Kirsty Young and Fraser Hurndall
15th July 2023
Venue | Pratis Barns, Fife
Photography | Photographs by Eve
The way you decorate your home is such a personal thing. Your street could be full of identical houses – but inside each one is a treasure trove of trinkets and individual touches that make it unique. The same goes for decorating your wedding venue: just because countless couples might have said ‘I do’ within the four walls before you, doesn’t mean you cannot make this space your own. That’s something that Fife’s Pratis Barns takes seriously – it even offers its couple an Aladdin’s Cave of decor for them to use, as Kirsty and Fraser found out as they prepared for their wedding last summer.
“We were given free rein on the majority of the decisions around our big day, such as decor, food and timings,” explains the bride. “Pratis has its own ‘Wonder Room’, full of props from previous weddings. We made good use of these, especially when we realised our wedding was likely to be more indoors-based than we’d originally hoped. We could also bring in any decorations and props that we liked and made sure they all complemented each other. The venue has a real natural charm, so we tried not to over-dress it, and instead used the expertise of our florist to bring out its beauty.”
Kirsty and Fraser had three other possibles on their shortlist, but they were won over by Pratis Barns from their first visit. The overall package could not be beaten, adds Kirsty. With 100 day guests and a further 40 joining in the evening, they were keen to have an easy-going, Scottish theme for the day. “We knew we wanted a relaxed wedding and we made sure the rest of our choices gelled with the venue,” recalls the bride.
“Amy Lawson was our celebrant and was just amazing! It was like having one of our friends marry us. Family from overseas had never experienced a humanist ceremony before and were so touched by how personal Amy made it. As for Fraser and me, seeing each other for the first time when I walked down the aisle was our favourite moment.”
Pratis worked with them to create a delicious feast of all their favourites things to eat: “We are massive foodies so having a good choice of food and drink was so important to us. Patrick at the venue was so accommodating, giving us plenty of flexibility to create a menu we loved with his guidance.” The 3-3-3 menu (three choices for each course) came as part of the catering package and included dishes such as coronation chicken terrine among the starters and ox cheek as one of the mains.
The drinks reception was also a highlight for the couple, especially as they were able to have it outside after a rainy morning: “We had planned to have our ceremony outdoors, but the weather had other ideas,” smiles Kirsty.
“As a precaution, we had set up the ceremony barn the day before with the help of our florist, and although we waited as long as we could, this ended up being where we held our ceremony – and it’s as though it was meant to be! Afterwards, the amazing Rusty’s Travelling Piano Bar served beers, prosecco and Aperol Spritz at our request and provided live music. Having rained all morning, the sun came out just in time for everyone to mingle.”
The couple opted for the full package from Pratis, meaning they had three days of enjoying the venue and its beautiful rural surroundings over the wedding weekend with support from the staff: “The accommodation was perfect: it not only provided comfort, but gave us a lovely space to relax and enjoy the bridal preparations on the day,” commends Kirsty.
“We had lots of support from Nicola, Patrick and Louise and were allowed several site visits during the run-up, which eased our nerves, and they were on hand all weekend for anything we needed. Despite Fraser and I both being a little nervous about it all beforehand, everything fell into place and we were able to fully enjoy our wedding weekend.”
Wedding Dress Made with Love dress from Ivory Grace
Bridesmaids dresses ASOS
Groomswear 8 Yards
Celebrant / officiant Amy Lawson from Fuze Ceremonies
Cake Ceri (Groom’s Cousin)
Menu/Catering Patrick Gilmour
Flowers and centre pieces Amy Annand Flowers
Table Plan Madeat94
Deck Chairs Make it Deco
Sailboards Bella Rose Creations
Table Names Homemade
Engagement/wedding rings and jewellery Timothy J Sharp
Ceremony music Kieran Murray
Drinks reception music Rusty’s Travelling Piano Bar
Reception music The Jets
Filmmaker Scott MacKenzie Wedding Films
Transport Fishers Tours
Hair Caryn Easton Hairdressing
Makeup Kirsty Suttie Makeup
Nails Pallas Beauty
