I can't find a venue to suit :(

Not sure where in Central Scotland you are but we just got married at The Strawberry Barn in Dunbar. I didn't want a hotel wedding either and it was £180.00 with a £350.00 deposit. It's a big metal barn from the outside but can be made to look very nice inside. We had 93 guests which suited the venue size very well but I'm sure you could work around your numbers.

We could decorate it as we wanted and the food is excellent. We didn't get married there but you actually can - they had their first ceremony there last month.

Check out https://en-gb.facebook.com/thestrawberrybarn/

Hope this helps x

We're about half an hour from Edinburgh, but Dunbar isn't too far, I've emailed them! My parents used to take me and my sisters strawberry picking in Belhaven every year as kids, I didn't realise it was all done up now! It looks lovely, so we'll see what they say but £180 - really?! That seems so cheap! Thank you for your suggestion!

Try Gean House in Alloa. They have a maximum of 80 day guests but no minimum numbers. It's a house so it doesn't have the "hotel wedding" feel but there are bedrooms for people staying. That's what we booked and we love it!

Or look at Houston House. They are a hotel (one of the McDonald's) but they don't feel too hotely. And they can accommodate bigger weddings if you need the numbers. We look at that as well and went to a wedding there. It was lovely.

Had a quick look back at the Strawberry Barn brochure and just thought I'd clarify the prices (these are of 2015 when we booked). Venue hire - Bar only event £120, Buffet event (with linens, glasses and silverware) £180. Fully sit down event (again with linens etc) £300. All of these with a £350 deposit, Food prices start from £10 a head for buffet and £24 a head for sit down meal. The price was so good that I thought they were going to go 'only joking!' at some point but no, all was good!

I think you need to forget the year for now find a venue you both love in your price range and then book which ever year is available. We thought we had to book quickly in excitement but ended up changing all our plans completely in the first year and tied the knot 3 years after getting engaged. You may find a venue available 2017 or you may be asked to wait a couple of years longer but don't compramise just for the year unless you have a very good reason to or you may regret it

So after posting this in a total flap after many tears the other night, we went to see a venue nearby today m, to 'rule it out'. I didn't fancy it purely because it wasn't what I had in my head that I wanted, but I walked in the door and totally fell in love. I could picture myself walking down the aisle to my fiancé and could visualise where we'd have our photographs taken and everything - I honestly I had no idea I would get that feeling with anywhere! So after all my fussing, we've picked a date and reserved it, and pay our first deposit next week. Very exciting/scary/overwhelming/crazy!

Can I ask where it was?!

Yay, so pleased for you both! It can be stressful, took us a while to find our perfect place for our winter wedding and had similar problems with number of guests etc!

Exciting!!