Modern village hall in Scotland

[StrongInside]

Hi,

I have previously posted looking for a different type of wedding venue but seeing the costs, I am now looking to price up village halls or similar in Scotland, with accommodation nearby (one big house or multiple, I don’t mind anymore, maybe guests could find their own).

We now have agreed on around 32 guests and the only criteria for a venue are:

• cheap or cheap-ish (hundreds, not thousands of £)
• modern looking (so not a Victorian building with a traditional interior)
• in a beautiful setting (near a lake, waterfall or pretty gardens, not on a high street due to parking logistics for our large group and I don’t want to be walking down the high street in my dress)
• location-wise, not further than Perthshire to the South or Inverness-shire to the North-North West. So Loch Lomond, Perthshire, Deeside, part of the Highlands all fit.

I am just getting so stressed Googling locations and maps. Please help!

I think exclusive use = expensive as they are closing to the public for the day. They are not going to want to do that for a budget price.
A private space i would say is the way to go: a Hall is just too big for you.

I would think Edzell would be fine for 30 odd, I was there for a christmas wreath making class, maybe a couple of dozen of us and tables, there'd be plenty of room without rattling about.
I just went to double check and realised there's two halls in Edzell, I am talking about is the church hall at the end of town There's some pics on this link, not sure if that works with your modern building request though. It's lovely inside...lots of money wafted about Edzell when the American Airbase was still nearby.

Another thought, but this doesn't help with accommodation is Clatterin Brig, we often go out for lunch and I was just looking to leave them a review and noticed they had a message up to say they had been closed for a wedding...I presumed they were catering.

It's very pretty up there, plenty of parking, or I guess maybe you could get a coach en masse? If you are looking for the BEST Cullen Skink soup you will find it there, it's even better than mine! ;) :o

The George hotel in Inveraray is lovely. They would have rooms that might suit although maybe not as exclusive as you would want. View from hotel is onto street but you are just beside the loch
www.thegeorgehotel.co.uk/
Or the Kenmore hotel - in a beautiful setting with a caravan site just nearby too www.kenmorehotel.com/weddings/

Thank you both for the suggestions. I am waiting to hear back from a few places and also pricing up abroad, because if we are to increase our budget, we might as well get a holiday out of it.

TildaTurnip, did you have a lot of guests decline? If we pick somewhere without booked accommodation, I worry that some of our friends might decline and I quite like the mix we have of party-starters and introverts (don’t want to end up with just introverts). How would I find venues that aren’t yet established?

We had a minibus for all those staying in the nearest hotel for the end of the night. No one declined (guests from hours away, including overseas were quite happy finding their own accommodation). I think us giving the details of local places to stay and sorting/paying for the minibus helped.

We found our place via our photographer. He mentioned he’d just done some photos for a place just setting up.

TildaTurnip, yes, I think I will be giving our guests accommodation suggestions and they can book their own.

If anyone ever needs a venue that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg and isn’t part of a conveyor belt hotel package, I have found Alexander House near Gleneagles. I’m not sure it’s for us because our group might in the end be a bit too big to have a budget reception there (but they also offer a marquee reception), but they offer such hospitality and friendliness, I feel the need to spread the word a little bit. So nice to talk to, unlike some hotels and lodges I have heard back from. Their accommodation of various types on site works out at around £70 per person per night based on three nights stay and the grounds would have been perfect for us, so pretty inside and outside:
www.alexanderhousescotland.com/

I have decided against a village hall based on the size of the majority of them and will now migrate to Chat to see if anyone out there can offer some advice on a wedding in the Algarve. I know, I know, quite a jump from a village hall and lawn games😊 Thanks everyone for taking the time to offer all your advice!

Not sure if you have now dropped the idea altogether but passed this village hall today and thought it was rather lovely and not too big
www.kinlochard.org/

BoomBoomBoom.., I am close to dropping the whole wedfing thing, it’s that hard to marry on a low budget. Yes, Kinlochard has such pretty views, but still big capacity inside and too much DIYing and then tidying up to do for £1200 venue hire cost.

I’m now looking for a modern countryside restaurant (not pubs).

http://lochlomondarmshotel.com/loch-lomond-weddings-in-beautiful-luss

https://www.rossleahallhotel.co.uk/celebrate/weddings/

The food is better at the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel.

Thanks fishybits, I will have a better look at Loch Lomond Arms. Rosslea Hall’s minimum numbers are 70 guests:/

I wonder if the Three Sisters Bake would be open to you using their restaurant rather than the Hall? It’s not that big and is super cute

Lunan Bay diner + camping and bunkhouse?? (might be a bit more lo-fi than you are looking for!)

Pier cafe at Stronachlachar??

My sister got married (down south) in a market town registry office, then booked out a local tearoom for afternoon tea, then had an evening catered buffet at a holiday cottage where most of the guests were staying (it was a few cottages round a courtyard). I think it was about 25 people. Overall would have been over your budget, but not if guests paid for their own accommodation - most of us stayed for a week and made a family holiday of it.

BoomBoomBoom, they never suggested that as an option so I assumed it was a package deal. Is there space for a ceremony in there?

LtGreggs, that sounds lovely! I have a separate thread going about guests paying for their accommodation which is what I originally wanted (nice weekend-long celebrations, hire a cottage for the reception, some guests stay there and others nearby). The overall opinion on that thread ended up being that my guests won’t want to make a weekend of my wedding and their accommodation cost would have to be really low if I make them spend a weekend with me😕 Was it just family that stayed over for your sister’s wedding?

Comrie Croft near Crieff is gorgeous, it's an eco campsite and hostel and they do big barn weddings, absolutely beautiful location, and I think you can do exclusive hire. We've camped there loads and love it.

Oops x posted, Comrie Croft has already been mentioned, sorry!

Dysart community hall is lovely. Lots of small windy streets and right on the harbour for photos. They filmed loads of Outlander in Dysart. Should be really cheap too. Lots of accommodation in Dysart or Kirkcaldy.

Canihaveacoffeeplease, it costs an arm and a leg, sadly.

Bookishtartlet, thanks, can’t find any photos of it, just a random picture of a van😆 Anywhere I can see it?

www.camboestate.com/weddings

Agree that the harbour area in Dysart would make a beautiful backdrop for a wedding, shame The Belvedere in West Wemyss is no longer open as that would have been perfect in my opinion!

www.kilconquharcastle.co.uk/weddings

@StrongInside for my sister's wedding, it was just close family. Roughly equal numbers both sides, and part of the fun was getting to know the other side family. I think we're in the lucky position that all involved were (a) up for this kind of thing and (b) could afford it. But it didn't cost any more than we'd have spent on a standardfamily holiday, so probably (a) was most important!

Misspitt, thanks, I think I have seen both of them and will double check about Cambo Estate, but all castles, no matter how small, cost over our budget and look too oldfashioned for our tastes. I’ll check out Dysart.

LtGreggs, I’m trying to think of the most affordable places for people to get to and stay, and I’m ok with some declining.

What about venues similar to Jupiter Artland? So much for guests to check out while our photos are being taken, unusual looking grounds, indoor space in case it rains. Unfortunately, it’s £3000 for venue hire alone.

Have you tried a search on homeaway.co.uk (its the replacement for owners direct) for a largish group house? E.g. This big one came up near top of list - it says no events, but several of the reviews Talk about family parties. Book a spring or autumn (ie not high season) long weekend, low-key registry office wedding nearby then catered gathering at house afterwards or next day? Others that don't fit in could stay nearby.

www.homeaway.co.uk/p8124473?childrenCount=2&adultsCount=8

LtGreggs, I thought we have to disclose to the owner for their insurance purposes that it’s a wedding. I have seen several that do allow weddings so thinking of ceremony venues that are outfoors or more scenic than a registrar office, then could have the reception at a house/lodge but it needs to have big enough dining space for 25-30 guests, and none I have seen have that.