Cortes House: 10 Reasons To Choose This Scottish Wedding Venue

Cortes House is one of those lovely private wedding venues in Scotland.

You get the entire estate exclusively for the duration of your stay, which includes 12 luxury bedrooms sleeping up to 32 guests.

In addition to this your ceremony can be had outside in the beautiful grounds, and your dinner reception either in the Dining Room or in the Marquee.

You will also find plenty of indoor and outdoor activities for both children and adults; ideal if you are planning an extended stay.

Let’s take a closer look at what a Cortes House wedding would be like.

Cortes House Location

There are some beautiful country wedding venues in Aberdeenshire.

It’s a very pretty part of Scotland, and so accessible if you live in Aberdeen.

The oil capital is only 35 miles away from Cortes House, with a journey time of roughly 55 minutes.

Inverness is also not too far at 100 miles, and a journey time of 2 hours and 30 minutes.

No matter where you are driving from, the scenery will be spectacular too.

On arrival you will find plenty of parking for your guests, and large vehicle access is possible if you are planning to use coaches.

Cortes House Setting

Despite only being 35 miles from a major city, Cortes House gives you a real sense of tranquility and isolation.

The mansion is surrounded by trees, giving you that extra bit of privacy.

And the gardens and grounds are so picturesque, making it a great place to relax outdoors.

It’s also an exclusive use wedding venue, meaning you can enjoy a long weekend with only your friends and family.

If you like the idea of getting away from the busy city, then this could be the perfect wedding venue for you.

Cortes House

Built in 1810, Cortes House has recently been completely refurbished, and has been given a 4 star rating by Visit Scotland.

Period features remain, such as old fireplaces and intricate cornicing, but modern conveniences have been added.

Once inside you will find the house has been designed around a central atrium, with a cupola at its top.

This space is flooded with natural light adding real character to the property, and providing a great place for wedding photos.

There’s a spacious family Kitchen, grand Dining Room, and 3 versatile reception rooms.

The lower ground floor even has a Cinema Room, and a Ping Pong Room.

Cortes House Accommodation

You can sleep a maximum of 32 people in 12 bedrooms at Cortes House.

Each of the bedrooms has a unique design, making them so much more characterful than a hotel.

They even have their own names.

The first floor has 6 double bedrooms, which sleep 12 guests.

And the second floor has 4 bedrooms, two of which are family rooms, sleeping a further 12 guests.

All of these rooms have large windows and are beautifully furnished.

On the lower ground floor there are 2 triple ensuite bedrooms, which can sleep 6 guests.

And there are two Z beds, which can sleep another 2 guests.

The Bridal Suite is nice and spacious, and has a lovely ensuite bathroom.

Cortes House Ceremony

Cortes House is licensed for religious, civil, and humanist ceremonies both inside the house and outside in the gardens.

You can choose to get married offsite, perhaps in one of the local churches.

Or you could make use of one of the mansions lovely reception rooms, such as the Dining Room with its capacity for 80 guests.

If the weather is behaving, an outdoor ceremony in the beautiful gardens could be fantastic.

And for maximum indoor space, a marquee can be put up on the lawn.

Cortes House Reception

Your drinks reception can be had in one of the reception rooms, or preferably outside on the lawn if the weather allows.

For your dinner reception you have two main choices.

The elegant Dining Room can seat up to 55 guests inside the mansion, and if you use the interconnected reception room the capacity can be increased to 85 guests.

After the meal the chairs and tables can be moved aside, and a dance floor created for a ceilidh or a band.

The second option is a marquee on the lawn, which of course will add to the cost but can accommodate up to 120 seated guests.

Cortes House Catering

Cortes House is offered on a self catering basis, giving you the freedom to choose how your catering is done.

Recommendations can be made on the best caterers to use, but you are under no obligation to select from their list.

The mansion is licensed for the sale of alcohol, however bar facilities, waiting staff, and of course food preparation are the sole responsibility of your chosen caterer.

Rest assured that Aberdeenshire has a number of top class catering companies.

Cortes House Grounds

For me, beautiful gardens are the hallmark of a great wedding venue.

And on this point, Cortes House does not disappoint.

The estate used to be a vast 2,000 acres, however today it’s a more manageable 5 acres.

Made up of manicured lawns and dense woodland, this truly is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors.

There’s even a secret garden, which is accessed through a hedgerow.

It’s a fantastic place to sit with a drink, and an even better place for wedding photos.

Cortes House Unique Feature

The owners of Cortes House have young children, and they designed the place with fun activities in mind.

As a result there are a number of lawn games available, such as giant chess and croquet.

You can even bring the ping pong table outside.

For the more adventurous there are miles of trails to be explored, either on foot or by mountain bike.

And with the mansion so close to the coast, you can take a short trip to the seaside.

All of this could be great fun, especially if you have an extended stay on the estate.

Cortes House Wedding Prices

For accurate Cortes House 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 Cortes House wedding cost:

• Exclusive use of Cortes House (sleeps 32), price £4,740 for 2 nights.

The prices above are for a summer weekend.

Winter and midweek weddings could cost 25% less.

Cortes House Conclusion

So those are my 10 reasons you should consider Cortes House as your wedding venue.

Of course everybody has different tastes and opinions.

However if you are looking for an exclusive use country house, in a secluded yet convenient location, with accommodation for 32 guests, and wonderful reception rooms for your ceremony and wedding breakfast; then Cortes House 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 Cortes House’s website here.

Good luck with your wedding planning.