OMG I could burst with total excitement :) Neil and I have just returned from the wonderful Balbirnie House Hotel and we have provisionally booked our wedding. We will confirm after we see our last venue tomorrow but I think tonight's venue will win hands down.
We arrived at 6.30pm to be greeted with tea and coffee and the most sumptious canapes, the manager then spent an hour talking about our whole wedding day and how we see it then showed us around the amazing house. He is prepared to bend over backwards for us, even serving Neil's Mum Sausage, Egg and Chips as she is a very fussy eater, which we thought was lovely. We are booking a package deal which is working out at £52.95 per head which includes a full drinks package and a 4 course wedding breakfast for 100 day time guests plus everything for 200 evening guests (plus all the other things like table linen, table plans, place cards, menus etc). When we left the venue we were congratulated again on our engagement with a bottle of Brut champagne. I know they are trying to sell us their venue but the place just oozed customer service of the highest order.
I didn't think we'd ever find a venue like Hopetoun House but tonight I was proved wrong. Balbirnie is a mini version of Hopetoun but with a much more relaxed atmosphere plus a little guest joined us during our chat....As you know Neil is very sensitive to spirits and as soon as we were seated waiting on the manager he sensed a child in the room. That same child decided to sit next to the manager for our whole meeting which makes me feel even more welcome in the place. If we do definitely decide to go for this venue then I have a feeling we'll have a few uninvited (but not unwanted) guests sharing our big day with us. xxx

wow, thats great you sound so pleased with that place, also sounds like a good price you got there to. The manager must be nice if a child sat next to him, coz if behind the scenes he wasnt like that i doubt the spirit would sit there.

Sounds great I'm glad you're happy! Hope you get all you dream for your wedding day! xx

Thank you ladies :) We love it as much as we loved Hopetoun (which we didn't think could be possible) but we have vowed to look at this other venue tomorrow and go without comparing it with tonight's venue.

Wow I just had a google and it looks amazing! I can see why you are so excited. What date did you pick?

Thats totally amazing hun, sounds like thats the one hun (With a little helping hand from your little guest).......... We choose our venue (or shall i say snapped their hands off lol) because the manager and staff are bending over backwards to do what we want and help us out at no extra cost, we also have some fussy eater's and so they are doing them a whole new menu, plus we have are having all of the bedrooms at under half the price, as well as having an all access pass to all the facilities within the hotel (COMPLETE BARGIN!). xxxx Hope you the venue of your dreams hun xx :)

We were originally going for 31st March 2012 but it was already taken so we've gone for the week before, 24th March 2012. It is a surprisingly good price for what you're getting and I am so glad we've looked elsewhere :) xxx

thats brilliant hun so pleased for you xx

that sounds lovely x

well done it all sounds so perfect made up for you both xx

wow sounds like they are really wanting your buisness and are going to WORK for it sounds like a fab venu .