Helen & Rhys Chrabsolom
27th July 2019
Blackhills Estate
Moray
IV30 8QU
You’re here because we love you and we want you to be at our wedding. We’d like you to bring your babies, your dogs, your wonder at the Scottish countryside and your dancing shoes.
Timings
Gather in the garage yard at 2.
Party til late.
Parking
There’s plenty of space to park at Blackhills and you’re fine to leave the car overnight and come back for it in the morning if that’s your thing.
Drinking and driving
In Scotland the legal limit for how much alcohol you can drink and still drive is essentially 0%. Look out for the morning after too. We’re happy to help out with lift sharing or taxi booking.
Contacts
Beforehand:
Helen Christie - 07853969281 christiehelen111@gmail.com
Rhys Absolom - 07429206428 rhyspabsolom@gmail.com
On the day:
Rod Christie - 07980 846419
Taxis:
C&R taxis - 01343 545456
Scott Cabs - 01343 815815
DB Taxis - 07704737508
Dress Code
Formal but outdoorsy. Look pretty, but stay warm and dry.
We’ll be outside most of the day and there may be mud and rain, so bring comfy shoes and a jacket.
Kilts will be worn.
Directions
The postcode is IV30 8QU but that might not be completely helpful with the SatNav.
If you know how to use the wonderful What3Words app or website then you can find us at the address Arrived.Wisdom.Presuming.
On the day - follow signs with crabs on.
Transport
Plane: Inverness Airport is about an hour drive from Blackhills and flies to Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Bristol and Bergen. Aberdeen is roughly a 90 minute drive and flies direct to Cardiff, London City and Oslo as well as the above.
Train: The most wonderful and romantic way to get to Elgin is by train. There is the Caledonian Sleeper train that runs from Euston to Inverness (nearly) every night. You get a lovely bunk in a little cabin and a special spray for your pillow. You go to sleep in London and wake up in Inverness. There are also day trains that provide beautiful views of the UK countryside and coastlines. From Inverness, you get a connecting train to Elgin, from which we can organise a lift to Blackhills.
Automobile: It’s a long drive from wherever you’re coming from but it is pretty. You get to see mountains and lochs and highland coos and the lot. Please let us know if you have spare spaces in your car or would like us to find you a lift.
Accommodation
There are a couple of holiday cottages at Blackhills reserved them for the wedding VIPs (you know if you’re one of them.)
Camping is definitely an option. We’d love you to. If you’re coming from far away and don’t want to bring equipment then just get in touch and we’ll get hold of some for you to borrow.
If you have a camper or caravan then you’re very welcome to bring it. Looking at you, Gem.
There are plenty of AirBnBs and hotels not far away. The nearest village is Lhanbryde and the nearest town is Elgin.
Lossiemouth and Fochabers are also nearby.
Music, Dancing, General Gaiety
We won’t be having hymns during the ceremony but there will be singing and music. Good idea to have a practice of ‘Singin in the Rain.’
During the reception we will have three reels: The Dashing White Sergeant, The Eightsome Reel and Reel of the 51st.
We’re going to practices in Wimbledon and South Norwood a couple of times beforehand so come along and learn the steps. Or if you’d rather there are plenty of tutorials on Youtube.
Drinks
We’ll have wine, beer and bubbles as well as soft drinks and hot drinks for you, but no hard stuff.
You’re welcome to bring your own spirits if you fancy a G&T or a dram or anything like that. We won’t make you share them.
Wifi and phone reception
There isn’t much of either. Phone reception is patchy, but can be found.
There are a few wifi hotspots for when you really need to Instagram:
The Music Studio
Username:
Password:
The Garden Cottage
Username:
Password:
The Pottery
Username:
Password:
Beasties
If you’re new to Scotland - then welcome! So pretty. So historic. So wet and midgy. Avon Skin So Soft is the best for keeping the midgies off. A coat, decent shoes and a brolly will sort the rest.
Look out for tics. Have a body check at bed time and use a remover if you find any already embedded (gross!).
Lyme Disease stopped Avril Lavigne from being able to perform for three years, it’s a serious business.
Gifts
We’re just happy to have you. We’d love a contribution for the honeymoon, or we have a registry here but really we’re in it for the love not the Le Creuset.
Why all the crabs?
Christie + Absolom = Chrabsolom. Our married name - for both of us - will be Chrabsolom. Yes, officially, legally. It’s pronounced like the serious crustacean. That’s why we’re so crabby.
Dogs
Yes please! But on a lead.
It’s up to you to keep them safe, fed, happy and pick up their poo.
Babies
See dogs.
We’ll have somewhere quiet for you to put your sleepy baby.
There are two ponds at Blackhills and a bunch of campfires at the reception so please be wary of drunks, toddlers and drunk toddlers.
Blackhills
The most beautiful place in the world. Come early, or come back later for a proper walk round the gardens.
Buying pots
John Christie fans will be pleased to know that the showroom will be open if you’d like to buy pots. You can pay in cash, cheque or credit card. Just let us know when you’re coming.
Dates
We’ll be at Blackhills from the Saturday before, so come up any time from then and give us a hand with the decorating. We’ll show some movies, have a picnic, play some tennis, have some big dog walks and we’d love for you to join us.
Local Guide
What to do
Castles, tartan, golf, dolphins, whisky, mountains, monsters. You’re in the right place for all these things.
The Speyside distilleries are close by, go for a tour and a dram.
There’s mountaineering, mountain biking, sailing, horse riding and rafting all nearby.
Loch Ness is only an 90 minutes away. Go hunt a monster.
Where to eat and drink
Harbour Lights - Lossiemouth
Open during the day. Good for local specialities and nice beach walk afterwards. Try Stovies or Cullen Skink.
http://theharbour-lights.co.uk/
Windswept Brewery Tap Room - Lossiemouth
If you’re lucky you’ll spot Helen’s - and soon to be Rhys’s - sister-in-law. Come here for beers or coffees.
https://windsweptbrewing.com/tap-room/
The Drouthy Cobbler - Elgin
Open in the day and evening. Nice pub food, sometimes has a vegan meringue thing for pudding.
Baxters - Fochabers
Open during the day. It’s where the soup comes from!
http://www.baxters.com/about-baxters/our-stores/fochabers/
Cafe Kombucha - Elgin
Open during the day. Elgin’s new vegan cafe. It’s on the High Street, up from M&S.
Johnstons of Elgin - Elgin
Open during the day, A nice place for lunch and browsing cashmere scarves. Plus, Helen used to work in the shop here.
https://www.johnstonsofelgin.com/retail/visit-us/elgin-mill/
Copper Dog - Craigellachie
Open during the day, and the evening. Perfect for anyone touring the Speyside distilleries. Fancy scottish food and loads of whiskies.
http://www.craigellachiehotel.co.uk/copper-dog
Where to shop
Lhanbryde Post Office
Lhanbryde butcher
Lhanbryde chemist
If you’re in self catering then you can have online shops delivered from Tesco or ASDA.
Elgin has all the supermarkets and chemists and shops that you’d expect.
Beaches
Lossiemouth’s East Beach is Helen’s favourite.
Findhorn is a close second.
Golf
We invented it. There are plenty of courses and ranges nearby.
Hospital
You can dial 999 for an ambulance. The nearest A&E is at Dr Gray’s in Elgin.
Credits
Mum & Dad, Mum & Dave, Dad & Gillian, sisters, brothers, sisters in law, common law brothers in law, nieces, nephews, great nephews, step great nieces, aunties, carol’s seagull, uncles, people called auntie but not actual aunties, cousins, cousin’s babies, cousins in law, friends, god children, not actual god children but treated as god children, mum’s friends, dogs, all dogs not just the ones at the wedding, wine, wine couriers, beer brewers, beer broker, chilli jam broker, ice cream people, cake people, tea people, pizza people, paella people, how to say paella people, photographer, videographer, musicians.
