Aikwood Tower: 10 Reasons To Choose This Wedding Venue
If you are looking for a unique Scottish castle experience, then look no further than Aikwood Tower.
Combining perfectly the ancient and the modern, this nearly 500 year old Border Peel Tower has been lovingly restored and upgraded.
There are five luxury ensuite bedrooms plus a series of versatile receptions spaces, creating the perfect retreat for some peace and privacy.
Outdoor ceremonies in the beautiful walled garden are very popular, and the rustic converted cart shed provides and impressive dining hall.
It goes without saying that Aikwood Tower has the potential to be a wonderful wedding venue.
Let’s take a closer look.
Aikwood Tower Location
Aikwood Tower is nestled in the heart of the Scottish borders.
Surrounded by Ettrick Forest, which was an ancient hunting ground for Scottish royalty, the Peel Tower was used as a lookout for advancing armies.
Edinburgh is 45 miles away, and can be driven in a little over one hour.
With the English border even closer, for those of you considering taking advantage of Scotlands more relaxed wedding laws.
Aikwood Tower Exclusive Use
Aikwood Tower is most commonly used as tranquil getaway, for people looking to spend quality time with family and friends.
Which I think is a brilliant platform for a wedding venue.
You must take the entire place exclusively, giving you complete privacy for the duration of your stay.
And there is a three night minimum at the weekends, and a two night minimum during the week.
This will give you the opportunity to have a relaxed dinner with your loved ones the night before, and continue the celebrations with an after party the day after.
You only get married once.
May as well extend the celebrations for as long as you can.
Aikwood Tower
Built in the 1540s, Aikwood Tower is packed with authentic medieval charm.
The striking rustic building with its natural stonework, stands proud in the picturesque landscape.
With the tower accessed via the stunning walled garden.
A fantastic spiral staircase runs through the heart of the building, and transports you to the four main reception rooms.
From the crackling fire in the Great Hall to the vaulted ceilings in the dining kitchen, everything is steeped in history and romance.
You can relax with a book in the Laird’s study, or enjoy a game of table tennis in the Laich Hall.
The interior is both wonderful and interesting.
Aikwood Tower Accommodation
Despite being nearly 500 years old, the accommodation at Aikwood Tower is very much contemporary boutique.
There are 5 ensuite bedrooms, which can sleep a maximum of 11 people.
Four of the bedrooms are in the tower, and one of the bedrooms is in the extending byre.
They all have Duxiana beds (the worlds most advanced sleep system), and have been given quirky names to help with allocation.
If you need further accommodation, then there are a number of quality hotels and self catering lodges in the area.
Aikwood Tower Ceremony
If you are willing to brave the elements, an outdoor ceremony at Aikwood Tower would be beautiful.
Religious, humanist, and civil ceremonies are all welcome, and the gardens are just perfect.
For rainy days the Laich Hall in the extended byre makes a charming indoor alternative.
It has a historic marriage stone woven into the wall, celebrating the nuptials of Robert Scott of Aikwood and Elspeth of Elibank in 1602.
The rustic Cart Shed is also a possibility, depending on the theme you are looking for.
Aikwood Tower Reception
It is possible to have your dinner reception in the Laich Hall at Aikwood Tower, however most people choose to use the converted Cart Shed.
This is an impressive rustic space, with exposed walls and wooden beamed ceilings.
It has also been given a 21st century facelift, which includes a full width glass front.
This of course lets in lots of natural light, and gives you and your guests views across the courtyard.
You can seat up to 70 people in this room comfortably.
For your drinks reception, the walled garden is a nice option.
Assuming the sun makes an appearance that is.
Aikwood Tower Catering
When it comes to catering, Aikwood Tower works with a select group of local suppliers.
They will create the finest seasonal meals, using outstanding produce from the Scottish Borders.
The service will be friendly and discreet, with fine wines available on request.
And should you want to do some of your own cooking during your stay, there are supermarkets who will deliver.
Worth mentioning at this point is that the team at Aikwood Tower are very experienced, and will collaborate with you to bring your ideas to life.
This includes giving advice and helping you to select additional suppliers, such as a wedding photographer.
Aikwood Tower Grounds
As with most rural places in Scotland, Aikwood Tower is surrounded by beautiful countryside.
From gentle woodland walks to high speed mountain bike trails, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors here.
The stunning south west facing walled garden, complete with orchard is the real prize though.
You can soak up the sun on the terrace, play croquet on the lawn, and even pick apples from the apple trees.
It’s a wonderful place for socialising.
More importantly, it is also a terrific place for wedding photography.
Natural light and colourful backgrounds make for great shots.
Aikwood Tower Bridal Suite
All of the bedrooms at Aikwood Tower are fun and interesting, but the Buccleuch Master Suite would make the best Bridal Suite.
Located in the main tower and accessed by the fairytale spiral staircase, the room has nice wooden floors and a comfy seating area.
It’s also surprisingly spacious and does have relatively good light from its small window.
If you choose to stay the night before your wedding, this will be a great place for getting ready and opening your first bottle of champagne.
Aikwood Tower Wedding Packages
For accurate pricing and availability, I would contact Aikwood Tower directly.
They will be happy to tailor a specific package just for you.
However to give you a rough idea of what’s on offer:
- Exclusive use of tower (2 nights, sleeps 11 people);
- Ceremony (Laich Hall);
- Wedding Breakfast (Cart Shed, 60 guests);
- 30 bottles of wine;
- 20 bottles of Prosecco;
- Price £9,500 (winter deal only).
Aikwood Tower Conclusion
So those are my 10 reasons you should consider Aikwood Tower as your wedding venue.
Of course everybody has different tastes and opinions.
However if you are looking for an exclusive use Scottish Tower House, with five charming medieval ensuite bedrooms, a stunning walled garden for outdoor ceremonies, and a rustic reception space with a 21st century twist; then Aikwood Tower just might be the place for you.
Whilst you are here, you should take a look at some of the other wedding venues, featured on White Rose.
You can also find Aikwood Tower’s website here.
Good luck with your wedding planning.