We f inally saw film of our big day, 50 years on
For decades, annette and Colin Potter believed the only film of their wedding day had disintegrated long ago.
But now, almost 50 years on, the chance discovery of some old cine footage has allowed them to view their big day again.
It came about after a four-minute snippet showing a ‘mystery’ couple getting married at a church in Fife in the 1960s was handed in to filmmaker Bill Gourlay.
This intrigued Mr Gourlay, from Dunfermline, who launched an appeal to track them down.
after images were published in a local newspaper and on social media, a family member identified the pair as the Potters.
It came as a big surprise to the couple, from Kincardine, Fife, as they had not been aware of the bid to find them because they were on holiday in Tenerife when it was launched. Mrs Potter said: ‘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.’
The couple had believed that the only footage, shot by the bride’s father, no longer survived.
But after seeing their big day again, Mrs Potter 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 was very emotional. My daughter saw it and had a bit of a cry.’
Mrs Potter, 71, and her 72-year-old husband were married in 1968 at St Peter’s Church, Kirkcaldy, in front of around 80 guests. ‘It was an absolutely beautiful day and the sun was shining,’ Mrs Potter said. ‘I had borrowed my dress from a friend and it was gorgeous – white silk.
‘I vaguely remember my dad telling me that someone else had been filming, but I don’t think I ever saw that.’
Mr Gourlay obtained the film when a friend asked him to transfer it to DVD.
he said: ‘I am delighted they were traced so quickly. I thought it would be nice if I could make them a copy so they would have it as a memento of their special day.’