A Real Wedding Story at Dunkeld House Hotel

Choosing your venue is one of the most important, and hardest, parts of planning your wedding. While there are hundreds of venues in Scotland, Dunkeld House Hotel is unique in its location and attention to detail.  

Céline & Cain had the following to say: 

Why was Dunkeld House Hotel a special choice for you?: “We fell completely in love with the stunning views the first time we saw it, it is a perfect secluded location that felt like we were in another world.”

Did the hotel offer you something others didn’t?: “Everything on offer was phenomenal – from the first detail to the last, every single time we visited, Dunkeld House Hotel was flawless and could not have been a better choice.”

What made you choose Dunkeld House Hotel?: “While we loved the surroundings and scenery, we were completely sold on Lisa Marie [Weddings and Events Manager at Dunkeld House Hotel]. Her passion is absolutely infectious and we knew from the first meeting that we were in safe hands. We had no doubt that she would move mountains to give us the best wedding possible and she absolutely delivered. She was a delight to work with and took so much stress out of wedding planning.”

Now that you’ve chosen your venue, you can officially say you are having a Dunkeld House Hotel Wedding! Congratulations! Now, it's time to get down to the nitty-gritty. While we have got your food covered, there are still plenty of suppliers that you will need for your big day. Choosing your vendors may seem like a daunting task with so many phenomenal options. From the celebrant to your flowers, we recommend doing your own research, but we have correlated a list of our suggestions with real examples from our real-life couple. 

Céline & Cain’s Picks

• Photography – Martin McLellan Photography

• Videography - Stag & Doe Videographer

• Flowers & Decor – Supernova Wedding Design & Flowers

• Hair – Hair by Louise

• Makeup – Makeup By Victoria

• Entertainment – Scotia Strings, Five Star Discos

• Cake – Cakes by Lucy

• Celebrant – Maureen Waterston

• Dog Care – Solo Paws

Dunkeld House Hotel Picks

• Photography - Photographs by Eve, Katie B. Weddings

• Flowers – Victoria Bloom

• Hair – Samantha Farrow Hairstylist 

• Makeup – Kirsty MacPherson, Claire Park Makeup

• Entertainment – Bruce Entertainment

• Cake – Celebration Station, Lightly Whipped

• Celebrant – Angela Maughan

• Transport - Smith & Sons Coaches 

With all your vendors chosen, you’re ready to get married! Let us take you through the day, from start to finish, on the most memorable day of your life, with advice and commentary from Céline & Cain.

Wedding Day Timeline 

8:00 AM: Wake up, it’s your wedding day!

9:00 AM: Arrival of Hair & Makeup Artists

10:00 AM: Time to start getting ready!

11:00 AM: Photographer/Videographer Arrive

1:00 PM: Finishing touches and pre-ceremony pictures

2:00 PM: Guests Arrive

2:45 PM: Guests take their seats

3:00 PM: Ceremony Starts

4:00 PM: Cocktail Hour & Family pictures

5:30 PM: Speeches

6:00 PM: Dinner is served

6:00 PM: First Dance 

6:30 PM: Time to party! Dance the night away

9:00 PM: Late-night snacks

12:00 AM: Farewells & Goodnights

Let's walk through this timeline. After waking up in your lush bedroom at Dunkeld House Hotel, be sure to fuel your body for the day ahead with a hearty breakfast. It’s not a bad idea to have some morning caffeine, but with nerves and excitement high, you may not need it!

Once the makeup artists and hair stylists have arrived, it's time to start prepping for your ultimate day. It's time to get glammed up, tighten those ties, and lace those shoes. Once you’re nearly done putting the finishing touches on your wedding day looks, your photographer will arrive to capture those fun last moments before the ceremony.

What did the bride wear?: Martina Liana wedding dress

What did the bridal party wear?: Blue dresses of their own choosing

What did the groom wear?: Full kilt outfits from Macgregor and Macduff

Your guests will start arriving at the beautiful property, taking the mile-long drive onto the grounds of Dunkeld House Hotel. Greeted by the visions of our resident deer herd and the handshakes of our friendly staff, it's sure a scene to remember. Work with our onsite wedding and events planners to craft your special day, fitting your vision exactly.

Did you have an overall theme on the day?: “We wanted to embrace the Scottish element of the wedding so that was our theme. We had the bagpiper, grooms party in kilts, haggis, ceilidh dancing – it was fantastic.”

After the finishing touches, it’s time for your guests to take their seats and for the ceremony to begin. Whether you have written your own vows or are doing things the traditional way, soak up every moment on the altar. Look into your partner's eyes with love and know that everything has come together to create this beautiful moment when your lives and souls are bound. For as long as this has been planned, and as long as it feels standing up there, it's over in what feels like moments. But guess what? Now you’re married! And it's time for the party to start.

What was the best part of your day?: “Seeing each other for the first time – Cain seeing Céline walking down the aisle, Céline seeing Cain waiting for her at the end of the aisle.”

Enjoy your walk of glory back down the aisle, then head off to get your newlywed photos while your guests enjoy a cocktail hour with canapes and music. This is also a great time to get your family pictures before the party starts!

Do you have any special anecdotes or funny stories from the day?: Our dog is our baby and she was our ring bearer and was with us for a lot of the day. It was fantastic seeing her come down the aisle and having her join us for photos. I’m really glad Dunkeld House Hotel is dog friendly.

After your photographer has captured your family's happy smiles, head into your dining space for speeches and dinner. If you have a grand wedding cake, now's your time to show it off! Cut your cake and have some sugary fuel before breaking it down on the dancefloor! 

What was your first dance song?: Iris – Goo Goo Dolls

Did you have any entertainment on the day?: String Trio (Scotia Strings)

Dance the night away with your friends and family, and enjoy every moment of these special people celebrating your married life with the love of your life! Enjoy your night, and if you have late-night snacks scheduled, indulge in them before giving your best to the guests and heading to your specially prepared newlywed suite.

So, are you feeling a little better about planning your Dunkeld House Hotel wedding? We hope so, but if not, contact us right away and let our expert team put your mind at ease.

With that, take away this advice from Céline and Cain: “Enjoy every second and spend as much time together on the wedding day as possible. Try your best not to get stressed about anything and just enjoy having all the people you love most in one place.”

Happy Planning!

This itinerary is a sample. Each schedule is dependent on the wedding package and personal timeline. Images are sampled from Dunkeld House Hotel stock and are not direct reflections from Céline and Cain’s wedding.