Frequenty asked questions for your wedding at Dundas Castle.
We encourage all of our couples to contact us at any point during the planning phase of their wedding if they have a question. We would like to reassure you that there is a good chance that we have heard your question before so please feel free to ask! Below are answers to questions that you may be asking yourself but if there is anything else, please contact your wedding coordinator on 0131 319 2039 or email by clicking here.
Question: Can we have our ceremony at a different venue and then have the rest of the day at Dundas Castle?
Answer: Yes. If you would like to marry at a preferred location you are more than welcome to have your drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening reception here at the castle afterwards. The rates on this website and in your brochure apply. The bride and groom are still able to prepare at the castle and then travel to the ceremony venue. Our team will be on hand to make sure that enough time is left for travelling and to make sure the bride doesn’t bump into the groom! Dundas Castle has a Bentley (from £250) on offer to drive between the ceremony venue and the castle and also a Landau or a Bourgham horse-drawn carriage (from £380).
If you are considering travelling from another ceremony venue to Dundas Castle for your wedding day you should consider the distance between the two venues and whether the traffic is going to delay you and your guests. You may want to provide your guests with transport or give them directions to the castle. While this does give you more opportunities for photographs at different locations, you may wish to consider your guests and think about whether you want to provide any entertainment while they wait for you.
Question: What are the maximum numbers of guests in the Auld Keep?
Answer: The Great Hall within the Auld Keep can seat up to 100 guests. At the start of 2011 we built a minstrels' gallery in the Great Hall which allowed for our numbers to increase from 90 to 100. This means that there is space for 10 guests to sit on the gallery and as an option there is space for 10 more guests to stand in the galley which could take your numbers up to 110. By hiring in a video link you can make use of the 3 main rooms in the Auld Keep by filming the ceremony and showing it in the Armoury and Stag Chamber in real time. This takes the capacity of the Auld Keep to 152. The alternative locations and capacities for your ceremony are: the Stag Chamber - 16, the Croquet Room - 80 and the Pavilion - 180. For outdoor weddings the guest number maximum depends on the location, which our wedding coordinators can advise you on.
Question: Can we get married outside?
Answer: Yes. There are some spectacular locations for an outdoor wedding here at Dundas Castle near Edinburgh, Scotland and our wedding coordinators will be able to talk these through with you. You are able to have either a religious or humanist ceremony outdoors on the estate but we always advise that you select an indoor option just in case! Please click here for further information on location options and for planning your outdoor wedding ceremony at Dundas Castle.
Question: Can we land by helicopter or go on a helicopter ride during our day?
Answer: Yes. We have worked with a number of helicopter companies in the past. Please contact our wedding coordinator who will be able to give you information on making your day even more special.
Question: At what point do we need to give our exact final numbers?
Answer: We require your final numbers 10 days prior to your wedding so that catering can be arranged and table plans finalised. Wedding packages and bedroom numbers are fixed 6 weeks from your wedding.
Question: What time does our wedding day finish?
Answer: ‘Carriages’ are at midnight. We are happy to help guests call taxis and there are bus and taxi supply companies on our recommended suppliers list. For guests staying in the castle bedrooms we will set up a residents bar in the library. This provides a chance for you and your close friends and family to relax by the fire while you enjoy a final drink and recall special moments from earlier in the day.
Question: Do you have any activities on the estate for before our wedding ceremony?
Answer: We have a nine-hole golf course and are happy to give up to eight passes complimentary for a round before the ceremony. This is, of course, weather dependant and may not be possible if there is a competition on that day. We also have a 4x4 course, quad biking track and a clay pigeon area. Our wedding coordinators will be able to advise you on availability for golf and will give you information on any other activities that you are considering.
Question: Do you recommend suppliers or accommodation in the area?
Answer: Yes, please click here to be taken to our recommended suppliers page. This is a list of suppliers who have worked at the castle on many occasions and who have had fantastic feedback from past clients. To read more about a selection of our suppliers please click here to be taken to our Guest Blog section on the Dundas Blog. Please contact our wedding coordinators for the most current list of accommodation near our estate in South Queensferry, Scotland and in the centre of Edinburgh from B&Bs to luxury hotels. For local accommodation online, click here. 0131 319 2039 weddings@dundascastle.co.uk
