We got engaged in June 2025 and immediately started searching for our perfect 2026 wedding venue. We visited everything from DIY barns and walled gardens to luxurious castle estates and even a boathouse. While they all had their own charm, none of them quite worked for our 120 guests, each presenting different challenges. Mar Lodge was excellent value for the money.

Then we found Mar Lodge - and from the moment we saw it, we knew it was the one. We rented the entire estate from Friday through to Monday, and it exceeded every expectation.

Mar Lodge is truly one of a kind. The main lodge, the Stag Ballroom, and the surrounding grounds are simply breathtaking. The Victorian architecture and interiors are unlike anything we've seen before, creating an unforgettable setting with an incredible sense of character and grandeur. The venue comfortably accommodated all of our guests, and every space was put to good use throughout the weekend. We were fortunate enough to have our ceremony outside, but the indoor rooms are equally stunning and would have made a beautiful alternative. The billiards room quickly became everyone's favourite gathering spot and was probably the most-used room over the weekend!

The entire estate has an undeniable wow factor and provides the perfect backdrop for a traditional Scottish wedding. Having exclusive use of the lodge for the whole weekend made the experience even more special, allowing us to relax and spend quality time with our family and friends.

Finally, a huge thank you to the entire Mar Lodge team. From our very first conversations through to the wedding weekend itself, they were exceptional. They were friendly, responsive, accommodating, and nothing ever felt like too much trouble. Their support made the whole experience completely stress-free.

We truly had the best weekend of our lives, and judging by the feedback from our guests, they did too. We couldn't recommend Mar Lodge more highly to anyone looking for a truly unforgettable wedding venue.

Mar Lodge Estate was the perfect setting for our wedding day. We wanted a ceremony surrounded by nature beside a river, and the estate provided exactly that. The scenery was breathtaking and felt almost fairy-tale-like, with the sounds of the river and forest creating such a peaceful and magical atmosphere.

One of the most special moments was walking to the ceremony location while following the sound of the pipes through the forest as the piper played. It made the experience feel incredibly emotional and unforgettable.

We also had our two small dogs with us on the day, and the staff were amazing in helping to look after them during the ceremony, which meant so much to us and allowed us to fully relax and enjoy the moment.

The team were professional, welcoming, and attentive throughout the entire process, and every detail was handled with care. The combination of the stunning surroundings, exceptional service, and unique atmosphere made our wedding truly special. We couldn’t have chosen a better venue and would highly recommend Mar Lodge Estate to anyone looking for a magical wedding location in nature.

We honestly could not have dreamed of a more perfect place to celebrate our wedding than Mar Lodge. Myself and the Groom are both from Braemar and we always knew this was the venue for would choose. The area means so much to us and the venue itself is breath-taking.

The scenery and views surrounding the lodge is spectacular, there is no shortage of photo opportunities. There is so many to choose from and even if the weather isn't looking good, I can guarantee the photos will look amazing with the backdrop. Every part of the estate feels peaceful, grand, and incredibly special, and our guests who were not local are still talking about how stunning the location was. Our vibes were Scottish, Romantic and we wanted to include our dogs wherever we could and Mar Lodge hit every nail on the head.

The lodge itself is full of charm, elegance, and character while still feeling warm and welcoming. There is such a unique atmosphere at Mar Lodge that you cannot recreate anywhere else. Having all of our closest friends and family together in such an intimate and beautiful setting made the entire weekend feel incredibly personal and unforgettable. The accommodation was also fantastic, the interior was so well fitted, immaculate and guests loved the experience of staying at the lodge and waking up surrounded by such incredible scenery.

The team at Mar Lodge from start to finish were incredibly welcoming, kind, professional, organised, and genuinely invested in making our day perfect. Every detail was handled so smoothly, allowing us to relax and enjoy every single moment without stress. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble, and the care and attention we received throughout the planning process and on the wedding day itself and the entire weekend was really first class.

From the Friday right through to the Monday, we honestly cannot thank the team enough for creating such an unforgettable weekend. EVERYTHING was exactly as we imagined and we would recommend Mar Lodge without hesitation to any couple looking for a truly magical wedding venue.

We had our wedding at Mar Lodge Estate in August. The grounds and the house are immaculately cared for. We rented two out of the four of the apartments in the main house; a 2 bedroom for us, and the large, multi-bedroom for our wedding guests. The rooms are spacious and most have bathrooms attached or across the hall. The kitchens have ample space to store food and prepare meals, and the living / dining area is equipped for many people to enjoy a meal or a night in together.
We had our ceremony in Linn of Quoich on Mar Lodge Estate, and were permitted to use Queen Victoria's Cottage for a light lunch. The area is incredible for photographs, and easily walkable from the nearby parking lot.
While the house, the location, and even the weather were fantastic, our wedding would not have gone so smoothly without the involvement of Sophie and Louise. Over our week staying at the lodge, they played the following roles, many of them unexpected, but not unappreciated; tour guide, kilt inspector, bridal attendant, photographer's assistant, steam cleaner, construction supervisor, champagne flute procurer, wedding dress complimenter, and, most appreciated, conversation partner. They had an immeasurable impact not only on our wedding day, but on the experience of each member of our group throughout our entire stay on the property.

If you are considering celebrating your wedding at Mar Lodge, consider no longer. You will have an unforgettable experience.

We chose this place mainly due to our family connection here, but it was also the most affordable option for us as we were already planning on a very small wedding with a separate venue for our reception near our home.

Our theme was of course nature based with lots of greens that fit perfectly into the environment. To make it truly on theme I made my own flower crown, braided our own handfasting ribbon and assembled a box for rings full of dried moss.

It just so happened that the weather on our date was absolutely fantastic - sunny and warm at the end of September (our photographer had an issue with his camera heating up, never had that happen in Scotland before). So the whole day was absolutely magical with sunshine, blooming heather and no wind. Our coordinator from Mar Lodge was Sophie, who did a great job helping us to the location and giving us enough space for the ceremony. She organized a transport in a buggy for two elderly guests who wouldn't have been able to walk up to the ceremony spot. Everyone else made their way up an easy trail from a nearby car park. There were signs posted near the trails asking visitors to be mindful of the ceremony. What we didn't expect though, was that in addition to the walking trails, there should have been signs in the river, too! We had a funny instance of a diver coming all the way down and ending up next to our ceremony in a full wetsuit. We were both quite stunned when we spotted each other, but thankfully the diver made a quiet exit back up the river with no disruptions.

Our ceremony happened just in time for the renovated Victoria picnic lodge to be available as a back up location in case of bad weather (which of course we ended up not needing). But it made for some amazing photography shots.

Truly amazing location and great communication with the venue! We both can't recommend it enough.

We recently had our wedding at Mar Lodge Estate in early October and we are still struggling to find the words to describe how perfect it was! There is so much flexibility within the lodge to map out how you wish your day to go. Ie. Ceremony, drinks and dinner locations. We had a small ceremony and dinner with less than 20 guests attending and we've been showered with compliments on the venue choice ever since.
There are multiple locations within the lodge and across the estate for photo opportunities our only regret was not having a day just to capture them all!
We originally had the intention of an outdoor ceremony and drinks reception but in true Scottish fashion the weather was a little chaotic. On the day of the wedding we relocated the ceremony into the drawing room with the support and guidance of Louise & Sophie. We than had the drinks reception to follow in the same room and main hall. Our wedding dinner was held in the dining room thereafter. There was plenty of room for guests to flow throughout and not feel confined to one area.
Mar Lodge is the perfect location if you are unsure how you wish to decorate for your day, and we kept our own minimal because we truly felt the location did more than enough for us, and the beauty of it spoke for itself.
We cannot begin to describe how thankful we are to Louise & Sophie. They truly kept us sane when having the usual wedding stress and were so attentive on the lead up to the wedding and on our special day. They are so approachable and make you feel like you are their biggest priority, even when they are juggling a hectic wedding season!
We would also like to say just how appreciative we were of the estate staff not directly involved in the wedding. With Storm Amy hitting the area overnight, they worked hard to clear the roads and access to the estate as soon as possible, which allowed our guests to utilise the driveway with the stunning run up to the lodge.
We can safely say we will be taking full advantage of the onsite accommodation in future and visiting the Lodge in the future. It definitely felt like a home away from home.

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding experience at Mar Lodge! From start to finish, the team made our day absolutely magical.

Every detail, from Friday night karaoke to Sunday’s BBQ and Highland Games, was full of laughter, fun, and unforgettable moments. The Lodge is astonishing, and the Stag Ballroom is a really special place to hold a wedding reception— we still can’t quite believe how lucky we were to get married there. This is a truly amazing wedding venue and a hidden gem.

Sophie and Louise and the whole team were incredible — so attentive and helpful throughout the entire weekend, making sure everything ran smoothly and that we felt completely supported. We can’t thank them enough for making our wedding so special!

We recently got married at the stunning Mar Lodge estate. This was a dream venue for us and Louise, Sophie and all of the team made all our hopes and wishes a reality!! They were excellent to communicate with throughout the whole planning process and tended to our every need. This is a unique venue that will get your guests oooohhh’ing and ahhhhhh’ing all day as they discover its unbelievable beauty.

As soon as we were engaged we knew Mar Lodge, Braemar was a contender. We visited the property first and decided it was the place we wanted to get married. There was no need to visit anywhere else.
We chose a weekend to get married due to being able to have Mar Lodge for 3 nights. It gave us the chance to spend time with our families and friends without having to leave the next day or do everything the same day.
All our guests loved the location and stunning venue of our wedding. Some had visited before so Mar Lodge held special memories.
We cannot thank Louise and Sophie enough for all they did. They were always on hand to answer any questions, liaise with our suppliers and keep everything on time. Nothing was too much for them.
It was important our Dog Monty could be a big part of our wedding and Mar Lodge meant he could be. He was able to spend all day with us and our guests, it meant a lot to us.
We loved being able to use the Public Rooms and Walled Garden to host our family and friends. No matter if the sun is shining or it is pouring rain, the inside and outside spaces is ideal for entertaining.
Mar Lodge is very well priced considering all that is included. There were no hidden costs and excellent value for money. Mar Lodge has a room full of wedding accessories gifted and used by previous couples which we used and appreciated very much.
We used the Estate Grounds and got some of our photographs taken at Linn of Quoich - absolutely breath taking and an absolute must!
We would highly recommend Mar Lodge as a Wedding Venue due to the stunning setting, peaceful surroundings, fantastic accommodation and especially everyone who works at Mar Lodge, they really do go above and beyond to make the weekend memorable.

Everything at Mar Lodge was perfect for our wedding day! The staff are amazing and so helpful in making the venue exactly how you want and the flexibility offered by the venue is unbelievable - there are absolutely no expectations and you can do whatever you want with the space. A huge plus is the number of bedrooms available to hire for the weekend so you can spend even more time with your closest family and friends.

We genuinely could not have asked for anything more from both Louise and Sophie at Mar Lodge. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel very at home, and yet at the same time, as VIPs, nothing was too much trouble for either of them. All of the attention to detail, help, and support on the day made it a truly memorable day in a magical setting. We would highly recommend to anyone looking to get married in this part of the world to look no further than Mar Lodge. Thanks again, Mr and Mrs McLaughlin.x

The lodge, ballroom and area are really very special and the reason we chose to have our wedding at Mar Lodge. We were not disappointed - it was really wonderful and our guests absolutely delighted in the day because it is such a special place. In addition was the team - they were professional, relaxed, flexible and hard-working and really helped us out where they could. Thank you! Highly recommended

Beautiful setting. Helpful and kind staff. Extremely experienced wedding organisers. Multi-use spaces. Amazing accommodations. Unique spaces. Top local suppliers.

Key terms which I would use for Mar Lodge and their team. Starting with venue selection.

Louise and her team made viewing extremely easy and clearly laid out the process and pricing for booking. Louise brought the space to life in the walk around and helped build the picture of what a wedding looked like.

Organising. Louise and team were always an email or call away and extremely easy to deal with. They offered helpful prompt about what to do and when. They also offered a slew of ideas for each space using their deep experience and pointed us in the way of first class, professional and well priced suppliers.

The big weekend. Louise and team allowed for access early on in the weekend to allow for required setup and also setup a number of the spaces on our behalf ahead of arrival where possible making life that little bit easier. Across the whole weekend Louise and team were ever present and available to give advice and steer the weekend, it was truly seamless their service and really put us all at ease meaning we could enjoy the day.

Supplier options. Louise and team had a comprehensive list of trusted suppliers who laid the foundation for the weekend (caterers, bands, florists etc.), a number of which were local and tried and tested at the mar lodge space, meaning it was pain free and also high quality!

Bedrooms. The house houses a good number of people (about 45 i believe), all of which are well designed rooms with some apartments more modern than others but all worth the money and comfortable with good sofa beds where needed. Onsite kitchens too enabled guests to have their own space as needed and cook breakfasts. Having everyone onsite really gave the space a unique and connected feel you would struggle to find elsewhere.

The venue space. Mar Lodge is comprised of a number of spaces which each provide something different. We used the billiards room for people chilling and also for an after party. The white room for reception and cake cutting. The dining room for a friday close family meal. The stag ballroom for the main meal and ceilidh. The craggan ballroom for a pub quiz and for BBQ food as it housed people well and was nice to be in another space. Each space brought a different feel and meant you never got tired of your surroundings. Adorable chapel on the grounds. We got married just outside of it and it was the most wonderful place to get married!

Photo spots. There are the most majestic photo spots around the area which allows for the most angelic and ethereal photos. Again Louise and team can help with this.

What the guests thought? "Best wedding I have ever been to"

Don't bother viewing anywhere else.

Mar Lodge estate is a truly unique wedding venue.

We hired the lodge and all available accommodation for the full weekend and it enabled us to have all our friends and family together for a three day celebration the highlight of which was the wedding and reception in the epic stag ballroom.

I cannot think of any other property so steeped in history where our whole wedding group could feel as at home as we all did.

Whether we were relaxing in the drawing room, playing a game of billiards late at night or having a huge family dinner in the dining room.
The fact we were allowed to live in the oppulant surroundings and truly use the lodge as it was always meant to be used really made the weekend for us.

As if the lodge itself was not enough the estate which surrounds it is so peaceful and the approach through the grounds is nothing short of breathtaking.

The team at Mar Lodge are welcoming, friendly and went over and above to help us make our day exactly what we wanted. Without Sophie and Louise our day simply would not of been possible

A magical wedding location and a wonderful team @ Mar Lodge!
The team at Mar Lodge were amazing from our first enquiries and they made the whole process so easy, with clear communications at every step. They also coordinated with the registrar and photographer, easing the pressure and making the day run along so smoothly. The location is out of this world and truly magical in every sense, whether you decide on the lodge or somewhere in the estate, it will be the best decision you make. Louise and Sophie were wonderful and so helpful, it was such a joy to work with them to make our wedding dreams become a reality. Thank you!!!