A campervan company helped organise a surprise for a newlywed Aberdeenshire couple – and made sure they got through the snow on their big day.
Chris George, from Macduff, got in touch with Finzean-based Deeside Classic Campers at the start of the year to make a secret booking for his wedding day.
He wanted to surprise his new wife, Georgie, with Archie – a fully restored 1967 VW campervan.
However, when the 29-year-old woke up to “snow chaos” last Tuesday, he was worried they would not be able to make it to the venue at all.
Martin Page, the co-owner of Deeside Classic Campers, was determined not to let the couple down.
“I put Archie on a trailer and towed him up to Rothiemay with the Range Rover,” he said. “It was proper midwinter stuff with howling gales and blind drift. The back road from Rothiemay to Huntly was just impassable, just about zero visibility.
“I spoke to Chris on the day, and on the grounds of safety we had to go with plan B.”
Mr George added: “Martin kept in touch with me and went out in his Range Rover to see what was possible. He put ribbons on the car and said ‘we will get there’.”
‘Over the moon’
Before picking up the new Mrs George, 23, in the Range Rover, Mr Page scouted out a snowy spot to set Archie up so Mr George could still surprise his bride.
He added: “We went through the snow, got them married and back in the Range Rover with a wee detour to see Archie. She was absolutely over the moon and they got the most beautiful photographs.
“They were a fantastic couple, just great fun.”
After exchanging vows at the registry office in Huntly, the newlyweds were able to pose for photos with both vehicles, as well as their beloved pets, before continuing their celebrations with a reception at The Forbes Arms Hotel in Rothiemay.
“The sun appeared just as we were getting the pictures taken,” Mrs George said.
“I’d been guessing what it was going to be all week, and a campervan was the last thing I expected. It was so lovely, I’d never seen a classic camper like that up close before.
“We got to sit in the back with champagne and have the whole campervan experience with the pictures.
“Martin arrived early and was out sponging clean the Range Rover in -3C conditions. He couldn’t have done enough for us on the day, from carrying my flowers to being on standby with blankets.”
Mr and Mrs George also used their stunning photos to announce their big day to friends and family which they had kept top secret during six months of planning.
He added: “We got the double whammy – photos with the camper and the Range Rover. And, the weather didn’t hold us back – it was a miracle.”
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