Scottish Wedding in Sacramento at Casa Garden Restaurant | Gabriella + Ewan 

When I was contacted by a couple who live in Edinburgh, Scotland to help me plan their Scottish wedding in Sacramento, I jumped at the chance! I visited Scotland several years ago and loved it! The rugged landscape and rolling hills are beautiful. There are sheep everywhere (more sheep than people, according to some sources). And they make the best whisky!

If you’re wondering why a couple who live in Scotland would be getting married in Sacramento, it’s because the bride is originally from Sacramento, and her family still lives there. The couple, Gabriella & Ewan, had eloped in New York City but wanted to have a more traditional wedding as well. I worked with Gabriella and her mom (who was local) to arrange all the details of the wedding.

They wanted a daytime ceremony followed by a luncheon reception so they could have a more casual evening get-together at Punch Bowl Social. For the ceremony and reception, they chose Casa Garden Restaurant, located near the Curtis Park neighborhood of Sacramento.

Casa Garden is a unique venue because most of its staff is made up of volunteers. Their proceeds benefit the Sacramento Children’s Home. They have a lovely patio off the main restaurant where ceremonies can take place, and it can be converted to a dance floor once the ceremony chairs are removed. One thing to note: their liquor license only covers beer and wine, not spirits. So there can be no signature cocktails.

Casa Garden also has bridal and groom’s suites upstairs where the couple can get ready before the ceremony. The groom’s quarters are fairly small, but the bridal suite is more spacious and has plentiful natural light for your photographer to work with. These photos were all taken by Guy Piaquadio, a Los Angeles-based photographer whom Ewan had met a few years earlier while traveling in France!

Gabriella and Ewan’s ceremony was performed by a family friend, with elements of a traditional Scottish wedding incorporated. My favorite tradition was the quaich—because it involves whisky, lol. A quaich (pronounced like “cake” but more guttural) is a small, two-handled sipping cup.

During the ceremony, the groom’s father poured some Scotch whisky into the quaich, and then Gabriella and Ewan each drank from it. It symbolizes the joining of two into one, much like a unity candle ceremony. The quaich is made of solid pewter, so it’s heavier than it looks, but small enough to fit into a gentleman’s suit pocket.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed appetizers and beverages while the wedding party posed for photos on the patio. The arch had been beautifully decorated by my go-to wedding floral designer, Kelly Doan of LeLe Floral. It was the perfect backdrop for their family and couple photos.

Because this was a luncheon wedding, Gabriella and Ewan opted not to do many of the usual wedding activities. There was no bouquet or garter toss, and no dances with parents. They did share a first dance, and the best man, Stuart, made a toast. The couple also had a gorgeous cake by Freeport Bakery, so we did a traditional cake-cutting before the cake was served to guests as dessert.

Ewan’s last name is McKenzie, which means his family is descended from Clan McKenzie. Each clan in Scotland has a family tartan (plaid). The McKenzie tartan is predominantly blue, with red, green, and white elements. This tartan was the basis for all the design and decor elements of the wedding.

Ribbon in the pattern of the McKenzie tartan was used in all the florals, including Gabriella’s bouquet. It was used to tie the take-home favor bags, and it was present in the cake design. The flowers were all red and white, but with Scottish thistle, which is blue, mixed in.

Ewan and Stuart wore traditional Scottish dress, which includes kilts but also so much more! I took advantage of the opportunity and wore my Scottish kilt for the day too!

When the reception was over, we staged a bubble exit on the patio so all the guests could wish Gabriella and Ewan well. Then the couple and their wedding party traveled by limousine to McKinley Rose Garden for more photos before everyone changed and gathered at Punch Bowl Social for a fun evening of games. I told Gabriella and Ewan that if they want to plan a wedding in Edinburgh to give me a call. I’ll be on the next flight out!

Vendor Team

Venue, catering, and bar services: Casa Garden Restaurant
Photography: Guy Piaquadio
Florals: LeLe Floral
Cake: Freeport Bakery
Hair and makeup: Personify Bridal
Guitarist: Michael Sean Miller
French door rental: Simple Country Weddings
Styling & coordination: Risa James Events