Arriving in style: Josh and Ellie’s cargo bike wedding

ELLIE: It was curiosity more than anything that sparked our interest in cargo bikes: we had seen groups of people zooming past our flat in Edinburgh a few years ago, and we wondered what they were doing. It seemed such a new sight at the time: something we had seen on trips to Copenhagen and Amsterdam, but never on the streets of Edinburgh before! Curiosity stirred, we had a look online, and discovered they were from Cargo Bike Movement, an organisation that Josh would soon become involved with.

JOSH: I got in touch with the team, and in no time at all – after taking part in a really fun training day on the Meadows – I was soon one of those riders passing by out flat with a big cargo bike!

Helping people see the benefits of cargo bikes

JOSH: Established in early 2020 in response to the first Covid-19 lockdown, Cargo Bike Movement aims to promote the use of cargo bikes as a practical mode of transport for everyone. During the week, our bikes are used by volunteers to collect surplus food from supermarkets across the city and deliver it to the Shrub Cooperative, where it is distributed to foodbanks, hostels and other organisations that can make use of it.

Powered by volunteers, the charity’s focus is on encouraging inclusiveness in cycling and showing more people the amazing benefits of cargo bikes, especially their potential to act as car replacements for many people and organisations.

We loan out cargo bikes free of charge and organise events and training for people and businesses in Edinburgh, helping them use the bikes to carry goods around. I’ve found it so rewarding, especially seeing it as such a practical way of helping to build fairer, greener, healthier communities across the city.

Cargo bike wedding

ELLIE: With cargo bikes such a central part of our lives, it didn’t take long to decide to include them in some way in our wedding plans!

Josh had originally wanted to cycle to the venue with his dad, brothers and groomsmen in convoy. The pandemic changed our wedding plans, and in the end, it was a very small, but brilliant celebration with just immediate family.

JOSH: When Ellie (to my surprise!) said she wanted in on the cycling action, I immediately thought of riding together in a cargo bike. Naomi from Cargo Bike Movement kindly arranged delivery of a lovely bike complete with bunting and tin cans on the wedding morning. After the ceremony, we rode out of our garden and did a lap of the Meadows before arriving at a nearby restaurant for our reception.

ELLIE: I’m so glad we did it. It was the best part of the wedding! So many smiles and warm wishes from passers-by.