Coo Cathedral: 10 Reasons To Choose This Scottish Wedding Venue

Of all the wedding venues in Scotland, Coo Cathedral intrigues me the most.

Not just because it’s a fantastic venue, but because they do very little marketing and are still fully booked two years in advance.

And why is this converted cowshed in such high demand?

Well with space for up to 400 guests, this beautiful blank canvas is a unique blend of barn and chapel.

Let’s take a closer look at what a Coo Cathedral wedding would be like.

Coo Cathedral Location

There are some stunning wedding venues in Aberdeenshire, with Coo Cathedral occupying a great location just outside the village of Aboyne.

Aberdeen is the closest city at 30 miles away, and with a journey time of approximately 50 minutes.

Dundee, Perth, and Inverness can all be driven from in less than 2 hours also.

On arrival you will find generous parking for you and your guests.

And if you are considering putting on transportation, coach access is not a problem although you will have to navigate some narrow country roads.

Coo Cathedral Setting

Nestled on the Aboyne Castle Estate, Coo Cathedral enjoys the tranquility and scenery of Royal Deeside.

This really is a beautiful part of Scotland; so beautiful in fact that the Queen spends her summers here at Balmoral Castle.

Everywhere you look you will see acres of green countryside, and because it is relatively secluded you are guaranteed peace and quiet.

This is an exclusive use wedding venue so you will also have the benefit of privacy, something I think most people would want on their wedding day.

And if you are lucky enough to get some nice weather, it’s a fantastic place for enjoying the outdoors.

Coo Cathedral

Originally constructed in 1889 by Sir William Cunliffe Brooks, Coo Cathedral started life as a cowshed.

An absolutely spectacular cowshed.

It is now owned by the Marquis of Huntly, and sits on his estate relatively close to Aboyne Castle.

Despite its striking appearance, this is very much a blank canvas wedding venue where you will have to provide virtually everything yourself.

Including heating.

And although it is wind and water tight, the buildings size and age means leaks can occur without warning.

Hence the reason they only do weddings from April until October.

Coo Cathedral Accommodation

There is no onsite accommodation at Coo Cathedral, however the village of Aboyne is minutes away and has a wide range of hotels and B&Bs.

If you are really struggling to find something suitable, Banchory is also a great option and is a 25 minute drive back towards Aberdeen.

Worst case scenario, you could go all the way back to the city.

Just be careful if you are planning to have your wedding the same day as the Aboyne Highland Games.

Hotels and B&Bs can get booked up at this time of year.

Coo Cathedral Ceremony

One of things that makes Coo Cathedral so popular, is the level of flexibility couples receive.

In fact providing you do not damage the building, you can virtually decorated it as you wish.

In addition to being a fabulous blank canvas, it is also a very large canvas with a capacity to seat up to 400 guests for your ceremony.

There are plenty of windows letting in lots of light, ideal for wedding photographs, and patio doors where your guests can spill out onto the large terrace.

Religious, civil, and humanist ceremonies are all welcome, and there is a local church minutes away if you would prefer.

Coo Cathedral Reception

Again for your dinner reception, you can seat up to 400 guests.

This really is a large space, and as a result the setup options are endless.

For your average size wedding, you won’t even have to move tables to create a dance floor.

I’ve even seen some couples spit the room in two, one side for their ceremony and the other side for their reception.

The wooden beams and stone archways really create a nice atmosphere.

And the solid floors are ideal for a ceilidh.

Believe it or not, you can also put a marquee up on the lawn if you require more indoor space.

Coo Cathedral Catering

In keeping with the blank canvas theme, Coo Cathedral are happy for you to select any suppliers you wish.

They can make recommendations of local suppliers, and it’s usually a good idea to choose a caterer who has worked at the venue before, however the final choice is yours.

Whoever you do choose will have to bring all their own equipment, as there are no food preparation facilities onsite.

But don’t worry, Aberdeenshire has numerous top level catering companies to select from.

Coo Cathedral Grounds

You will have exclusive use of the immediate grounds around Coo Cathedral.

And providing the sun is shining, your guests will be able to stand outside, sip champagne, and enjoy the views.

More importantly there are some wonderful opportunities for wedding photographs, using the stunning scenery as a backdrop.

You could even walk up to Aboyne Castle, which is a favourite amongst photographers who have shot at the venue before.

If you do get unlucky with the weather, rest assured that unlike most converted barns this one is flooded with natural light.

Which means you will be able to get some fantastic indoor shots.

Coo Cathedral Unique Feature

Most wedding venues will ask you to wrap things up around midnight, perhaps 1am if you’re lucky.

However Coo Cathedral do not have a set finish time, allowing you to party on into the early hours.

You could also wait until it gets dark, and put on a fireworks display for your guests.

Another thing most wedding venues won’t allow.

In addition to this you get access to the barn from Thursday morning so that you can setup.

And you will have until Monday to get everything removed.

Coo Cathedral Wedding Prices

For accurate Coo Cathedral wedding prices, you should contact the venue directly.

Their wedding packages can be tailored to meet your specific needs.

However to give you an approximate Coo Cathedral wedding cost:

• Exclusive use of Coo Cathedral, price £2,700.

The prices above are for a summer weekend.

Coo Cathedral Conclusion

So those are my 10 reasons you should consider Coo Cathedral as your wedding venue.

Of course everybody has different tastes and opinions.

However if you are looking for a genuinely unique converted barn, in a beautifully secluded location, with enormous flexibility, and a capacity for 400 people; then Coo Cathedral just might be the place for you.

Whilst you are here, you should take a look at some of the other wedding venues in Scotland, featured on White Rose.

You can also find Coo Cathedral’s website here.

Good luck with your wedding planning.