BARNS & BYRES

These four stunning venues have everything you need for a relaxed and rustic wedding

Cara Frew Ph oto gra phy Celebrate in style and complete privacy Set in 700 acres of beautiful Perthshire countryside, Bachilton Barn is the ultimate setting for a proper get-away-from-it-all wedding. You’ll have the exclusive-use venue all to yourselves with access the evening before for set up. And when it comes to the décor, you can let your imagination run wild here. The light-filled barn is white-washed throughout inside, making it the perfect blank canvas to style however you feel.

Flexibility is key with four unique spaces inside, ranging from the large Barn (with capacity for up to 190 for your ceremony), to the smallest room – the Lochy – which is an ideal spot to hold a drinks reception, greet your guests or even stage an intimate ceremony or wedding breakfast. We love the canopied ceiling of the Barn with twinkling fairy lights, while the adjacent Bachilton, with its original stone walls, boasts the best view of the gazebo, pond and the rolling Perthshire hills. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to saying ‘I do’ inside, but if the weather’s playing ball we recommend an al fresco ceremony.

Want to know one of the best bits? The venue includes on-site cottages and two yurts so you can either choose a package offering venue, yurts and cottages (sleeping up to 40 people), or a venue and yurts package. We love the idea of spending your first night as newlyweds in one of the cool Mongolian-style yurts. And your wedding fun doesn’t have to end there. There’s plenty of scope for pre or post-wedding celebrations like a barbecue, Highland Games, quad biking and air rifles. Anyone for some just married archery? bachiltonbarn.co.uk

Fruin Farm

Llamas and alpacas are included! Want a little wedding wow factor that’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter? The resident llamas and alpacas at Fruin Farm have got to be the ultimate icebreaker, not to mention the cutest. You can even treat your guests to an alpaca walk round the farm. Then, once your friends tear themselves away from them, they can properly appreciate this gorgeous venue. Set in five acres of beautiful countryside, amongst the foothills of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Fruin Farm is a dedicated exclusive-use venue that specialises in intimate, relaxed weddings for a maximum of 60 guests.

Prepare to fall for the rustic charm of the barn here, while the view of the hills and loch from the glass-fronted steading is simply breathtaking. The beauty of it being exclusive-use? You don’t have to choose between the two spaces. Instead, you can create a totally bespoke wedding and perhaps marry in one and dance in the other. And couples now have the freedom to bring in their own caterers, who will have full use of the venue’s commercial kitchen.

Then when you’re ready for bed, sneak off to the beautiful on-site bridal suite with its own freestanding bath and stunning views down to Loch Lomond. fruinfarm.co.uk

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Kinkell Byre Rossie on the Earn

Host up to 450 guests in rustic surroundings Built in the 1700s as a winter home for cattle, the atmospheric Kinkell Byre is brimming with rustic charm. Sitting on the coast, just outside St Andrews, the byre boasts uninterrupted views of the North Sea and across the beautiful Fife countryside.

Kinkell Byre has been hosting weddings and events since 2003 so the experienced staff will be on hand to give you as much or little advice as you want, allowing you to personalise your wedding at this gorgeous blank canvas. While most weddings here range from 100 to 120 guests, there’s plenty of space for up to 450. Alternatively, if you want to keep things more intimate, the space is flexible and wedding of 60 are not unusual.

The entire space is exclusively yours throughout your day, with four areas to choose from. You could use Ian’s Shed for smaller ceremonies or for an entrance area, while the long shed is perfect for drinks receptions, and ceremonies are typically held in the Tattie Shed. Then the huge dancefloor is capable of accommodating dinner and dancing with no need to push back the tables – ideal! kinkellbyre.com Be among the first to marry here Your photographer is going to love you when you tell them you’ve booked Rossie on the Earn. Opening this spring, this new rustic dream of a venue has all the photo opportunities you could wish for. The magical 30-acre garden alone is brimming with picture-perfect spots, from the delightful sunken garden and the delightful summerhouse to the array of majestic mature trees.

When it comes to your ceremony, the charming Forgandenny Parish Church is less than five minutes’ walk away. Then after your vows, you and your guests can walk through the secret gate and stroll back into the main garden for your drinks reception. However, the gardens themselves would be the perfect setting for saying “I do” or the newly-renovated blank canvas barn, with its four interlinking rooms. We love all the traditional features here, including original stone walls, cattle troughs, raised walkways and an inviting fire. There’s room for up to 160 guests, allowing you to celebrate in style! And when the party winds down the farmhouse and cottages mean 16 of your loved ones are able to stay over. rossie.info

Photos by Zoe

Nikki Leadbetter Photography

North Uist – Wild Soul Photography Cairngorms National Park - catrionaparmenter.com Aberdeen, Grampian, Highlands & Islands