Threave Gardens: 10 Reasons To Choose This Scottish Wedding Venue

Threave Gardens is without question one of the best wedding venues in Scotland, when it comes to enjoying the outdoors.

Created and maintained by students of the National Trust for Scotland’s school of heritage gardening, there are now 25 hectares of wonderful scenery to enjoy.

You can quite literally choose any spot in the fabulous gardens for your ceremony.

And then your reception can be had either inside Threave House, in the Terraced Cafe, or in a Marquee somewhere in the grounds.

Let’s take a closer look at what a Threave Gardens wedding would be like.

Threave Gardens Location

Wedding venues in Dumfries and Galloway are well known for their stunning scenery.

With Threave Gardens located 20 miles from Dumfries, just outside Castle Douglas.

Glasgow is the closest Scottish city at 90 miles away, and can be driven from in a little under 2 hours.

Gretna Green is also less than 1 hour away, for those considering crossing the border and taking advantage of Scotlands more relaxed licensing laws.

When you arrive you will find reasonable parking for all your guests.

And should you wish to put on transportation, large vehicle access is not a problem.

Threave Gardens Setting

Because this is a National Trust for Scotland property, it is open to the public and you won’t have the venue exclusively.

Having said that Threave House is accessible by guided tour only, which won’t be happening whilst you are using the property.

And the gardens are absolutely vast, and tend not to get too busy.

As you can imagine the setting is absolutely stunning, with a garden for every season.

And with the soothing sounds of the many water features, this really is a very relaxing place for a wedding.

Threave House

Threave House is a Scottish Baronial country mansion, and was originally designed in 1871 for the Gordon family.

It is now under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland, with some of the public rooms available for wedding ceremonies and receptions.

The interiors are very elegant, with graceful staircases and bright formal rooms.

Ideal for intimate gatherings.

You can also make use of the Terrace Cafe, which is a modern building but offers much more space.

Also worth mentioning at this point is Threave Castle, which is an interesting ancient ruin and can be driven to in less than 10 minutes.

Threave Gardens Accommodation

There are 3 cottages at Threave Gardens, which can sleep a combined 13 people:

• Gate Lodge, 3 bedrooms, sleeps 5.
• Granary Cottage, 2 bedrooms, sleeps 4.
• Millwheel Cottage, 2 bedrooms, sleeps 4.

For further accommodation you have nearby Castle Douglas, which despite being a small village does have a range of hotels and B&Bs.

In addition to this Dumfries can be driven to in approximately 30 minutes, and it will provide you with a much more extensive choice.

There are some lovely little places on the coast too.

Threave Gardens Ceremony

Religious, civil, and humanist ceremonies are all welcome at Threave Gardens.

And you will have a variety of both indoor and outdoor options.

You can get married in Threave House, making use of either the Drawing Room (seats 80) or the Dining Room (seats 50).

However it’s the gardens that people really choose this place for, and you can select virtually anywhere you want.

Whether it’s the secluded Patio Garden complete with water feature, or the mysterious Secret Garden; you will be guaranteed the most beautiful surroundings.

A marquee somewhere in the grounds is a possibility too.

Threave Gardens Reception

Your drinks reception can be had inside Threave House, in either the Drawing Room (capacity 80) or the Dining Room (capacity 50).

However if the weather is being kind, somewhere in the beautiful gardens would be a lovely choice.

Your dinner reception can also be had inside Threave House, in either the Drawing Room or the Dining Room.

This would be for more intimate occasions though, as these rooms can only seat a maximum of 50 guests.

For more space the Terrace Cafe, which is nestled between the Rose Garden and the Orchard, could be a fantastic option for up to 120 seated guests.

And if you still need more room, a marquee in the grounds is your final choice.

Threave Gardens Catering

You have two options when it comes to catering at Threave Gardens.

For guest numbers of less than 80, you can choose to use the National Trust for Scotlands in house team.

Either that or for weddings of all sizes, Hullabaloo Restaurant is the only external caterer currently allowed.

A cash bar will be provided by the NTS for your dinner reception.

And you can bring your own alcohol for your drinks reception, which will be subject to a £5 per bottle corkage fee.

Threave Gardens Grounds

The grounds at Threave Gardens really are spectacular.

Over 60 acres of the most fantastic scenery, created and maintained by National Trust for Scotland heritage gardening students.

The land has been separated into smaller gardens, showcasing different styles, and includes a Rose Garden, a Rock Garden, and a Walled Garden.

It really is a garden paradise, with people coming from all over the world to see it.

When it comes to your wedding photographs, there are stunning backdrops to be found everywhere.

Threave Gardens Unique Feature

For the more adventurous Threave Gardens has so much to see and do.

There is a nature reserve which is a special protection area for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.

And there’s also Scotland’s only bat reserve.

Perhaps whilst you are with your photographer, your guests could take the time to explore the many hidden treasures.

You could even organise private tours of Threave House.

Threave Gardens Wedding Prices

For accurate Threave Gardens 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 Threave Gardens wedding cost:

• Threave Gardens (ceremony & drinks reception), price £720.
• Threave Gardens (ceremony & reception), price £1,200.
• Lawn Hire (marquee), price £1,320 (marquee not included).

The prices above are for a summer weekend.

Winter and midweek weddings could cost less.

Threave Gardens Conclusion

So those are my 10 reasons you should consider Threave Gardens as your wedding venue.

Of course everybody has different tastes and opinions.

However if you are looking for a Scottish Baronial country mansion, surrounded by the most exquisite gardens, with multiple outdoor ceremony options, and a fantastic function room for your reception; then Threave Gardens 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 Threave Garden’s website here.

Good luck with your wedding planning.