The Scots-sprung couple, now Australian residents, went beyond their Outer Hebridean roots this month to tie the knot on island outpost St Kilda – the fourth marriage since its 1930 evacuation.

A wedding with a difference sealed in unique style, with hand-stitched rings of finest Harris Tweed.

"Not your 24-carat variety, but to us they symbolise something priceless," said Lewis-born Mr Smith, 36, who works in luxury brand marketing.

"As a romantic I see a product that epitomises the Hebrides, a place close to my heart, but as a businessman I can also see that the clo mhor – big cloth - is like gold-dust, because it has a totally unique connection to place."

He added, "Whatever may be said about Tweed right now, it is definitely an industry on the up and, at the end of the day, if people are talking about a product that has to be a good thing."

The two-of-a-kind trinkets, which cost just £50, were fashioned by Lewis seamstress Ann MacCallum. Their colours reflect the St Kilda landscape.

Fifty years later with the wreck of the Braer in Shetland, a report by Lord Donaldson recommended that laden tankers use the Deep Water Route to the west of the Hebrides rather than the restricted waters of the Minch and NLB received funding for three new lights to mark this route.

One of them was built on the Monach Isles which signalled the replacement of the original lighthouse. The new light was solar powered on an eight metre white clad metal framework tower with a character of flashing white every 15 seconds with a range of ten miles.

Nevertheless, modern does not always mean permanent and with changing regulations and the 2005 Aid to Navigation review, it was decided that the range of the light should be extended to 18 miles - a challenge too far for the 90s light.

And so it was decided the best engineering solution was to return to the good old days and to house a new optic in the original lighthouse tower.

After an extensive site survey, it was found that 'whilst the condition of the buildings is, by no means, suitable for human habitation, the context and character of the station is still very much in evidence.'

The new Aid to Navigation in the old tower will be powered by a low maintenance battery which will be charged by a combination of solar and wind power, using solar panels mounted on very low maintenance aluminium A-Frames.

The existing modern tower will be modified and re-used as a platform for the proposed wind generator.

Despite the changes over the years, they stress that project has shown what can be done and also given weight to the saying that 'they don't make them like them used to'.

In NLB magazine, Civil Engineer Andrew Mulhern states: "By re-patriating the lens driving mechanism with the lens and repairing weather ravaged buildings the NLB has shown that it has the knowledge, expertise and ability to successfully provide modern, environmentally friendly Aids to Navigation, whilst fulfilling its duties to the Natural and Cultural Heritage bodies. It is heartening to see that, despite the passage of almost 150 years and advances in navigation technology, the original Stevenson designed Monach Isles lighthouse still has a vital role in the provision of a Major aid to navigation."