Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

First published in August 2011 by Your Story In A Book Ltd,

22 Roxburgh Road, Paisley, PA2 0UG, Scotland.

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Maureen Stuart

THE FIRST STEPS TO ROMANCE

ENGAGED… BUT NOT QUITE YET!

STUART POPS THE QUESTION ON BRIDGE OF ROMANCE

DOUBLE HEN NIGHT FUN FOR MAUREEN

OUR DREAM WEDDING IN NEW YORK

GUEST LIST

OUR SECRET ON ROYAL WEDDING DAY

Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart 23

‘‘

She had found the perfect couple - they just didn’t know it yet. And she was going to be a matchmaker - whether they liked it or not.

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

THIS was it – or so dance teacher

Margaret McInnes believed. She

had found the perfect couple -

they just didn’t know it yet. And she was going

to be a matchmaker whether they liked it or not.

That couple were her unsuspecting former

pupil, the carefree Maureen McKillop and top-

class piper Stuart Perry.

It was tough getting them together – both

loved travelling all over the world – Maureen to

far-off favourite places like Australia and New

York and Stuart to Brazil and Malaysia where he

was in demand to play the pipes.

It was June 2002 and Margaret had organised

for them to meet at the Commodore Hotel, in

Helensburgh on a blind date where Stuart had

been piping for Highland dancers. They knew

they were supposed to get together, but it doesn’t

always happen the way it does in storybooks.

They chatted, had a good night, enjoyed each

other’s company and the music, but Maureen

decided that was it.

“My head wasn’t in the right place at the

time,” said Maureen, “Stuart was nice, but I

enjoyed the single life and taking off to foreign

countries when and if I wanted to. I didn’t

have to answer to anyone and could just do as I

pleased.

“My Nannie Fraser had just passed away in

the March and I knew I was going to Australia

too for a break. There was just too much going

on for me to get involved in a relationship at the

time. I wasn’t being selfish - the time just wasn’t

right.”

Stuart confessed he wasn’t devastated the blind

date hadn’t worked out.

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

He revealed: “That was the first time I had met

Maureen. I thought she was nice, but didn’t

really know her then, so when things didn’t go

any further and we didn’t organise to meet each

other again I was OK with that.”

So life went on for the pair who were destined

to be together. Maureen, an administrative

assistant, who lived at home at East King Street,

Helensburgh with mum, Tricia; Dad, Abie and

young sister, Debbie and Stuart, a mechanic,

who stayed at home with his mum, Ann, in Old

Kilpatrick, went their separate ways.

Maureen headed off Down Under for a

holiday and Stuart flew out to Malaysia and

Brazil.

Then on June 7, 2003 - a year after their first

meeting - the pair were invited to a Barn Dance

at Colgrain Farm. It was Stuart’s 24th birthday.

Maureen says: “I saw Stuart sitting on a bale

of hay and went over to chat to him and catch

up on what had been going on in his life. Stuart

was really quite shy, but I’m different and kept

blethering all night asking about his work,

piping and anything else I could think of.”

Stuart remembers: “Maureen never stopped

talking. I knew I liked her, but after what

happened the first time I never made any plans

to see her again.”

So the pair went their separate ways for a

second time. But Maureen had decided she

wasn’t letting Stuart go. So two weeks later she

phoned him and asked him if he wanted to go

out. The sun shone on their first date on June

21, 2003. They were blessed with a beautiful

blue summer sky when Stuart picked Maureen

up in a spanking brand new Mini and they

drove to Rowardennan, on the Bonnie Banks of

Loch Lomond.

Maureen said: “It was such a beautiful

evening. We parked the car at the pier and went

for a long walk. It was so easy and relaxing with

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Stuart, finding out all about his life. It was just

the two of us sharing our stories and I knew

then we would be friends forever.

“We were completely wrapped up in each

other and it was a great feeling.”

Stuart joked: “She was just as excited about

seeing the car as she was about seeing me. I

think that’s what swung it.”

Maureen laughs out loud.

And so the romance began…

“We enjoyed watching DVDs, going for drives

and walks as we got to know one another and

fall in love,” said Maureen. “We had great

times.

“The first movie I remember watching at

Stuart’s house was Castaway, with Tom Hanks.

We’ve never looked back. I knew as early as

then Stuart was the one and we would be

together.”

Then in January 2004, Maureen had to leave

for Australia on a break she had booked before

she and Stuart had got together.

Maureen said: “It was the longest three and

a half weeks of my life. I was so far away

from Stuart I was miserable. I really missed

seeing him. Even although I was in Melbourne

and Sydney and visited Ayres Rock, it didn’t

compare to being with Stuart.

“I used to love this kind of trip, but I missed

him so much I wanted to get home. I knew

I was never happier than when I was with

Stuart.”

Stuart says: “I missed Maureen. She seemed

to be away for such a long time. I asked her to

bring me back a Didgeridoo and she did. I was

there when she stepped off the plane with it.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he laughed.

But that was not the end of the great

Australian adventure.

Maureen wanted to share the experience

with Stuart and as they both have a passion for

travelling, they headed to Australia as a couple

not once but twice – first in 2008 where they

managed to squeeze in a spell in New Zealand

and again in January 2009.

During the trips they fell in love with the

Aussie way of life, its beauty and culture.

They travelled to many places including

Maureen Stuart

Melbourne, Sydney, Alice Springs,

Adelaide, Uluru, Canberra, Brisbane

and others to soak up many more of the

sights.

In 2009 they also managed a trip to

New York and during another memorable

holiday took in all the sights and also saw

Maureen Stuart

the Yankees baseball team play.

And they discovered they loved this

American city just as much as they did

Australia…and it would play a huge role

in their future plans.

Maureen said: “We love travelling so

much. If we can head off somewhere

together to experience new places and

cultures we’re happy. We love Australia

and New York also stole our hearts, but

then again so did the Isle of Skye.

“I know that sounds crazy, but we just

love that part of Scotland. It is beautiful in

its own right.”

Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart Maureen Stuart

‘‘

Stuart asked if I wanted to go shopping in Glasgow. Stuart NEVER asks to go shopping - I just thought

it was strange.

Maureen Stuart

STUART had it all planned. He was going

to make sure Maureen’s 30th birthday on

September 7, 2009 was one to remember…

as long as she lived.

The celebrations had been wonderful. Family

and friends had joined Maureen and Stuart

at Drimsynie, in Lochgoilhead – a beautiful

spot where they all had a wonderful time –

good food, smashing company, death-defying

hangovers, great laughs, wonderful banter and

memories.

“It was just great to have all my family and

friends share it with me,” said Maureen. “ It was

exactly what I wanted and I was really happy.

“Then on the Monday, September 7 Stuart

asked if I wanted to go shopping in Glasgow.

Stuart NEVER asks to go shopping and I

wondered what was wrong with him. I had no

idea what he had in his head, but I agreed to go

anyway. I just thought it was strange.

“Then he took me into Princes Square and I

still didn’t have a clue what we were looking

for. He told me we were going into Louise

Shafer Jewellers. Well, they are exquisite and

expensive and I just thought Stuart was buying

me something for my birthday.

“I still didn’t know if I was to choose a

necklace, bracelet, earrings or what. I didn’t

Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

have a clue. Then Stuart said I was to choose an

engagement ring. I wanted to scream out loud,

but I was in the middle of a busy shopping

mall in Glasgow. I’m sure my smile covered my

whole face. I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Stuart says: “It wasn’t romantic. I told

Maureen she was to choose an engagement

ring and then immediately told her we weren’t

getting engaged that day. I just wanted Maureen

to get a ring she loved because she was going

to be the one wearing it for the rest of her life.

I didn’t want to pick something she might not

like.”

Maureen says: “That’s the way I would have

wanted it. I always wanted to choose my own

ring. We spent ages in the shop and I found one

I loved. It had a wedding ring, which matched

and fitted into it. I knew one day – when we got

married - I would come back for it.

“We had to wait eight weeks for it to come and

we never told anyone we had chosen a ring and

that at some point in the future Stuart was going

to propose. I never knew where or when it was

going to happen,” added Maureen.

“I just knew it would and I was happy with

that, but keeping it a secret was really hard. I

was so excited. I didn’t know how long we were

going to have to keep it to ourselves. I don’t

know how we managed it. ”

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

THE trip to New York had been

planned as part of Maureen’s 30th

birthday celebrations, but it was to

become much more than that.

Stuart had decided that on September

17, 2009 he would ask Maureen to be

his wife and he knew exactly where he

wanted to propose to the woman he

loved.

The cast iron Bow Bridge, one of

Central Park’s most famous and romantic

landmarks used in scenes from movies

such as Autumn in New York, Uptown

Girls and Spiderman, was where Stuart

decided he wanted to ask Maureen to

marry him.

Maureen Stuart

“I didn’t have a clue,” said Maureen.

“We were supposed to be going to the

Guggenheim Museum, on Fifth Avenue,

but it was shut that day, so Stuart said

we would take a walk in Central Park.

We walked and walked and walked and

walked right round the Jackie Onassis

reservoir and on and on.

“I was knackered, completely done

in and wanted to jump on one of the

horses and carts that go round the park,

but Stuart was having none of it. I didn’t

know what he was looking for and why. I

just kept wishing he would stop.”

Stuart recalls: “I was getting a bit

worried. I thought I was never going to

find the bridge. It wasn’t where I thought

it was going to be and then, all of a

sudden it was in sight. We were on it and

that’s where I asked Maureen to be my

wife. I didn’t go down on one knee or

anything, but was happy when she said

‘yes’.”

Maureen says: ‘It was 2pm New York

time. I will never forget that. I remember

my legs were throbbing because we had

walked so far, but the pain disappeared.

I was ecstatic when he proposed. I knew

‘‘

I was ecstatic when he proposed. I knew this is what I wanted. I had

never been happier.

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

this is what I wanted. I had never been

happier.

“We wanted our parents to be the

first to hear the news, so we went to

TGI Fridays for a drink and phoned

them. Stuart got his mum fine and

she was delighted, but when I phoned

home to tell my mum first I never got

the chance.

“My dad answered the call, just said

she was in bed, asked how the holiday

was going and hung up before I could

tell him our fantastic news.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was raging.

“He thought I was just calling for a

chat about the holiday and didn’t want

me to waste money on a phone call.

“I had to wait another day to tell my

mum and then everyone else.

“It was agony and ecstasy all in one.”

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

WHEN it came to celebrations

before the big event, Maureen

decided she would have two

Hen Nights while Stuart left his to the last

minute.

“I had one pretty wild one with some of

my family and friends and then a second

which was a chance for some rest and

relaxation for me, my mum Tricia; my

sister, Debbie; Laura, my best friend from

nursery right through to secondary and

my Aunt Theresa,” said Maureen.

“On the first night I was decked out in

all the gear – balloons, hat, streamers and

the usual Hen Night paraphernalia.

“We went to a curry karaoke place,

in Glasgow and then into Oran Mor, in

Byres Road, in the West End.

“My sister almost caused a riot by

skipping the queue. She managed to

talk the stewards into letting us get in

ahead of those who had been waiting for

ages and there were some angry people

growling at us.

Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart 25

‘‘

I was decked out in all the gear- balloons, hat, streamers and the

usual Hen Night paraphernalia.

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

“We had a smashing time.

“The second was a little more relaxing

and just what we needed. My mum,

Debbie, Laura, Theresa and I headed for

the Barcelo Spa, in Troon where we were

pampered rotten. Two treatments, lots of

champagne and an evening meal.

“On the way back after an overnight

stay we stopped off at Cameron House for

lunch. It was just the weekend we needed.

We were ready to tackle anything after

that.”

Stuart left his Stag Night to just three

weeks before the wedding and got all

“dressed” up for the big night out. Well,

his friends dressed him in a lovely frock

before they headed to the Merchant City,

in Glasgow for loads of drink and then on

to Ashton Lane, in the West End.

For the first time in his life, quiet, shy,

Stuart, was kicked out of a pub – not

for causing a riot, being noisy, drunk or

upsetting anyone – simply because he was

wearing that dress.

But one good thing did come out of the

venture…he learned he had a great pair

of pins.

Stuart reveals: “One friendly barmaid

told me I couldn’t stay in the pub with the

dress on as I looked better than her in it.”

Maureen Stuart

SO it was on September 19, 2010

in glorious weather in front of

excited family and friends in a sun-

drenched Central Park, in busy New York

that carefree Maureen McKillop married

the man she loved- her soul mate, Stuart

Perry.

This was their dream – and it was

even better than they had ever imagined

it could be. They couldn’t have been

happier…and if they could they didn’t

know about it yet.

Maureen and Stuart decided a long

engagement was not for them. They were

both 30, knew they wanted to spend

the rest of their lives together and see as

much of the world as possible in their

free time.

They knew they wanted a small

wedding and the only really tough

decision that had to be made was where

and when.

Australia was initially a favourite

country to get married in as the couple

had gone there on holiday and Maureen

had family Down Under.

“At first we both fancied Australia,”

revealed Maureen, “but

we knew that it would

be too far and too

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

expensive for people to travel. Stuart and

I also love New York and Skye equally,

believe it or not, so in the end it came

down to making a choice between the

two.

“Would it be Scotland or America?

What swung it in the end was the

weather,” added Maureen. “I wanted

guaranteed sunshine for my big day,

which was going to be almost a year to

the day we got engaged. I couldn’t wait. It

was going to be great.”

So emails started flying from the

couple’s flat in East King Street,

Helensburgh as they prepared for one

of the biggest adventures of their life.

Dress to be found, wedding ceremony

to organise, flowers, invitations, guests,

hotels and flights.

They discovered Captain Arnold – the

only sea captain ordained Chaplain in the

City of New York.

Stuart said: “We sent him an email and

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

he phoned back the same night. It was

great. We told him the ceremony was

to be about us and our families and the

people who would be there with us. He

promised it would be.”

Maureen added: “He took care of

everything for us in New York and

suggested the Ladies Pavilion, in Central

Park for the ceremony as it was more

secluded than the Bow Bridge where

Stuart proposed. He organised the

music, flowers, cake and photographer.

He made it really stress-free for us.

“All we had to do was organise the

dress, the meal and memorabilia we

wanted to take from Scotland to be

part of the day. The special napkins as

a gift for each guest who had come all

the way to New York to be with us on

the day, whisky, cocktail stirrers and

ceramic heather ornament for the top

of the cake. We wanted to take a little

bit of Scotland with us.”

And before they knew it, Maureen

and Stuart were in New York on the

morning of September 19, 2010

getting ready for their wedding joined

by 35 guests from Scotland and two

from Canada all desperate to join the

celebrations.

“It was a beautiful day, the sun

couldn’t have shone any brighter

Maureen Stuart

and the whole of America seemed to

be smiling,” said Maureen. “I know I

was. I just couldn’t stop smiling. I just

remember feeling happy - happier

than I had ever felt before. This was it.

Even a last-minute decision to change

my hairstyle worked out to perfection.

Everyone thought I was mad, but this

flamboyant hairdresser talked me into it

and I just went with his advice.

“When we arrived at the Ladies

Pavilion it was just the perfect setting

and the ceremony was everything we

ever wanted. It was all about our lives –

past, present and the future – and about

our family and friends who were there

with us. It was really emotional.

“One of my favourite moments was

when Captain Arnold gave us each a

glass of sand – one black and one white

Maureen Stuart

– and asked us to pour both of them into

another glass. It was to signify Stuart and

I becoming one.”

Everyone had a tear in their eyes.

Maureen was so wrapped up in her

own world she didn’t even notice the

hundreds of other people in Central

Park.

“I could only see my family and

friends,” said Maureen. “I think I was so

happy everything else was wiped from

my brain.”

Then it was off on a big yellow school

bus to head to the Marriott Marquis

Hotel, in Manhattan and the famous

rotating View restaurant on the 48th

floor to soak up champagne and fine

food.

The bus was Stuart’s idea and while

everyone thought the newlyweds would

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

‘‘

It was a beautiful day, the sun couldn’t have shone any

brighter and the whole of America seemed to be smiling.

travel back in style to the reception

they were having none of it.

“There was no way Stuart and I

were missing out on the bus trip,” said

Maureen. “We’d seen big yellow buses

in films for years and this was our

chance to travel on one, so we joined

the rest of them and headed to the

hotel.”

As the new Mr and Mrs Perry soaked

up the atmosphere, they knew this was

their Perfect Day.

But it wasn’t over yet.

After the reception they headed

out into the evening in search of

entertainment. In full wedding gear

they and their guests descended on

Times Square to give the Americans an

unexpected treat.

Maureen couldn’t believe it when the

groom took the pipes from his friend

Norman MacPhee and started to play,

entertaining the crowds of astonished

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Americans who were stopping to lap

up the traditional Scottish music.

As she stood there in her wedding

gown from the Sarah Louise designer

bridal shop, Maureen smiled a smile

as wide as the Hudson River, laughed

as loud as she could and just knew this

was the man she loved.

“Stuart was tremendous and

everyone was stopping to listen to

him,” she said.

“Crowds gathered and clapped and

cheered as he played. And when we

went into a nearby Irish Bar the owner,

who had heard it all, bought him a

drink.

“It was a fantastic day, everything we

ever imagined it could be and more.”

Stuart added: “It was tremendous.

We will never forget it. So many happy

people joining us on the happiest day

of our lives. It was so special and it is

something we will never forget.”

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

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Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Abie & Tricia McKillop (Mother & Father of the Bride)

Ann Perry (Mother of the Groom)

Debbie McKillop (Sister/Maid Of Honour)

Laura Carrick (Best Friend/Bridesmaid)

Nichola & George Wright (Stuarts Sister & Husband) (Nichola signed the register as well as Debbie)

Naimh Wright ( Junior Bridesmaid)

Jamie Wright (Page Boy)

Mary Thomson & Marie Thomson Sutherland

Donald & Theresa Fraser

Mina & Duncan McKillop

Duncan & Vicky McKillop

Marion Craig

Norman MacPhee & Joanne Dade

Tommy & Agnes McPherson

Jamei, Christine, Claire & Jayne Dalrymple & Joseph Cullen

Willie & Marie Smith

Lisa McDonald & Alan Walker

Robert Carson

Stevie Ford & Emma McCormack

Heather & Allan Carrick

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

Maureen Stuart

BACK home in Scotland and just two

months later, the couple put the flat

where they had spent four-and-a-

half happy years together up for sale.

They wanted a family home.

They were surprised when just three

days after it went on the market, the flat

was sold. They moved in with Maureen’s

parents until they found a new home.

And they did quicker than they thought.

Their bid was accepted on Christmas

Eve and they moved into 42 Marmion

Avenue, Helensburgh on January 21,

2011.

“This house was meant for us,” said

Stuart. “We had put in an offer for

another one just round the corner, but

the owner pulled it off the market and

we were disappointed. But there was

obviously a reason and this was it. We

love it here.”

Maureen said: “We are so happy here.

We have been so, so lucky. I think I’m one

of the happiest people in the world just

now.”

“And so am I,” said Stuart with a huge

smile that hid another secret.

It was the day of the Royal Wedding –

Prince William and Katherine Middleton

were getting married and the nation was

excited.

But not as excited as Maureen and

Stuart who had just come back from a

trip to Lanzarote

Maureen has just carried out a

pregnancy test – and it was positive.

Then she carried out another four and

they were positive too. The couple were

ecstatic.

Although she knew FIVE tests couldn’t

all be wrong Maureen had to go to the

doctor to get it confirmed…and she was,

indeed expecting.

The scan was organised for Tuesday,

June 21, at the Vale of Leven Hospital, in

Alexandria - eight years since that first

date to Rowardennan.

Baby Perry is due on January 4, 2012

and that’s when the next chapter in the

story begins.

Maureen Stuart