - it really is a hidden treasure. 

-- 

If I may be allowed to boast...

...my daughter has a lovely little vintage tearoom in Glasgow called The Hidden Lane Tearoom. Her wedding china cup cakes are to die for, but it was only at a recent photoshoot that I realised how beautiful they really are. Her cup cakes are home-made and hand-iced/frosted by her from the tiniest little kitchen imagineable. But she does all of this with love and pride. Which makes me proud.

photography by Reverine Photography

photo by Reverine Photography

If you're interested in edible cupcakery for your own wedding contact Kirsty Fitzgerald here

There's been a murrrrrrrder!

Great 1920's murder mystery weekend here - mixed in with some absolutely bonkers 'lowland' games. Photo's soon!

A 'Taste of Adventure' here at Lunga!

We're offering something a little different here at Lunga in April and May. So if you're looking for a wee 'Taste of Adventure' this might appeal!

Eat. Shoot. Take leave of your senses!

Enjoy 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast in a little castle with a big heart, perched on a hill by the sea.

Eat

Learn to cook, then enjoy dining on, seafood and shellfish with Carole Fitzgerald - Food Commentator,  Founder of The Seafood Trail and author of From Crabshack to Oyster Bar (that's me!)

Shoot

Watch, learn and practice shooting great shots with our food photographer who will provide hands on help with making your food photography sing.

Take leave of your senses

Adventure across the Corryvreckan (the world's largest whirlpool) in a half covered rib. Observe sea eagles in their natural habitat.

The cookery demonstrations take place in a real catering kitchen using the freshest of local seafood and shellfish, food photography is conducted using natural light (bring your own DSLR) and you need warm clothes and wellies for the rib ride across the Corryvreckan (waterproofs and life jackets provided.) Cakery and teas and coffees throughout!

1/2 the group will do the cookery course. The other 1/2 will do the Corryvreckan adventure.

Maximum of 24 people sharing double/twin rooms. Everyone eats together so that they can share their pioneering tales of culinary and aqua adventure  in this beautiful West Coast of Scotland!

Normally £255 per person, we're offering this for £215 per person

Guaranteed to get your hands dirty!

Delicious bites.

Dates:

w/e 9th April 2011

w/e 16th April 2011

w/e 7th May 2011

w/e 14th May 2011

A sign of things to come..a very unique Lunga 'Save the Date.'

Scott and Christine are getting married here at Lunga in September. Christine is lovely and arty and creative and their wedding is going to be completely unique. To give you an idea of what's to come, take a look/listen at their fabulous hand crafted Save The Date.

We think it's totally cool!!

OK. So spring hasn't quite sprung!

Julie and Douglas (who won the most romantic proposoal competition, if you remember)  drove from Cardiff to visit us and enjoyed all 4 seasons in one journey - hail, snow, gales, brilliant sunshine and probably a whole lot more taboot. But they got here and we lit the fires and ate butterscotch cake and drank tea and talked about their lovely plans for a wedding, maybe here at Lunga.

Julie is beautiful and looking forward to dress shopping. Douglas - you are a very very lucky man!

A roaring fire on a cold cold day

Coming soon...

The utterly gorgeous bohemian wedding of  Jenny Hogarth and Neil Mulholland. The beautiful vintage dress was re-worked by the bride's Aunt - a vintage veil became sleeves, Jenny's mothers wedding dress of white cotton seersucker was incorporated into the design and Jenny's veil belonged to her great great grandmother's on her mother's side. A lot of hard work went into the simplicity of this wedding and there's a whole lot more to come! Including an Indian tepeeeeeee.

Arriving in style!

Lovely Nick Kirk from NDK photography has photographed many weddings here at Lunga and got married here himself a few years ago. He has written a great blog post spotlighting us as a venue, which you can find here

His photography shows some different sides of Lunga, which I hope you enjoy!

Arriving in style!

And here's how you find us!

From a lovely father of the bride, who is now bringing guests here to celebrate his wife's v. special birthday: (she in the tartan dress!)

'For those of you who haven’t been to Lunga House before it is on the same estate as Craobh Haven marina which is on the A 816 between Lochgilphead and Oban, a couple of miles after you see the signs to Ardfern. After you have turned off the A816 on to the  private marina road you will come to a T-junction. Rather than turning right to the marina and Lord of the Isles pub, turn left and follow the road/track up the hill, past the stables,  until you get to the castle itself. If you are using a GPS the postcode is PA31 8QR; however if the lady with the annoying voice tells you to turn off the A816 into the village of Ardfern, ignore her and keep heading north on A816 for a couple of miles.(There is a very rough track directly between Ardfern and Lunga, but it is barely passable in a 4x4!)

Happy birthday again Mrs M!

The loveliest people come to Lunga...

.... and drive almost through the night to get here! After an epic trip from Southampton (but with copious picnics en route) and after a good night's sleep and a chance to explore on a day that saw the sun shine from dawn to dusk, we all agree that it was well worth the visit. Jenny and Mark are hoping to get married here next year and chief bridesmaid-to-be Hayley (Mark's sister) was starting her duties early with her trusty notebook.

It's so nice to get a chance to meet people in person and am so glad that their visit to Lunga was so enjoyable for all of us. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Mark

The light bounced through the trees - lovely

Mark, Jennie and Hayley

Wrapped up warm on a cold sunny day

Mark and Jennie

Fabulous smiles from a lovely lovely couple

Jennie smiled all day long