Sunshine floods the ballroom...

..love the sense of drama it creates on an expectant top table.

It's a beautiful day...

The sun has arrived and Lunga is looking fabULOUS. Really. The daffodils are everywhere and we have a buttercup lawn which will disappear once mown, but which looks lovely lovely lovely today.

I've been showing people around and eating cake, which is a very enjoyable way to spend a day. And Alison and Stuart, who are getting married here in October, came back for another wander - this time with their lovely daughter Katie and Katie's 3 month old baby daughter, Ruby. Ruby is such a pretty name.

Alison is pretty well organised - She's booked Lorne MacDougall for the ceilidh in the evening and her wedding cake is being made by the fabulous Oban Chocolate House. Have I mentioned before how much I love their cakes. Proper chocolate. That smells like chocolate. And makes you want to drown in its deliciousness. Yum. Yum. And uber yum!

They have asked me to do their photography for them - their style is very relaxed, which makes me very relaxed. Menus aren't finalised yet, but we have got the sense of the kind of food that they most enjoy. Seasonal. Local. Generous.

It was lovely to see them again, and to get to know their families a little.

Alison and daughter Katie

Daughter Katie with Ruby

Alison and Stuart

Alison and Stuart. In the sun. Wonderful

little Ruby

Daughter Katie

Ruby's lovely little cosy toes

The sun going down

The view from the track up to Lunga today. Really. Truly. Stunning.

I promised you a Bohemian Lunga wedding. Here it is.

I was going to describe this wedding to you myself, but Jenny tells her own story so much better. I love her comment: 'it took a lot of effort and planning to create the casual effect we were after'. Never a truer word! Anyway, over to Jenny:

the moments before

'We couldn't believe our luck when we found that Lunga House was available for the date we wanted to hold our wedding.  We had holidayed in the area before and sailed out of Craobh Haven and knew that Lunga would be the perfect location for the wedding.  

I jokingly referred to the theme of wedding as rustic bohemian victoriana and wanted it to be a really laidback and relaxed weekend.  Meg and Les and all the staff at Lunga were so accomodating in every way in helping us create exactly the wedding we wanted.  It actually took a lot of effort and planning to create the casual event we were after and Meg paid close attention to my endless lists of details: she really went above and beyond in making the weekend very special indeed.

I really wanted to get married outside however it was raining in the morning and I assumed we would have it in the house.  When the time for the ceremony was approaching, and if truth be told we were not entirely ready, Meg encouraged me to hold off and sure enough the sun came out and I had the outdoor wedding I'd dreamed of.  My close friends played guitar and sang 'Wild Mountain Thyme' and the guests all joined in as the bridesmaids, my dad and I came in under the ribboned rose trellises into the garden. 

Neil and I were married by Annie Loughlin, the very local and lovely Humanist Celebrant in the centre of a circle of our friends and family.  When we were married my dad piped us through to the middle garden for drinks and delicious canapes.  

The Indian marquee we had hired fitted perfectely onto the top garden area at Lunga and fired torches marked the way to the reception.  The party went on into the small hours and everyone said it was the best wedding ever.  

All our friends still talk about how magical a location Lunga house is and are all desperate for a reason to come back.  We were all able to hang out and relax on the Sunday with a fantastic BBQ in the garden and then a chilled out night in the pub.  

the end

The wedding was perfect in every way and I couldn't recommend Lunga more as a wedding venue - it really is a hidden treasure. 

-- 

There's been a murrrrrrrder!

Great 1920's murder mystery weekend here - mixed in with some absolutely bonkers 'lowland' games. Photo's soon!

A 'Taste of Adventure' here at Lunga!

We're offering something a little different here at Lunga in April and May. So if you're looking for a wee 'Taste of Adventure' this might appeal!

Eat. Shoot. Take leave of your senses!

Enjoy 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast in a little castle with a big heart, perched on a hill by the sea.

Eat

Learn to cook, then enjoy dining on, seafood and shellfish with Carole Fitzgerald - Food Commentator,  Founder of The Seafood Trail and author of From Crabshack to Oyster Bar (that's me!)

Shoot

Watch, learn and practice shooting great shots with our food photographer who will provide hands on help with making your food photography sing.

Take leave of your senses

Adventure across the Corryvreckan (the world's largest whirlpool) in a half covered rib. Observe sea eagles in their natural habitat.

The cookery demonstrations take place in a real catering kitchen using the freshest of local seafood and shellfish, food photography is conducted using natural light (bring your own DSLR) and you need warm clothes and wellies for the rib ride across the Corryvreckan (waterproofs and life jackets provided.) Cakery and teas and coffees throughout!

1/2 the group will do the cookery course. The other 1/2 will do the Corryvreckan adventure.

Maximum of 24 people sharing double/twin rooms. Everyone eats together so that they can share their pioneering tales of culinary and aqua adventure  in this beautiful West Coast of Scotland!

Normally £255 per person, we're offering this for £215 per person

Guaranteed to get your hands dirty!

Delicious bites.

Dates:

w/e 9th April 2011

w/e 16th April 2011

w/e 7th May 2011

w/e 14th May 2011

Gorgeous lovely beautiful day...

...here at Lunga.

Cormac flew into Scotland from America, via Dublin, for a  whistle-stop tour of Lunga. Thankfully,  the sun shone bright and we are delighted that he and Laura are going to me married here this summer. Cormac is Irish, Laura is Scottish, they work in America and we are going to have a lottttt of fun!

Cormac's whistetop tour!

Matt and Lisa came back with their mum's for a second look and are hoping to get married here next year. They are absolutely lovely together and we were able to explore the grounds and the cottage on what felt like a warm spring day (until the sun slid behind a cloud and we were reminded that winter hasn't left these parts just yet!

Matt and Lisa

Then we all had tea and cake. Yaay!

Heart shaped empire biscuits with a cherry on the top!

A food romance!

This quieter time of year is a great opportunity for food thinking. I love menus that are a bit of a visual play on words and like every food related element to have a bit of a wow factor. Obviously at Lunga we have an abundance of local and seasonal produce to play with: Langoustines, scallops, beef, venison. Wild garlic in the spring; organic salads. Home- made desserts. The food we serve here at Lunga is a significant part of anyone's Scottish wedding, so we give it a lot of thought and a lot of love.

We're also mindful that celebration food should be first and foremost about what you want, and the Lunga team work really hard to design menus that reflect your style and your personality. Below, you'll find pictures of some of the food I prepared last year (at a number of venues) - but it's the style and the sense of food that I hope might get you thinking about your own wedding meal. The Lunga kitchen team genuinely enjoy being a part of what will make your celebration so individual.

a cluck of lemon possets

white chocolate and pistachio meringues - back by popular demand!

what my lovely son (Ben) used to call grass

beetroot and seville orange pate

tea smoked salmon, apple and fennel salad wit chicory

lamb cutlet nibbles

A solitary lemon posset with peanut brittle

China cup cakes from The Hidden Lane Tearoom

nibbles

part of a cheese table

smoked salmon blinis and chocolate (not at the same time, of course!)

liquid refreshment and lavender fairy cakes with chive flowers

nibbles

squat lobster with lemon mayo (and a lovely sunset)

beetroot and radish pate

nibbles

a veritable tea set of  china cup cakes

the start of the venison casserole

Scottish anti pasta nibbles