Castle is perfect wedding venue

Duns Castle is Scotland's only entry in the UK's Best Historic Wedding Venue 2019 UK Wedding Awards.

The shortlist was drawn up by a panel of judges but now it is up to the public to vote for their winner and Berwickshire residents are being urged to vote for Duns Castle in the 2019 UK Wedding Awards.

Jonathan Findlay, business development consultant for Duns Castle, explains: “We’re up against some stiff competition, competing with venues such as Hampton Court Palace (last year’s winner), so every vote will count.

“Not only would this represent a win for Duns Castle, but also for the local community and for Berwickshire.

“While we’re obviously delighted to have made it to the shortlist, it would be quite a feat to rally more votes than the other contenders, many of whom are visitor attractions with impressive data-bases to draw upon. We are therefore appealing to the goodwill and support of the local community and their networks to help us secure the title of the UK’s ‘Best Historic Wedding Venue’.”

As Duns Castle approaches its 700th anniversary in 2020, the property would certainly appear to have all the right credentials, not least because it was here that 12,000 Covenanter forces assembled in 1639 to defend Scotland’s freedom of worship.

Duns Castle was also one of the first private homes in Scotland to open its doors to weddings, including those of footballer Robbie Fowler and, more recently, of actress Caroline Beil, described as Germany’s celebrity wedding of 2018.

Duns Castle prides itself on being an affordable, exclusive-use venue and hopes to host more local weddings in the future. It is fully licenced, welcomes ceremonies of all faiths and can accommodate up to 23 guests, seats 60 for banquets with additional accommodation for a further 33 guests in the estate’s seven holiday cottages.

You can help Duns Castle Estate win this coveted title via the News section of the castle’s website (www.dunscastle.co.uk/news) or directly via www.hitched.co.uk/awards/vote/#Best-Historic-Wedding-Venue

By voting, your name will be entered into a prize draw to win five nights for two people at Eden Roc Miami Beach in a junior suite oceanfront on a B&B basis with unlimited use of the hotel spa throughout the stay. Voting closes on February 13, 2019.