An A-Z of Incredible Scottish Wedding Venues: Harelaw Farm, Ayrshire

February 1, 2019by lauraw0

With craggy cliffs and cavernous caves occupying the coastline and a landscape comprising ancient forests and miles upon miles of verdant fields, it’s unsurprising that Ayrshire attracted over 800,000 holidaymakers last year. The romantic appeal and lure of the county hasn’t gone unnoticed by lovestruck couples either, as over 2000 marriages were registered in Ayrshire in 2018 and no wonder! The county offers breath-taking scenery, a rich and varied history AND it has links to two of the world’s biggest heartthrobs! Yes, lothario, Robert Burns, was born in the Ayrshire town of Alloway and it’s also the only county in the whole of the UK to have been visited by none other than Elvis Presley!

With all of the above in mind, this week’s Incredible Scottish Wedding Venue is an Ayrshire dream and it’s got Team Fuze All Shook Up! Here’s why we Can’t Help Falling in Love with Harelaw Farm in East Ayrshire:

• Just a twenty minute drive from Glasgow City Centre and Prestwick Airport

• Exudes rustic chic romance

• Exclusive use venue

• Onsite accommodation for fourteen in neighbouring 18th Century farmhouse

• Situated within glorious grounds and countryside for epic photographic opportunities

• Large space to accommodate 160 (ceremony/wedding breakfast) and 250 (evening reception)

• Ample space in the grounds for marquee if desired

Ayrshire may be the agricultural capital of Scotland with dairy farms and white woolly bodies peppered all over the landscape, but Harelaw Farm has been well and truly mucked-out, hosed down and has scrubbed up to be one of the most glorious farm venues in Scotland! The farm manages to blend what you’d think might be impossible – it not only packs a serious pastoral punch, it also exudes a level of elegance one wouldn’t automatically expect at a rural wedding venue.

When Susan Krenbrenk married Nikki and Ally at Harelaw Farm in July 2018, we were really impressed with her feedback: “I loved how the whole vibe of the place was so relaxed, laid back and exclusively for the wedding party to party the night away! Sarah at Harelaw has everything so well organised and was a delight to work with”.

The beauty of Harelaw Farm is that although it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere, you’re actually only twenty minutes from both Glasgow city centre and Prestwick Airport making it an extremely accessible venue with generous parking facilities; however, for those who’d like to embrace the magic of the Ayrshire countryside with their wedding party, there’s the option of renting the gorgeous onsite 18th Century farmhouse. Harelaw Farmhouse sleeps fourteen, has been beautifully refurbished, is packed with original features and comes complete with a fabulous two-storey master bedroom and games room, making it the perfect space to relax before and after your big day.

When it comes to the wedding day, the farm comprises of two distinct spaces for couples to enjoy; the Wedding Byre and the Hay Barn. Originally the farm’s milking parlour, the mega rustic-chic Wedding Byre makes for the perfect place to say “I do”. With exposed stone walls and stone-flagged floors, the Wedding Byre stays true to its farming past, but the gorgeous swathes of tulle that weave their way through the wooden beams and the flood of natural light coming in through the French doors makes the space utterly romantic and the ideal choice for a wedding ceremony. The Wedding Byre comfortably seats 160 guests on rustic wooden benches with extra room for standing guests and although the space is perfect just as it is, creative couples are free to decorate the Wedding Byre to reflect their own individual style/theme.

For the wedding breakfast and evening reception, the Hay Barn provides an elephantine space to seat up to 250 guests with room for more when it comes to dancing the night away. Just like the Wedding Byre, the Hay Barn gives a huge nod to its farming heritage where oak beams and exposed stone walls hold up a corrugated iron roof and stacks of haybales line the walls. There’s also a huge dose of romance thrown into the mix with a canopy of what seems like a million fairy lights twinkling overhead. Sitting adjacent to the Hay Barn is the former pigsty, which has [thankfully] been transformed into the quirky Sow’s Ear Bar, which is both extremely atmospheric and very well stocked!

When it comes to dining at Harelaw, couples won’t be disappointed! Where possible, produce is sourced locally and the emphasis is on relaxed and informal farmhouse style dining. Sharing platters, hog-roasts, grazing tables and delicious side dishes are on offer and for the evening buffet the relaxed atmosphere continues with barbeques, hot rolls and more.

The team at Harelaw state: “whatever your style or requirements, our catering, bar & events team are committed to each and every wedding and will ensure that each couple has exactly the wedding they envision”.

All in all, Team Fuze are seriously enamoured with Harelaw Farm and we cannot wait to get back to Ayrshire for more farmstead love-fests.