“Deciding to have your wedding at Balbirnie House is symbolic of a moment in life that is full of hope and love”

Balbirnie House is a 1777 Georgian mansion, listed Grade A, of national and international importance. This historic house was caringly restored and converted into a hotel in the late 1980’s. Since then the property has evolved into a rather special destination, and especially so for weddings.

Balbirnie is now one of Scotland’s landmark hotels, with a uniquely established history under more than 2 decades of personal supervision and private ownership, playing host and providing a backdrop for thousands of Scotland’s most special private and corporate events. Over the years Balbirnie has been the recipient of a quite extraordinary collection of industry awards, especially for weddings.

We were quite simply overjoyed to announce that at the Scottish Hotel of the Year Awards 2015 ceremony (the Hotel Industry Oscars equivalent), and set against the competitive backdrop of the many wonderful hotels and wedding venues across Scotland, Balbirnie once again received overall “Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year”. Rather incredibly, that is now 10 times in the last 12 years that Balbirnie has received the top wedding award, in recognition of our dedication to our weddings. Our whole team are over the moon and thrilled that all our hard work to make each and every wedding so special has been so well recognised.

2016 Overall Scottish Wedding Hotel of The Year

2015 Overall Scottish Wedding Hotel of The Year

2014 Overall Scottish Wedding Hotel of The Year

2013 Overall Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year

2012 Overall Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year

We are also delighted to announce we are the recipients of the Scottish Hotel of the Year award 2016

CONTENTS PAGE

Page 3 An introduction by Nicholas Russell, Managing Director

Page 6 Testimonials

Page 7 Meet the Wedding Girls

Page 8 Planning your wedding at Balbirnie

Page 11 What’s included as standard

Page 14 A guide to timings for your wedding day

Page 16 Traditional Bridal Party responsibilities

Page 18 Accommodation

Page 21 An overview of our pricing structure

Page 23 Holding your ceremony at Balbirnie

Page 24 How to pick your wedding menu

Page 26 Canapé selector

Page 27 Main menu selector

Page 35 Vegetarian options

Page 36 Children’s options

Page 37 Evening buffet selector

Page 40 Drinks packages

Page 41 Inclusive Wedding Packages (available on certain days)

Page 46 Package menu selector

Page 48 Small and intimate weddings at Balbirnie

Page 49 Exclusive Use

Page 50 Coming to see us for an initial consultation

Page 51 How to book your date at Balbirnie

Page 52 Responsible Drinking Policy

Page 54 Sample letter of agreement (our booking terms and conditions)

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INTRODUCTION TO WEDDINGS AT BALBIRNIE HOUSE by Nicholas Russell, Managing Director/Co-Proprietor

OUR THIRD CENTURY OF ROMANCE, HERE IN THE VERY HEART OF FIFE

Taken from 'The New Statistical Account Of Scotland', written in the year 1845 – 68 years after Balbirnie was built! The house is an elegant modern structure … pleasantly situated in a romantic hollow, sheltered from every wind that blows, by those detached and gently undulating eminences, which form so remarkable a scenery … These heights, clothed with some of the finest trees in the country, are rendered accessible on all sides by walks and alleys, so contrived as to command at every turn varied and picturesque views of the surrounding country, from The Lomonds to the The Firth of Forth … As a complete and elegant residence, Balbirnie is surpassed by few north of The Tweed’.

There are weddings, and there are Balbirnie House weddings…

When I started at Balbirnie House back in 1992 there were no wonderful wedding web sites; they didn’t exist yet. There were no fantastic publications such as The Scottish Wedding Directory or The Best Weddings in Scotland magazine.

To say the least it is a fact that nowadays matters can be very perplexing indeed for anyone planning a wedding, literally there appears to be such a huge choice of wedding venues around, and the initial difficulty for any bride or groom is figuring out the varying logistics and massively differing pricing structures. Many places do not even promote their pricing structures online or in print, a personal journey to visit the premises being required to establish those. We promote as much of our information and pricing as possible, all intended to be as helpful as possible. One thing that we are very clear on at Balbirnie, we believe wholeheartedly that our offering is always one of tremendous value. We also speak from a wealth of experience, and an established history gained over many years of consistent delivery.

We see a quite incredible array of occasions taking place at Balbirnie annually. In terms of weddings, many of our brides and grooms desire a formal and traditional celebration, and at the same time there are also many brides and grooms these days who – following the exchange of Vows, want nothing other than a massive party! We will be delighted as always to work individually with all clients, so as to do whatever we can to create a fabulous occasion.

So, to the bottom line. As an hotelier who has organised and seen through quite a few truly wonderful and memorable such occasions over the last couple of decades, the following information is intended to clarify exactly why Balbirnie House truly stands out from the crowd. Here are the answers to the 7 most significant matters that brides and grooms usually always ask us about when initially coming to visit for a showround.

1. One a day. We will only ever provide an opportunity for one wedding per day to take place at Balbirnie House. Some hotels and venues may take bookings for more than this, but we don’t. It just isn’t Balbirnie. We can cater for weddings any day of the week, and for those clients who are flexible on dates, our Midweek Wedding Packages are without doubt these days a special feature of Balbirnie, especially for those clients who have significant family numbers coming from overseas, and will therefore be intending to visit our wonderful region of Fife for a few days.

2. Moderate facility fees. Balbirnie is a Grade A listed house. Believe it or not, some of our nearest comparable Grade A properties can charge you, the client, circa 7 thousand pounds in ‘hire

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charges’, and that’s before you’ve even provided anything for your guests. We don’t work like that. We provide truly excellent value, and in context no hire charges whatsoever on the majority of dates throughout the year on the provision that we have a minimum number of guests attending, usually between 70 and 100 day guests. On Fridays (May to Aug only) we have a facility fee of £750.00, and on Saturdays throughout the year the amount is £1,000.00. We also offer excellent value for ceremonies taking place in the house, along with the use of all gardens for photography, inclusive of the 3 south facing levels, with main lawns striped by hand in the summer months.

3. Everything you could think of. Many of Scotland’s castles and country houses purport these days to being ‘specialised wedding venues’. Fine … but that certainly isn’t necessarily always the case. At Balbirnie everything we do is in-house, no expensive ‘hire-in’ marquees, and certainly no external contract caterers. There is a massive difference to a country house which gears up for a few events per year, taken in contrast to Balbirnie’s ability to deliver 7 days per week all year round. The house and all working within it are very well used to looking after complex and large logistics on a daily basis, and on a repeating basis. We (our brigade now of up to 110 individuals in peak season) are truly geared to look after everything for your special day. For Balbirnie’s Millennium Ballroom, numbers up to 200 for the day, 250 for the evening, and all of our 31 bedrooms and Triplex apartment are available at special rates for your wedding guests.

4. Awards. We are most humbled indeed by the wedding related awards we’ve received over recent years, as no hotel (or indeed wedding venue) in Scotland can in this context come close. All of these accumulated awards originated from perspective from our clients themselves. We are very proud indeed to now also display Letters of Congratulations which we have received from The Scottish Parliament and The House of Commons.

So, what is it that makes Balbirnie stand out from the rest? The perspective from Gaynor Russell, who has been heading up the hotel’s wedding planning department for the last decade and more – “A combination of many factors. First and foremost we have a tremendous team. Externally Balbirnie has a truly stunning location and magnificent grounds, and internally we have a blend of lived-in country vintage and contemporary chic, which is proving simply irresistible to the brides and grooms of tomorrow. Balbirnie has a jaw-dropping accumulated history of Special Events which have taken place here. We are particularly focussed on offering truly wonderful accessible packaged pricing, with really extreme value, albeit we still see many occasions which do not have a particularly restricted budget”

5. The Capacity for Celebration. As we have in-house capacity for some 70 residential guests, it is very frequently the case – especially if the geography of both families is either UK distant, or overseas – that the wedding celebrations actually start the evening before, with many guests congregating for a relaxed evening, inclusive of a pre-wedding dinner. Then, on the special day itself – following conclusion in The Ballroom (usually midnight) we are accustomed to seeing residential guests carry on the celebrations with an Aftershow Party, sometimes extending well into the early hours. Then, we turn to the next occasion, which will be a get-together for residents for breakfast in The Orangery the next day – another occasion in its own right. Given such scope, this is an aspect in which, we do believe, that Balbirnie truly excels as a Venue, taken in contrast with many other venues which either have no accommodation, or for example city centre venues which can incorporate hundreds of bedrooms. (For guests who are unable to secure accommodation at Balbirnie, as part of the planning process we will in due course propose over- flow accommodation in the nearby vicinity, within just a few minutes drive.)

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6. The Size of the Celebration. Although our Packaging is based as a start point and logistical reasons on 70 guests - as that is the start number which we consider works just perfectly in The Millennium Ballroom - we are however also routinely very used indeed these days to catering for up to 200 day guests, and a few more! Balbirnie’s main 1777 historic rooms can very easily cater for these numbers for the afternoon reception, with The Ballroom then having further purpose- designed capacity for additional evening guests up to 250 in total.

7. The Team. A venue can have the most wonderful surroundings and ambience, food and wines to match, and great value. We’ve got all of those, but the one thing that matters over and above these is ‘the people’. You may rest assured that you are in safe hands at Balbirnie. We also underline – we are completely flexible, well used to incorporating client special requests. Also – we have a superb array of in-house recommended Associate Suppliers, who can assist our clients should you wish, subject to availability, and all focused very much, like ourselves, on promoting a wonderful start point for value-for money. In passing, two of Balbirnie’s Wedding Co-ordinators are themselves previous Balbirnie Brides! For 2016 we are as focused as ever on our banquet menu offering, with Balbirnie’s kitchens headed up by Executive Chef Callum Dow, previous Head Chef at Gleneagles.

We can find that Saturdays and a significant proportion of key weekend dates can be booked out up to 3 years in advance, but for those brides and grooms who have a further measure of flexibility with dates, even sometimes with a lead time of just a few months, we align to offering simply phenomenal value for midweek pricing. In that regard there is a proposed start point for pricing, which will fully provide for the special day, and should our clients wish – we can add to that as required, and on occasion significantly so. We strive to base our packaging on truly great value, and if our client wishes to spend more on the day, well we can also recommend how to do that too!

I mention as well, it isn’t just weddings that take place at Balbirnie, we have a plethora of corporate occasions too. Some of these hold weekend dates, which can change. We will obviously be delighted to let you know our availability for weekend dates that can become available unexpectedly, with a lead time of just weeks or a few months.

So, in a few words that’s it. Your wedding day certainly isn’t a dress rehearsal for the next day, and neither is the focus on all of the detail and complex planning for the occasion. We’d be delighted to welcome you for a coffee and a showround, and an opportunity to find out further information and to see exactly why Balbirnie is just perfect for your big day.

Upon reflection, I have always been so very proud and honoured in my role as manager of our humble premises, and to have seen so many memorable occasions over the years. These have all gradually combined on a wave of word of mouth recommendation, to lead to Balbirnie as it is today. I guess it is fair to say, if someone is considering getting married then Balbirnie will perhaps be at the top of the wish list, and that is a circumstance which very much gives us all here a very distinct responsibility, and certainly underpins our desire to deliver a fabulous day, and the rest.

I cannot begin to convey how special it is to run Balbirnie, and to witness first-hand our accumulating history of special occasions and celebrations. This is made even more special as so many couples return to celebrate anniversaries over the years – memories are made of this.

Best wishes,

Nicholas Russell (Copyright Balbirnie House 2016)

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MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS WEDDINGS AT BALBIRNIE

THE SCOTTISH WEDDING DIRECTORY 'As closely associated with glamour as a wedding venue can ever be’

BEST SCOTTISH WEDDINGS MAGAZINE 'Rather incredibly, it is now eight times in the last 10 years that Balbirnie House has taken home the biggest wedding award at The Scottish Hotel industry's equivalent of the Oscars’

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD WEDDING MAGAZINE ‘There are derivatives in the marketplace, but there is only one Balbirnie House’

PERFECT WEDDING MAGAZINE ‘The crème de la crème of the UK wedding scene’

THE SCOTTISH WEDDING DIRECTORY ‘Memories are made of this!’

VOGUE ‘It is official! Balbirnie House is Scotland’s top wedding venue’.

THE SUNDAY HERALD ‘A fantastic Gosford Park feel to it without pretension and stuffiness’.

ULTIMATE HOTEL GUIDE via TRIPADVISOR ‘A wonderful stay, lovely wedding and stunning setting ... special and amazing’.

BEST SCOTTISH WEDDINGS MAGAZINE ‘Balbirnie weddings brim with celebration … a guarantee of the ultimate in special occasions … recognition of superlative standards … regarded as an outstanding wedding venue, Balbirnie is much in demand amongst couples beguiled by its understated luxury and charming ambience’.

MR AND MRS ELLIS ‘We can only say that we wish we could do it all over again! We have received so many thank you letters from our guests following the wedding, with comments including: excellent food, charming service, like a Merchant Ivory film set, superb venue, great accommodation’.

MRS KIDD “The whole event and stay was like a fairytale!”

Please do visit our website and Facebook site to view our most recent client testimonials, we are accustomed to updating these on a monthly basis: www.balbirnie.co.uk.

We are also accustomed to adding a photograph from the in-house camera, and a few words on each wedding which takes place at Balbirnie, onto our Facebook page. Please do click our ‘Like’ button to receive these. We especially recommend to all future brides and grooms, as many external suppliers offering assistance are mentioned on these updates. www.facebook.com/#!/BalbirnieHouseHotel

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MEET THE WEDDING GIRLS

Gaynor Russell Senior Wedding Co-ordinator and Company Director ([email protected]) Gaynor has been overseeing Balbirnie’s wedding planning department for over ten years, and is also a director of our company. Gaynor has been the recipient of our country’s national award – Scotland’s Hotelier of the Year, (indeed the youngest ever recipient of that unique accolade!), and speaks from a wealth of experience at Balbirnie, having started here back in the late 1990’s. Gaynor is herself a previous Balbirnie Bride - married to Nicholas, our Managing Director, and together they have two daughters, Isobel and Ruby (wedding planners in training!).

Meghan Davies Wedding Co-ordinator ([email protected]) Meghan has been working within our wedding planning department for many years, having started as a receptionist at Balbirnie back in 2006. Gaynor saw the potential in young Meghan and soon nabbed her for the wedding department! Meghan is also a previous Balbirnie Bride and works part-time whilst looking after her two young daughters Faye and Emily.

Christine Cunningham Wedding Co-ordinator ([email protected]) Christine joined the Balbirnie Family in early 2015, having previously worked in Bridal Fashion. Although technically the newest member of the team, she is already extremely well-versed in all aspects of wedding planning at Balbirnie.

Sarah Rees Special Events Co-ordinator ([email protected]) Sarah has been working at Balbirnie since 2012, having also started on reception. Sarah looks after all of our special events, private dining, meetings and corporate functions, as well as some of our weddings, so she is a very busy girl!

Leah Kinnes Wedding Administration Assistant ([email protected]) Leah has been working at Balbirnie since summer 2014. Leah helps the other girls in so many ways - they don’t know where they would be without her! Leah helps out with some of the weddings and makes all of the stationery for our clients she carries out general admin and just keeps everyone smiling!

The five of us all work very closely together, in the same office, so please don’t be alarmed if you email one person only to get an answer from another! It’s a busy wee office and we are not always at our desks but we will always get back to you just as soon as we possibly can!

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PLANNING YOUR WEDDING AT BALBIRNIE HOUSE HOTEL

Balbirnie House is a quite unique multi-award winning hotel, which combines understated luxury with superb service and outstanding value. The house is set as the centrepiece of a 400 acre estate with Balbirnie Park 18 golf course surrounding the house, and is centrally located in Scotland, only half an hour from Edinburgh, St Andrews, Perth and Dundee.

The hotel is recognised as an absolutely wonderful venue for weddings. The delightful ambience of the old Georgian mansion house, Grade A listed circa 1777, combines with the newly created (1999) purpose-built special events areas which have as the main attraction of focus – The Millennium Ballroom, a beautiful venue which can accommodate gatherings of any size from 70- 216. With architecture and design very much in sympathy with the original Grade A listed house, following some 5 years of complex planning, the Ballroom was purpose built in 1999 to accommodate special gatherings.

Balbirnie is, as a destination, a truly splendid backdrop which wedding photographers dream about. The house plays host to special events in all shapes and sizes but with one thing in common – a tradition of personal service. Our main wedding promotional material contains lots of helpful information. For example, suggested menus, helpful hints, a comprehensive wine list, and even some detail on protocol.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is our policy to only ever provide a destination for one wedding per day, and with the means to tailor your day to your own precise requirements, our special events department will offer every assistance with planning the fundamental details of the day.

Each and every wedding is quite individual and as such we discuss every wedding on a one to one basis with respective Balbirnie brides, grooms and parents. We have a range of delightful rooms that may or may not be utilised for the various elements involved in making up your successful special day and at the time of initial discussion we will outline the various areas within the hotel which are available, and the best ones applicable to the size of your special event. Once we understand the particular elements of the entire day’s proceedings, the management of the hotel will intimate the best choice of areas. On certain occasions room hire charges or facility fees become applicable. In approximate terms these are outlined herewith but for the avoidance of doubt this detail would form part of any wedding discussion.

In passing, we mention that any wedding that takes place at Balbirnie has the dedicated attention, for planning aspects ‘within the hotel,’ of an in-house personal Wedding Co-ordinator. Particularly for brides who live out with the local area, or overseas, we do have many requests for planning services in a wider overall context, and subject to limited availability, if you would like advice and assistance for example with everything from the choice of dress, cars and transport, hairdressers, string quartets, stationary, gifts, etc etc, with a complete personalised service for all planning, we would be delighted to quote for this on an individual basis, dependent upon your requirements.

The following pages provide a brief insight into the details of planning a wedding. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information.

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THE INITIAL RECEPTION One or more of our public rooms may be integrated into the wedding reception for your drinks reception and photos, depending on numbers. We will outline the various opportunities during final discussions. In routine circumstances each day we deal with a wide variety of clients and their respective requirements. Naturally, our endeavour is to integrate all of these proceedings to ensure each and every guest enjoys the particular occasion being held at Balbirnie.

WEDDING MEAL MINIMUM GUEST NUMBERS Weddings at Balbirnie can take place each and every day of the week and we promise that yours will be the only wedding held at Balbirnie on your special day. Our minimum number requirement throughout the year is as follows: FRIDAYS: 90 adult day guests SATURDAYS: 100 adult day guests SUNDAY TO THURSDAY: 70 adult day guests Please note - if eventual wedding party numbers on the actually wedding date are below those stated as above, a surcharge prevails equivalent to £60.00 per person. This applies to weddings held on any day of the week, and for our wedding packages.

THE BALLROOM MAXIMUM CAPACITY The vast majority of wedding meals at Balbirnie are for 70 to 150 daytime guests (see under “small and intimate” for smaller wedding parties), with the wedding breakfast held in our magnificent Ballroom. Our absolute maximum numbers for a meal in The Ballroom are 216. Allowing space for a dance floor and band, there can be physical seating in the evening for up to 180 guests. We suggest that our maximum capacity for the evening celebrations is no more than 250 guests. Use of The Millennium Ballroom includes the Ballroom Gardens (awning slides out 4.5m to cover garden terrace), The Ballroom Bar, Ballroom Lobby with same bar service hatch, and Lobby Terrace outside. The combination of all of these areas provides for exclusivity and privacy, enabling all guests to be part of the celebrations for the duration of the occasion.

THE FAMOUS BLACK DANCE FLOOR We are delighted to offer on a complimentary basis our absolutely fabulous dance floor for all our Balbirnie Ballroom weddings - a beautiful granite style black dance floor which is inset with hundreds of white LED twinkly lights. We mention in passing, that the cost to hire a similar black dance floor the same size from a rental company for a marquee wedding is thousands of pounds.

In the words of one of the first ever brides to take to the new floor for the first dance- ‘We will never forget the spontaneous “oooooh!” from our guests when the LED dance floor lights were switched on as we took to the floor for the first dance! Amazing! We could not thank Balbirnie and the team enough for adding magic to our day and it is our only regret that we can’t re-live the experience!’ Mrs Rozanne Galloway Boynton

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SPECIAL LIGHTING – ALUMINIUM CAN UPLIGHTERS Whilst the Millennium Ballroom lends itself wonderfully for a romantic combination in particular with the black dance floor and candlelit tables, we were delighted recently to introduce wonderfully romantic Ballroom LED lights which can change colour! Just let us know which colour you would like to suit your theme for the day and we’ll see what we can do!

SPECIAL LIGHTING – EXTERIOR SOUTH FACADE LIGHTING A moment of History! In early 2016 Balbirnie House became the first building in Scotland to install a revolutionary new external intelligent LED lighting system. New south elevation lighting provides backdrop which Scotland's professional photographers will dream about. So very special for future clients and late night photography throughout the entire year, It will be lit up in different colours to mark special events throughout the year. The lighting system will also help cut the Balbirnie House energy bill and CO2 emissions.

SPECIAL LIGHTING – FAIRY LIGHT WINDOWS In 2014 we installed spectacular fairy-light curtains onto the windows in our Ballroom. These have added an extra ‘wow factor’ to what was already a breathtaking room. They provide a little bit of sparkle in the daylight but really come into their own when it is dark outside!

SECRET GARDEN SWING Also in 2014 we installed a beautiful tree swing, hidden in our garden, perfect for those romantic photo opportunities. Many couples who come to see us for their initial consultation take a photograph together on the swing to commemorate their first visit to Balbirnie, and then of course they have another taken on their wedding day!

WINES Our full wine list can be supplied on request and offers a wide selection of wines. Your Wedding Co-ordinator will be pleased to elaborate and explain more fully the advantages of one wine over another. Please also let us know if we can source any particular special wines for you.

CORKAGE We offer the opportunity for you to provide your own wine at Balbirnie for your special day. If you choose to do this a corkage charge would be applicable and as follows: £12.50 per bottle of wine £15.00 per bottle of sparkling wine £18.50 per bottle of champagne The above prices include VAT.

We will of course store wine on delivery and serve the wine on the day. Please note that we do ask that any leftover bottles are removed from Balbirnie the morning after the wedding. We have no facility for storing these items. Please note- due to lack of storage facilities, any leftover wine which is not removed from the premises on the morning after the wedding will be disposed of.

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We provide packaged pricing in an additional context for what can be a start point. Should our clients wish to upgrade matters to Vintage Bollinger on free pour all day long, well that can be very easily arranged, but it comes at a cost!!!

The vast proportion of our clients have certainly been focussed on wonderful value over recent years, and whilst we are delighted to serve Champagne, our lovely Prosecco and sparkling wines are extremely popular with our Balbirnie weddings.

ALL THE SPECIAL TOUCHES INCLUDED:

Many of our clients are simply amazed – in the context of what they may have seen or read elsewhere with regard to what can happen in other venues with contract catering etc etc – ‘hidden charges jumping out left, right and centre’, and subsequently to find that Balbirnie House makes such a complete provision, with regard to what is fully included as part and parcel of our in- house services:

All the additional aspects which provide simply wonderful value, and combine to set Balbirnie House apart. As well as providing the pre-planning services and specialised expertise and guidance of a dedicated in-house wedding co-ordinator for all aspects scheduled to take place within Balbirnie House, we include all the following: - Free parking for up to 250 guests - Helipad as required - Red carpet welcome - Use of garden tables and chairs, cushions and sunshades, in the summer months - Use of all relevant internal areas for photography - Balbirnie House Artwork (digital copy supplied) for orders of service - Complimentary printing of place cards, menus and table plans (our standard hotel stationery)

A little mention about our menu covers, which are provided complimentary. Immediately to the East of the house we have one of the largest collections of rhododendrons in Scotland. These usually flower in April and May, and are simply stunning. We mention in passing that the most renowned painting of Balbirnie House is a view of the main entrance to the house, taken from up on the hill in amongst the rhododendrons. That painting has formed our banquet menu covers since when it was painted circa 1993 by Margaret (aka Peggy) Russell- then 81 years old, who was the grandmother of Balbirnie’s owner Nicholas Russell.

- Complimentary canapé slates and salvers - Master of ceremonies / toastmaster facility for the special day itself. This does not mean that we have a gentleman walking around attired with a long-tailed red coat on, rather it is one of our own company managers who is always dedicated to looking after the overview of the occasion, and there are of course always a few announcements and introductions to be made on the day... - Cake stand and knife - Complimentary crockery - Complimentary cutlery - Complimentary glassware - Complimentary white table linen and white napkins - Ballroom Events - LED underlit dancefloor

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- Ballroom Events- complimentary use of the Ballroom Gardens with external tables and chairs, and 4.5m extending awning, plus the Ballroom Foyer and Ballroom Foyer Bar - Ballroom summer events- complimentary use of all equipment as required for evening BBQs - Ballroom festive/ December weddings- all standard festive decorations - As well as the services of your Toastmaster (in attendance all the way through to first dance), we also include the services of our in-house Banquet Manager, who will be on duty until the Ballroom celebrations conclude.

We will be absolutely delighted to provide quotes as required, significantly beneath those which would be routinely charged by external suppliers, for in-house - White linen chair covers - Table names in beautiful ornate frames - 5-stack table candelabra - Tea-light candles - Vintage-style post box for guests’ wedding cards

We can also provide assistance and advice on the following aspects of the day, from both in-house and referral services for - Wedding cakes - Flowers - Entertainment - the piper, the pianist and the band, and the rest! - Beauty and hair

ANY LITTLE EXTRAS... We do have a list of associates who have provided aspects of service for weddings over the course of time. These range from pipers to pianists, cake makers to chauffeurs, and we consider each and every one of them to provide a great standard. These are our own recommendations and as such it is left entirely to the bride and grooms to determine if they can assist with the big day.

Hire of special table linen, chair covers and table accessories Balbirnie provides white linen table cloths and napkins as standard for all our weddings.

We are also delighted to be able to offer you our own white linen chair covers at a special price of £2.00 per chair (a mixture of chairs with arms and armless chairs are available). Please note ties and sashes are not included and would have to be hired in from an external company. If you would like Balbirnie to tie any provided sashes there is an additional cost of £0.50 per chair.

For brides wishing to hire chair covers from an external company (see our Suppliers List for recommended suppliers), we do charge £1.00 per chair if our brigade are required to put on the chairs covers and ties. Please also note that we have a maximum of 115 armless chairs available at Balbirnie. If your final guest numbers are greater than this and you are using externally provided chair covers, you would hence need to hire in additional armless chairs. The remainder of our chairs are armed and we have in-house chair covers to fit both types of chair.

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FAVOURS ETC. For all those ‘special little things’ that make the difference (favours, candles, gifts etc. etc. etc.) we would appreciate if these could be delivered prior to the special occasion, on the day before between 5.00pm-6.30pm, and in turn, given that we have no further storage facilities, any leftover items must be collected/uplifted the morning after the wedding.

CONFETTI In passing, it would be very helpful indeed if you could advise your guests that Balbirnie House asks that if confetti is to be thrown, then to respect the environment and park policies, please use natural, bio-degradable confetti. Please note that confetti cannot be used within the house itself.

The Hotel Manager’s thoughts –

WHAT DO YOU NEED ‘TO LAY ON’ FOR A WEDDING?

We are delighted to consider all occasions with a blank piece of paper as our starting point, we are open in entirety to suggestions from our clients.

As a start point, what do you need?

1. It is usually customary to have a piper in attendance, to play for the arrival of guests, pipe the bride down the aisle, pipe after the ceremony, pipe following the afternoon reception, then later pipe the bride and groom into The Ballroom and up to the Top Table.

2. Evening Entertainment – either a band or a DJ.

And that is that!

Many occasions at Balbirnie do however add other aspects, and if budget permits then that can create other scope. Routinely we can see aspects such as, Fake Press Photographers, Acoustic Guitarists, Fiddlers, Traditional Classic Pianists, Contemporary Pianists, Harpists, Classic String Quartets, Contemporary String Quartets, Mini Orchestras, Magicians, Flamenco Guitarists, Himalayan Pan Pipes, Mariachi bands, Traditional Pipe Bands, Contemporary Pipe Bands, Swing Bands, Jazz Afternoon Trios, Jazz Evening Bands, Circulating Look-a-Likes, Karaoke Look-a-Likes, and so on... We are open to any suggestion, and our wedding planning department can of course provide further advice.

Fireworks? Due to restrictions within Balbirnie Park we are unfortunately unable to cater for Fireworks.

Chinese Lanterns? By recommendation of chief fire officers, we can no longer allow the use of Chinese lanterns, especially given that the house is completely surrounded by foliage.

Internal Candles? We are able to use any type of candles in The Ballroom, Long Gallery and Orangery. Our only restriction is that we cannot allow lit candles on the floor as this is a fire hazard, especially where chair covers and long dresses are involved!

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SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION ~ THE WEDDING DAY ITSELF

A traditional reception procedure may follow along the lines of:

IN-HOUSE CEREMONY TIMINGS - The Groom, Best Man and ushers should arrive circa 12.30pm, ready to welcome guests. - Guests can take a ‘refreshment’ prior to the ceremony in the Library Bar. - Ushers should help seat guests (and if applicable hand out orders of service) 10 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin, which tends to be 2.00pm. If the ceremony has taken place in-house, the tradition at Balbirnie is ideally then for the bride and groom, now as husband and wife, to lead all guests out from the ceremony onto the front steps, for a celebratory commemorative photograph.

CHURCH CEREMONY - ARRIVAL AT THE HOTEL (circa 2.30pm/3.00pm) If the ceremony is out with the hotel, the photographer will normally be first to arrive at Balbirnie. The bride and groom will then arrive, closely followed by the remainder of the wedding party and then of course the wedding guests.

WELCOME DRINKS It is customary to have drinks available for guests on arrival and this may be Champagne, sparkling wine, cocktails, fruit punch (summer), mulled wine (winter) or alternatively Pimms, soft drinks, whisky and wine. Weather permitting, drinks can be taken either in the gardens, or in an appropriate area of the hotel. With flowering borders, striped lawns and dark blue sunshades, the gardens are just stunning in the summer months. Each season of the year offers something different at Balbirnie.

DAY PHOTOGRAPHY (3.00pm-4.00pm) It will normally take approximately one hour to have group and individual photographs taken, either outside in the gardens or inside in the various lovely rooms. In passing, we mention that it works very well indeed if the bridal party pre-arrange a running order for group shots, and agree this in advance with the photographer. In addition, it is also very helpful if the Best Man and ushers have this information and are on hand to assist the photographer with who is in which shot. Photographers naturally have their own particular ways of working but all acknowledge that Balbirnie provides a truly wonderful setting for this important element of the proceedings.

THE WEATHER?!? Well, as we always say – let us presume that we will be taking photographs inside, even in the summer months! If however we are blessed with good weather, then that is simply just a bonus! Balbirnie is south-facing, on a beautiful day we have 3 different levels of lawns which we can use for photography.

INFORMAL CIRCULATION (4.00pm-4.30pm) We tend to see that the majority of couples nowadays forego the traditional ‘receiving line’ (where the Bridal Party stand and physically greet each individual guest as they make their way to dinner) in favour of more informal mingling with the guests during the drinks reception. That said, we are delighted to cater to your preference.

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CAKE CUTTING (4.30pm) Guests proceed to the cake cutting ceremony during which an appropriate toast drink should be offered. The master of ceremonies will usually announce the cutting of the cake, but this is a nice time for another member of the Bridal Party to make a short toast, if desired, such as the Father of the Groom.

THE WEDDING MEAL (4.45pm-6.30pm) The master of ceremonies will announce the meal and once all the guests have located their seats they will be asked ‘to be upstanding to receive the bride and groom.’ Usually the bride and groom are piped to the top table. Grace, if applicable, can be said either by the minister, or by a guest.

TOASTS AND SPEECHES At the end of the meal, following the service of sparkling wine or champagne, speeches should commence. The master of ceremonies usually announces the first speech, and it is nowadays entirely appropriate for the individual speaking next and those thereafter to take their turn unannounced. 1. First to speak is traditionally THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE, who at the end of his speech will propose a toast to “THE BRIDE AND GROOM”. 2. Second to speak is THE BRIDEGROOM who after replying to the first toast will then speak and at the end of his speech will propose a toast to “THE BRIDESMAIDS”. 3. Thirdly, the BEST MAN will reply on behalf of the bridesmaids and will then make his speech. After he has finished speaking he can then read any selected cards. In this day and age, although it is rare, the bride may also wish to say a few words!!

THE CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE Depending on the programme for the day, the speeches will normally finish around 7.00pm, (any evening-only guests should arrive from 7.30pm - perhaps you would like to offer them a welcome drinks on arrival). If this is the case, the first dance will usually be 8.00pm, and dancing will continue thereafter. Please note, this does depend how long your evening entertainment require for set-up. After the meal, both the Ballroom Bar, and the adjacent Foyer Bar will of course be set aside for the exclusive use of you and your guests. For your convenience, in order that your party does not, as such, become ‘fragmented’ during the evening celebrations, we do not provide bar service to wedding guests in our ‘upstairs areas’. When evening guests arrive an arrival drink is usually offered. These would normally be served from the Ballroom landing as guests make their way to the Ballroom. Many bands these days are on musician’s union rates, aligned to a live performance, concluding no later than midnight. Usually the first phase of dancing is between 8.00pm and 10.00pm – with a break for buffet (with backing tracks on) 10.00pm – 10.30pm, then the second phase of the dancing 10.30pm progressively onwards and concluding usually with Auld Lang Syne at midnight. That is a traditional format!

EVENING BUFFET This is usually served around 10.00pm-10.30pm. We always specifically advise to cater for the numbers present, contrary to what some wedding magazines advise these days!!! On the odd occasion when we have followed instructions and catered for less than those present, then we have ended up with a queue of guests holding empty plates!!!

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DEPARTURE FOR THE HONEYMOON It is always a nice idea to finish the evening celebrations with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ with the bride and groom present, thus allowing conclusions on a high note! For the avoidance of doubt, no access is given to the Bridal Suite to anyone other than the bride and groom!

LATE BAR FACILITY A late bar facility is available solely for resident guests in The Library Bar until 2.00am, with charges being made to room accounts only.

BRIDAL PARTY RESPONSIBILITES (as tradition has it...)

BRIDE’S MOTHER - Helps book reception as early as possible. - Arrange printing of invitations. - Send invitations. - Order wedding cake and cake boxes. - Hire photographer. - Arrange florist for church and reception. - Arrange display of presents. - Hire cars. - Contact local newspaper for announcement. - Arrange entertainment for the evening. - Hire video company if required.

BRIDE - Choose Chief Bridesmaid and Bridesmaids. - Select dress for Bridesmaids and yourself. - Book hair appointment. - List wedding presents preferred. - Choose favours, if required.

BRIDESMAIDS - Choose clothes with Bride. - Help Bride with delivery of all peripheral items to Balbirnie on day before. - Help bride to dress on day. - Chief Bridesmaid takes charge of Bride’s bouquet during ceremony. - Ensure arrangements are all in order for the end of the evening and/ or the departure of the Bride and Groom. - Oversee removal of all peripheral items morning after.

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BRIDEGROOM - Arrange ceremony. - Choose Best Man. - Buy the ring. - Arrange kilt or morning dress. - Order flowers for Bride, Bridesmaids and Mothers. - Arrange buttonholes for himself and Best Man. - Obtain Registrar’s Certificate if needed. - Arrange travel for honeymoon. - Arrange for cars to and from the church. - Prepare response to “the Bride and Bridegroom” Toast. - Choose gifts for Bridesmaids and Best Man

BEST MAN - Make sure Groom arrives at church on time! - Look after the rings!!! - Organise cars from the church. - Pay Church fees on behalf of the Bridegroom. - Liaise with Master of Ceremonies on arrival at Balbirnie. - To hand and assisting Ushers during ‘group photography’. - Reply to “the Bridesmaid” Toast. - Read telegrams and congratulation cards. - Organise transport for the Bride and Groom for departure for honeymoon. - Return the Bridegroom’s and your kilt or morning wear. - Ensure presents and top tier of the wedding cake are kept safely. - Liaise with Banquet manager as the celebrations continue through the evening. - Ensure arrangements are all in order for the end of the evening and/ or the departure of the Bride and Groom. - Ensure all items are removed the following morning. Leftover cake, flowers, unused corkage wine, presents, envelopes, etc etc etc - Make sure The Groom has the marriage certificate!

BRIDE’S FATHER - Double check transport arrangements. - Order kilt or morning dress. - Escort the Bride to the Church. - Make speech and propose toast to bride and groom.

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ACCOMMODATION AT BALBIRNIE (rates applicable from 1st May 2016 until 30th April 2017)

Balbirnie House contains 31 individually-designed en-suite bedrooms, comprising seven deluxe double bedrooms (six of which can be twinned), eighteen standard double bedrooms (seven of which can be twinned), two suites (double bedrooms with adjoining sitting rooms), two single rooms, one Four Poster Bridal Suite for your wedding night and our brand new ‘Pearl Suite’ which is where the Bride may choose to stay the night before her wedding with her Bridesmaids. Each room is a fabulous blend of period style and modern amenities.

We also have a three-bedroom ‘Triplex’ apartment contained within the house.

Please note that for all weddings which take place throughout the year there is an absolute minimum requirement for clients on those dates to fill at least 10 standard bedrooms at the below rates for 1 night

This minimum of 10 rooms can of course apply to any guests who are attending the wedding day, as long as 10 rooms associated with the wedding party are booked for the wedding night.

As part of our planning process, we provide information which allows every bride and groom to reserve as many rooms as may be required, at outset, and subject to availability. We will then provide helpful information which can in due course be forwarded by email to attending guests (usually sent by the bride with the save the date info, and perhaps a celebratory engagement photo!), including pricing for:

- 1 night at Balbirnie, bed and breakfast - 2 nights at Balbirnie, with a 3-course dinner on the first night, bed and breakfast

As well as this we provide information relating to other ‘spill-over’ accommodation within a few minutes’ drive in the local area … It is lovely to provide your guests with a further choice in terms of pricing … Procedurally speaking, our brides usually mention to attending guests, along the lines of ‘save the day!!!, … and that accommodation at Balbirnie is on a first-come, first-reserved basis’ – bookings via the bride herself, and thereafter as we progress the bride works with our Events Planning Department to define the best rooming list allocations.

Our rooms are located over the three floors of the original mansion house. The only thing we cannot provide is a lift going above ground floor, however we do have 7 bedrooms on the ground floor, so that is always a first consideration for room allocations. We have one ground floor standard double/twin room with wheelchair access. We then obviously have a range of bedrooms, some with attached sitting rooms etc, and we have to consider family logistics, kid’s beds, cots, etc.

If all bedrooms which were reserved at outset are no longer required when the pre-planning for the special day takes place – around 3 months from the big day – then they are released back into availability in our reservations system, without any obligation whatsoever.

As a guideline, due to our special discounted pricing, when we have a wedding taking place at Balbirnie, with circa 100 guests who have travelled from out with a half hour drive-time demographic, we are usually always booked out for all in-house bedrooms at 100% occupancy.

For breakfast on the morning following the big day, we will usually have placed a note in all guest bedrooms, on behalf of the bride and groom, asking all guests to meet for breakfast in The Orangery at 9.00am, and that in itself then offers scope for another simply lovely get-together.

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Triplex Apartment Our super Triplex apartment is a wonderful addition to our accommodation. The Triplex has 3 self- contained bedrooms within the apartment; two double bedrooms and one ‘kids room’ containing two single beds and a set of bunk beds, perfect for 4 adults and 4 children if required, although can technically can sleep eight adults! This area is decorated in a contemporary style, with soft Scottish furnishings. The Triplex is designed to be used only in entirety, with a shared entrance and sitting room area: > On the Upper Floor - sitting room area with TV, en-suite WC, with stair access down to the lower level > On the Lower Floor - 3 bedrooms: 2 doubles, and 1 further twin with additional bunk beds > On the Lower Floor - 2 bathrooms: one with shower, and one with bath and shower Please note the entire hotel internally including all of our bedrooms, are designated as non-smoking.

1 NIGHT WEDDING RATE We can offer special rates for any guests wishing to stay at Balbirnie on the night of the wedding, as per below. With regards to allocating rooms, the Bride herself may choose to decide who amongst the wedding party will stay at Balbirnie and provide a rooming list to the hotel as soon as available. Alternatively, if the Bride does not wish to co-ordinate the accommodation directly with the hotel, guests are also able to book directly at Balbirnie with the same special rates as detailed above, subject to availability. The current rates which prevail and are applicable on the evening of the wedding only, are as follows (inclusive of full Scottish breakfast and VAT):

Single Room £95.00 per night Standard Double/Twin Room £140.00 per night Deluxe Double/Twin Room £190.00 per night Pearl Suite £215.00 for the night Bridal Four Poster Suite £245.00 for the night, including champagne! Triplex Apartment £360.00 per night

2 NIGHT WEDDING RATE A great idea especially for those travelling from afar, we are also able to offer a choice of special 2 night accommodation packages for those guests wishing to arrive the night before the wedding. This rate includes dinner the night before the big day in either our award-winning Orangery restaurant, The beautiful private dining area our West Room or for a smaller dinning party our Lovely Garden room with wonderful views of the lawn all pre-arranged by the Bride. All inclusive of accommodation for 2 nights and full Scottish breakfast on 2 mornings:

Pre-Wedding Dinner in the Orangery, West Room or Garden Room Standard Double Room - £329.00 per room (total price for two guests) Deluxe Double Room - £429.00 per room (total price for two guests) Standard Single Room - £214.50 per room

Please note that to avoid disappointment, we strongly advise you to book any rooms required for your wedding as soon as possible. Our bedrooms are available on a first come, first served basis.

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Extra Beds in Rooms – Cots are complimentary and extra beds in rooms are charged at £20.00 per bed per night for children aged 5 to 18 and £40.00 for adults. This includes a full Scottish breakfast.

Room Cancellation Policy – for all bedrooms booked as part of the main wedding contract, we request a complete rooming list at least 6 weeks prior to the wedding date. Any rooms left unallocated to specific guests after this time will be released without prior notification by the hotel. If the Bride thereafter requests unallocated rooms to be still kept within the bridal party rooming list for potential wedding guests to book within 6 weeks of the wedding, and these rooms are subsequently not required for the wedding party, the unallocated rooms will be charged in full to the main account.

CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT TIMES

Check-in time for residents is from 2.00 pm onwards. Check-out time for residents is routinely 11.00 am.

We tend to find that an in-house ceremony start time of 2.00pm works particularly well when aiming for the first dance taking place at 8.00pm. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee check-in to bedrooms until 2.00pm on your wedding day. For this reason we would recommend that any guests arriving at the hotel on your wedding day arrive already dressed – we will relieve them of their luggage at the front desk, and they can then check-in in their own time, after the wedding ceremony.

We can sometimes enable Express check-in from noon @ £30.00 per room surcharge, subject to availability – please email [email protected]

NO BEDROOMS AVAILABLE THE NIGHT BEFORE? NO PROBLEM

We are delighted to offer complimentary use of our ‘Bridal Boudoir’ to those Brides without somewhere to get ready on the morning of their wedding. Our beautiful Garden Room overlooking the south-facing lawns provides all of the natural light needed for having your make- up done, and we can provide the tables, chairs and mirrors. Advance booking required, please just let us know.

RELAXATION THERAPY AT BALBIRNIE

We are delighted to be able to recommend the services of Elite Therapies at Balbirnie for in-room treatments. Elite are able to conduct many popular treatments for our guests, in particular a variety of different massage therapies using a combination of aromatherapy oils and bees wax balms. Please refer to our website or reception team for more information and a full host of treatments available. Bookings can be made directly with our reception team.

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WEDDING PRICING STRUCTURE: Value for money – always the start point… Our pricing structure runs each year from 1 May to 30 April and there may or may not be inflationary increases from year to year depending on the prevailing economic circumstances that each of us have to contend with. The prices within this pack are valid until 30 April 2017, and are inclusive of VAT at the current rate. If there is an increase in VAT, the prices may be adjusted upwards by the same amount. We offer a range of wedding packages, depending on which day of the week and which time of year you would like to hold your wedding. Additional guests can be added as required and there is flexibility to further personalise packages as desired.

Package Name Dates Available Price from Minimum Numbers

Menus and drinks charged as taken May to December Friday Weddings + 90 adult day guests 2016-17 Facility Fee of £750 (May – August)

Menus and drinks May to December charged as taken Saturday Weddings 100 adult day guests 2016-17 + Facility Fee of £1,000

May to December £5,005 Sunday Package 2016 (£71.50 per guest) PRICE FROZEN 70 adult day guests FOR 2017!! May to December £5,005 2017 (£71.50 per guest)

May to December £4,665 Midweek Package 2016 (£66.50 per guest) 70 adult day guests (Mondays-Thursdays) May to December £4,760 2017 (£68.00 per guest)

£3,920 Wonderful Wednesdays in 2016 Wednesdays (£56.00 per guest) 70 adult day guests (inclusive of lots of £3,990 Wednesdays in 2017 exciting extras!) (£57.00 per guest)

Spring Package £4,410 January to April 2017 70 adult day guests* (Sunday-Friday only) (£63.00 per guest)

NEW FOR 2016!!

Tremendous Tuesdays £3,920 (inclusive of lots of Tuesdays in 2016 70 adult day guests exciting extras!) (£56.00 per guest)

*Our usual Friday and Saturday minimum numbers and our Saturday facility fee of £1,000.00 still apply during January-April.

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SO HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO HAVE MY WEDDING AT BALBIRNIE HOUSE?

Pricing at Balbirnie most often depends on which day of the week you wish to hold your celebration – the more flexible you are – the more money you will be able to save!

The starting point should always be the minimum day guest requirement for your chosen day: Saturday: 100 adult day guests Friday: 90 adult day guests Sunday: 70 adult day guests Monday-Thursday: 70 adult day guests (although we may be flexible with this on Mondays and Tuesdays, depending on the time of year)

We offer different package deals (with fixed per-head prices) on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an incredibly special package available on Wednesdays. In addition to the package price, you would also need to pay for room hire should you wish to hold your wedding ceremony in the house (see next page) and most couples will add on an evening buffet (options can be found on page 37) for their day and evening guests. It is then just a case of whether you would like to add on any upgrades or take the package as is.

We also run a package deal from January to April – and this can be used from Sunday to Friday. Please note that if you wish to use this package on a Friday in these months, our normal minimum numbers will apply.

Fridays and Saturdays from April to September work a little differently. As always, you begin with your minimum day guest requirement – but instead of having a fixed per-head price, you simply ‘design your own’ package by choosing what food and drink you would like to offer to your guests. You also have a fixed facility fee (sometimes called ‘venue hire’) and an optional ceremony room hire if you want to be married in the house. Facility fee rates are detailed on the previous page, and ceremony room hire rates are detailed on the next.

Designing your own package is easy! You only really have four decisions to make (three regarding food, and one regarding drink).

You would choose: 1. Canapés to be circulated during the drinks reception (options on page 26) 2. A menu for your wedding breakfast (options on pages 27-36) 3. An evening buffet to be served at night-time (options on pages 37-39) 4. A drinks package to suit your needs (options on page 40)

Please also bear in mind when budgeting for your Big Day at Balbirnie; that we have an inflationary price increase on 1st May every year and that we are unable to freeze prices on booking, in any circumstance. The exception to this is our Sunday Package which has been fixed in price for 2017!

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THE WEDDING CEREMONY AT BALBIRNIE

We offer the opportunity to hold the wedding service at Balbirnie and thus enjoy the benefit of having your entire wedding reception held under one roof. The ceremony can be of either a religious, humanist or civil format. If you choose to have the ceremony at Balbirnie, a ceremony fee applies as follows:

The Long Gallery For ceremonies up to 100 guests (festive season dates 90 guests, due to Christmas tree!) The Long Gallery is the main ‘central’ room of the original Grade A listed 1777 house. With Georgian lunette windows, ceilings which have an illusion of being domed, and of course the trompe d’oeuil (trick of the eye) 3 dimensional plasterwork, The Gallery is an exceptionally atmospheric room and works very well indeed for ceremonies. Room hire charge £900.00

The Orangery For ceremonies between 90 and 150 guests The Orangery was added to Balbirnie in 1999 as part of the Millennium Extensions. With a mirrored tinted glass ceiling, floor to ceiling Georgian lunette windows, an air of tranquillity and views out to the surrounding parkland, The Orangery is quite beautiful for ceremonies. The Orangery and Orangery Gallery feature a collection of artwork which was gifted to Balbirnie by Archie Forrest, Scotland’s leading contemporary colourist. Room hire charge £1,000.00

The Ballroom For ceremonies between 150 and 216 guests We are delighted to propose The Millennium Ballroom, which can then – between 3pm and 5pm – be prepared for the celebratory meal. Room hire charge £1,100.00

Summer Garden Ceremonies Simply delightful. Why not hold your ceremony on our beautiful manicured garden lawns. What a lovely start to the day. We can hold garden ceremonies for up to 216 guests – one lawn for the ceremony and our adjacent lawn for your drinks reception. Please note that the decision to opt for an outdoor ceremony is of course subject to nice weather on the day itself and hence a firm decision can only be made on the actual wedding day. An appropriate indoor area therefore still always needs to be reserved and the ceremony fee will apply, regardless of whether the ceremony is held inside or outside. Any decision to locate the ceremony outside is usually made on the morning, in conjunction with the Bride. Great weather forecast, not too windy, dry underfoot, and not too hot!

The above charges apply in addition to food and drink costs plus any applicable facility fee. If a church ceremony is held, no ceremony fee applies.

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BALBIRNIE WEDDING MENUS 2016/17

THE MENU

Fixed Menus @ Balbirnie – 99 times out of 100 We are occasionally asked by wedding clients if it is possible to have a choice on the wedding menu. Other venues that offer choice menus only do so on a basis that the menu itself is devastatingly simple for a kitchen brigade to execute – for example a choice for a starter of either a Scotch Broth or a Tomato Juice! At Balbirnie, again in contrast to that, our Banquet and Event dishes are much more aligned to our routine provision for dining in The Orangery, which can indeed be somewhat more complex.

Our provided menus have been constructed against a backdrop of annual reviews, previous client appraisals, and evolution in itself. Our annual reviews receive full contemplation from Balbirnie’s Management, Executive Chef, and Banquet Head Chef – also very much with a set of perspectives to suggest that each dish over a multi-course menu is designed to work very well with the others, in terms of balance, temperature, contrast, appearance and so on. We therefore kindly suggest that each menu should most ideally wherever possible be contemplated as one entity. We would also suggest that as part of the consideration of wedding menus, we have constructed these so that they are very much aligned to be cosmopolitan, universally appealing across the entire spectrum of all guests attending. Additionally, as part of our planning process, we will of course ensure that correct provision is made for guests who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, along with any other dietary requirements.

Choice Menus @ Balbirnie – 1 time out of 100 Albeit on a very rare circumstance, we can offer a choice of two dishes per course (plus a vegetarian option) as long as we receive a menu pre-order for each individual guest two weeks before the wedding. If a pre-order is preferred, we also require to be provided with a large table plan for the day which clearly indicates what each individual guest has ordered. A significant supplement charge will be incurred for this option and will be discussed once menus are chosen. Please note that if you select a choice menu to offer your guests we are also required to allocate additional time to serve the meal. For a four course menu an extra half an hour is required and for a three course menu an extra fifteen minutes is required.

For the reasons above, as we reflect upon our history, virtually all weddings at Balbirnie House have always opted for a set menu!

Children’s Menu We are also of course delighted to do special menus for children (usually 3 courses at £16.95 - please refer to our children’s menu selector located just after the main menus in this pack).

Menu Tastings Should you wish to sample a selected menu, it is possible to do this on a set menu basis for a minimum of 4 people. This must be pre-arranged with our wedding planning department and should be carried out circa 3-4 months prior to the wedding. Sample menus are charged at full price, and can be allocated to the eventual main account. Please note – we are unable to provide Menu Tastings during the month of December. 24

Menu Pricing When considering menu pricing we bear in mind what is an ever-changing picture. We have highly specialised purchasing and procurement for all menu items, aligned wherever possible to source locally. In the last 5 years we have physically enabled annual menu pricing at a level well below inflation levels. We source supplies very carefully indeed so we can pass that value directly onto our clients. There are however some menu items which are popular, but are extremely expensive to buy, even with Balbirnie’s purchasing collateral – such items are for example scallops, langoustines, loin of lamb, loin of venison, and fillet of beef, so the menu pricing for those items and any similar are stated accordingly.

The In-House Hot Smoker We would also mention that one further reason that we are able to offer better value than our competitors, is due to some specific in-house methodology – we have our own in-house hot smokers (used especially for hot smoked Bradan Rost salmon, hot smoked mackerel, and hot smoked chicken).

In-House Speciality – Ice Creams and Sorbets We also have our own ice cream and sorbet factory – The Caledonian Dairy, specialising in creating the finest commercially available quality in Scotland, and via which we also supply to many other establishments elsewhere.

Verrines Balbirnie House was the first establishment to introduce Verrines to Scotland. These are similar to a layered Terrine, but are served in ‘a Verre’ ... French for ‘glass’, hence VERRINE.

Bespoke Menus Should you wish to design your own menu with our Executive Chef, Callum Dow, please do let us know. This is a wonderful service which we are delighted to offer at an additional charge.

Pre ceremony lunch

We can organize finger sandwiches and a glass of Prosecco for bridal preparations in the chosen bedroom at midday. Perfect light lunch before the proceedings start! Charged @ £10.00 per person. Alternatively we can organize either a chicken salad or salmon salad with a glass of Prosecco, charge @ £10.00 per person.

We recommend that the Groom and his party arrive at midday ready to welcome guests on arrival. Why not have a burger & chips with a bottle of Peroni served in the Library Bar. Charged @ £10.00 per person.

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CANAPÉS FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY

We propose the following selection of lovely canapés for you and your guests to enjoy during your wedding drinks reception.

OPTION 1 • smoked salmon mousse on blinis • baby baked potatoes with ricotta and chives • peppered beef brochettes, horseradish cream • haggis and oatmeal bonbon • mini arancini balls • crispy duck parcel • baby scone, herb cream cheese and roast tomato • Jarlsberg cheese tart, pineapple chutney • Bradan rost salmon and leek fishcake, lime aioli • chicken bang bang filo’s

A selection of 3 - £6.75 per person A selection of 4 - £7.75 per person

OPTION 2 • tiger prawn tempura • mini cheeseburgers • ham and Gruyere cheese croquet-monsieur • Bradan rost salmon ‘cornet’, confit of leek • black pudding and pear bonbon • goat’s cheese and red onion tartlet • chocolate dipped strawberries (available May to September) • wild mushroom bouchee

A selection of 3 - £8.50 per person A selection of 4 - £9.50 per person

OPTION 3 - CHILDRENS CANAPÉS • mini sausage roll • fruit kebab • cheese and pineapple • carrot and cucumber sticks (crudites) • tomato and mozzarella foccacia pizza • haddock or chicken Goujons

A selection of 3 - £6.75 per person A selection of 4 - £7.75 per person

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WEDDING MENUS 2016/17 Prices apply until end April 2017

Please note: - Unless otherwise requested, all our lamb and beef dishes are cooked medium rare - Allergy Disclaimer: please note that our food may contain traces of nuts. - All of our wedding meals are served with the freshest selection of seasonal vegetables and potatoes, and will subsequently change throughout the year to reflect this.

Menu 1 CREAMY LEEK AND POTATO BROTH mini smoked cheddar scone -oOo- ROAST LOIN OF PORK crackling, roasting gravy, sausage and sage stuffing -oOo- WARM APPLE CRUMBLE TART caramel ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 2 VEGETABLE AND LENTIL BROTH parmesan croutons -oOo- PAN FRIED SUPREME OF CHICKEN creamy mash and thyme jus -oOo- STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING vanilla ice cream, toffee sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 3 SCOTCH BROTH traditional lamb broth with root vegetables and barley -oOo- TRADITIONAL STEAK, MUSHROOM AND ALE PIE prime Scottish beef, braised with ‘eighty shilling’ and topped with flaky puff pastry -oOo- PAVLOVA seasonal berries, Chantilly cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 1-3 - £42.50 (add a sorbet intermediate course for £3.00)

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Menu 4 CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT red onion chutney, dressed salad and toasted brioche -oOo- BRAISED DAUBE OF SCOTTISH BEEF pancetta, shallots and braising jus -oOo- VANILLA CRÈME BRULÉE Balbirnie shortbread -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 5 SMOKED SALMON AND DILL TERRINE dressed salad, beetroot and capers -oOo- PAN FRIED BREAST OF CHICKEN skirlie stuffing, mustard cream sauce -oOo- CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE VERRINE vanilla cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 6 ROASTED RED PEPPER AND VINE TOMATO SOUP cheese ravioli -oOo- HERB CRUSTED FILLET OF SCOTTISH SALMON parsley and vermouth sauce -oOo- CARAMEL AND ALMOND MOUSSE -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 4-6 - £46.50 (add a soup or sorbet intermediate course for £3.00)

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Menu 7 SMOKED SALMON CRÈME FRAICHE, CHIVE CREAM CHEESE, ROAST TOMATO AND BEETROOT VERRINE herb dressing -oOo- CREAM OF SWEETCORN SOUP red pepper coulis -oOo- SLOW BRAISED BELLY OF PORK black pudding bonbon, apple cider sauce -oOo- STRAWBERRY AND VANILLA PANNACOTTA white chocolate cookie -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 8 WARM BRADAN ROST SALMON FILLET potato, beetroot and horseradish salad, herb dressing -oOo- FRENCH ONION SOUP Gruyere cheese croute -oOo- SAUTÉED BREAST OF CHICKEN ‘VALLÉ D’AUGE’ a sauce of mushrooms, crème fraiche and Calvados, garnished with caramelised apple -oOo- TARTE AU CITRON mango pastille and cassis sorbet -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 9 TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH HAGGIS clapshot croquette, whisky herb cream -oOo- RASPBERRY & DRAMBUIE SORBET -oOo- ROAST RIB OF SCOTTISH BEEF thyme pudding, natural roasting gravy -oOo- CLOUTIE DUMPLING cranachan ice cream, Glayva custard -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 7-9 - £51.00

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Menu 10 PRESSED HAM HOUGH AND PARSLEY TERRINE Piccalilli, toasted soda bread -oOo- BUCKS FIZZ SORBET orange sorbet topped with Prosecco -oOo- BAKED FILLET OF COD mussel and chorizo ragu -oOo- BANOFFEE ICE CREAM SUNDAE banoffee ice cream, banana and walnut cake, crème Chantilly and toffee sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 11 HOME SMOKED DUCK BREAST spiced orange couscous, tossed salad -oOo- TOMATO AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP basil pesto, parmesan croutons -oOo- SLOW ROASTED CHUMP OF LAMB garlic and thyme jus -oOo- MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP TART white chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 12 SMOKED TROUT AND PRAWN CHEESECAKE roast garlic and tomato salsa -oOo- SCOTCH BROTH a traditional lamb broth with root vegetables and barley -oOo- BREAST OF CHICKEN filled with haggis, whisky brose -oOo- RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE honey, and toasted oatmeal cream, Drambuie syrup -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 10-12 - £52.00

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Menu 13 SMOKED CHICKEN AND SWEET PEPPER VERRINE home smoked chicken, herb cream cheese, roasted sweet peppers, with a lemon parsley and garlic dressing and prosciutto crisp -oOo- LEMON SORBET ginger wine -oOo- PAN FRIED FILLET OF SEABASS saffron risotto, mussel tempura -oOo- CHOCOLATE BROWNIE milk ice cream, chocolate sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 14 TOMATO, SWEET PEPPER AND CHILLI COUSCOUS mozzarella beignet, aged balsamic -oOo- BASIL AND LIME SORBET -oOo- PAN FRIED BREAST OF CHICKEN prosciutto and sage, Marsala jus -oOo- TIRAMISU coffee ice cream, white chocolate cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 15 WARM BRADAN ROST SALMON, CROWDIE AND DILL TART tomato chutney, roasted beetroot salad -oOo- HAGGIS, NEEPS AND TATTIES IN CRISP GOLDEN PASTRY Drambuie cream -oOo- PETIT TOURNEDO OF SCOTTISH BEEF braised beef bonbon, red wine jus -oOo- WARM PEAR AND ALMOND CRUMBLE TART vanilla ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 13-15 - £54.50

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Menu 16 VERRINE OF SCOTTISH SALMON layers of hot smoked Bradan Rost, cold smoked and citrus cured Scottish Salmon herb cream cheese, avocado mousse, with a black olive biscuit -oOo- LEMON SORBET Long Island tea syrup -oOo- ROAST RUMP OF LAMB rosemary, redcurrant jus -oOo- STRAWBERRY MERINGUE strawberries, jelly and sorbet -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 17 WARM JARLSBERG CHEESE TART red pepper and pineapple chutney -oOo- HOT SMOKED BRADAN ROST SALMON leek and lentil cassoulet, herb cream -oOo- ROAST BREAST OF GRESSINGHAM DUCK herb spatzle, spiced orange jus -oOo- BLACK FOREST VERRINE cherries, chocolate sponge, black cherry and Kirsch ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 18 GLEN MORAY SMOKED SALMON lemon, capers and soda bread -oOo- CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP Arran cheddar gougeres -oOo- ROAST SIRLOIN OF SCOTTISH BEEF woodland mushrooms and thyme jus -oOo- LEMON POSSET VERRINE lemon shortbread and sorbet -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menus 16-18 - £57.95

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Menu 19 - £58.50 TASTING OF CHICKEN confit chicken, smoked chicken and apricot, chicken liver parfait, beetroot puree, spiced lentil salad -oOo- PAN FRIED FILLET OF SEA BREAM vanilla risotto, extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino cheese -oOo- SLOW ROASTED CHUMP OF SCOTTISH VENISON port wine jus -oOo- PASSION FRUIT PARFAIT passion fruit curd, citrus compote, lime crisp -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 20 - £60.00 PAN SEARED SCALLOPS cauliflower purée, crisp pancetta, curry vinaigrette oOo- PINK CHAMPAGNE SORBET topped with pink champagne -oOo- TOURNEDO OF SCOTTISH BEEF -oOo- CHOCOLATE BRIOCHE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING banoffee ice cream, sauce anglaise -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 21 - £62.00 SELECTION OF HORS D’OEUVRES home smoked Bradan Rost salmon, ham hough and whole grain mustard, prawn and crab timbale, mixed leaves and herb dressing -oOo- “WHISKY MAC” Crabbie’s green ginger sorbet topped with malt whisky -oOo- SCOTTISH FILLET OF BEEF ‘WELLINGTON’ woodland mushroom jus -oOo- RICH CHOCOLATE MARQUISE Dundee marmalade ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

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Menu 22 - £70.00 PRESSED TERRINE AND CONFIT LEG OF DUCK roast tomato and lentil salad, balsamic jus dressing oOo SEARED FILLET OF SEABASS mussel and chorizo risotto, herb nage oOo GRAND MARNIER SHERBET topped with prosecco -oOo- LOIN OF INVERNESSHIRE LAMB braised neck ‘Hot Pot’, thyme jus, mushroom barley pilaf -oOo- TASTING OF CARAMEL caramel panna cotta, caramel apple cheesecake, vanilla brulée tart, salted caramel ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu 23 - £78.00 TRIO OF SALMON citrus cured tartare, smoked salmon roulade and home smoked ‘bradan rost’ served with pickled cucumber, crème fraiche and buckwheat blinis oOo CONSOMME OF CHICKEN infused with tomato, pearls of vegetables and chervil oOo ‘KIR ROYALE’ SORBET cassis sorbet topped with Champagne -oOo- LOIN OF SCOTTISH VENISON braised venison ‘pithivier’, black pudding and pear croquette, puree of apple, herb potato mousseline and rich red wine jus -oOo- TASTING OF CHOCOLATE chocolate brownie, white chocolate and passion fruit lollipop, milk chocolate pave, chocolate orange tart and caramella chocolate cream -oOo- SELECTION OF SCOTTISH CHEESES quince jelly -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

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VEGETARIAN OPTIONS

We have a selection of vegetarian dishes which can be offered to you and your guests. This is in addition to vegetarian options already available through our existing menus.

Vegetarian options are charged at the same price as your chosen menu.

STARTERS GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD roast tomato, feta, basil dressing

PROVENCALE VEGETABLE RISOTTO CAKE sweet pepper dressing

GOATS CHEESE AND RED ONION TART Rocket and balsamic

PLUM TOMATO, BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND ROCKET SALAD pesto

CAESAR SALAD baby gem and cos lettuce, Italian hard cheese, Caesar dressing

SPINACH, BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT SALAD celeriac and baby pears

WARM FLAT BREAD grilled vegetable, tomato and mozzarella

MAIN COURSES WOODLAND MUSHROOM AND SPINACH STROGANOFF herb pilaff

JARLSBERG ONION TART pineapple and pepper chutney

MUSHROOM AND PEA RISOTTO wilted greens, parmesan, basil pesto

TWICE BAKED CHEESE SOUFFLÉ ROULADE spinach and garlic, Portobello mushrooms, caponata vegetables

POTATO AND HERB GNOCCHI roast tomato, feta cheese, black olive and herb oil

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE ‘WELLINGTON’ creamed leeks, herb nage

ROQUEFORT AND LEEK QUICHE onion compote

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CHILDRENS MENU OPTIONS - £16.95 per 3 courses

Please note that only one dish per course should be chosen, suiting all children attending.

STARTERS Melon with seasonal fruit Melon with sorbet (mango, pear, apple) or fruit jelly Salad of crudités - vegetables, carrot, celery, cucumber, cherry tomato with mixed leaves Garlic bread Cream of tomato soup Cream of chicken soup

MAIN COURSES The following options are all served with a choice of mixed vegetables, baked beans or buttered peas and French fries, new potatoes or mash:

Roasted chicken breast with gravy Grilled pork and herb sausages Breast of chicken Goujons Haddock Goujons Cottage pie topped with mash Cheese and tomato omelette Penne pasta with tomato and basil

DESSERTS Ice cream with chocolate sauce Fruit salad with cream or ice cream Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream

SUNDAES (£1.50 supplement)

MINT CHOC CHIP mint choc chip and Belgian chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and freshly whipped cream

CHOCOLATE vanilla and Belgian chocolate ice cream, chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce and whipped cream

BANANA SPLIT vanilla and strawberry ice cream with a whole banana, strawberry sauce and roasted nuts

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WEDDING EVENING BUFFETS

Onwards to the next special part of the day! Given that routinely the wedding meal finishes at 7pm we recommend serving the evening buffet from 10pm onwards. Contrary to what you may read in some wedding publications (!), and to avoid disappointment for you and your guests, we strongly advise you to cater for the numbers present. Please select from the following:

MENU A - £7.25 per person Bacon bap – 1 per person Tea and Coffee

MENU B - £8.75 per person A selection of sandwiches with the following fillings - Scottish cheddar cheese and tomato with Branston pickle, tuna mayonnaise and cucumber, home smoked bradan roast salmon mayonnaise, chicken mayonnaise with crispy bacon, honey roast ham and English mustard, egg and rocket, roast beef and horseradish. All served with kettle chips. Tea and Coffee

MENU C - £9.75 per person Haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky cream sauce or Stovies and vegetarian stovies with oatcakes or Individual Cottage Pies or Fishermans Pies topped with creamy mashed potato and served with crusty bread Tea and Coffee

MENU D - £10.75 per person Chicken curry – rice pilaff, lime pickle, mango chutney, naan bread or vegetable curry or Platter of cheeses with biscuits, grapes, celery and apples Tea and Coffee

MENU E – £11.75 per person Available for a minimum of 100 guests Hog Roast served from Balbirnie’s own spit roast - our in house speciality available all year round. Served in a bap and accompanied by crackling, potato & spring onion salad, coleslaw salad and a choice of apple or barbecue sauce. or Chicken Rotisserie served from Balbirnie’s own Titan Roaster - up to 35 whole chickens at a time! House speciality Piri Piri sauce, butter, lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic, cranked with chicken bouillon. Alternatively we can serve in a Lemon & Garlic Sauce, or Barbecue. Served in a bap and accompanied by potato & spring onion salad, coleslaw salad and a choice of salsa or barbecue sauce.

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MENU F - TERRACE BBQ - £15.50 per person A tremendously popular barbecue option available from May to September, cooked on the Ballroom Terrace by Balbirnie’s Chefs. Please note this option is only available when catering for 100% of guests. As a generality, the BBQ option is not dependent on the weather, as we have a 4.5m awning which extends out from the Ballroom’s North elevation. However, if really strong rain is forecasted, or if it is extremely windy, we shift the actual BBQ cooking underneath the covered archway of our North courtyard - and if that happens we shall serve the BBQ items buffet style in the Ballroom Lobby.

Balbirnie beef burger in a bun, jumbo pork and herb sausages in a hot dog roll Fried onions, buttered corn on the cob Relishes and dressings Salads: mixed leaf, tomato and red onion, cucumber and chive, potato and spring onion and coleslaw Tea and coffee

Why not add a twist to your BBQ with the following additions? Lamb kofta kebabs, minted yoghurt £3.50 Lemon, thyme and garlic chicken skewers with a red onion relish £3.50 Lorne sausage, roasted chilli onions £3.25 Spare ribs with honey and ginger £3.75

In addition to all buffets, we can also offer the following @ £3.50 per person:  Cajun or barbecue chicken drumsticks - 1 per person

 Sausage and grain mustard rolls - 2 per person

 Lamb koftas on skewers with cucumber and mint crème fraiche - 1 per person

 Rosemary foccacia with roasted tomato, sweet pepper and mozzarella - 2 per person

 Vegetable and lentil pasties - 1 per person

 Baby baked potatoes, with grated cheddar, sour cream and chives, crispy bacon bits - 2 per person

 Mini Scotch pies - 1 per person

 Goat’s cheese and red onion wrap - 1 per person

It is customary to also serve the buffet to your band, any providers of evening entertainment, evening photographers, etc. Please advise us of numbers.

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THE “AFTER SHOW” EVENING BUFFET!

Many of our wedding clients wish to incorporate a 2 phase evening buffet, by introducing a truly wonderful and unexpected surprise, a real measure of hospitality which is so much appreciated by departing guests, by serving Bacon Baps or traditional Scotch Mince Pies to their departing guests soon after the last Ballroom Dance. This takes place traditionally in The Long Gallery. For residents this can also be applicable in The Drawing Room and Library Bar, as The Aftershow party gets underway. We are delighted to also offer the tradition of Scottish celebratory wedding hospitality at this point, with Drambuie nips at £2.50 per single 25ml measure.

Aftershow Bacon Baps £3.95

Aftershow Traditional Scotch Mince Pies £3.95

Aftershow Haggis Bap £3.95

These prices are applicable to those clients who are also providing one of the traditional evening buffets listed above to their guests circa 10.00pm.

CHOCOLATE FOUNTAINS

Chocolate fountains have become increasingly popular for weddings and add another wow factor to your evening entertainment. We are now delighted to be able to offer this service ourselves at Balbirnie, using our in-house fountain. We would thoroughly recommend having a chocolate fountain in addition to your evening reception buffet. This would include: • a member of our staff to set up and operate the chocolate fountain • finest Belgian milk chocolate • a supply of dips to include strawberries, grapes, choux buns, brownie and marshmallows.

The price for this is £3.95 per person and for a minimum of 80 guests.

(Please note that as we provide this service ourselves, we do not allow external chocolate fountain suppliers)

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DRINKS PACKAGES All quantities and prices are per person. Should you wish to choose drinks ‘off package’ we would be delighted to provide a quote.

A B C

Drinks Reception: Drinks Reception: Drinks Reception: (choose 1 or 2 of the following) (choose 1 or 2 of the following) (choose 1 or 2 of the following) House Sparkling Wine Prosecco Chimere Brut Champagne Buck’s Fizz Bellini Any cocktail from Bottled Peroni Kir Royale options A or B, made with Champagne Package One Bottled Corona Eden Brewery Ale

Drinks Reception: Meal: 1 glass Meal: Meal: (choose 1 red and 1 white) House Sauvignon Blanc (choose 1 red and 1 white) Meal: Pinot Noir, Louis Latour House Merlot 1 glass and a top-up House Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough Pinot Grigio Rioja, Crianza Speeches: Speeches: Pinotage, Franschhoek 1 glass Reisling, Alsace Chenin Blanc, Franschhoek House Sparkling Wine

[£17.00] Speeches: Speeches: Chimere Brut Champagne Prosecco [£29.00] [£20.00]

Package Two Drinks Reception: 1 glass Options as above Options as above Options as above Meal: [£19.00] [£22.00] [£33.00] half bottle

Speeches: 1 glass

Package Three Drinks Reception: 2 glasses Options as above Options as above Options as above Meal: [£23.00] [£26.00] [£41.00] half bottle

Speeches: 1 glass

Package Four Drinks Reception: 2 glasses

Cake-Cutting: Options as above Options as above Options as above 1 glass [£27.00] [£30.00] [£49.00] Meal: half bottle 40 Speeches: 1 glass

SUNDAY WEDDING PACKAGE 2016 AND 2017 (available all year round)

Valid Dates: Applicable for any remaining Sundays in 2016 and 2017

Package A Price: £71.50 PER GUEST £5,005 based on 70 adult day guests (applies to new bookings only)

Extra Day Guests: Simply add extra day guests @ £71.50 per person

Wedding Package includes: • Red carpet sweeping down the front steps of Balbirnie • The Master of Ceremonies • A welcome reception drink - choose one of the following to offer: Prosecco, mulled wine, Kir Royale, Bucks Fizz or Bellini • Complimentary canapés during the drinks reception • A superb four course menu from our special selection, served also with coffee and Scottish tablet • A glass of House wine with the meal and a top-up • A glass of Prosecco for the post-wedding meal speeches • Traditional cake-stand and silver wedding knife • Personalised table plan, place cards and menus • Complimentary four-poster bridal suite, complete with roll top bath and a bottle of chilled champagne... • As many of Balbirnie’s bedrooms as required at preferential accommodation rates

N.B. Please note the ceremony charge still applies.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:

Package B Price: £76.00 PER GUEST As above A package, plus an extra glass of wine with meal

Package C Price: £79.50 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

Package D Price: £83.00 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus glass of Prosecco at cake-cutting ceremony, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

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WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY WEDDING PACKAGE 2016 (available all year round)

A popular consideration this year, and the most phenomenal value we have ever seen at Balbirnie. In fact, we can readily suggest that this offer is simply staggering value. The ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ inclusive package was introduced by the hotel manager, to celebrate his first 20 years at Balbirnie, with the pencil sharpened like never before! Why is it ‘Wonderful?’ The items listed in bold below are additionally included over and above our Midweek Package!!! (The drinks and food discount is worth circa £1,500, and accommodation discount from our already discounted wedding rates, at full house occupancy is a further £1,400)

Valid Dates: Applicable for any remaining Wednesdays in 2016

Package Price: £56.00 PER GUEST £3,920 based on 70 adult day guests (applies to new bookings only)

Extra Day Guests: Simply add extra day guests @ £56.00 per person

Wedding Package includes: • Complimentary use of our magnificent Ballroom for your wedding meal, with delightful reception rooms available for reception drinks and photography • Reception drinks – Bucks Fizz cocktails, 2 per guest (extra drink) • Canapés during the drinks reception, served on canapé slates • Sparkling wine for the cake cutting toast, 1 per guest • A superb four course menu from our special selection, served with coffee and Scottish tablet • Red and white wine with the meal, equivalent to half a 75cl bottle per guest (extra drink) • Sparkling wine for the post-wedding meal speeches, 1 per guest • Evening Buffet- traditional bacon bap with tea and coffee • Balbirnie’s Black Dancefloor, LED underlit • Complimentary four poster bridal suite, complete with roll top bath and of course - a bottle of chilled House Champagne • All of Balbirnie’s bedrooms (up to 31 rooms if required) at very special preferential wedding B&B accommodation rates – £100.00 per double/twin room, all bedrooms subject to availability. • Please note that if you occupy our “Pearl Suite” the night prior to your wedding day there will be a supplementary charge of £50.00 per night. • Red carpet sweeping down the front steps of Balbirnie House • The Master of Ceremonies • Traditional cake stand and silver wedding knife • Personalised table plan, place cards and menus • Balbirnie’s white chair covers • Balbirnie’s candelabras 42

THE MIDWEEK WEDDING PACKAGE 2016 For those clients with flexibility on dates, we are able to provide phenomenal midweek value, with an all-inclusive package which has worked wonderfully well in this format for many years

Valid Dates: Applicable for Monday to Thursday weddings from 1st May 2016 – 31st December 2017

Package A Price: £66.50 PER GUEST £4,655 based on 70 adult day guests (applies to new bookings only)

Extra Day Guests: Simply add extra guests @ £66.50 per person

Wedding Package includes: • Red carpet sweeping down the front steps of Balbirnie • The Master of Ceremonies • A welcome reception drink - choose one of the following to offer: Prosecco, mulled wine, Kir Royale, Bucks Fizz or Bellini • Complimentary canapés during the drinks reception • A superb four course menu from our special selection, served also with coffee and Scottish tablet • A glass of House wine with the meal and a top-up • A glass of Prosecco for the post-wedding meal speeches • Traditional cake-stand and silver wedding knife • Personalised table plan, place cards and menus • Complimentary four-poster bridal suite, complete with roll top bath and a bottle of chilled champagne... • As many of Balbirnie’s bedrooms as required at preferential accommodation rates

N.B. Please note the ceremony charge still applies.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS: Package B Price: £71.00 PER GUEST As above A package, plus an extra glass of wine with meal

Package C Price: £74.50 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

Package D Price: £78.00 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus glass of Prosecco at cake-cutting ceremony, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

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SPRING WEDDING PACKAGE 2017 At Balbirnie, spring weddings are as fabulous as at any other time of the year. You might have a crisp sunny day or snow topped hills for photos in the gardens – what a backdrop! Failing this of course, we have several lovely public rooms with roaring fires for photographs inside the house itself. Following the initial reception, a candlelit Ballroom awaits, just beautiful.

Valid Dates: Applicable Sunday to Friday only, 1st January to 30th April 2017

Package A Price: £63.00 PER GUEST £4,410 based on 70 adult day guests (applies to new bookings only)

Extra Day Guests: Simply add extra guests @ £63.00 per person

Wedding Package includes: • Red carpet sweeping down the front steps of Balbirnie • The Master of Ceremonies • A welcome reception drink - choose one of the following to offer: Prosecco, mulled wine, Kir Royale, Bucks Fizz or Bellini • Complimentary canapés during the drinks reception • A superb four course menu from our special selection, served also with coffee and Scottish tablet • A glass of House wine with the meal and a top-up • A glass of Prosecco for the post-wedding meal speeches • Traditional cake-stand and silver wedding knife • Personalised table plan, place cards and menus • Complimentary four-poster bridal suite, complete with roll top bath and a bottle of chilled champagne... • As many of Balbirnie’s bedrooms as required at preferential accommodation rates

N.B. Please note the ceremony charge and Saturday facility fee still apply.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:

Package B Price: £67.50 PER GUEST As above A package, plus an extra glass of wine with meal

Package C Price: £71.00 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

Package D Price: £74.50 PER GUEST As above A package, plus additional drink on arrival, plus glass of Prosecco at cake-cutting ceremony, plus extra glass of House wine with meal

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TREMENDOUS TUESDAY WEDDING PACKAGE 2016 (available all year round)

Following on from the massive success of our ‘Wonderful Wednesday’ Package in 2014 and 2015, we are delighted to introduce our new ‘Tremendous Tuesday’ Package, available on remaining Tuesdays in 2016!

Why is it ‘Tremendous?’ The items listed in bold below are additionally included over and above our Midweek Package!!! (The drinks and food discount is worth circa £1,500, and accommodation discount from our already discounted wedding rates, at full house occupancy is a further £1,400)

Valid Dates: Applicable for any remaining Tuesdays in 2016

Package Price: £56.00 PER GUEST £3,920 based on 70 adult day guests (applies to new bookings only)

Extra Day Guests: Simply add extra day guests @ £56.00 per person

Wedding Package includes: • Complimentary use of our magnificent Ballroom for your wedding meal, with delightful reception rooms available for reception drinks and photography • Reception drinks – Bucks Fizz cocktails, 2 per guest (extra drink) • Canapés during the drinks reception, served on canapé slates • Sparkling wine for the cake cutting toast, 1 per guest • A superb four course menu from our special selection, served with coffee and Scottish tablet • Red and white wine with the meal, equivalent to half a 75cl bottle per guest (extra drink) • Sparkling wine for the post-wedding meal speeches, 1 per guest • Evening Buffet- traditional bacon bap with tea and coffee • Balbirnie’s Black Dancefloor, LED underlit • Complimentary four poster bridal suite, complete with roll top bath and of course - a bottle of chilled House Champagne • All of Balbirnie’s bedrooms (up to 31 rooms if required) at very special preferential wedding B&B accommodation rates – £100.00 per double/twin room, all bedrooms subject to availability. • Please note that if you occupy our “Pearl Suite” the night prior to your wedding day there will be a supplementary charge of £50.00 per night. • Red carpet sweeping down the front steps of Balbirnie House • The Master of Ceremonies • Traditional cake stand and silver wedding knife • Personalised table plan, place cards and menus • Balbirnie’s white chair covers • Balbirnie’s candelabras 45

Wedding Package Menus

All package menus are served with the following canapés during the drinks reception: Hot smoked salmon bon bon Chicken bang bang tartlet Baby herb scone, roast tomato, herb cream cheese

Menu A MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO VERRINE basil couscous, rocket salad, balsamic dressing -oOo- VEGETABLE BROTH broth of root vegetables, barley and herbs -oOo- SAUTÉED BREAST OF CHICKEN CHASSEUR mushroom, tomato, tarragon, parsley mash -oOo- WARM APPLE CRUMBLE caramel ice cream -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu B CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT apple and apricot chutney, salad leaves and toasted brioche -oOo- CREAMY LEEK AND POTATO BROTH baby cheese and herb scones -oOo- ROAST FILLET OF SALMON wilted greens, mussel, tomato and herb nage, herb crushed potatoes -oOo- CHOCOLATE SUNDAE Belgian chocolate and mint choc chip ice cream, chocolate brownie and chocolate sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET

Menu C WARM BRADAN ROST SALMON FILLET potato and wholegrain mustard salad, rocket, herb dressing -oOo- TOMATO AND SWEET PEPPER SOUP herb sippets -oOo- TRADITIONAL STEAK, MUSHROOM AND ALE PIE prime Scotch beef braised in ‘Eighty Shilling’ and topped with flaky puff pastry, parsley potatoes -oOo- MANDARIN POSSETT lemon cheesecake ice cream, shortbread -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET 46

Menu D PULLED PORK VERRINE sweet potato salad, apple compote, rocket, honey dressing, pork scratching -oOo- SPICED TOMATO AND LENTIL BROTH parsley pesto -oOo- ROAST BREAST OF CHICKEN prune and bacon stuffing, herb crushed potatoes, thyme jus -oOo- STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING vanilla ice cream, toffee sauce -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET Menu supplement - £6.00 per person

Menu E “VERRINE BALBIRNIE” EGG MAYONNAISE, PRAWNS MARIE ROSE, CURRIED SMOKED SALMON CRÈME FRAICHE tomato confit, rocket salad, herb dressing -oOo- ORANGE SORBET TOPPED WITH PROSECCO -oOo- ROAST LOIN OF PORK WITH CRACKLING sage and onion stuffing and natural gravy, duck fat roast potatoes -oOo- RASPBERRY CRANACHAN TORTE shortbread biscuits, toasted oatmeal -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET Menu supplement - £6.00 per person

Menu F PRESSED HAM HOUGH AND PARSLEY TERRINE Piccalilli, toasted sour dough -oOo- COCK-A-LEEKIE BROTH a traditional Scottish broth of chicken, leeks, prunes and rice -oOo- BRAISED DAUBE OF SCOTTISH BEEF cabbage and smoked bacon, creamy mash -oOo- LEMON TART Mascarpone ice cream, compote of berries -oOo- COFFEE WITH SCOTTISH TABLET Menu supplement - £6.00 per person

All A – F menus above, main courses also served with roasted root vegetables. 47

SMALL AND INTIMATE WEDDINGS AT BALBIRNIE

We are also delighted to cater for small and intimate weddings, subject to date availability throughout the year. Yours will of course as always be the only wedding taking place in the house. Please contact us for date availability.

We have a number of lovely rooms suitable for smaller weddings, all with super views over the gardens, and can offer a choice of:

The Garden Room (up to 16 guests)

~ £150 room hire for wedding breakfast or £250 room hire for ceremony and wedding breakfast ~ wedding menus from £42.50

The West Room (up to 42 guests)

~ £200 room hire for wedding breakfast or £350 room hire for ceremony and wedding breakfast ~ wedding menus from £42.50

The Orangery Restaurant (up to 70 guests)

~ £700 room hire for wedding breakfast ~ £900 for Long Gallery ceremony if required ~ wedding menus from £42.50

Please note that musical entertainment during the wedding breakfast is allowed but that there is no facility to have evening dancing in these areas. The Ballroom however can be hired for an evening reception, if proposed numbers are suitable, for an additional £1,000.

Please do let us know if this is of interest and we would be thrilled to show you around the hotel.

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THE KEYS TO BALBIRNIE HOUSE – THE ULTIMATE EXCLUSIVITY

“EXCLUSIVELY YOURS”

PRIVATE HIRE OF BALBIRNIE FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY

We are currently seeing more and more clients wishing to take Balbirnie exclusively, thus two years ago we significantly reduced the main hire and guest accommodation charges

The ultimate in private occasions. The keys to the house are yours for a totally private house party! When having a wedding at Balbirnie there is no necessity whatsoever to go ‘Exclusive Use’, as we are able to fully incorporate all aspects under our routine operations. (Statistically speaking, we usually have around 1 in 20 weddings as Exclusive Use – the option is certainly there if needed.) For those clients however who may perhaps have definitive security or privacy requirements, and would prefer completely Exclusive Use, this is available for those who would like us to close our doors to enable complete privacy. Additionally, Exclusive Use means that you can use any area within the house as part of the celebrations. For example, why not have all of your guests back upstairs in the lounge areas during the turnaround of the Ballroom for an emotive performance by a full pipe band!

Any bridal party who would like to take over Balbirnie exclusively must be happy to fill all bedrooms at 100% occupancy at special accommodation rates as follows (bridal parties may often also choose to subsidise the rate for accommodation rates).

May to December - £120.00 per room, bed and breakfast January to April - £100.00 per room, bed and breakfast

These special rates only apply to exclusive use weddings.

These rates apply to all bedrooms covering both standard and deluxe room categories, and we will ask the bridal party to help us allocate our 18 standard double rooms, 8 deluxe double rooms, 2 suites, 2 single rooms and our Triplex apartment (3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, plus sitting room).

ADDITIONAL COSTS FOR EXCLUSIVE USE (This fee ensures that the entire hotel will be closed for your private use from 2pm on your wedding day until 11am the next day):

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY £2,000.00 FRIDAY £3,500.00 SATURDAY £4,500.00 SUNDAY £2,500.00

Please note if you choose to hold the ceremony at Balbirnie, any relevant facility fees and ceremony hire charges will also still apply.

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AND IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU READ..?

YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION AT BALBIRNIE

A member of our management team is available to assist you in considering the initial planning stages of your special day. However, we would appreciate it very much if you would telephone for an appointment before visiting for a showround. This would enable us to devote our full attention to your arrangements and would also avoid inconvenience to yourself should you come when we are already engaged in other business.

Please be advised that we never provide client showrounds when an actual wedding reception is taking place at Balbirnie.

Appointments can usually be scheduled within one month. We will have set aside an hour or so to discuss your wedding and to show you around the building.

Please do let us know if you would like us to reserve a table for lunch or dinner following your showround of the House.

THE TRADITION OF BALBIRNIE

Prospective brides and grooms usually visit Balbirnie with the intention of reserving the special day during your show round appointment. If the happy couple are indeed able to successfully secure an intended date, upon receipt of the required £1,000.00 deposit, the day and venue are of course fully reserved. If deposit is received during initial showround, it is customary for us always to provide a bottle of complimentary champagne to immediately begin the celebrations, which can either be served in Balbirnie or taken home for celebration later.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING

Most helpfully intended, we mention that there are organisations which specialise in providing a further measure of contemplation as regards the actual purpose of the wedding, the exchange of Vows, and the beginning of marriage. This is a matter which can be traditionally discussed with Ministers in terms of religious weddings, however for civil and humanist services that aspect may not be contemplated. If considered relevant, we therefore refer, for example: www.marriagecare.org.uk

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BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR WEDDINGS AT BALBIRNIE

1. In order to secure your date and allow us to make appropriate arrangements, we would ask for a non- refundable deposit of £1,000.00, which will be deducted from the final account. In turn we will then issue confirmation, along with a letter of agreement, which must be signed and returned to us within 7 days. 2. In order to correctly ensure that all aspects of our legal paperwork are legally intact, we will only be able to arrange our paperwork as sending to an address with fixed abode. 3. Approximately 3 months prior to the wedding we would like to discuss final details. 4. 4 weeks prior to the wedding, a pro-forma invoice will be forwarded to you and we would request that 100% of the estimated account is settled at least 3 weeks prior to the day. If final planning has by any chance not taken place at the point of 6 weeks prior, then the invoice will be based on contracted and agreed numbers and information. Payments made to Balbirnie House can either be made by: (a) cheque (b) debit card (c) credit card with 1.18% surcharge, (d) electronic transfer. Our preferred method of accepting payment is via electronic transfer. Our accounts dept. will be able to provide account number and sort code. For info please email George Russell – [email protected] 5. Two weeks prior to the wedding, we request proposed final numbers and table plan. 6. Any additional aspects incurred in subsequent planning or on the day itself require to be fully settled on departure on the morning following the occasion. In the event that there is, for example, a late and unexpected drop in final numbers our Accounts Dept. will process any refund within 14 days. 7. The final numbers attending a wedding should be given two days before the event. This will be the number charged to the account, unless there is a subsequent increase. 8. Receipt of a deposit constitutes a binding contract between hotel and client, as laid down in hotel policy. 9. Tariffs commence on 1 May each year running for a year. These prices prevail for any event happening in that particular year. In general terms only a change in government tax (VAT) would affect these, although we reserve the right to increase with, of course, prior notification. Put into context, this would be a rare event. Any forthcoming event booked in advance but coming within a particular forthcoming year should take account of potential increases and the likelihood of these can be indicated at the time of booking. 10. Initial deposits and main account settlements via credit card incur a surcharge of 1.18%. 11. In the unfortunate event that circumstances arise which necessitate a client cancelling a wedding that is confirmed to be held at Balbirnie, our cancellation policy is as per our Hotel Policy and as such, both initial deposits and pre-payments are non-refundable. Please ask us if you would like to obtain a routine copy of our Hotel Policy for referral. We recommend that wedding insurance be considered for all weddings at Balbirnie. 12. Balbirnie will not be held responsible for any personal items lost after a wedding, or for any wedding accessories left at Balbirnie after a wedding, unless the items have been given to a member of staff for safe keeping with their agreement, or we have agreed by prior arrangement to store certain items. 13. We are very happy to offer the facility to sample your chosen menu prior to the wedding itself. The menu will be charged per person at 4 covers minimum at the actual menu price specified in this pack. 14. Our published prices for weddings have no applied service charges, and guests therefore often ask us about gratuities. For the avoidance of doubt, we do of course happily accept donations into the brigade gratuity fund, with all proceeds being divided twice yearly and equally between all members of staff. Donations are entirely at the discretion of the client. 15. Guests are asked to remember that Balbirnie House is a Grade ‘A’ listed building, and to therefore treat the house with due consideration. You will be responsible for the orderly conduct of your guests and shall ensure the house is in no way jeopardised. Balbirnie House reserves the right to withdraw any bar facility, if necessary. 16. Patrons and Benefactors: our company Fund for protecting and enhancing the very future of Grade A Listed Balbirnie House. Over and above each main account, all Special Event clients are provided with the option of making a completely voluntary contribution to maintaining the fabric of the assets of our nationally treasured Grade A Listed property. We confirm this is absolutely 100% voluntary, and we will set out options for payment as part of Special Event planning.

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Responsible Drinking Policy

Balbirnie House Responsible Drinking Policy

At Balbirnie we want everyone to really enjoy the time they share with us whether as guests or employees. In order to ensure that your guests can all enjoy their visit to Balbirnie, the hotel operate a responsible drinking policy in conjunction with our legal obligations under licensing legislation. This document will allow you to understand the objectives of the responsible drinking policy and also what this means to you and your guests.

Our responsible drinking policy has been put in place to ensure that all of our guests and employees can enjoy the experience they have at the hotel, the key objectives are to prevent crime and disorder, prevent public nuisance, protecting public health, securing public safety and protecting children from harm. In order for us to meet these objectives we have put in place the following policies and procedures.

Consumption of Alcohol not purchased from Balbirnie

It is strictly prohibited to consume alcohol purchased outside of the hotel within any area of the hotel including function suites, bedrooms and the hotels transport. Any alcohol identified to have not been purchased within the hotel will be confiscated if found, we respectfully request that our guests do not attempt to bring any alcohol into Balbirnie.

It is within the rights of our security contractor to search handbags and any items brought in by guests as required. Should we have reason to believe alcohol purchased off site is being consumed in bedroom accommodation we will enter and confiscate all alcohol for which proof of purchase is not available.

Service to Drunks and Prevention of Drunken Behaviour

Any guest who appears to be drunk will not be served any alcohol or admitted to any public area of the hotel. Should a guest appear to be drunk upon arrival they will not be admitted to either the function suite or bedroom accommodation should this have been reserved, under these circumstances no refund will be given. Any guest attempting to purchase alcohol for another who is drunk will not be served. Any guest who is considered to be acting in a severely drunken manner will be asked to leave the function suite, should they have accommodation booked they will be allowed to return to it.

Violent and Aggressive or Illegal Behaviour

Our policy in this regard is strict and uncompromising. Any guest who acts in an aggressive, violent or threatening manner will be ejected from the hotel immediately and asked not to return. Under these circumstances the guests will not be allowed to return to bedroom accommodation and any personal possessions left in the room will be forwarded on at the hotels cost on the next working day, no refunds will be given. Should the guest refuse to leave we will ask for the police to attend, should any injury to guests or employees or damage be caused to the hotel we will press charges and urge for prosecution. Should any guest be found to be in possession of illegal drugs the police will be asked to attend and remove the guest.

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Room Service and Late Bar

To purchase alcohol after our licensed hours for residents you must charge the cost of the drinks to your room account. All guests will be asked to provide credit or debit card details which will be pre-authorised on arrival. Any charges incurred by the guests in the room will be charged to the card details provided unless another payment method is used on check out. The operation of the late bar and acceptance of room service orders is solely at the discretion of the hotel management.

Protection of Public Health

Over and above the policies outlined above the hotel will offer water without charge and a range of soft drinks will be available at a reasonable price.

Protecting Children from Harm

Alcohol will only be served to guests who are over the age of 18. We operate a Challenge 25 policy, if a guest appears to be 25 or under (or someone for whom alcohol is being bought) then photographic ID will be requested, we only accept the new photo driving license or passport as proof of age.

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(This document is Copyright Balbirnie House 2016)

Sample Wedding Letter of Agreement to confirm a wedding with us at Balbirnie

Client Details: Date:

Dear ………………………….

SURNAME and SURNAME Wedding – DATE

Thank you for choosing Balbirnie House as the venue for your wedding. This letter sets out the terms and conditions under which we will plan and host your Wedding Day. Please read the following information thoroughly and if you have any questions please do feel free to contact us.

1. Reservation

1.1 We have provisionally reserved DATE for your wedding day. 1.2 To fully confirm your reservation we must be in receipt of your non-refundable deposit of £1,000.00 (your deposit will be deducted from the total cost of your Wedding Day) and we ask that you sign and return a copy of this letter no later than DATE. 1.3 If we do not receive either your deposit or your signed letter by the date stated in point 1.2 above your provisional reservation will be cancelled without notice.

2. Ceremony and Reception

2.1 Your wedding ceremony will take place in The Long Gallery/The Orangery with associated room hire charge @ £900.00/£1,000.00. 2.2 The meal and evening reception will be held in the Millennium Ballroom. 2.3 The areas of the hotel to be used for the drinks reception, cake cutting and photographs will be agreed between us at our Final Planning Meeting (please see point 5 below). 2.4 It is anticipated that your Wedding Day will finish in the Millennium Ballroom at 12.00am. The Library bar will remain open thereafter for all residential hotel guests until 2am. All purchases made at the bar after 12.00am will be added to the guest’s room account. Please note that under no circumstances will the bar remain open past 2.00am. We reserve the right to close the bar earlier if, in our sole discretion, we consider it necessary to do so.

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3. Guests

3.1 You anticipate that TBC adults and TBC children will attend your Wedding Day with and additional TBC guests attending the evening reception. Please note that the maximum number of daytime guests is 216. 3.2 Your table plan for the meal should be provided to us no later than two weeks before Your Wedding Day. 3.3 The final number of daytime and evening guests attending must be confirmed as soon as possible and in any event no later than two days before your Wedding Day. If this results in adjustment to your table plan please let us know when you are confirming your final number of guests. 3.4 Our prices per guest are based on a minimum number of adult daytime guests attending your Wedding Day. The minimum number of adult daytime guests required are:

Friday Saturdays Sunday – Thursday October to April 90 adult guests 100 adult guests 70 adult guests May to September 90 adult guests 100 adult guests 70 adult guests

3.5 The number of guests used to calculate the total cost of your Wedding Day will be the final number as confirmed to us in accordance with point 3.3 above, unless:

3.5.1 the number of guests that attend your Wedding Day is more than the final number provided to us, in which case the increased number of guests will be used, or 3.5.2 the final number of adult guests that attend your Wedding Day is less than the minimum number required (as set out in point 3.4 above), in which case you will be charged £60.00 for each adult guest under the minimum number required.

3.6 As your Wedding Day will be attended by both adults and children, we may when serving guests at the bar – as advised by the relevant authorities to do so- ask them to provide identification confirming that they are 18 years or older. You are responsible for ensuring that all guests attending your Wedding Day abide by their legal responsibly not to supply alcohol to any guest under the legal age permitted to drink alcohol.

4. Accommodation

4.1 For all weddings which take place throughout the year there is a minimum requirement for clients on those dates to fill at least 10 standard bedrooms, for 1 night only.

4.2 x Bedrooms = comprising TBC four poster suites, TBC deluxe double/twin rooms, TBC standard double/twin rooms, TBC standard single rooms have been reserved for the night prior to your Wedding Day for 2 nights. x Bedrooms = comprising TBC four poster suites, TBC deluxe double/twin rooms, TBC standard double/twin rooms, TBC standard single rooms have been reserved for the for the night of your Wedding Day.

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4.3 The current two-night rates (inclusive of VAT) for those guests wishing to arrive the night before your Wedding Day (including a relaxed 3-course dinner the night before your Wedding Day and breakfast on both mornings) are: Room Type Rate Deluxe Double/Twin Room £429.00 per room Standard Double/Twin Room £329.00 per room Single Room £214.50 per room Extra beds in rooms £20.00 per bed per night for kids aged 5-17 (including breakfast) £40.00 per bed per night for adults Cots Complimentary

4.4 The current one night rates (inclusive of VAT) for the night of your Wedding Day only (including a full Scottish breakfast) are: Room Type Rate Bridal Four Poster Suite £245.00 (including champagne!) Pearl Suite £215.00 Triplex Apartment £360.00 for the entire apartment Deluxe Double/Twin Room £190.00 per room Standard Double/Twin Room £140.00 per room Single Room £95.00 per room Extra beds in rooms £20.00 per bed per night for kids aged 5-17 (including breakfast) £40.00 per bed per night for adults Cots Complimentary

4.5 Our rates increase annually on the 1st May, we will advise you prior to your Wedding Day of any such increase. In the unlikely event that these rates have increased by more than 25%, you may cancel your room reservations, and you will not be charged for this.

4.6 Any additional rooms reserved will be charged at our normal room rates.

4.7 If you do not require any of the rooms that have been booked under 4.2 above please let us know as soon as possible and in any event no later than 3 calendar months before your Wedding Day. You may be charged for any rooms that are not used after this date. This clause only applies should your wedding proceed. If you cancel then clause 7.3 will apply.

4.8 Check-in time for all residents is from 2.00pm onwards. If you or your guests are intending to get ready in the hotel on the morning of your Wedding Day then to guarantee access to your room prior to 2.00pm the room must be reserved the night before your Wedding Day.

4.9 Check-out time for all residents is 11.00am.

4.10 In the event that any of your guests staying in the hotel leave without settling their room bill, the room hire and any associated charges will be added to your final invoice.

4.11 You acknowledge that we are obliged to comply with certain statutory and common law obligations, including but not limited to, the smoking ban, liquor licensing, fire regulations and health and safety regulations. You are responsible for ensuring that all guests

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attending your Wedding Day comply with any requirements necessary in terms of such legal obligations as indicated on notices and as may be directed by our staff.

5 Planning Meeting

We will arrange to meet with you approximately 3 months before your Wedding Day to discuss the final arrangements. After this meeting we will write to you to confirm these arrangements, and if there is anything that you would like to subsequently change, adapt, remove or enhance, or if it is in any way incorrect you must inform us as soon as possible.

6 Payment

6.1 We will send you an invoice for 100% of the Anticipated Total Cost, 4 weeks prior to Your Wedding Day. This invoice must be paid at least 21 days prior to the wedding.

6.2 If relevant (late increase in numbers etc) - A final invoice will be sent to you after your Wedding Day, within seven days. This invoice must be paid within 21 days of the date of the invoice.

6.3 VAT is incorporated within our prices at the current rate. In the event of a change in the rate of VAT we reserve the right to amend our prices accordingly. This in addition to any other price changes we may make from time to time.

6.4 Invoices settled by credit card will incur a 1.18% administration fee (3.35% for Amex).

6.5 If you do not pay any invoice on time we will, without limiting any other rights that we may have, be entitled to charge you interest at 5% per year above the Base Lending Rate of the Royal Bank of Scotland plc every day on the amount outstanding.

7 Cancellation by You

7.1 If you decide to cancel your reservation you must notify us as soon as possible in writing marked for the attention of the General Manager, Balbirnie House, Balbirnie Park, Markinch Village by Glenrothes, Fife KY7 6NE. 7.2 If you cancel your reservation the following cancellation charges (the “Cancellation Charges”) will apply. These are additional to the loss of the original non-refundable deposit. If your cancellation notice is received:

7.2.1 more than 12 calendar months before Your Wedding Day, You will be charged 10% of the Anticipated Total Cost; 7.2.2 within 9-12 calendar months of Your Wedding day, You will be charged 25% of the Anticipated Total Cost; 7.2.3 within 6-9 calendar months of Your Wedding Day, You will be charged 50% of the Anticipated Total Cost; and 7.2.4 within 3-6 calendar months of Your Wedding Day, You will be charged 75% of the Anticipated Total Cost; and

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7.2.5 within 3 calendar months of Your Wedding Day, You will be charged 100% of the Anticipated Total Cost. This may mean that in some cases the Cancellation Charges will be greater than the amount that you have paid and you will have to pay us the difference.

7.3 The Anticipated Total Cost includes: 7.3.1 ceremony and room hire charges; 7.3.2 facility fees; 7.3.3 70% of the cost of all daytime and evening guests (see points 7.4 and 7.5 below); 7.3.4 the cost of all accommodation booked by you; and any special arrangements made by Balbirnie at your request.

7.4 If the final cost per guest has not been agreed, the cost used to calculate the Cancellation Charge will be: 7.4.1 £60 per person for daytime guests (this figure already includes the 30% discount); and 7.4.2 £14 per person for the evening guests (this figure already includes the 30% discount).

7.5 If the final cost per guest has been agreed, i.e. prior to cancelling your reservation you have selected the drinks and menu package for your Wedding Day, the cost used to calculate the Cancellation Charge will be 70% of the cost of the package selected.

7.6 If the number of guests attending has not been finalised you will be charged for 100 daytime guests or if greater your anticipated estimated number of daytime guests (as set out in point 3.1) and, 50 evening guests or if greater your anticipated number of evening guests (as set out in point 3.1).

7.7 Cancellation Charges must be paid within 14 days of the date of the invoice.

7.8 For the avoidance of doubt, the Cancellation Charges detailed above are applicable throughout the year, and are not affected whatsoever by any ‘special packages’ or promotions that we may offer.

8 Cancellation by Us

If we require to cancel your reservation we will notify you in writing at your home address. We will refund all monies paid by you.

9 Your Liability

Should you or any of your guests cause damage to the hotel, including damaging the buildings, bedrooms, furniture and fittings and equipment, you will be responsible for settling any amount required to repair the damage caused.

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10 Our Liability

Our liability for any loss, damage or harm suffered by you as a result of our breach of these terms is: 10.1 unlimited in the event of death or personal injury; 10.2 excluded completely if you could make a claim through your wedding insurance; and 10.3 limited to the total costs, actually paid to us, for any further loss or damage. 10.4 In addition, we will only be responsible for direct losses, and so will not be responsible for any loss, damage or harm which is not reasonably foreseeable by us and which is not a direct and immediate result of our breach of these terms.

11 Wedding Insurance

We strongly recommend that you consider taking out wedding insurance. For the avoidance of any doubt if for some reason you cancel your Wedding Day or something happens that is not covered by the terms of your insurance you will still be liable for the Cancellation Charges as set out in point 7.2 above.

12 Our Staff

Our staff have the right to work in a safe environment. We will take any incidents of violent or abusive behaviour towards our staff very seriously and will where necessary involve the relevant authorities. You are responsible for ensuring that all guests attending your Wedding Day act in a courteous manner towards our staff.

13 Personal Belongings

Unless we have, prior to your Wedding Day, agreed to store certain items before, during and/or after your Wedding Day we are not responsible for any personal items lost after a wedding, or for any wedding accessories (including wedding presents) left at Balbirnie after a wedding.

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Once again, we are delighted that you have chosen Balbirnie House as the venue for your wedding day and we look forward to meeting with you over the coming months.

With kind regards,

Name Wedding Co-ordinator

I have read and understood this letter (in particular points 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.5, 6, 7, 9 and 10), and understand that by signing and returning this letter a legally binding contract will be created between myself and Balbirnie House Hotel Limited.

………………………………………………......

Date of signature ……………………………

(to be signed by the person(s) settling the invoices)

………………………………………………...... Full Name(s) …………………..…………………………...... Address ………………………………………………...... Address ………………………………………………...... Address …………….………………………………………………......

Telephone number(s)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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A FEW THOUGHTS FROM BALBIRNIE, ON THE GREAT INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE I am a great believer in this- 'Positivity projected into the great ether always goes full circle'. With that in mind, here are a few very personal thoughts, for anyone thinking of getting married. I say these things specifically in the context of seeing a few weddings cancelling every year, which is most unfortunate, disastrous actually, and depending upon lead time, potentially very expensive indeed - all obviously for nothing. If what I am about to say therefore makes anything easier for any single individual in any regard, then something positive has been accomplished. Any couple getting married in a church will have access and spiritual guidance from a Minister. For humanist and civil ceremonies, that may not be the case, which is why we highlight referral to relevant Counselling, advance contemplation and preparation, contained elsewhere within our literature. Over and above: We've all seen the Hollywood wedding movies, haven't we! What I have myself also seen first- hand (and whoever is reading this has perhaps not), is absolute real life disaster on a wedding day. Fortunately such circumstances are however very rare indeed. Before we start any year, there will possibly also always be a proportion of marriages at Balbirnie, which will unfortunately not endure the eventual test of time. That is simply an unfortunate fact of life. In my third decade of talking to couples every week about their intended wedding plans, it sometimes strikes me very much at outset, that some couples may have decided to literally rush into marriage, without actually contemplating what really does lie ahead, without realising what will be required to enable The Great Institution of Marriage … to actually work. A wedding is of course not just a day of celebration; it is also furthermore the very beginnings of the Institution of Marriage itself.

Additionally, and stating the obvious - a simple search online of 'healthy marriage tips' is a really great place to start contemplating the very aim of what lies ahead, all with a view to an intended lifetime happiness. I wish you happy reading …

I like to think of it like this, - Picture you and your beloved walking in Balbirnie Park in the future, when you are in your eighties!!! (Or nineties!!!) Hand in hand. Very much in love with each other. (Having visited Balbirnie many times over the years for Anniversary occasions!) Fulfilled with a lifetime of wonder and special Memories. Work everything in a timewarp backwards, now then - how and why was your marriage so successful that you have ended up so happy together in your eighties? I know this much, - setting aside a humorous suggestion that husbands do very well to pay attention and follow a wife’s instructions - there is no single particular secret.

Here’s my own tuppence. Marriage is about compassion, understanding, and patience. It is certainly not an on-going competition between two individuals. It is about trust, shared mutual regard and mutual respect, and shared common purpose, with jointly made decisions. It is about a sense of togetherness on a shared journey. It is about looking after each other always, with a feeling of absolute togetherness, and an absolute sense too that your life partner has your feelings always completely to the fore. A sense of humour will also assist you both very much!

Anyone thinking of getting married? Ask yourself one simple question. 'Do I really hand-on-heart want to spend the whole of the rest of my life, with the person to whom I intend getting married?' 61

Until death do us part. If the answer is 'yes', then let us please proceed with your special day. If 'unsure', (or even ‘maybe’) then I suggest that in currently contemplating getting married, you are perhaps wasting your time, and that also of your current beloved and intended. We have lost count of the number of times we have most unfortunately had to issue cancellation invoices, only to be told (by either bride or groom) – ‘We both knew we were never the one for each other’. And we always reply, ‘we are so sorry to hear that is the case, but as a form of positive, if you both concluded that you knew, then in no longer going ahead, you have absolutely made the correct decision’. I love marriage’s stability and a sense of real purpose every day, thanking my lucky stars for own very lovely wife, and all the joy we have seen as a result of our marriage together. I wish one and all every happiness in your important lifetime decisions. Deciding who you marry is in my opinion, the biggest decision you will ever make. And for those of you who already just somehow intuitively know that you are making the correct decision to get married. Well then, when you know, then you really know …!

All the best to you and yours, and wishing every happiness.

Nicholas Russell / MD Balbirnie x

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