Winton Estate went above and beyond all our expectations. The first impression of Winton Estate upon arriving is that none of the pictures and videos we saw did it justice. We were rendered speechless as we first stepped foot inside the marvelous Castle.
While the Castle speaks for itself, the real gemstone of Winton is the staff that they have managed to assemble. The amount of help that we received while planning our wedding there made it as effortless as planning a wedding could possibly be. Huge shoutout to Rae McGonigle for being so helpful every step of the way. Trying to plan a destination wedding can be so stressful, but Rae gave us so many phenomenal suggestions.
Our wedding day included so many events from the morning until the end of the night. Our morning started with Highland Games. All the staff that helped with the Games brought so much energy to the event that it was impossible not to have a great time.
The wedding ceremony inside the Castle was beautiful! The staff members were all so helpful across every aspect of getting ready and down the aisle. After the wedding, it was right into cocktail hour and again the staff and the caterers were so on top of it. All of the guests were so impressed by how fluid the whole day felt.
The hall for dinner was decorated with such class and elegance for the wedding breakfast. The food was served in such a way that it felt almost choreographed. The room was then cleaned and set up for dancing before we knew it. In the meantime, Ken had a whisky tasting set up in the cellar that the guests had a blast taking part in. The staff was so attentive to everyone’s needs, checking in at just the right times to help everything go seamlessly and keep everything on track.
The next morning, the staff had a delicious breakfast buffet ready for us as we woke up where Sir Francis Ogilvy took time out of his day to stop by and congratulate us on our nuptials. Even after we left Winton Estate, Rae and the staff helped with all post-event questions.
It truly was a day that we, and our guests, will never forget. We so highly recommend Winton Estate and the wonderful staff that excelled across the entire event.

Firstly, a massive thank you to Rae & the brilliant Winton team for a fantastic wedding weekend.

Winton Castle is an beautiful & historic venue, and the huge benefit of having an onsite coordinator who knows the venue & various suppliers (caterers, bands etc.) intimately cannot be overstated.

From initial enquiry through to a brilliant wedding, everything was easy and seamless to organise. We decided to hire the castle for the weekend as we had family joining from overseas, with 45 guests coming on the Friday night for fish & chips and summer games. On the morning of the wedding the groomsparty did Clay Pigeon shooting onsite (great fun) and we had a wonderful wedding day for 70 guests including bagpipes to welcome everyone, a whisky tasting downstairs in the cellar (which was fab!) and a Ceilidh.

Every guest commented on 1) the wonderfully attentive Winton staff who created a welcoming, relaxed and fun atmosphere and 2) the outstanding food (which can be tough to find for a wedding). A massivethank you to Edinburgh Catering Company (https://www.theedinburghcateringcompany.co.uk/).

Overall, if you are looking for a high quality wedding venue, then I would highly recommend reaching out to Rae & the team. It was an unforgettable weekend and there is a reason that every single review on here is 5 stars (which has not changed since we were looking for a venue 12 months ago!). Many thanks again Rae and the wonderful Winton team!

We had our wedding at Winton Castle on the 31st of May 2025. Winton truly has the most incredible people, venue and grounds. From initial contact all the way through to the weeks following our wedding, we felt confident and safe in their hands!

From the moment we pulled up at Winton for our initial visit, there was no other option for our wedding venue. The castle and its grounds is so well looked after, it has been flawlessly maintained keeping its history and original features at its heart.

Lexi was an absolute dream to work with, and although she has now moved on to a new chapter, you are in safe hands with any of the team at Winton. There is such a family feel about the place, although a castle, our wedding felt intimate and cosy. The staff on the day of and days leading up to the wedding could not have more for us, such attentive, warm and exciting energy. The team went above and beyond at every opportunity nothing was ever too much hassle from our arrival the morning of to us leaving the following day - for ourselves or any of our guests.

Being able to stay at the castle with our closest family and friends made the whole thing even more special. The rooms at the castle are immaculate, and the renovations so well done that Finlay’s parents have used one of the en-suites for inspiration for their own home! The best nights sleep after an incredible day, and the breakfast was just wow!

This is such a special venue and we cannot recommend it enough. The professionalism but warmth of the team made all planning seamless and our day ran immaculately. Every single detail was thought of and covered. We never worried about a thing and were able to relax and have fun on such a mad day.

They are upfront about costs right from the start, there were no secret fees popping up that you hear about so often. Although obviously business, every step of the process felt so caring as everyone truly wants you to have the best day.

I wish we could do this day over and over again, we are so lucky we got to get married at such a beautiful venue with such incredible an incredible team!

Photos by Loraine Ross

Rae and the Winton Castle team were beyond amazing! Planning a destination wedding is never easy but Rae helped us by giving is recommendations for other vendors and made sure we had everything we needed. She knew to ask questions for things I hadn't even thought of! When the day finally arrived she and the rest of her team were absolutely incredible. They went above and beyond with thoughtful touches like flying the Washington D.C. flag above the castle and coordinating the fresh flowers in our rooms with the wedding color scheme. We also booked two of the self catering cottages which were incredible and the Winton team helped us with the logistics to stock them with provisions and get everyone too and from the castle. I can't recommend them enough and I can't wait for another excuse to spend time at Winton!

We had our wedding at Winton Castle this past December and had the most magical day. Everything went exactly as planned and exceeded all our expectations. Intimacy on a grand scale could not describe Winton Castle any better! Thank you so much to Rae and the entire Winton team for being so attentive, friendly, and willing to meet all our needs from our very first meeting all the way through to our big day. The attention to detail was not missed and all of our guests raved about how amazing the day was. We didn't have a wedding planner and Rae and her team ensured everything went smoothly and had a wonderful list of recommended suppliers. We also rented all onsite properties before and during our wedding and they were all spectacular. All houses are extremely spacious and were fully equipped. We will definitely be back for a long weekend with friends and family.

We had our wedding at Winton in September 2022. We cannot recommend Winton highly enough! Beautiful venue, lovely staff - nothing was too much trouble. It really was a personalised service with the wedding co-ordinator Fay and made it all the more special for us.

We got married here in August 2022, and were just blown away by how special they made our day.

They were able to accommodate the little quirks we wanted, from letting us put up a doughnut tower, to my wife exiting the back door prior to the ceremony and riding her horse round the side of the castle to the front door, which meant so much to her.

Rae looked after us before, during and after the ceremony, guiding us to wherever we needed to be, she took brilliant care of us.

While our photos were being taken in the afternoon, the kids took advantage of various games that the staff had laid out on the front lawn, and the beautiful outdoor setting was perfect for our photos, from the paddock, to the lake, to the driveway, to the castle itself.

Saltire’s food was exceptional, and multiple guests said it was the nicest wedding meal they had ever had; one of our guests is a farmer, who was able to talk about the high quality of the beef. Saltire and Winton paid particular attention to the dietary requirements of ourselves and our guests, which was a huge reduction of stress on the day. We had a hog roast in the evening, which was again, of very high quality. Even the band enjoyed the food.

The ceremony, speeches, and nightcap were all done in different rooms, so we got to enjoy the whole space. We were also able to wander through freely during the whole event, and our more historically minded guests were fascinated by the location; those of us who are not, still found it incredibly comfortable and spacious, and it never felt crowded despite having 100-120 guests at various points throughout the day and evening.

Every member of the team was lovely – Rae, Fay, Sandi, Lexy, Stephanie and Lee, just to name a few (I worry that I've missed someone out) – they made the day everything we could have hoped for, and more. They were particularly nice with some relatives who had taxi trouble, and in assisting a relative to Winton Cottage where she was staying.

The bar was stocked enough to have a little something for everyone, and we finished the night with a whisky recommendation from Lee.

The wedding party and immediate family stayed overnight, in beautiful and spacious rooms, and we were met with a lovely breakfast the next day, before saying goodbye.

Honestly, they gave us such an amazing day, we will never, ever forget it.

My wife and I (American and Irish, living in Edinburgh) celebrated our wedding reception at Winton Castle in July 2022 and could not have possibly asked for a better celebration.
Winton Castle is a tremendous location, with the castle origins found in the 15th century. It has a fascinating history, being involved in the rough wooing and once being visited by King Charles I. The inside of the castle is beautiful, which we had access to explore and enjoy during the wedding event, very unique for wedding locations! The castle is set in beautiful grounds, with the gardens and river providing brilliant locations for wonderful photos.
A large part of the success of the day and enjoyment of ourselves and our guests at Winton must be attributed to the brilliant team there. The team did an incredible job of helping organise a very successful day with us and were very helpful as our wedding celebration had to be re-organised from its original date (twice) due to the pandemic. Before the wedding and on the day, the team made sure that we would be able to have the day we wanted, with meticulous attention to detail and assistance with all requests, alongside a warm, friendly and relaxed attitude. The organisation, thoughtfulness and professionalism from the team took the stress away from the day and allowed ourselves and our guests to enjoy it as much as possible.
The canapes and meal at the reception from Saltire Hospitality were delicious. Many guests noted that the food they had was the best they had ever been served at a wedding, with the beef being a particular highlight. Specific close attention was paid to any dietary requirements that guests at the wedding had, assuring that there would be no issues.
Of note at Winton is the attention to the small details from the team that brought the day together and made it special. This included the flying of the Tennessee and Northern Ireland flags above Winton, assistance when buttonholes wouldn't behave, guidance on getting a bridal dress pressed, and help getting beer kegs loaded and unloaded from a car!
The bride and groom and immediate family stayed at the castle on the Friday and Saturday nights. Staying at such a well-preserved building with such a rich history was a unique experience and the breakfast on both mornings prepared us well for the days.
The photos taken at Winton were spectacular, due to the amazing property itself and also because of the help from flawless running of the day that allowed the bride, groom, and guests to spend time taking photos rather than organising details.
Overall, the team and location created a brilliant weekend for ourselves and our guests. The day was enjoyed by all guests, children and adults, Irish and American. Many guests commented this was the "best wedding they had ever been at" and one guests saying the day was "one of the best days of her life". Thank you to all at Winton!

We celebrated the wedding of our son and daughter-in-law at Winton Castle in early July 2023. An Irish groom and an American bride, celebrating their wedding in Scotland. Overall we had a fabulous experience, it was beyond anything we could have wished for.

In advance of the event, Fay was extremely organised, with every conceivable detail covered in her checklist. That gave us great peace of mind.

Over the few days we got to know the team at Winton very well. They are all extremely professional and competent, and in addition they are extremely warm and friendly - nothing was too much bother for them. From the more experienced members of the team to the younger local people, they were consistently helpful, friendly and displayed a genuine ‘can do’ attitude.

The meal was delicious. I would have been delighted to have such a meal and service at a top class restaurant, never mind from a kitchen in a marquee. The beef was exceptional. A number of the guests had special dietary requirements, and the attention to detail was impeccable, from the Canapés right through to the main meal.

I don’t think I have ever been to a wedding where the guests mixed so well. Young and old, Irish and American, family and friends. I believe that was partly down to having full access to the many interconnected rooms at the Castle.
Many guests raved about the meal, the venue and the staff. Everyone had fun. The whisky tasting in the cellar was a big hit! Indeed, numerous guests told us that it was the best wedding they had ever been at.

When I reflect back, I think of many ‘small’ things that exemplify the approach of the Winton team. Tom bringing all our luggage up to the bedrooms when we arrived. Niall bringing it back down before we left. Fay and Tom on the roof the night before, in the dark, hoisting the Tennessee and Northern Ireland flags. Rae putting on the floral buttonholes for the men, before we left for the church. Orla coming over to me after the meal, asking how my speech went. Fay taking time out to detail the history of the library to some guests. Sir Francis helping me load my car the day after the reception.

Fabulous. Thank you all.

As a wedding photographer I get to work at many beautiful venues all over the country. Last week I had the pleasure of working at the incredible Winton House, to say I was blown away would be quite the understatement. As weddings venues go Winton House is just perfect, the grounds are simply incredible and there are never ending photographic opportunities, the gardens are beautifully manicured and this is also amazing for photographs! Inside the castle itself it just gets better, the ornate surroundings are breathtaking and if I am being honest I would say that this is my new favourite wedding venue to work at. I want to finish off by mentioning the staff, throughout the wedding a shot last week the young staff were incredibly accommodating. Myself and the videographers were looked after extremely well, this was made evident during the wedding breakfast when all the staff were running upstairs with the wedding courses, we were constantly asked if everything was okay and did we need anything else, we were treated like wedding guests and this was so refreshing especially with the chaos of feeding 130 wedding guests.

The history of Winton House is mind blowing, parts of the original building date back to the 15th century and the stories have to be heard to be believed, just incredible.

I cannot wait to head back to this beautiful wedding venue, I will be raving about Winton House for some time to come!

Gary Bonar Photography

We chose Winton as our wedding venue after a long search and several viewings of other castles in and around Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. Having dreamed of getting married in a castle since I was a little girl, I had a very clear idea of what I/we wanted. We were drawn to the fact that it allows you have the entire wedding inside and on one floor (We had 65 guests during the day and another 12 evening guests), as well as having a great winter wedding offer. Having several rooms (Library, Drawing Room, Dining Room, etc) available for socialising during the evening as opposed to just a reception hall and dining room allowed guests to sit-down and chat without being drowned out by the disco music and the bathrooms on the main floor are great for guests who can't do stairs very easily (accessibility is a real concern to be accounted for at a castle wedding).

It truly was the perfect spot, we had many compliments from guests at how amazing the venue was. Fay and the Winton wedding team were a pleasure to work with, they were great at keeping in touch regularly during the planning process and were flexible when we had guests cancellations at the last minute because of Storm Eunice. They also arranged for us to have access to the castle roof for pictures with their famous chimneys at the groom’s request. They only do 20 weddings a year so that they can truly focus on each couple; you can really tell that they are not just a wedding factory, they really do care about you having the best experience possible. Throughout the day Fay was great at checking on me and willing to take any issues off my hands to deal with herself so that I could get on with enjoying myself. The castle itself is kept in great condition and the family really want you to feel like it's home while you are there, you are free to look at the books on the shelf in the library, and sit on the fancy couches and chairs. I didn't really need to splash out on decorations since the castle itself has more than enough going on to occupy your guests. We met the owner, Sir Francis, several times and he was very friendly and said if we were in the area to be sure to pop by and say hi in the future, a stark difference from several of the other venues we viewed.

The Bridal suite is a beautiful room with a four-poster bed, lots of space and a massive bathroom that probably has the same square footage as our flat! Because we were married in February it was also remarked several times that it was 'surprisingly' warm inside, I guess people are used to the idea of drafty and cold castles, not at Winton! Sad that my wedding day went by in a flash I could have easily stayed forever! It was exactly the wedding we wanted, and more, and a huge part of that was down to picking the right spot. I look forward to being able to go back in the future and reminisce about the day.

My husband and I got married at Winton Castle in February 2020, it was the most special day and weekend we could have imagined! The castle is such a beautiful venue, the room layout flows perfectly and it felt both grand and homely with the fires lit. Every room is beautiful - so there was no need to decorate them much further; we chose to add some table decorations and that’s it.
With infinite thanks to the Winton staff, particularly our wedding planner Rae, the event ran smoothly from the day we first contacted Winton! We didn’t have to worry about anything; on our wedding day, I was confident that Rae and the Team had it all organised, they did and it all happened effortlessly!

Wedding planning:
Rae was absolutely fantastic! She kept us on-track, asking all the right questions and prompting for information in plenty of time - it never felt stressful. There was never any pressure or ‘up-selling’. Rae just seemed to understand exactly the type of wedding day we wanted, and arranged everything in such a calm way. Thank you!

Accommodation:
My family (9 adults, 2 children) stayed in Winton Cottage for the long weekend and were delighted with the accommodation from arrival to departure. It felt like a home, and there was plenty of space for everyone!
I slept at the Cottage the night before the wedding (Friday night) which worked so well. There was plenty of space for some quiet time which was lovely! The Winton Team were very accommodating, providing extra towels for my husband and two Best Men to get showered and ready at the Cottage after I had left.
I’d definitely stay there again for a holiday!

On the day:
I woke up having slept well in the Cottage, I had plenty of time for a relaxed breakfast with everyone and zero worries about transport to the venue! My dad then drove me, my sisters and our things (2mins drive/ ~700m) to the Castle where we got ready in one of the gorgeous bedrooms in the Castle! There was plenty of room for us and to have our make-up artist and hairdresser both working their magic at the same time. Our photographer had worked at Winton Castle many times before so he knew what he was doing.

The Winton staff were brilliant! Rae was a calm and friendly face before entering the wedding ceremony!
Throughout the day, the Winton staff were friendly and attentive but you also barely knew they were there - delivering excellent service without any fuss!
On such a quick day, they made sure there were opportunities for my husband and I to have a few minutes to ourselves, to take it all in which we loved. We stayed overnight in the Castle in the beautiful bedroom and bathroom (we’d love to stay again!). Having a leisurely breakfast in the ceremony room the morning after was lovely and allowed us to soak up how special our wedding day was.

Thanks again to all of the Winton Team x

We had an amazing February wedding despite it blowing a gale outside. The beautiful Winton Castle lived up to our every expectation, it looked amazing, felt homely yet special, gave us enough room to move but without getting lost and gave us a fabulous night of ceildih dancing! The whisky tasting in the cellar was a real hit with the guests and gave us a few minutes to have a tipple and relax. The team were supportive and helpful and met all of our needs without hesitation. Lord Ogilvy popped by to see us at breakfast (which was delicious!), which was much appreciated. The castle accommodation is perfect, with lovely authentic rooms fit for princess! Our families and friends stayed in the self catering cottages, which they absolutely loved and it was great to have them close by. My husband took his mind of the nerves with some wedding-morning clay pigeon shooting, which the boys loved! Most certainly a venue to make you feel special on your precious day and to give you bundles of wonderful memories and photographs. Very very highly recommended.

What a hidden gem! Winton Castle itself is absolutely beautiful. They sell themselves as having intimacy on a grand scale and they totally do. We had about 60 day guests and another 30 or so along for the evening. Rae, our coordinator, was incredibly welcoming, flexible and thoughtful. Throughout the whole experience, she was positive, creative and organised. The small details really matter in wedding planning, and Winton always hit the right notes. At the menu tasting, we hadn't thought that we'd be tasting the wines so were offered the bottles to take home with us after having a couple of sips. And when we were not sure, Rae arranged for an alternative bottle to be hand-delivered to our house. Amazing service! Rae was open to all sorts of left-field ideas, too, and helped us bring out our creativity. The whole day was incredibly smooth and I'm not aware of a single thing that went wrong. Our guests all said they had an amazing time, were justifiably impressed with the venue and a few even said our wedding was one of the best they'd been to. Even our ceilidh band were grinning at the end of the night! An honourable mention has to go to the catering staff, who were so slick - it almost looked choreographed when they were serving each course.
Overall, we felt that we got a really personal experience from Winton and that they cared about us, our vision for the day and about providing the best possible experience. I challenge any venue to top that.

We’re still sitting going over the day and can’t believe how perfect it was from start to finish. We’ve been visiting relatives with all the leftovers and every single one of them can’t praise Winton and you enough. They have all said it’s the best wedding they’ve ever been to!

They have been going over and over all the small details of the day and are amazed at how perfect Winton is. Walking into Winton for the drinks reception with the music, smell, fires and the warmest welcome was just magical.

Chris and I are so grateful and want to thank you again for your hard work – it didn’t go unnoticed. We were so impressed when we approached you with a query or problem to find you already had it in hand. A true professional!

Please pass our heartfelt thanks onto Fay for making our midnight snack, taking photos after everyone had left which we really love and for giving us the perfect end to the day, Lexi for such a warm welcome at the drinks reception and for popping in at night just to say hello.

Please thank all the other staff and waiting team at Winton who impressed everyone and made our wedding perfect. Despite being so young, the waiting team were so professional and very very friendly. Our families and guests were amazed. You are all wonderful!

“The whole experience was first class and we wish we could do it all again! We both would describe Winton as a 5 star venue run by family..

We’re so proud to be part of the Winton family and can’t wait to visit in April!

With all our thanks and best wishes.