From woodland clearings to coastal dunes and estate gardens, Scotland offers many venues designed for outdoor wedding ceremonies. Here are some of the most scenic locations for couples planning to marry outside
Eden Leisure Village near Glasgow (Photo: Joy Story)
Would you like to have an outdoor wedding in Scotland? From woodland ceremony venues and countryside estates to coastal locations and garden settings, Scotland offers a wide range of wedding venues designed for couples who want to celebrate outside.
This article highlights outdoor and woodland wedding venues across Scotland where ceremonies can take place in forests, gardens, parkland or by the sea, with practical information on guest capacity, reception spaces, accommodation and how each venue uses its outdoor setting(s) throughout the wedding day.
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Eden Leisure Village, Cumbernauld
(Photo: Victoria Photography)
Eden Leisure Village is an outdoor wedding venue set in the Scottish countryside, offering couples exclusive use of the ceremony and reception spaces alongside barn and marquee reception areas.
Couples can choose between a woodland ceremony area within the trees, an outdoor lawn ceremony overlooking the surrounding landscape, or an indoor option within the marquee.
Receptions take place across the barn, marquee and covered courtyard known as The Livery. The venue can host up to 100 daytime guests and 120 evening guests.
Weddings are available as twilight, midweek or weekend bookings.
Yes. Eden Leisure Village has a dedicated woodland ceremony area set within established woodland on the grounds. This outdoor space is used for civil or celebrant-led ceremonies and allows couples to hold their vows outdoors surrounded by trees.
Couples can also choose an outdoor lawn ceremony if they prefer an open countryside setting. Indoor ceremony options are available in the marquee if required due to weather.
Wedding receptions take place across three connected spaces:
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The Livery courtyard: a covered outdoor courtyard linking the barn and marquee
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Marquee: flexible reception space used for dining and celebrations
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Barn: typically used for dancing and evening entertainment
These areas are already set up with lighting, tables and seating, allowing couples to use the spaces throughout the day and evening.
Yes. Guests can stay on site in a range of self-catered accommodation options:
- 10 glamping pods with access to a communal area
- One three-bedroom chalet offering a spacious and luxurious stay
- A luxury vessel pod designed for a premium stay experience
Together these provide convenient overnight accommodation for guests attending the wedding. The venue also offers on-site parking.
Regis Banqueting regularly caters weddings at Eden Leisure Village and offers a range of menu options for wedding meals and evening catering.
As a caterer familiar with the venue, they provide a seamless dining experience for couples and their guests. However, couples are also welcome to discuss alternative professional caterers if they have a particular style or cuisine in mind.
Some wedding packages also make use of the street food hut and outdoor courtyard areas with fire pits, allowing couples to incorporate more relaxed outdoor food and drink options into their celebration.
Harvest Moon Weddings, East Lothian
(Photo: Jen Owens Images)
Located on the East Lothian coast, Harvest Moon Weddings offers couples a multi-day wedding venue with woodland and beach ceremony options and on-site accommodation.
Weddings typically run as three-day weekend hires, allowing time for set-up, celebrations and guest stays. Ceremonies can take place in a woodland clearing beneath the trees or on the beach, while receptions are held in the venue’s purpose-built Event Barn.
The site provides accommodation across treehouses, beach cabins and a cottage, enabling up to around 100 guests to stay on site. Couples arrange their own catering and bar suppliers, allowing flexibility when planning their wedding weekend.
Harvest Moon Weddings offers three main wedding spaces:
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Woodland ceremony area: an outdoor ceremony setting within the forest canopy with bonfire and BBQ areas
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Beach ceremony area: ceremonies held directly on the beach on the East Lothian coastline during spring and summer months (April–October), also including bonfire and BBQ areas
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Event Barn: a purpose-built reception space for dining and evening celebrations. It has a patio area for drinks or outdoor gatherings.
The Event Barn includes tables, cross-back chairs, lighting, heating, bathrooms and a catering preparation area. It can accommodate 150+ guests with space for dining and dancing.
On-site accommodation allows guests to stay throughout the wedding weekend. Options include:
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Seven treehouses sleeping around 40 guests in total, each with heating and wood-burning stoves
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Seven beach cabins, including a honeymoon cabin overlooking the sea, sleeping up to 50 guests
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Woodland cottage sleeping up to seven guests
In total, accommodation is available for around 80–100 guests across the site.
Wedding pricing varies depending on the accommodation and spaces booked.
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Treehouse site (40 guests): approx. £3,850–£4,270 for a three-night weekend hire
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Beach cabin site (50 guests): from £3,850-£4270 for three nights
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Event Barn with beach cabin accommodation: approx. £4,200–£5,700
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Event Barn, cottage and one treehouse: approx. £4,800–£7,000
All prices are based on three-day weekend hire.
Harvest Moon Weddings operates as a flexible venue hire. The venue does not provide in-house catering or bar services, allowing couples to choose their own suppliers. The team can recommend local caterers and bar providers familiar with the venue.
(Photo: Francis J Smith Photography)
Set in the Strathearn Valley in rural Perthshire, Abercairny Estate offers exclusive use of its parkland setting, with outdoor ceremonies held in the Italian Garden or central courtyard.
With space for up to 120 guests (and marquee options), couples can move easily between indoor and open-air spaces while keeping full control over how the day looks and feels.
Achnagairn Castle, Inverness
(Photo: Photographs By Eve)
Luxury weddings in the Highlands need look no further than the 30-acre estate that surrounds the five-star exclusive-use venue Achnagairn Castle near Inverness.
An outdoor bar can be set up next to the immaculate parterre gardens in the summer months and there's a cute pagoda that would be an idyllic setting for an outdoor ceremony. Pitching a tipi is also an option if more space is needed.
(Photo: David Brown Photography)
Overlooking Pitlochry and the surrounding Perthshire hills, Atholl Palace Hotel is set within extensive gardens and wooded grounds that lend themselves perfectly to outdoor photography and relaxed drinks receptions.
The tree-lined drive and elevated position provide clear Highland views, while landscaped lawns create space for guests to gather outside during the day. Couples here benefit from both the natural setting and the convenience of an established hotel venue, combining outdoor scenery with on-site accommodation and reception spaces.
(Photo: Zoe Rae Photography)
In Royal Deeside, Ballogie House is centred around woodland and open parkland, with outdoor ceremony locations including its well-known 'Redwood Cathedral' and 'Queen of Firs'.
The estate’s lawns accommodate marquee receptions, with the surrounding forest serving as a stunning natural setting throughout the day. Couples planning an Aberdeenshire wedding can use the grounds for ceremonies, drinks and photos without moving locations, keeping the focus on the landscape.
The Byre at Inchyra, Perthshire
(Photo: David Grant Simpson Photography)
Set across 150 acres of Perthshire countryside, The Byre at Inchyra offers flexible outdoor ceremonies – from its apple-tree avenue and Walled Garden to the Moon Gate or Inchyra House lawn – all backed up by an indoor Byre option for weather-proof peace of mind.
(Photo: Lynsey Melville Photography)
Cambo Country House & Estate is an exclusive-use country-house estate that specialises in multi-day weddings. Over half of wedding ceremonies here take place outdoors, often on the Top Lawn, and there's also a Party Woodland, typically used for after-parties or ceremonies.
Cambo’s beautiful Walled Garden is run separately from the wedding venue, but couples can use it for their photos or further access can be arranged for a fee.
(Photo: Rachel & Tonie Photography)
Tucked away on Arran’s west coast, The Dougarie Boathouse offers a secluded shoreline setting for intimate Scottish island weddings. With beach ceremonies right in front of the boathouse, a castellated terrace beside it, or the option to marry by Loch Iorsa within the wider estate, couples are spoilt for choice when it comes to outdoor backdrops
(Photo: Francis J Smith Photography)
Set within 90 acres of private grounds between Glasgow and Loch Lomond, Ingliston Estate is well-suited to couples planning an outdoor ceremony. The Rose Garden and Salerno Terrace provide dedicated spaces for summer vows, with the wider estate offering plenty of room for drinks and photographs.
Mar Lodge Estate, Aberdeenshire
Photo: Hannah K Photography
Located in the Cairngorms National Park, Mar Lodge Estate is an exclusive-use venue for up to 160 guests, with self-catering accommodation available for up to 45.
This traditional Highland hunting retreat is surrounded by ancient Caledonian forests, wild rivers, rolling glens and rugged mountains so there's no shortage of outdoor ceremony locations and photo spots (in addition to the incredible Victorian interiors).
(Photo: Dorota Markowska Photography)
Located near Kelso in the Scottish Borders, Newton Don Weddings and Events is a private estate with woodland, parkland and a restored 18th-century walled garden available for weddings. Outdoor ceremonies can be held within the garden, with open lawns ideal for marquee receptions.
The estate layout allows couples to build a bespoke outdoor celebration, using the grounds for everything from drinks receptions to evening dining. For those planning a Scottish Borders wedding with a strong outdoor focus, Newton Don offers scale, privacy and a clear countryside setting.
Restoration Yard, Midlothian
(Photo: Morris Jones Photography)
Dreaming of an outdoor wedding near Edinburgh? At Restoration Yard, couples can exchange vows on the lawn beneath an ancient willow tree, with the historic Orangerie offering shelter for drinks, live music and standout photos.
Set within restored 18th-century stables at Dalkeith Country Park, this relaxed, blank-canvas venue lets you shape the day your way.
(Photo: Wonderful and Strange)
This 200-year-old A-listed steading centres around a courtyard that’s ideal for outdoor drinks or receptions before moving into the barn for the evening's dinner and dancing. With on-site accommodation for 28 guests and a mix of indoor and outdoor settings, this South Queensferry venue works equally well for both intimate gatherings and larger celebrations.
Groom and father of the groom wedding outfits captured at Rosebery Steading
The Venue @ Duntarvie Castle, West Lothian
(Photo: Ali Jay Photography)
Located in West Lothian countryside, The Venue @ Duntarvie Castle combines a newly renovated main space with three covered and heated outdoor areas that extend the celebrations outside.
These flexible spaces work for ceremonies, drinks receptions and evening celebrations, with the lovely firepits and a cocktail and whisky bar providing additional cosy spaces for guests to gather.
Planning an outdoor or woodland wedding in Scotland
Can you legally get married outdoors in Scotland?
Yes. Outdoor wedding ceremonies are legal in Scotland when conducted by an authorised celebrant, such as a humanist celebrant or registrar. The ceremony can take place outdoors provided the landowner has given permission and the location has been notified to the Registrar in advance as part of the marriage paperwork.
How to fill in the M10 form for getting married in Scotland
Where can outdoor wedding ceremonies take place in Scotland?
Outdoor ceremonies can take place in many different locations, including woodlands, beaches, gardens, private estates and countryside venues.
Do you need permission to get married in a woodland or outdoor location in Scotland?
Yes. If you want to hold a ceremony in a woodland, forest or other outdoor setting, you must have permission from the landowner or venue. The exact location must also be included on the marriage paperwork submitted to the Registrar before the wedding.
Many outdoor wedding venues in Scotland already have approved ceremony areas within their grounds, which simplifies the process for couples planning a woodland or outdoor ceremony.
Do you need a backup plan for an outdoor wedding?
Yes. Couples planning an outdoor ceremony in Scotland should always have a backup indoor option in case of poor weather. Many outdoor wedding venues provide a nearby barn, marquee or indoor room that can be prepared quickly if conditions change on the day.
Can you change the ceremony location on the day?
Not usually. The ceremony location is normally listed on the legal marriage paperwork submitted before the wedding, so couples cannot simply move the ceremony to a completely different place on the day. However, as long as the ceremony stays within the same venue grounds or registered area, the celebrant can usually adapt the location if needed.
Practical things to consider for an outdoor wedding ceremony
Accessibility is an important factor when choosing an outdoor ceremony space. Couples should think about terrain, seating and guest mobility, particularly if the ceremony is taking place on a beach, in woodland or on uneven ground. Practical details such as footwear, shelter and the distance guests need to walk should also be considered.
