choose your venue

BOOK YOUR VENUE as soon as possible as attractive wedding locations are always in demand!

Thanks to changes in the law, it is now possible to have a civil ceremony at many venues where traditionally only the reception could have been held. Although the advantages are obvious, the disadvantage is that you are left with a staggering choice of beautiful locations in which to hold your ceremony and reception! Scotland has some
wonderfully cosy intimate venues, grand mansion houses for elegant dining and a world-class range of hotels. Many have facilities for ceremonies, such as chapels or garden bowers with glorious suites or rooms in which to dine in style. In addition to the privately owned venues The National Trust for Scotland and Historic Scotland can offer an outstanding range of properties. Venues one would assume beyond grasp are, in reality, very amenable to hosting weddings with the added bonus of an events team to help you along the way. Although there are certain restrictions with regard to the opening hours for the public viewing, the atmosphere and quality of these locations are unsurpassed. Whether privately owned or not, there is a venue out there that's perfect for your wedding...

Castles

Not as expensive as you might think, but often not as large, either! A castle is a romantic and memorable place which can provide a stunning background for photographs. Castles run as wedding venues tend to be incredibly accommodating, atmospheric and an ideal place for a stylish and classic celebration. The disadvantage can be the lack of sleeping accommodation for your guests. However, as castles often are located near beauty spots, this usually isn't a problem with bed and breakfasts, guest houses and hotels around the corner.

Hotels

Coming in all shapes and sizes, hotels vary in price structures and frequently have wedding packages to suit every taste. The advantage of a hotel is that there is usually a wedding co-ordinator to help with your arrangements, who will have good local knowledge of services available. Some hotels will have a function facility charge which can be as much as £5.00 per head, which can sometimes be waived if the party is over the minimum number set by the hotel. The difference between a three star hotel and a five star hotel isn't the service or the quality of food but the manner in which it is served and the facilities available - there are some exquisite hotels which may not have a trouser press or 24 hr room service, but are nonetheless perfect for a wedding celebration.

Restaurants

The gourmets among you may have thought of holding your wedding reception in a favourite restaurant! Ideal for small to medium sized parties, the disadvantage can be that Saturday night is the restaurant's busiest time, so it will take negotiation and a good deposit to make it a reality. Restaurant receptions, however, can be quite a celebration, as available space is more compact and guests cannot wander away!

Marquees

Probably the most versatile and autonomous of choices, as marquees can be adapted to your choice. You can buy your own wine, hire a stunningly good caterer and decorate the marquee to make it your own. If done with plenty of notice, it should be possible to apply to the council for a temporary licence in order that a civil ceremony can be carried out there. The advantages are the amount of control you have over your wedding plans.

The size of your wedding party will determine where you can have the event you are looking for. The availability of a venue is another major factor - which is why it is best to book as far in advance as you can.

Priority 1. Decide on the amount of guests you are having to your reception as this will have an effect on your final choice of venue

Priority 2. Decide on what your ultimate budget will be for your reception. Although it may not be necessary to spend this amount until you see the choices available, it's good to keep something in reserve!

Priority 3. Compile a short list of likely venues, taking atmosphere and size into consideration. Visit venue listings on this website for top Scottish Wedding venues which, we think, offer something for everyone.

Priority 4. Visit the venues that look to be most likely to suit your needs. Photographs can convey a beautiful image, but it is best to meet the people behind the venue and taste the atmosphere for yourself.

Watch Out For: Less expensive venues - the price could be added elsewhere, such as the bar tariff. What initially seems an expensive venue package may actually be cost effective for what is included.

What's included in a typical wedding package?

• Tables
• Chairs
• Use of function suite (sometimes with an additional room for bride and bridesmaids)
• red carpet
• Toastmaster
• Table decorations
• linen
• menus
• a cake stand and knife.

All packages vary and some include a guest's welcome drink, a certain number of bottles of wine and sometimes the venue's events co-ordinator to liaise with you!

Wedding Receptions

In Scotland, it continues to be customary to provide a meal for the wedding guests. This can take the form of a buffet, (very effective if seating arrangements are tight) or a two, three or four course sit-down meal. When calculating your costs for this, it's a good idea to include an evening buffet for the guests who did not eat at your meal. One recent bride had her favourite curry restaurant provide a finger buffet for her evening guests - it was gone in minutes!
Don't feel you have to provide free drinks at your reception all night - although this isn't always as expensive as you'd expect. Even although one bride's guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves, the couple found that the venue actually gave them money back at the end of the night! It's said that you should spend the same value of your wedding gifts per guest, but if you can't afford this, don't worry - you can still hold a party that your family and friends will never forget!

Where
N = Number of day guests
G = Number of evening guests
/3= Divide by three

Practicalities

Your provisional reservation would be held by a venue for, on average, 14 days. Do check this when making such a reservation. To confirm a booking, a deposit is paid which is typically £250 - £500+, depending on the total cost of the package you want.
The payment of a deposit means that you have officially entered into a contract, so it is a good idea to have everything confirmed in writing by this stage. When being asked to sign a contract, ensure that you read everything in detail to be certain there are no surprises, such as time limits etc. Around 80% of the full price is paid up to six weeks before the wedding - when dealing with such large sums, it's a good idea to consider wedding insurance to be protected from losing a deposit.

Finally, having considered everything else, you should base your venue choice on the answer to the most important question of all. It may be the perfect size, offer all kinds of enticements and look fantastic but you must ask yourself - is it right for us?

Good luck and happy hunting!