The Proclaimers famously sang they would go 500 miles for love, and a Swedish musician has done just that – and a little bit more.
Christopher Caird Dominique drove his bride-to-be Tess and four children the 3,500 miles from the south of Sweden to Scotland for their nuptials.
And as if the trip wasn’t already special enough, the couple tied the knot at Dunnottar Parish Church – where one of Mr Dominique’s ancestors did the same 200 years prior.
Describing Scotland as the “most beautiful place in the world”, Mr Dominique revealed it was here that he and his new bride fell in love.
He said: “When I first met Tess the first date we had was I rented a classic British car, a MGB roadster, and we drove around Loch Lomond and the Highlands.
“So Scotland has always been special to us since that’s where we first fell in love.”
Scotland feels like home
After looking more into his great-grandfather who was a trained violinist in Glasgow, he found several of his relatives came from around the Stonehaven area and Arbuthnott.
When he discovered one his Caird relatives had got married in Dunnottar Parish Church, Mr Dominique said he and his wife agreed to get married there too.
The 43-year-old added: “My six times great grandfather, he was born in Arbuthnott but he then moved to Stonehaven, and he stayed out his entire life there.
“And in 1802, he was married in the same church where we got married, so that’s why I chose to get married there.”
The dad-of-four said they had a “magical day” for their wedding which featured a horse and carriage ride from the church all the way to Dunnottar Castle.
Decked out in the Sinclair tartan for the occasion, the official tartan for the Caird family, he said Scotland felt like home.
“I’d say it’s been a soulful experience,” he said. “I think the culture of the people in Scotland in comparison to Sweden is quite different. It’s a different sense of humour, and it’s a different sense of different things.
“When I’ve come to Scotland, and I’ve talked to people that I’ve sort of felt that I’ve fit in in a way that I’ve not always have done when I grew up Sweden.”
Re-wrote ‘Scotland’s greatest love song’ for first dance
As a surprise, Mr Dominique has also recorded a version of The Proclaimers hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” for their first waltz down as husband and wife down by the River Dee.
He admitted he was not sure if his wife would like it.
“I was a bit worried,” he said. “Tess comes from a very musical family herself. But then again, I worked as a professional musician for 30 years, so I should be able to pull it off.
“But since her father is 94 and he wasn’t able to come to give her away in the church, I made sure that he played the drums on the track.”
Mr Dominique said the song was a firm favourite amongst his family. Calling it the “most beautiful Scottish love song”, he said it was perfect song to sum up their trip.
“That’s why I chose to turn that into the waltz because it went into the whole experience of us going for a fortnight, camping and spending time in Scotland.
“There couldn’t be a better anthem for a Scottish trip than The Proclaimers. It’s a brilliant love song. And the fact that we had to drive more than 500 miles as well.”
Would love a shout-out from The Proclaimers
He added he would be “thrilled” if the Proclaimers would give their blessing to his version of the song.
“I’ve left no stone unturned to make sure that would be the best thing I’ve ever done,” Mr Dominique added.
“It could be the best work I’ve ever done. This is the most honest I’ve ever been and I had the help from some great people.”
Struck for his love for Aberdeen, Mr Dominique plans to return in the next year to do a Scottish tour with the song and a few other releases.
Conversation