Venue for reception

[SilverLoopy]

Hi all
Hope someone can help. I'm helping to organise a friend's wedding. She lives abroad and I live at the opposite end of the UK to Edinburgh which is the location for the ceremony. She has chosen to get married on 29th August this year, so bank holiday weekend at the end of the Festival. Not sure it could be much harder! Unsurprisingly we're having trouble finding somewhere for an informal reception. We're looking for somewhere which has facility for a picnic, buffet or barbecue, and since there are several children attending somewhere they can run round loosely supervised while their parents knock back plenty of alcohol would be really useful.

I've tried the zoo, botanical gardens, St Columba's, the glasshouse. Not being local or having any knowledge of Edinburgh at all I'm having trouble knowing where to look!

Can anyone give me some inspiration please ?!?

That is a really tall order at that time of year! If it's very informal, there's a Swedish bar called Hemma that has a mezzanine floor with a kids' play area and bar. Their buffet food is pretty good.

I know! Thanks for the suggestion - I'll try there.

I can't think of anywhere of the top of my head. Let me have a think.....

How big is the wedding to be?

Unless you have a huge budget with this short time and that time of year it might not be possible.... I would look at maybe a wee bit further out? South queensferry orrocco pier maybe? (Wee pebble beach to play on) Or east Lothian might have some good spots or Jupiter art land would be phenomenal ...

www.jupiterartland.org/_assets/ckeditor/browsers/Filemanager-master/userfiles/Hire/JupiterArtlandWedding.pdf

Goodness - Jupiter Art Land makes me wish I was getting married again!

Numbers are 35-40. It's a bit of a 'different' set up because friend is coming to Scotland for her 'legal' wedding, but they will be celebrating with a religious marriage at home later in the year. For her, that will be The Wedding, and that is where all her attention is focussed. However since not everyone is able to travel for the religious wedding, we're making the civil ceremony Wedding-lite (hence the relative informality). If it comes to it, we'll knock up a picnic and go to the park (with umbrellas if necessary) but it would be nice if we could find a space that we could use. I admit I have expressed horror at trying to find some where at this short notice!

Thank you for all the suggestions. Some have drawn a blank already, but if there are any other ideas please do let me know!!

Ah ok.. In that case if it was me I would look at the dalriada in portobello. Lovely pub on the beach with beer garden. Outside city centre to escape festival nuts. Or lots of other lovely places in porty, espy, etc..
Sounds like your friend has set you quite a task!

The Inchcolm in. At South Queensferry do fab intimate weddings