The Best Castle Wedding Venues in Scotland

Dalhousie Castle

Dalhousie Castle is a 13th-century castle wedding venue near Bonnyrigg, around eight miles from Edinburgh, set within parkland beside the River Esk.

We’ve photographed 30+ weddings here, so it’s one of the castle venues we know particularly well. The mix of historic interiors, spiral staircases, stone exterior, riverside grounds, and surrounding woodland gives couples plenty of photographic variety without leaving the estate.

The private chapel is one of Dalhousie’s most distinctive ceremony spaces, while the castle also offers exclusive-use weddings with accommodation on site.

See our complete Dalhousie Castle wedding guide and photos.

Dundas Castle

Dundas Castle near South Queensferry is an exclusive-use castle wedding venue with a 15th-century Auld Keep, Victorian main house and separate Pavilion for larger celebrations.

We’ve photographed 20 weddings here, so it’s another castle venue we know particularly well. The contrast between the medieval Keep, elegant interiors, courtyard, lawns and wider estate gives us plenty of photographic variety without taking couples far from their guests.

Ceremonies can take place in several parts of the castle and grounds, including the Great Hall in the Auld Keep, while the Pavilion provides space for larger wedding breakfasts and evening celebrations.

See our full Dundas Castle wedding guide and photos.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a very different wedding venue from the privately owned castles elsewhere in this guide, sitting on Castle Rock in the centre of Edinburgh and remaining open to visitors during daytime weddings.

We’ve photographed 20 weddings here, so we know the venue extremely well. The setting gives couples something genuinely distinctive: historic interiors within the castle itself combined with views across Edinburgh immediately outside. St Margaret’s Chapel is particularly suited to very small religious ceremonies, while larger weddings can use spaces including the Queen Anne Building and Gatehouse Suite.

Wedding availability is more restricted than at many venues, with weddings currently offered from October to May and selected dates in June and September.

See our Edinburgh Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Carlowrie Castle

Carlowrie Castle near Kirkliston is an exclusive-use castle wedding venue that combines its historic baronial exterior with contemporary interiors, a walled garden, and 32 acres of private grounds.

We’ve photographed 25 weddings at Carlowrie Castle, across different seasons and weather conditions, so we know the venue extremely well. The castle exterior, tree-lined drive, walled garden and modern interior spaces provide plenty of variety for photographs without taking couples away from their guests for long.

Weddings can use the castle, Orangery, marquee, and outdoor spaces, with exclusive use allowing the celebration to remain within the estate throughout the day.

See our complete Carlowrie Castle wedding photography guide and real weddings.

Borthwick Castle

Borthwick Castle near North Middleton is a 15th-century castle wedding venue around 12 miles south of Edinburgh, surrounded by the Midlothian countryside.

We’ve photographed weddings here, and it’s one of the most distinctive castles in this guide. The thick stone walls, spiral staircases, large fireplaces, and historic rooms give the interior a very different character from the country-house style found at many Scottish castle venues, while the grounds provide more open settings for outdoor portraits.

Borthwick is hired exclusively for weddings, with celebrations taking place across spaces including the Great Hall, State Room and Garrison, as well as accommodation within the castle.

See our Borthwick Castle wedding photography and venue guide.

Melville Castle

Melville Castle near Lasswade is a historic Midlothian wedding venue set within 54 acres of gardens and woodland, while still being within easy reach of Edinburgh.

We’ve photographed 20 weddings at Melville Castle, so we know the venue and its grounds extremely well. Inside, the Grand Staircase and characterful rooms give us useful options for photographs whatever the weather, while outside we’ve used the lawns, woodland paths and areas around the River North Esk for more relaxed portraits.

Weddings can range from smaller celebrations inside the castle to larger receptions in the marquee, with ceremonies possible in the Viscount Room, Ballroom or gardens.

See our Melville Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Oxenfoord Castle

Oxenfoord Castle near Pathhead is a historic Midlothian castle wedding venue set within around 68 acres of parkland and woodland, approximately 12 miles from Edinburgh.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the contrast between the elegant castle interiors, stone exterior and extensive grounds particularly useful. The large windows bring plenty of natural light into parts of the castle, while the gardens, mature trees, and parkland provide a very different outdoor setting.

Couples have exclusive use of the castle and grounds for their wedding, with ceremonies possible inside the Drawing Room or outdoors in the gardens.

Fenton Tower

Fenton Tower is a restored 16th-century fortified tower near North Berwick, around 20 miles east of Edinburgh, surrounded by open East Lothian countryside.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found it particularly well suited to couples who want the privacy and character of a castle without the scale of a much larger estate. The stone exterior, historic interiors and surrounding countryside give us very different settings for photographs within a relatively compact venue.

Smaller weddings can take place inside the Tower, while larger celebrations can use a marquee within the grounds. Fenton is also available on an exclusive-use basis, keeping the venue private for the wedding party and guests.

See our Fenton Tower wedding photography and venue information.

Neidpath Castle

Neidpath Castle is a medieval castle wedding venue just outside Peebles, set above the River Tweed with views across the surrounding Scottish Borders countryside.

We’ve photographed many weddings here, so we know the castle and its grounds well. Inside, the thick stone walls, vaulted rooms, Great Hall, and narrow staircases create a very different atmosphere from a more polished country-house venue, while outside, the battlements, woodland, and riverside landscape give us plenty of contrasting options for photographs.

Couples have exclusive use of the castle for their wedding, with ceremonies possible inside or outdoors in the grounds. A marquee in the Walled Garden at Barns is also available for larger celebrations from May to October.

See our Neidpath Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Thirlestane Castle

Thirlestane Castle in Lauder is a 16th-century castle wedding venue in the Scottish Borders, surrounded by parkland and gardens with the River Leader running close to the estate.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the contrast between the richly decorated State Rooms, stone exterior, terrace, Rose Garden and surrounding grounds particularly useful for photographs. The interior spaces have a very different character from many other Scottish castles, with ornate plasterwork, historic furnishings and large formal rooms.

Weddings can range from intimate ceremonies to much larger celebrations, with exclusive use of the castle available. Ceremonies can take place in spaces including the State Drawing Room, State Dining Room, Panelled Room and Vaulted Cellars, as well as outdoors on the terrace or in the Rose Garden.

Duns Castle

Duns Castle is a historic castle wedding venue on the edge of the town of Duns in the Scottish Borders, surrounded by extensive parkland, woodland and its own lake.

We’ve photographed weddings here and particularly like the variety between the castle interiors and the grounds outside. The medieval stonework sits alongside later Georgian Gothic rooms, while the lawns, mature trees and lakeside give couples plenty of options for outdoor photographs without leaving the estate.

Weddings have exclusive use of the castle and its immediate grounds, with ceremonies possible in the Drawing Room, Dining Room or Great Hall, as well as outdoors on the lawn or beside the lake.

Barony Castle

Barony Castle is a historic castle wedding venue in Eddleston near Peebles, around 35 minutes from Edinburgh, surrounded by woodland and Scottish Borders countryside.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the grounds particularly useful, with the castle exterior, lawns, woodland and the Great Polish Map of Scotland all providing very different settings for photographs. Inside, the function rooms give couples useful alternatives when the weather keeps everyone indoors.

Ceremonies can take place inside the castle or outdoors on the lawns, at the gazebo or beside the 16th-century outdoor altar. Exclusive-use weddings are also available, with larger celebrations possible in a marquee within the grounds.

See our Barony Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Wedderburn Castle & Barns

Wedderburn Castle near Duns is a historic Scottish Borders wedding venue that lets couples choose a traditional castle celebration, a more relaxed barn wedding, or a combination of both.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found that contrast particularly useful. Inside the castle, the Georgian rooms, sweeping staircase and large windows provide elegant settings for photographs, while outside there are lawns, mature grounds and the more informal surroundings of Wedderburn Barns.

Ceremonies and receptions can take place inside the castle, outdoors on the lawns or in the Barns. The castle ballroom currently accommodates ceremonies of up to 80 guests, while the Barns can host up to 150, with accommodation also available within the estate.

Cornhill Castle

Cornhill Castle near Biggar is a castle wedding venue in South Lanarkshire, set within the countryside between Edinburgh and Glasgow with extensive grounds around the castle.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the combination of the castle exterior, gardens and surrounding landscape particularly useful for photographs. The venue also gives couples a clear contrast between the more traditional castle setting and the modern wedding Pavilion used for ceremonies and larger celebrations.

Weddings can include indoor or outdoor ceremonies, with the Pavilion currently accommodating up to 180 guests for the ceremony and up to 200 for evening celebrations.

See our Cornhill Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Shieldhill Castle

Shieldhill Castle is a historic castle wedding venue near Biggar, set within private grounds in the South Lanarkshire countryside between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

We’ve photographed three weddings here, so we know this castle venue in this guide particularly well. The combination of the traditional castle interiors and surrounding grounds gives couples very different settings within the same venue.

Weddings can include the ceremony, reception and accommodation at Shieldhill, with exclusive use also available for couples who want the castle and grounds to themselves for their celebration.

Crossbasket Castle

Crossbasket Castle near High Blantyre is a 15th-century castle wedding venue set within a private estate around 20 minutes from Glasgow city centre.

We’ve photographed a wedding here, and the venue offers a useful contrast between the historic castle interiors, surrounding woodland and waterfall, and the much larger Roosevelt Ballroom. That gives couples very different settings within the same venue, whether they are planning a smaller castle wedding or a larger celebration.

You can also hire the castle exclusively, with its historic bedrooms and public rooms reserved for the wedding party and guests.

Sherbrooke Castle

Sherbrooke Castle is a red sandstone baronial-style hotel in Pollokshields on Glasgow’s south side, combining the look of a traditional Scottish castle with the convenience of a city location.

We’ve photographed a wedding here and found the contrast between the castle exterior, private gardens and bright Orangery particularly useful. The grounds give couples plenty of options for outdoor photographs, while the staircase and interior spaces provide useful alternatives when the weather keeps everyone inside.

Sherbrooke hosts only one wedding per day, with ceremonies possible in the Orangery, banqueting suites, private rooms or outdoors on the garden terrace. Couples can also book exclusive use of the hotel if they want the castle and grounds entirely private for their celebration.

See our Sherbrooke Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle is a clifftop castle wedding venue on the Ayrshire coast, with views across the Firth of Clyde and extensive grounds running down towards the beach.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the range of settings particularly useful. Inside, the Robert Adam Oval Staircase and historic rooms offer surroundings very different from the gardens, woodland, coastline, and beach outside, giving couples plenty of variety without leaving the estate.

Wedding ceremonies can take place in several locations, including the castle itself, the Orangery, Camellia House and Viewing Platform, with larger celebrations also possible in a marquee within the grounds.

See our Culzean Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Glenapp Castle

Glenapp Castle near Ballantrae is an Ayrshire castle wedding venue set within 110 acres of private estate and woodland, with gardens and views towards the coast and Ailsa Craig.

We’ve photographed a wedding here and found the grounds particularly useful, with the castle exterior, tree-lined drive, gardens, woodland, and coastal views offering a range of settings. The historic interiors also provide plenty of options when the Scottish weather keeps everyone inside.

Glenapp can host everything from intimate weddings for two to larger celebrations, with exclusive use of the castle available and marquee weddings possible within the grounds.

See our Glenapp Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Fingask Castle

Fingask Castle is a historic family-owned castle near Rait in Perthshire, set within gardens, woodland and its own private estate between Perth and Dundee.

We’ve photographed weddings here and found the variety of settings particularly useful. The castle interiors, courtyard, topiary gardens, woodland and wider grounds all offer different options for photographs, while the cottages on the estate make it easy to photograph preparations without travelling between locations.

Smaller weddings can take place inside the castle, while larger celebrations use the Fingask Pavilion. Outdoor and woodland ceremonies are also available within the grounds.

See our Fingask Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.

Wardhill Castle

Wardhill Castle near Meikle Wartle is a privately owned Aberdeenshire castle wedding venue surrounded by parkland and woodland, with views towards Bennachie.

We’ve photographed a wedding here and found the combination of traditional castle interiors, a sweeping staircase, gardens, and surrounding countryside particularly useful for photographs. Its secluded setting also makes it well suited to smaller destination weddings where couples and their guests want to stay together and enjoy the venue privately.

The castle is available for exclusive private hire and has eight bedrooms accommodating up to 16 guests, making it particularly suitable for intimate weddings and celebrations centred around the castle itself.

See our Wardhill Castle wedding photography and real wedding photos.