Styled shoot at Megginch Castle

A wee while back I was sitting watching the tv one Sunday night and I got a message from Jan at Next Step Events UK asking if I would like to be involved in a styled shoot.

For those of you asking what is a styled shoot this is the google definition:

A styled shoot is a wedding setting created by a team of wedding vendors to flex their creative muscles in a collaborative effort where typically everyone provides their services and expertise in exchange for images of their work.

I have been wanting to be involved in a styled shoot for ages so I jumped at the chance. The only slight issue was it was for the following Sunday and I had no new cakes designed. The brief was elegant, formal and classic with creams, greens and soft pinks. This is what my cakes are all about so off I went and got designing.

In between the home schooling and looking after a toddler and other cake orders I had on that week I spent most evenings in the cake studio making sugar flowers.

My dummy cakes arrived and I covered them on the Thursday and by Friday I had enough flowers and leaves to start decorating. It’s been that long since I made a display cake, I had forgotten how damn hard it is to insert sugar flowers into polystyrene that's been covered with fondant. I might have said a few sweary words once or twice – ok, much more than that but hey who's counting! I even started a time lapse video but I haven’t posted it as honestly it took me FOREVER to get those flowers in!

On day of the photoshoot I was ready to drive the cake to it’s secret location which I can now reveal as Megginch Castle in Errol. I wrapped the cake flowers with cling film to within an inch of their life and set off. I got 20 minutes down the road and then realised I had forgotten the cake stand. A few more sweary words definitely escaped my mouth and I drove all the way back home over the incredibly bumpy uneven road at the top of the roundabout near where I live, ran in, grabbed the stand and ran out again. Back over the bumpy road where Every. Single. Petal. Rattled! Honestly, it is torture having to drive a cake with sugar flowers but us cakers do it because you don’t need that stress in your life.

Finally I made it to Errol. The turn off to the castle is on the main A90 dual carriageway with an impressive gate house entrance and a super long driveway.

Now just to clarify, unlike a normal photoshoot, there were not hundreds of people milling around so there was no Covid risk. Jan met me when I arrived and showed me where to set up the cake. Giles, the owner popped into the huge reception room and we waved a quick hello. They left me to set up the cake and then off I went. Masks were worn at all times.

The main hall was set up with tables and chairs and the most fabulous candelabras with fresh flowers in the centre of the tables. Up the short stairs was a beautiful light ceremony area over looking the gardens.

The lovely Vicki of Victoria Photography has taken some beautiful photos. Have a look through and imagine yourself getting married in this stunning venue!

Suppliers:

Venue: Megginch Castle

Cake: Philippa Rose Cake Design

Photographer: Victoria Photography

Food: Platter & Pop

Hair & Make up: Kirsty MacPherson

Dress: Innate Bridals

Florist: Something Special Flowers