A couple have finally had the chance to see themselves on their wedding day after receiving a film of the occasion — almost 50 years late.
For decades, Annette, 71, and Colin Potter, 72, thought the recording of their big day had disintegrated years ago.
The only footage that they thought existed was by Annette’s father but the film had largely burned away.
So the couple left were amazed when a chance discovery of some old cine footage allowed them to view their special day again.
But Bill Gourlay, a filmmaker from Dunfermline, Fife, was given the archived footage by a friend who asked him to convert the film onto DVD.
The filmmaker was eager to trace the mystery couple who featured in the old cine film of a wedding held during the late 1960s at St Peter’s Church in Kirkcaldy.
And a friend of the couple, who attended the wedding, then got in touch to let them know that a DVD of the wedding had been made.
And the Potters were amazed to finally look back at their big day nearly 50 years on.
Annette from Kincardine, Fife, said: “We looked so young. It brought back a lot of happy memories. It was amazing to see all our friends and family on film after all these years.
“It took us a wee while to actually set up but once we did it was very emotional. My daughter saw it and had a bit of a cry.
“I couldn’t believe it when we came home and my cousin, one of our bridesmaids, phoned to tell us our wedding photo had been on the front page of the paper.
“I have an old video cassette of some of the wedding and I vaguely remember my dad telling me that someone else had been filming, but I don’t think I ever saw that.
“It will be lovely to have a copy to keep, because many of the people who were there aren’t with us any more.”
Annette and Colin met at the Burma Ballroom in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in May 1966.
Colin, who was 21 at the time, was working as a mechanical technician while Annette was training to be a teacher.
They were courting for two years before getting married in St Peter’s Church in Kirkcaldy on July 27, 1968 in front of around 80 guests.
The DVD is around four minutes long and the pair light up when they reflect on the occasion.
They travelled to the church in a taxi and managed to get mud all over their stunning bridal and groom clothes.
Annette came down the aisle to the hymn Praise My Soul, The King of Heaven which was used in the wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip in 1947.
Annette added that her white silk dress was borrowed on that day.
She said: “It was an absolutely beautiful day and the sun was shining. I had borrowed my dress from a friend and it was gorgeous – white silk.
“We had two bridesmaids, my cousin Pauline Linton and my friend Janice Morrison.
“I came down the aisle to Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven, because the minister didn’t like the traditional ones.
“Afterwards we had a reception for about 80 guests in the Strathearn Hotel and then went on honeymoon to Blackpool.”
Bill, who runs Talisman Films in Dunfermline, asked the local community to help him find out who the doting couple were.
He said: “I am delighted that they were traced so quickly and I just thought it would be nice if I could make them a copy so they would have it as a memento of their special day.
“It is only around four minutes long, but I am sure it will bring back happy memories for them.”