Weddings
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Named one of the Best wedding venues in the UK by Harper's Bazaar
Really? One of the best venues in the UK? What’s so special? Maybe, we are a little biased, but we would say everything! See below for just a few highlights.
Achnagairn Castle is a five-star exclusive-use venue, set in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland, on a 30-acre estate. It is breathtaking as a wedding venue, particularly thanks to the castle's crowning glory - a magical, historic, vaulted ballroom
The ballroom is always the centrepiece of weddings at Achnagairn: the aisle for you to walk down, the setting for the grand wedding breakfast, and the site of the dancing that goes on to the early hours. It truly lends itself perfectly to fairytale weddings, large or small.
See for yourself
Achnagairn Castle is best seen in person, but as many of our clients are not local, and may not be able to pop in straight away, we have teamed up with My Scotland Wedding to create this handy video to give you a virtual show-round of the castle.
Explore the magical ballroom, gorgeous grounds, bedrooms and even some of the Mini Manors (further bedrooms on the estate) in this video. But, even My Scotland Wedding's wonderful skills and a sunny day can't quite compare to walking through the doors of the ballroom for the first time in person at Achnagairn... We hope we can show you in person again soon!
We had our wedding at Achnagairn and it was just perfect – we can’t thank the team enough for making our weekend so special... I can only hope that one of our family or friends decide to get married here so that we can come back and experience it all again!
Lynnsay and Max, October, Photograph by The Curries
10½ reasons
Achnagairn is so special
Five Star Exclusive Use Castle
Weddings at Achnagairn are run slightly differently from elsewhere. Rather than simply renting a room for your reception and wedding banquet, we operate on an exclusive use basis, meaning that for the entirety of your stay, the castle is yours and yours alone! This includes the gardens, all the reception rooms, the ballroom, and the many bedrooms - you are truly the Laird and Lady of all you survey!
Fairytale Vaulted Ballroom
Achnagairn Castle’s ballroom is breathtaking. The only one of its kind in the Highlands, you could not hope for a more magical place to tie the knot. It is a very versatile space, and can serve both as a church-style setting to say ‘I do’, and also as a banquet hall and dancing space to celebrate with all your guests. It can take up to 200 guests for a meal and 260 for dancing, but it is perfect for smaller groups too. Weddings groups are often anything from 40 – 200 people.
Capacity
Whether you're planning a smaller or larger wedding, we can accommodate everyone! There are 62 bedrooms on the estate (24 in the castle, and 38 further bedrooms in the "Mini Manors" on the grounds of the estate, a stone's throw from the castle), meaning we can sleep up to 150 people, so there is no need for midnight taxis back to hotels.
Character & Individuality
Each bedroom in Achnagairn Estate is unique... and bursting with character! In both the castle and the Mini Manors, every bedroom has been individually designed with its own name and theme. Some are more traditional: wood panelled and luxurious, with four-poster beds and original antiques; others are quirkier and more contemporary: a round bedroom with a round bed and bath, for instance!
Dedicated Team
We have a team who love weddings, who always go above and beyond, and who don't have the word "no" in their vocabulary. From Cara and Nicola, who you will come to know very well as our wedding coordinators, to our outstanding housekeeping, bar and estate management team, they are a fabulous unit. They also work excellently with our suppliers, who become an extension of the team on the day of a wedding!
Gorgeous Grounds
Achnagairn has beautiful landscaped gardens for magical wedding photos and lots of space on the lawns for activities. Many couples choose to make them a feature of a wedding with us - whether through Highland Games to help the families mix, or a marquee to keep the ballroom a surprise for later in the stay!
Outstanding food
Our catering partners are truly excellent. We work with a panel of partners to ensure that each couple's menu is exactly what they desire: tailor made to their tastes. They all know the castle inside out, and are delighted to make your wedding menu exactly as you would like it, with deliciously fresh local ingredients, and excellent flair!
An Ideal Location
We are very easy to get to: only seven miles from Inverness (15 minutes from Inverness centre, 30 minutes from Inverness airport, and a 20 minute drive from Loch Ness for the more intrepid guests). Many of our clients come from outside Scotland, so our accessibility makes us particularly handy for a venue in the Highlands!
Flexibility
It is your wedding. We believe it should be exactly as you want it, and can tailor make every part of it to your desires. We hate the idea of off the shelf packages, and instead have a detailed list of suppliers to help inspire you. Our team is also always on hand to help you think through any of your plans.
Delighted Brides & Grooms
Our guest book overflows with compliments from delighted brides and grooms who have had magical weddings with us. Weddings are our absolute specialty at Achnagairn, and we just adore making the biggest day of a couple's life utterly unforgettable!
Escape the Ordinary
But those things are all physical. What really sets up apart is our ethos: “Escape the Ordinary”. This informs all that we do. We feel life is too short for anything less than the extraordinary. Natural beauty, architectural harmony, impeccable service, outstanding food, sumptuous design, breathtaking views, friendly and dedicated staff who are always happy to provide more, to smile more and to go not just the extra mile but even a whole league further.
Notice a Trend?
Achnagairn Castle is a VOWS Award Winning Venue
2017, 2018, 2019
Meet Cara & Nicola
Our wonderful wedding and events planners Cara and Nicola are here to make every aspect of your big day truly extraordinary. A warm and welcoming presence, they and the rest of the team are always on call to provide information, inspiration, and the reassurance that your wedding is in (very) safe hands.
Take the next step
Make an Enquiry
Got a special request or question? Enquire now and we can help.
Book a Show round
You need to see it to believe it. Why not book a show round?
Wedding Brochure
Start planning today and download our wedding brochure.
Wedding gallery
View more photos of beautiful weddings at Achnagairn in our wedding gallery
Fab place, fab staff, fab wedding! Thank you for making our day perfect.
Dawn & Thomas Guernsey