Pretty coral-hued party wedding in a Fife barn with a focus on food and wine

Kirsten Buchanan & Colin Woods

21st September 2019

Venue | Pratis Barns, Fife
Photography | The Gibsons

“Even though Colin and I had been together for seven years, it was still a huge surprise to me when Colin popped the question. We were on holiday in Croatia and he’d rented a private pontoon for the day, yet I had no suspicions. When the sun started to go down, a bottle of champagne arrived, and all of a sudden a diamond ring appeared! 

We always knew that we wanted to throw a huge party for all our friends and family, with a big focus on music and dancing. I also adore the colour coral, so that was definitely the driving force behind the look of the day. Everything from the invites, to the flowers, to my shoes, had a touch of coral in them.

The first thing we booked was the cake – we didn’t even have a venue or a date! I knew I wanted Liggy’s Cake Company to bake something for us, so when we went to The Scottish Wedding Show and they had an on-the-day offer, I knew it would be silly not to take advantage of it.

Colin and I veered towards a barn-style venue from the very beginning. We wanted to represent our country roots, and it also added to the relaxed feel we were aiming for. I also love how you can really make a barn your own with personal touches. Pratis Barns have so much space, with three separate structures for the ceremony, drinks reception and evening, as well as gorgeous outdoor areas.

I set aside two days to visit my sister in London, and booked them with back-to-back bridal appointments. But it was back in Glasgow I found my dress. I went to Anne Priscilla Bridal with a picture of the exact dress I wanted; I was convinced I’d walk away with it. I tried it on and loved it, but there was one more dress to go…Paired with a veil, I knew this last one was the one. 

My dad is a wine merchant, so that was also a big part of the day. He travelled to Germany with Colin to select the wine and added tasting notes to the back of the menus. They paired perfectly with the meal and the fizz was even a coral colour!

In the lead-up to the wedding, my mum wrote a diary, beginning on the day Colin proposed. Every time we moved forward with planning, she’d write an entry – for example, the day we booked the venue or sent out invites. It was so beautiful, and I loved reading back on everything from her point of view. She remembered details I’d forgotten about. I know it’s something I’ll treasure forever. 

Jeweller Laings was great for every bit of sparkle that we needed. I was really looking forward to getting our rings and being treated to the ‘Laings Experience’ myself (I work for them!) and it didn’t disappoint. We had an amazing afternoon sipping fizz and being guided through options.

We concentrated so much on the ‘party’, we didn’t think about the ceremony until nearer the time. However, we actually really enjoyed planning that part, as we could make it completely personal. We had readings from a book of poetry written by my great-great-aunt, and made a list of promises to each other – such as always having Nutella in the fridge and not singing on long car journeys! 

Pratis Barns have a ‘props room’ filled with decorations from previous weddings. You’re free to take anything, and we used lots of bits and pieces to add the finishing touches to our venue, which made all the difference. We also decorated the venue with lots of corks, and named the tables after our favourite pubs and bars in Glasgow. 

We organised our catering early on. One thing we wanted was a ‘sharing main’, and Regis Banqueting ensured that big joints of beef arrived at each table, with guests appointed to carve and given an apron and a chef’s hat! It made the meal more interactive, and gave everyone at the table something to talk about.

I knew straight away that The Gibsons were my top-choice photographers. They have a gorgeous style that’s really natural and relaxed – their photos are full of light and aren’t posed. One moment that really stands out for me was when we went out after dinner for the evening photo session.

The sun was setting and they got some fantastic shots, making it feel like it was just the two of us. It also gave us the chance to chat about everything and have a moment to soak it all up together.

Our guests tell us the thing they most enjoyed was the weather. We got an unbelievably glorious day and guests basked in the sun whilst sipping on bubbles. The band, Tide Lines, also got rave reviews – they are pretty well known to some of our friends who loved it when they played their own songs. 

I’m a bit of a worrier, so I thought I’d be a wreck on the day, stressing about last-minute details. However, I relished every minute and genuinely don’t think I ever stopped smiling.
I wouldn’t change anything – but I do wish I’d eaten more cake on the day!” 

Top tip: “We found that setting aside dedicated time to plan really helped us. You can also make it more fun – when shortlisting venues, for example, we went to the pub, and did it glass of wine in hand. Ultimately, concentrate on what’s important to you. Don’t worry too much about others’ opinions.” 

Venue Pratis Barns, Fife
Photography The Gibsons
Bride’s dress Anne Priscilla Bridal
Bridesmaids’ dresses Rewritten at Melle Cloche
Groomswear Kinloch Anderson
Cake Liggy’s Cake Company
Flowers Pretty Little Flowers
Wine JMB Wine
Ceremony and drinks reception music Skara Ceilidh Band
Reception music Tide Lines 
Engagement and wedding rings Laings
Catering Regis Banqueting
Hair Hair Ups Dundee