Record breaker

With a hat trick of “Best in World” awards, and countless other accolades, Balbirnie House Hotel could be your winning wedding venue

When it comes to choosing your venue there are many factors that come into play. The style, accommodation and capacity will all have an influence, but for Fife’s famous Balbirnie House Hotel, its clutch of enviable awards also carries major sway. The category A listed 1777 Georgian mansion scored an incredible hat trick when the global Haute Grandeur Awards named it Best Wedding Hotel on a Global Level for the third time in 2022. Balbirnie previously received that accolade in 2019 and 2021.

The hotel was invited to represent Scotland at the Haute Grandeur global awards in recognition of its leading position in the country. Balbirnie has in fact been named Wedding Hotel of the Year 14 times in 16 years by The Scottish Hotel of the Year awards scheme, and in 2016 it scooped the title of Scotland’s National Hotel of the Year!

With so many titles and awards it would be hard not to be impressed, and Balbirnie’s senior wedding planner Christine Lowe says it instils to-be-weds with a certain confidence. “The history of what has been achieved is self-evident,” she says. “However, when it comes to operationally delivering for a wedding, there is nothing that can ever be taken for granted. It’s about taking every wedding day as a totally standalone opportunity to deliver flawless special event planning, and then to gear everything and everyone up operationally, to deliver our absolute best-of-the-best in Scotland hospitality.”

Interestingly, Balbirnie is now taking wedding bookings from couples, simply because they have seen it has won Best Wedding Hotel in the world three times. As the only hotel in the world ever to achieve this, it is such a romantic and lovely way in which to begin a marriage. Couples also know that their wedding will be in safe and talented hands.

Star appeal

A visit to Balbirnie quickly reveals why so many couples – and awards bodies – have fallen for its charms. The Palladianstyle mansion is nestled within 400 acres of beautiful parkland near the village of Markinch, making it ideally situated between Edinburgh and St Andrews. Inside, it’s the last word in luxury with period features blending seamlessly with more contemporary aspects. The Long Gallery, which is the centrepiece of the mansion, is the perfect setting for ceremonies of up to 100 guests, while the Orangery, which had an interior design bridal couture makeover last year, can accommodate up to 150 ceremony guests. Larger ceremonies of up to 216 guests are held in the stunning Millennium Ballroom, which can later host up to 250 guests for your evening reception.

But if the weather is on your side, the beautiful gardens are unrivalled for your ceremony. Plus, you’ll get to capture some gorgeous photos on the love swing.

Whatever size of wedding you hold, whether it’s an elopement for just you two or an all-out celebration, the wedding team is always committed to delivering the most perfect day. “We liaise will all couples in real time, with four of our team dedicated to special event wedding planning,” says Christine. “From the very first point of contact onwards, it is a completely dedicated, personalised service doing our utmost in hospitality for every single couple. Fundamentally, our approach is to go above and beyond for every single wedding client.”

Become a Balbirnie couple

If you want to see what all the fuss is about and have your own Balbirnie wedding, make sure you get an enquiry in quickly. 2023 is set to be another recordbreaking year for weddings at the hotel, while every Saturday in summer 2024 has already been booked. Make an appointment to visit and you too could be saying ‘I do’ in this award-winning gem. balbirnie.co.uk