Frequently Asked Questions

July and August are always the most popular months to get married in Scotland. However, the Atholl Palace is surrounded by breathtaking scenery of the Scottish Countryside it offers the perfect backdrop no matter the season. Couples can hold their wedding ceremonies and reception inside the hotel with ample accommodation for guests.

Yes, the Atholl Palace has beautiful garden rooms for the bridal party to get ready in. The hotel offers a bridal suite that can accommodate up to 8 people and includes a separate dressing area, vanity tables and a private bathroom. High hooks allow everyone’s dresses to decompress. Large windows let in natural light, perfect for your makeup artists and hair stylists. You will arrive gracefully for your big moment.

Drawing on years of experience, the Atholl Palace team recommends a specific timetable to ensure a seamless and memorable wedding day starting at 1:30pm with carriages at midnight. Adjustments can be made to allow for a church ceremony in Dunkeld or Pitlochry and for additional time with a photographer or according to your wedding package. Discuss your preferences with the Wedding Coordinator.

With so many beautiful options, you’re sure to capture stunning memories of your special day at the Atholl Palace. As well as capturing your ceremony inside the Atholl Palace, couples can take advantage of our 48-acre estate with a mix of gardens and woodland.

Wedding photographers recommend family and friends group shots under the entrance canopy, on the south terrace or by the steps with views of the mountains. Couples love our castellated roof top of original Turkish baths, accessed easily from the Bow Lounge. The steps down to the front lawn are a popular choice with photographers.

The fountain with the hotel in the background adds a touch of elegance while Lovers Lane is a charming pathway ideal for romantic couple portraits. The tranquil Japanese Gardens, with stream, red bridge and gazebo offer perfect timeless intimate photos. During your show round visit, grab a map and explore for yourself and later ask your photographer.

You can book a date and time that suits you for your Personal Show Around at the Atholl Palace with one of our team online HERE.

Atholl Palace Hotel has been licensed for Civil Ceremonies since 1951. Couples can choose from civil ceremonies, registrar-led Handfast Ceremonies and Humanist services which can be held in the Bow Lounge, a Victorian ball room. While not legally binding, Atholl Palace Hotel hosts traditional Highland Handfasts.

The Atholl Suite at the Atholl Palace Hotel is a circular function room that can host between 80 and 250 guests. Atholl Suite has almost panoramic woodland views with a stage, two large AV screens, central wooden dance floor and bar. Chandeliers and fairy lights hang from the distinctive modern wooden ceiling.

If you’re planning a spring wedding or a summer wedding, you may wish to hold your ceremony in the beautiful gardens. As the Scottish weather is very unpredictable ‘Plan A’ will always be hosting the ceremony indoors in the elegant Bow Lounge. However, if there are two consecutive days of good weather and if the weather is fine and dry on the morning of your wedding day, the Atholl Palace Hotel team can arrange the ceremony outside on our front lawn near the fountain, at no extra cost. Due to the intensive labour of setting up, the General Manager’s decision on the day is final.

The Bow Lounge can be set up theatre style, with a centre aisle, to seat up to 200 guests. It can be transformed from a formal ceremony during the day to a stunning candlelit dining room in the evening with your choice of banqueting tables or round tables for up to 90 guests.

The Bow Lounge, which was the original Ball Room of the Atholl Palace, retains original features such as the open fireplaces, ornate corniced ceilings and majestic bay and picture windows. The first solemnised wedding ceremony took place here in 1951. Then and now, the Bow Lounge enjoys unparalleled views of the valley.

The Corrie Room, neutrally designed, can seat between 6 – 20 guests for an intimate wedding. This grand Victorian parlour is perfect for small, elegant weddings with a touch of history. It retains original features such as the open fireplace, ornate corniced ceilings and majestic bay window. A bespoke quotation is available on request.

If you’ve always dreamed of getting married in a Castle in Scotland, the Atholl Palace Hotel is the answer with a range of wedding packages. A wedding abroad is a fantastic way to spend precious time with close family and friends and you’ll share memories for a lifetime.

Bilingual or Multilingual wedding ceremonies at the Atholl Palace Hotel are a great way to make your wedding guests feel wholly part of your celebration. The wedding coordinator can recommend contact information for bilingual celebrants that speak German, French, Italian and Spanish that are based in Scotland. Couples will need to contact them direct to check availability.

Atholl Palace provides fully set tables with table linen, glassware, mini-French vases and candelabras with candles. Atholl Palace Hotel has a thick, red carpet which takes three of the team to lay and makes a stunning aisle for ceremonies in the Bow Lounge.

The wedding coordinator is always a helping hand, but just in case, it’s best to make sure you can achieve the set-up yourselves.

Yes, Atholl Palace Hotel can recommend several great wedding suppliers that have experience of working at the venue from florists to photographers. The team recommend viewing their Instagram for inspiration of real-life weddings at the hotel.

We want you to have your vision come to life, however in certain spaces it may not be safe or possible to have open flame candles. You can chat through the options with our wedding coordinator during your visit.

Both the Atholl Suite and the Bow Lounge the Atholl Palace have their own wooden dance floor, designed to add an extra spring to any ceilidh flings.

Atholl Palace Hotel is over 150 years old and over the years the original building has been supplemented with many new accessible rooms and facilities (toilets, lift to swimming pool and museum). For the most part the Hotel is accessible with restaurant, accessible rooms, toilets, seating, bar and two function rooms (Bow Lounge & Corrie Room) on the ground floor. The main entrance has a ramp and a designated accessible car parking space beside the canopied entrance.

However, the Atholl Suite does not have direct wheelchair access from the main building. We have an alternative route from the exterior that our team will be happy to show you. Guide Dogs are welcome across our hotel and grounds. Speak to our team about you and your guests’ needs in terms of inclusive seating, quiet spaces etc.

A timeless Scottish Baronial masterpiece, Atholl Palace Hotel blends historic elegance with modern comfort. So many craftspeople left their mark throughout the hotel. The best advice is to look up! See the sunflowers in the ornate ceilings, the crystal chandeliers or the finials adorning the turrets. Admire the grand staircases, vast foyer and the perfectly proportioned Bow Lounge. Learn more about the hotel’s incredible 150-year history in the on-site museum on the lower ground floor.

Talented Head Chef Mike and his in-house team create exceptional dining experiences using the freshest, seasonal ingredients, locally sourced where possible, including some homegrown produce from the hotel’s polytunnels and gardens.

The Head Chef has developed a range of delicious dishes for your celebration. Dietary requirements are catered for on request and the Wedding Menu Guide highlights a selection of Gluten Free, Vegan and Vegetarian options.

Atholl Palace Hotel has a range of Atholl Palace Dry Gins and Liqueurs that can be used as wedding favours or in unique cocktails for your wedding guests.

Yes, Atholl Palace Hotel offers full day room hire for their Atholl Suite, Bow Lounge or Corrie Room. Chat to their wedding coordinator about how you can have your ceremony in the Bow Lounge followed by a reception there or in the Atholl Suite.

An initial non-refundable deposit of £1,000 is taken at the time of booking to secure the date. Payment of 50% of the estimated value of the wedding is due 6 months before the wedding with the final balance due 4 weeks before the wedding. Extras bills will be payable on the day of departure.

The Atholl Palace have a payment plan that allows you more flexibility if plans or ideas change along the way. The team will be happy set up a payment plan that makes it easiest for you.

Should you need to cancel your wedding, please advise the Atholl Palace team as soon as possible. The wedding co-ordinator will talk you through the cancellation policy at the time of booking and it will be included in your contract.

Atholl Palace offers a range of packages, a dedicated wedding coordinator, In-house catering and waiting team, in-house coordination, helping hand in understanding and planning your day, housekeeping and porterage, audio and visual systems, fully stocked bar in function areas and a stage for live music.

Absolutely, we pride ourselves on having no hidden extras. All our wedding packages include crockery, linen, cake stand, and cake knife included.

The hotel does not offer specific discounted rates for wedding guests. Booking 12 months in advance will provide the best available rates.

No, the Atholl Palace Hotel does not allow guests to bring their own alcohol. There are two well-stocked bars in both function areas with a wide selection of drinks to choose from. The Wedding coordinator can talk you through a drink’s packages best suited to your event.

Your wedding day is undoubtedly one of the most important and thrilling days of your life, but all that excitement takes organisation and great communication. Our number one tip is that it takes two! Keep a detailed spreadsheet, stick to your budget, ask for help and above all keep talking to one another about your wedding plans. And if in doubt, pick up the phone or email your wedding co-ordinator with any questions or queries.

We are extremely proud of the relationships we build with our couples and guests. We love welcoming couples back for anniversaries, vow renewals and that we get to be a part of not only your wedding day, but special days in the future too!

A bride used pages from her favourite books to make confetti cones and had origami flowers made from the pages added into her bouquet.

Atholl Palace Hotel has two suites located in the circular turrets, boasting panoramic views of the Tummel Valley from the bedroom. The lounge above allows you to the best view of Pitlochry without having to climb Ben Y Vrackie!

There are two things – One is the Legal or Religious paperwork can be easily overlooked. You need to book your Registrar in advance or arrange a first visit with your minister, priest or rabbi to set the date. Secondly that your wedding day will speed by in the blink of an eye, so it’s important to keep your sense of humour, laugh off any mishaps and enjoy the day. Our team will be on hand to help every step of the way.