Molly and Jamie put their family at the centre of their pink-and-red themed big day when they married at this barn venue near Glasgow
Molly McGiffen and Jamie McRoberts
29th June 2024
Venue | Eden Leisure Village, near Glasgow
Photography | Lou Rob Photo
After getting engaged on Christmas Day 2022, Molly and Jamie kicked the January blues into touch by getting their teeth into planning straight away. “I’m pretty sure we booked Eden Leisure Village within the first couple of months of 2023,” recalls Molly.
“The date we chose – 29th June 2024 – just happened to be our ten-year anniversary.” The couple had initially dreamt of jetting off to Italy to tie the knot, but with certain family members unable to travel, they decided that somewhere easily accessible and closer to their West Lothian home would be more prudent.
“We also wanted to marry in a venue that reflected who we are as a couple – unique and adventurous! We didn’t want somewhere that felt like a ‘normal’ or typical venue,” says Molly. “As soon as we pulled into Eden Leisure Village for our first viewing we were enchanted by the road leading up to the place and by the surrounding forest.
“It felt like we were in our own secluded area far away from the city, where our children and 80 guests (plus 40 more in the evening) could just feel at peace like we did. We loved the glamping pods and cabins too, where our bridal party could stay to share the weekend with us.
“I had my heart set on recreating a little version of Italy tucked away in Cumbernauld,” says Molly – and on a golden sunny day with a little prosecco in your system, the rolling hills and fields that surround Eden Leisure Village could just about pass for the Tuscan countryside!
“Our vision was lots of pink, bright flowers and bows – ‘the brighter, the better’ became my mantra. Our floral arrangements really popped against the scenery, as did my nana, GG – she was my ‘flower girl’ and wore bright pink as she sprinkled petals down the aisle. I also got Bijoux Bridal to customise my dress with an extra-large bow at the back.”
The sheer variety of wedding spaces at Eden appealed to the couple too, in terms of budget as much as aesthetics.
“The courtyard is simply stunning, as are the barn and marquee. It is a blank-canvas venue, but it provides so much within its hire price: fairylights in the marquee; access to beautiful props like easels and whisky barrels; and all lighting and decor in the barn.
"Some other places we looked at online wanted to charge a separate fee for a lighting package on top of the price of the venue – I hadn’t previously appreciated that was a thing,” says Molly.
Fancy marrying in a blank-canvas barn or byre? See other similar venues in Scotland here
Even a beautifully styled wedding setting is just bricks and mortar; it’s the team at the venue who make the magic happen. And Molly has nothing but praise for Janet and Des, the husband-and-wife team behind Eden Leisure Village.
“Jamie and I felt an instant connection with them when we met. Janet is an absolute superstar, a wedding fairy godmother! She truly cares about her clients and makes sure they have the best day possible,” smiles the bride.
“She and Des went out of their way to personally make sure my papa was able to easily access everywhere and everything on his mobility scooter. That meant a lot to us.
“Everyone kept commenting on how relaxed I was on the wedding morning, but that’s because Janet had taken care of everything behind the scenes. All I had to worry about was getting ready and making sure our children Luca, who’s six, and one-year-old Jessica were entertained and fed before the ceremony.”
But whenever there’s little ones involved, the chilled-out vibes don’t always last for long… “As soon the ceremony was underway, Jessica started running wild – all over my train, jumping up in our arms and shouting on her friends! No one batted an eyelid, us included, and that couldn’t have been any more perfect,” Molly recalls fondly.
Venue Eden Leisure Village, near Glasgow
Photography Lou Rob Photo
Celebrant Sheila Scobie, Humanist Society Scotland
Wedding dress Customised Milla Nova, from Bijoux Bridal
Shoes Jimmy Choo
Hair Alter Ego Hair Art
Makeup Melissa Beceri
Nails Beauty by Aimee
Bridesmaid dresses Rewritten
Flower girl dresses Bella Bridal Boutique
Groomswear Hawes & Curtis
Rings Chisholm Hunter
Catering and venue decor Regis Banqueting
Cake Bakes by Rebecca Murton
Flowers Narcissus Wedding Flowers by Susan
Stationery Homemade
Favours Scratch cards
Ceremony and drinks reception music Spotify playlists
Reception DJ Barry Munro
