Summer wedding at The Cow Shed Crail with relaxed coastal charm

Bex and Ruaridh’s relaxed Fife coast wedding at The Cow Shed Crail blended rustic décor, sunflowers and a personal touch for a truly unique celebration

Groom in a kilt lifts the bride in a white dress as they kiss

Bex and Ruaridh’s wedding at The Cow Shed Crail on the Fife coast was the perfect example of how a blank-canvas venue can become deeply personal.

The couple embraced the freedom to design every detail, filling the rustic barns and marquee with sunflowers, greenery and coastal touches.

With space for loved ones to stay overnight and celebrate across three days, their relaxed Scottish wedding featured a heartfelt barn ceremony, a barbecue feast, cocktails mixed by family, and golden-hour portraits overlooking Crail harbour.

Black-and-white photo of the couple walking hand in hand down a gravel lane at sunset, smiling at each other

Wedding highlights at a glance

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Bride and groom stand close together, kissing in a golden wheat field at sunset, with soft trees and sky behind them

A relaxed and rustic wedding at The Cow Shed Crail

For a lot of people, the thought of organising a blank-canvas type of wedding fills them with terror. Not Ruaridh and Bex, though. Being able to personalise their day was what made it so incredibly special.

“We got engaged last May and by the following month, we’d found our venue,” Bex recalls. “We’d shortlisted five places but forgot about them the minute we visited the Cow Shed Crail. It was love at first sight.

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“It was really important to us to pick a venue that we’d be able to make our own – we didn’t want it to look like any other wedding.

"Plus, Ruaridh and I loved the bright, open space and all the unique and rustic features. When we started booking suppliers, we tried to use local ones who were familiar with the place.”

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The venue is close to the fishing village of Crail on the Fife coast and has some pretty impressive selling points. There are several event spaces to choose from (including a marquee, barn, workshop, courtyard, patio and lawn), and there is capacity for up to 50 guests to stay the night.

The latter was a key detail: “Generous accommodation was a priority so we could have our nearest and dearest close by for a night-before celebration,” says the bride.

“There were lots of other accommodation options around the East Neuk area too.”

Couple tying the knot during the handfasting ceremony, smiling as guests applaud inside a rustic stone barn

Bride and groom standing together at the altar with their celebrant, surrounded by guests seated in a fairy-lit barn

Bride and groom walking back up the aisle, holding hands and celebrating as guests cheer inside the ceremony barn

Personal touches that made the day their own

Although the happy couple didn’t have a specific theme in mind, they did want a rustic vibe with lots of greenery and sunflowers – and, thankfully, the Cow Shed’s wedding team, especially Jo, helped bring that vision to life.

“We were able to make our wedding day as bespoke as we wished,” says Bex.

“The venue lent us some lovely whisky barrels and wooden planks, while our florist created the greenery arch for the ceremony, alongside some hanging displays. We then supplied the mirrors, wildflowers and milk churn displays ourselves.”

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With their decor all set up and in position for the festivities, it was time to get into the party mood as Ruaridh and Bex hosted a barbecue for guests the night before (plus a dook in Crail harbour the day after!) at the Farmhouse where they were staying, which doubled as a getting-ready space. “

"You really feel the entire venue is yours for the three days of your hire.

“I had the best morning with my bridesmaids. It was so chilled. One personal highlight was doing a tequila shot with my dad after our first look.”

Rustic wedding reception setup with long wooden tables, sunflower centrepieces and draped marquee ceiling lights

Rustic ceremony room with exposed stone walls, wooden beams and strings of fairy lights, set with wooden chairs and greenery at the aisle end

A heartfelt barn ceremony full of emotion

The couple loved their ceremony, which was held in the barn. Their flowergirl and boy walked down the aisle and the bride’s sister-in-law read a surprise poem.

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It ended with a fun confetti throw and then it was time for the drinks reception.

“The venue is licensed for BYOB, so we provided all the reception drinks and the amazing team at De-licious served them for us. Ruaridh’s brother made our favourite cocktails – Aperol spritz and spicy margarita,” says Bex.

Bride and groom smiling from the back seat of a classic blue car, the bride holding her bouquet through the sunroof

Food, fun and a relaxed coastal atmosphere

“The two of us then went down to Crail harbour with our photographer while the guests continued on the cocktails. We had more photos taken later – just the two of us in the fields at golden hour. It was lovely to grab a quiet moment alone.”

Next up were the speeches (“They were all amazing, but my dad definitely set the bar high,” laughs Bex), followed by a ‘build-your-own family-style BBQ’ in the steading marquee.

“Ruaridh and I were brought up with this style of dining and it’s something we both love. It’s interactive and encourages you to socialise with everyone around you.”

The marquee room was then quickly transformed into a magical dancefloor where their band, Bleeker, played.

“They knew how to get everyone up on the dancefloor and generated the best energy all night.”

And the best part of their unforgettable day? “How relaxed and personal it was,” Bex smiles. “There was such a happy vibe the entire time.”

Bride and groom kissing beside stacks of fishing creels at the harbour on a sunny day.

Supplier list

Venue The Cow Shed Crail
Photography Lukas at Catching the Moments
Videography Pix by Chaz and Kieran Smith
Celebrant Anne McGrath
Catering De-licious
Wedding dress Made with Love from The White Outlet
Personalised veil Emma Louise Hopper
Shoes Charlotte Mills
Hair Laura Sutherland and Francesca Stokes
Makeup Susie Campbell Makeup Artist
Bridesmaid dresses Rewritten and Pretty Lavish
Groomswear Kinloch Anderson
Venue decor All Wrapped Up
Flowers Garlands Florist
Cake Pearl’s Bakes
Favours Handmade by Ruaridh’s mum and Bex’s auntie
Wedding rings The Ringmaker, Edinburgh
Music and entertainment Bleeker