Dunalastair Hotel NEW!
Castle Venlaw From £59
Le Monde, EdinburghWeddings In Scotland
We have colleceted a fine sellection of wedding venues in Scotland and if you are thinking of getting married in Scotland, then you should you should book mark our Scottish Wedding Directory for further Scottish Weddings information.
- Need a castle in Scotland for your wedding venue?
Before you can book the wedding venue for the reception, you will have to decide what kind of celebration you want and in what kind of surroundings, and, most important, how much you can afford to spend!
Popular wedding venues for Scottish wedding receptions get booked up well in advance (12-18 months on average), especially on Saturdays and bank holidays, so if you have your heart set on a certain hotel it would be wise to enquire about the availability before setting the date of the wedding!
There is often a functions manager or wedding consultant who will send you a brochure outlining what the hotel has to offer and then arrange an appointment for you to visit and see the rooms available and discuss all aspects of the reception, for example:- What exactly does the price include (e.g. a meal, a buffet, drinks, flowers and other decorations, changing facilities). Does the price include VAT and service charge? It is best to get written confirmation on this.
- How flexible is the hotel over the menu? Are the caterer's prepared to take your wishes into account?
- Will a bar service be available for guests to buy their own drinks? Check who pays for the drink licence. It is also an idea to check the prices and availability of popular drinks.
- How long will the rooms be available?
- Can the hotel provide a toastmaster? Is it possible for you to provide your own if you prefer?
- Will the hotel take charge of flowers and decorations. Can you have a say in this?
- Is it possible to arrange for live music or a disco?
- Are there good parking facilities?
- Is there a pleasant area, inside or out, for taking photographs?
- Enquire about arrangements for guests who may be staying in the hotel.
- Does the staff seem generally keen to please?
Once you have booked the reception, the manager or Scottish weddings consultant should take over all the responsibility for the day, while remaining in close contact with the bride. OK, you've searched and high and low and finally found the perfect place to hold your reception! But wait, before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you've asked all of the right questions…
Ask about the size and particulars of the facility
Can the facility comfortably accommodate the size wedding and number of guests you are planning? If you're planning a large wedding, inquire as to the largest reception the facility has handled. Does it have handicap access? Does it have air conditioning? Is there a room available for the bride to use during the reception to change clothes or just freshen up?
Ask about your date
Is it available? Ask if there are any other events or weddings booked for that day. Some facilities will only book one wedding a day and that's great! Other reception locations may book two weddings back to back. And of course, large hotels can have many weddings going on simultaneously. Just be sure you know all of the details for the day of your reception.
Ask about the decor of the facility
If you haven't seen it already, ask to see pictures of the facility as it would be set up for a Scottish wedding. Can you make any changes? Make sure that if there are certain decorations that you see now and like, that they will still be available on your wedding date. Ask if they are doing any remodelling or redecorating from now until your wedding day. When booking sites sometimes a year or more ahead of time, some brides have been a little disappointed when they've fallen in love with a certain look of their reception site and come back for their wedding to find that it looks totally different!
Ask about the number of hours
Most receptions last for four or five hours. Ask how many hours you will have for your reception. Some facilities will give you four hours and charge you additionally (sometimes another £300 for every additional hour. Be sure to ask when you must be out of the facility and if there is an additional charge for going over the allotted time.
Ask about Money
How much is the total rental fee? And specifically, what does the price include? Ask about the deposit, how much and when is the balance due? Ask if they have any "wedding packages". Sometimes facilities will offer a wedding package including food, flowers, wedding cake and even a limo. Although you limit some of your choices, it can save you lots of time and money!
Ask about any extra charges
If it's a banquet hall or historic estate, do you have to rent chairs and tables, and if so, is this an extra charge? What about linens and glassware are they included? Is there a cake cutting fee? What about a corking fee? (When you purchase your own alcohol for the reception, a corking fee is sometimes charged for each bottle of wine opened.)
Ask about the food
If the facility is a hotel or restaurant and will provide the food for the Scottish wedding, make sure that you've had an opportunity to sample the food and talk about menu choices. If you choose a location which requires an outside caterer, ask if you're required to choose from their approved list or can you choose any caterer?
Ask about alcohol and bar service
Does the facility provide the alcohol and bar service or do you bring your own alcohol? What about bartenders? Are there any restrictions about the type or quantity of alcohol to be served? Do they require a cash bar or is open bar an option? Ask about their liability insurance and if it is sufficient for your size wedding.
Capturing the moment / Finding a good photographer
Experience Level
Has this person photographed other weddings? Does he/she do this for a living or for fun? In this industry, photographers come and go daily. A brand new one may be pretty good and everyone has to start somewhere, but do you want to trust your once in a lifetime event to a newcomer?
Photographic Style
Are the images that you are shown what you would like to see? Can you picture yourself photographed the same way? Is there a satisfactory mix in different styles? There are "buzz" words flying about everywhere about photojournalism, formal, classic contemporary, and so on and so on. All colourful adjectives aside; do YOU like it? Truth in Advertising Is this the photographer that will be photographing your wedding or will they send in whom ever is available. Don't be shocked, this happens more often than you can imagine. Be certain that you know which photographer that is going to be there and see his work and meet him.
Personality
Is the photographer that you meet someone that you can get along with? Is the "chemistry" there? People have walked away from hairstylists and tailors for less. This is a person that you are going to spend most of the day with; the most important day. Could you handle it? Does he or she seem service oriented?
Price Range
Although, the last thing that you want to do is shop by price, is this person within your budget? If not, is he or she worth the difference? A lot of times we tend to surpass our budget constraints to get what we really want. If you see and like it, you'll find a way. In any case make sure you understand what everything costs, including reorders.
Delivery
How long does it take to get your proofs back, your finished album, your bridal portrait, etc.? Go ahead and ask. Some photographers take months to deliver your proofs. Be sure of how long things take to turn around.
Offering
Whether its A la Carte or packages, do you understand what you get? Is there any room for changes and will it cost to do so? Sometimes the packages are fixed, sometimes they can be customised, in any case, ask. How much time will he spend? What if you need more time? Make sure that you know what's coming.
Contract
Do you understand the contract. Is it fair? Is everything spelled out? When it comes down to court, only what is written really counts, not what was promised. Make sure that you have no doubts before signing. Read it all. What about deposits and payments? What does it say about cancellations and the photographer not being there? If you are not sure, ask legal counsel to look it over. If the photographer protests, ask him why? This is one area not to take lightly. You could be disappointed for a long time.
References
A personal reference is always the best and people love to talk. Get a list of references from the photographer and check them out personally. A photographer who doesn't have references or is afraid to give them to you may not be the person that you need to hire. Try the reception facilities and churches. They will be more than glad to tell you all about the people that have worked there. Thanks for using our Scottish wedding guide, please visit again for more Scottish Wedding Venues.
