Looking for a wedding venue for a small guest list? From intimate city spaces to secluded countryside venues, Scotland offers a wealth of settings designed for smaller, more personal celebrations
Ballogie Estate in Aberdeenshire (Photo: Jules Williams Photography)
Planning a smaller wedding doesn’t mean compromising on atmosphere, setting or experience. Across Scotland, there’s a growing demand for small and intimate wedding venues that prioritise privacy, thoughtful spaces and meaningful celebrations with your closest people.
From boutique city venues in Edinburgh and Glasgow to rural barns, country houses and coastal hideaways, these venues are designed to work beautifully for reduced guest lists.
Whether you’re organising a micro wedding, elopement or private dinner-style celebration, these venues offer flexible layouts, dedicated spaces for small groups and dining experiences that suit intimate numbers.
Each has the ability to deliver a wedding that feels personal and relaxed, proving that smaller weddings can be every bit as memorable as a larger affair.
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Ballogie Estate, Aberdeenshire
(Photo: Jules Williams Photography)
Set in the Aberdeenshire countryside, Ballogie House is an exclusive-use country house venue designed for celebrations that feel relaxed and personal. The house sits within a private estate with open views and nearby woodland walks – a setting that naturally suits smaller weddings where atmosphere and togetherness matter.
With flexible indoor and outdoor spaces and multi-night hire as standard, couples have time to settle in, make the house their own and enjoy meaningful time with their guests.
(Photo: Jules Wiliams Photography)
(Photo: Jules Williams Photography)
(Photo: Jules Williams Photography)
Ballogie House’s setting and layout lend themselves to smaller weddings. The house feels warm and welcoming, while the surrounding estate creates a sense of calm and privacy. With fewer guests, couples can make full use of the different spaces, from the house itself to the gardens and woodland.
The Orangery is the most popular choice for intimate weddings, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a bright, adaptable layout for both ceremonies and dining. It suits anything from very small gatherings up to 56 day guests.
Outdoors, couples often choose the garden with views across the parkland, or the clearing beneath the Queen of the Firs, a natural canopy formed by the estate’s ancient trees.
The Orangery works well for long banquet tables, smaller groupings or a mix of both. Because couples can bring in their own caterers, dining is fully customisable – from tasting menus to sharing-style meals or fully bespoke menus. The space retains a sense of occasion even with fewer guests.
Ballogie House is ideal for micro-weddings and elopements, with spaces ranging from the house and gardens to riverside and woodland locations along the River Dee. Midweek pricing starts from £3,500, and bespoke elopement packages are available for couples seeking a fully personalised experience.
Yes, every booking includes exclusive use. Standard hire covers four nights (Thursday to Monday), and shorter one- or two-day options are available for smaller celebrations. The house includes generous social spaces, a drawing room, dining room, kitchen and a hot tub, with terraces, lawns and woodland trails surrounding the property. Additional accommodation is available across four nearby cottages.
Collective, Edinburgh
(Photo: Marta Ilardo Photography)
Set atop Calton Hill, Collective is a distinctive choice for small and intimate weddings in Edinburgh. Located within the historic City Observatory, the venue is a contemporary arts centre with striking architecture and panoramic views across the city and the Firth of Forth.
Couples can privately hire one of several unique spaces, each suited to small guest lists, elopements or micro-weddings. With flexible layouts, characterful rooms and access to viewing terraces, Collective offers an atmospheric and customisable backdrop for a city celebration on a smaller scale.
Collective’s spaces are designed for smaller gatherings, with capacities ranging from 10 to 40 guests. Couples can hire rooms on a private basis, ensuring quiet, uninterrupted use of the space. The location and layout work especially well for intimate ceremonies, elopements and relaxed receptions, with elevated city views providing a memorable setting. Working with one of the venue’s pre-approved wedding planners allows each couple to tailor the space to fit their style and vision.
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City Observatory – seats up to 30 (50 standing); includes access to the Viewing Terrace with full panoramic views. Suitable for ceremonies and seated dining.
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City Dome Gallery – seats 40 (60 standing); ideal for ceremonies and drinks receptions.
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Library – seats 10; ideal for elopements or a small ceremony followed by drinks or canapés.
Each space offers flexibility for layout, with both indoor and outdoor vantage points for photos.
Couples can choose from approved caterers, including on-site partner Café Calton. Dining formats include canapés, seated meals, or a simple drinks reception. Some couples opt to continue their celebration at a nearby Edinburgh restaurant after the ceremony.
Yes. The Library (up to 10 seated guests) is offered Monday–Thursday and is ideal for micro-weddings and elopements. Collective can also create bespoke packages tailored to the chosen space, date and ceremony style.
All spaces operate on a private dry-hire basis, giving couples exclusive use of the room(s) they book. Hire includes a seven-hour window for setup, celebration and clear-down. Most couples choose one indoor space plus the Viewing Terrace, offering uninterrupted views across Edinburgh and a standout photography backdrop.
Set in the Clyde Valley near Biggar, Cormiston Farm is a restored 18th-century barn wedding venue offering flexibility and privacy. The barn is a blank canvas, allowing couples to shape their day around their guest list, style and priorities.
With countryside views across the Southern Uplands, outdoor ceremony options, and a relaxed approach to catering and décor, Cormiston Farm ia perfect for couples looking for the rustic barn feel with a smaller capacity. Sustainability is central to the venue, with renewable energy systems powering the farm throughout the year.
Cormiston Farm suits couples who want a laid-back, personal celebration without fixed formats. Smaller guest lists allow the barn to feel spacious without being overwhelming, and the flexibility of layout, décor and catering makes it easy to design a day that feels informal and genuine rather than staged.
The restored barn is the main indoor space and works well for intimate dining, ceilidhs and evening celebrations. While the venue can seat larger numbers on the main floor or the hayloft, it can also be arranged to comfortably accommodate much smaller numbers. The front lawn is popular for outdoor ceremonies, offering open views across the surrounding countryside.
Couples can choose their own caterer or work with one of Cormiston Farm’s recommended chefs. This flexibility allows for a wide range of dining styles, from relaxed sharing menus to more formal seated meals. A fully stocked licensed bar and wine selection are available on site.
While there are no fixed micro-wedding packages, the venue’s flexible approach makes it ideal for smaller weddings and informal celebrations, with couples able to scale the space, catering and styling to suit their plans.
Yes. Weddings at Cormiston Farm are private hire, giving couples exclusive use of the barn, grounds and facilities for the day. On-site accommodation includes the Georgian farmhouse, which sleeps six and is ideal for pre-wedding preparations, as well as optional glamping in bell tents for guests who want to stay close by.
Dungallan Country House, Oban, Argyll
On the Oban coastline, Dungallan Country House is a strong fit for small and intimate weddings in Argyll. The restored 19th-century house has a warm, relaxed feel, with private gardens overlooking the bay and a series of indoor spaces that work naturally for smaller groups.
With capacity for up to 32 guests and accommodation for 28, it’s designed for multi-day celebrations where couples can gather their closest family and friends in one place.
Dungallan’s scale and layout suit smaller weddings, with a series of connected rooms that feel comfortable and atmospheric with low guest numbers. Exclusive use ensures privacy throughout the house and gardens, and the setting allows couples to spend dedicated time with their guests without the space feeling too large or formal.
The private gardens overlooking the water provide a quiet outdoor setting for intimate ceremonies. Indoors, the lounges, bar and restaurant can each be adapted for ceremonies, drinks or dining, with spaces that fit small groups without needing to section areas off. The typical capacity for ceremonies and dining is up to 32 guests.
Dining is tailored to each couple, with options for seated meals in the restaurant, smaller group layouts, or bespoke menus developed with the Dungallan team. Multi-course dinners, informal meals and first-night suppers can all be arranged to suit the size and flow of a small celebration.
Weddings at Dungallan are fully bespoke, allowing couples to scale their celebration to elopement size or a small gathering. Packages can include accommodation, drinks options, tailored menus and a relaxed dinner on the night of arrival. Pricing and structure vary depending on dates, season and guest numbers.
Yes, all bookings are exclusive use, giving couples private access to the house, gardens and all 11 bedrooms. Weddings are booked for a minimum two-night stay, with additional flexibility available during quieter seasons.
Fenton Tower, East Lothian
Fenton Tower in East Lothian (Photo: Simon Hird)
Set on a hilltop near North Berwick, Fenton Tower is a distinctive small wedding venue in East Lothian, offering privacy, character and views across the surrounding countryside. Weddings of up to 32 guests take place inside the 16th-century fortified tower, where guests will find a series of historic rooms and warm, atmospheric spaces.
With exclusive use, accommodation on site and a trusted network of long-standing suppliers, Fenton Tower is well-suited to couples who want an intimate celebration in a building with depth and history.
(Photo: Lukas Powroziewicz, Catching the Moments Photography)
(Photo: Simon Grosset)
(Photo: Phil Wilkinson)
The scale of the tower naturally suits smaller guest lists, with interconnected rooms and private spaces that allow couples to gather their closest friends and family without the venue feeling oversized. Exclusive use ensures privacy, and the on-site accommodation for up to 21 guests means loved ones can stay.
Ceremonies and dining for up to 32 guests take place inside the tower, with ceremonies in The Great Hall and dinner and dancing in The Dining Room.
Dining is delivered by approved local caterers who specialise in small-group menus, private dining formats, multi-course meals and Scottish produce-led menus.
Long tables and smaller clustered layouts both work well inside the tower, and menus can be adapted to suit the celebration.
Fenton Tower arranges fully tailored packages for micro-weddings and elopements, which can include exclusive use of the tower, on-site accommodation, private dining, recommended suppliers and support from the in-house team.
Yes. All weddings inside the tower are exclusive use, giving couples private access to the building, grounds and accommodation.
Set within a breathtaking Grade A-listed neoclassical building on St Andrew Square, Hawksmoor Edinburgh offers a relaxed yet memorable setting for couples planning an intimate city wedding. Housed in the former National Bank of Scotland Banking Hall, the space combines historic grandeur with Hawksmoor’s signature focus on great food, generous hospitality and effortless celebration.
Hawksmoor Edinburgh is perfectly suited to smaller weddings where great food, good company and atmosphere take centre stage. With beautiful private dining rooms and a relaxed, polished approach to service, couples can enjoy a celebration that feels special without being formal or staged — more dinner party than traditional wedding venue.
For very intimate celebrations, the McLellan Room seats up to 13 guests around a single grand table, ideal for long meals with friends and family. The Tellers Room accommodates up to 48 seated guests and offers a light-filled, architectural backdrop for larger intimate weddings, speeches and celebratory feasting.
Dining is at the heart of a Hawksmoor wedding. Couples can choose sharing-style menus showcasing grass-fed, traditionally reared British beef, sustainably sourced seafood and seasonal produce, served family-style for a relaxed, sociable experience. Menus are fully bespoke and can be tailored to suit the occasion, with vegetarian and dietary options carefully considered.
Rather than fixed packages, Hawksmoor offers flexible, bespoke wedding options based on guest numbers, menu choices and drinks preferences. This makes it particularly well suited to micro-weddings, elopements or small receptions, allowing couples to design a celebration that feels personal and unforced.
Yes. Couples can reserve one of the private dining rooms for smaller celebrations or opt for exclusive hire of the entire restaurant for a larger event. Private and exclusive hires include dedicated events support, tailored menus and attentive service throughout, ensuring a smooth and stress-free wedding day.
Hotel du Vin Edinburgh
(Photo: Tim Winter Photography)
Located in Edinburgh’s Old Town, just moments from the Royal Mile, Hotel du Vin Edinburgh is a boutique city-centre wedding venue perfectly suited to small and intimate celebrations. Set across a collection of converted historic buildings, the hotel offers characterful private rooms, flexible dining options and a relaxed atmosphere for couples who want to celebrate with their closest family and friends.
With iconic landmarks including Edinburgh Castle, City Chambers and Holyrood Palace nearby, it’s an ideal base for couples planning a low-key but memorable city wedding.
Each space at Hotel du Vin Edinburgh has its own personality, reflecting the character of the Old Town, while the courtyard and bar can also be reserved for private use – giving couples flexibility without losing the sense of occasion.
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Burke & Hare Room: Seats up to 26 guests at a single long table or 36 across smaller tables, ideal for relaxed, sociable wedding meals.
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Bedlam Room: A private space for up to 12 guests, with access to a secluded outdoor terrace for drinks and photos.
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Chef’s Table: An exclusive dining experience for up to six guests, overlooking the kitchen for a more immersive celebration.
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Outdoor ceremonies: The courtyard can be used for ceremonies and drinks receptions, weather permitting.
The hotel offers tiered wedding packages that include a welcome drink, wine, a three-course meal and room hire. Menus and formats can be adapted, with couples working closely with the wedding coordinator to create a dining experience that suits their guest numbers and style.
Yes. Weddings are priced per guest with no minimum numbers, making Hotel du Vin Edinburgh a strong option for micro-weddings and elopements. Couples receive the same level of service and planning support regardless of the size of their celebration.
Yes. All event spaces are exclusively reserved for wedding parties on the day.
