Jenna and Colin's Scottish wedding at Winton Castle was a three-day celebration filled with Highland traditions, romantic garden moments and wonderfully whimsical details.
When Jenna and Colin moved from New York to Edinburgh in September 2023, they quickly fell in love with Scotland. Its dramatic landscapes, historic castles and beautiful gardens soon became part of their everyday lives. During one of their regular Friday outings, they discovered Winton Castle and knew it was somewhere special. From then on, they wanted to share their adopted home with family and friends travelling from across the United States and beyond. So, they planned a three-night Scottish wedding celebration, bringing together around 50 guests across the castle and estate properties.
Discovering Winton Castle
For Jenna and Colin, choosing Winton was about finding somewhere that brought together everything they loved about Scotland.
The castle’s history and character, beautiful grounds and enchanting walled gardens immediately captured their imagination. The gardens were particularly meaningful to Colin, who had spent the previous three years volunteering with the National Trust for Scotland and taking classes at the Royal Botanic Garden.
The opportunity to have their guests stay together across the estate was another important consideration. By booking all the rooms in the castle alongside the self-catering properties, they could create a proper weekend celebration without feeling rushed.
“We knew we wanted to share that feeling with our friends and family by bringing everyone together in a Scottish castle.”
Having everyone in one place allowed the couple to enjoy the moments that might otherwise have been squeezed into a single wedding day. It also gave their guests the opportunity to experience the surroundings and the country that had become such a special part of their lives.
Night One: A Mad Hatter’s Soirée
The celebrations began with a wonderfully whimsical evening, setting the tone for a Scottish wedding weekend filled with creativity, character and plenty of surprises.
The Mad Hatter’s Soirée, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, was actually a spontaneous addition to the wedding plans. Jenna had fallen in love with Winton’s beautiful pink dining room from the moment she first saw it and had already set her heart on wearing a dark red, feather-trimmed dress with burgundy Magda Butrym satin pearl mules. A fancy-dress party in a historic Scottish castle felt like the answer.
Bespoke, hand-printed letterpress invitations by Lindsay at Tpel Paper & Press featured playful rhyming verses inspired by Alice in Wonderland, setting the tone before guests even arrived. The styling was brought to life by Natasha at Tupelo Tree, whose imaginative floral installations incorporated moss, fruit, craggy twigs, branches and foraged bracken. Natural elements spilled across the banquet tables, creating an almost fantastical atmosphere against the traditional elegance of the pink dining room.
Jenna’s hairstyle was a particular highlight, with Natasha creating an extraordinary sculptural arrangement of foraged foliage and flowers. Colin embraced the theme in his own way, wearing an 18th-century-inspired ensemble complete with a black velvet coat and feathered hat, rented from Scottish Opera in Glasgow.
For Jenna, the evening was about creating an atmosphere where everyone could relax, reconnect and have fun. With many guests travelling from America, it was also a special reunion with family and friends they had not seen since moving to Scotland.
Traditional Highland Games & Country Evening at Winton Castle
The second day brought a quintessentially Scottish experience to the estate. With Highland Games, traditional dancers and bagpipers, it quickly became one of the most memorable occasions of the entire weekend. In fact, Jenna and Colin said it was one of their guests’ favourite parts of the celebrations. As well as enjoying some friendly competition, guests had the chance to embrace Scottish traditions and experience a little taste of local culture.
Watching family, friends and Jenna’s MBA classmates embrace the activities and enjoy a little friendly competition was particularly special.
“It was such a fun, quintessentially Scottish day and the perfect opportunity for everyone to let loose and get to know one another before the wedding itself.”
Following the excitement of the Highland Games, the second evening offered a welcome change of pace. A relaxed dinner around the fire table created a warm Scottish country atmosphere, with guests free to wander through the walled gardens, explore the grounds and enjoy one another’s company. Colin managed to sneak in a nap before dinner, while Jenna took the opportunity to visit the Highland cows. One particularly lovely surprise came when Colin arranged a visit from their beloved Pomeranian, Finn, who arrived looking especially dapper in a bow tie.
A Scottish Garden Wedding Ceremony at Winton Castle
When it came to the wedding ceremony, there was never any question about where Jenna wanted to get married. The terrace lawn at Winton Castle was the setting she had imagined. Whatever the weather, she was determined that their Scottish wedding ceremony would take place there. Fortunately, it was the perfect setting for a romantic outdoor celebration, surrounded by the historic charm and natural beauty of Winton Castle.
In true Scottish fashion, the rain continued right up until the ceremony was due to begin. But it didn’t change the couple’s plans. As the rain eased, guests gathered on the terrace garden, surrounded by established greenery and natural, sculptural floral arrangements.
Jenna arrived in an elegant wedding gown with a flowing full skirt and long veil, carrying a richly textured bouquet of deep red and autumnal flowers. Against the garden setting, the combination of timeless bridal elegance and natural surroundings felt perfectly at home at Winton.
The decision to embrace an outdoor ceremony, whatever the weather might bring, was a lovely reflection of the couple’s relationship with Scotland. They had fallen in love with the country in all its forms, including its famously unpredictable weather, and wanted their wedding to feel like an authentic part of that experience.
Having already spent two days celebrating with their guests, Jenna and Colin arrived at the ceremony feeling relaxed and connected to everyone around them.
As Jenna reflected, the wedding day really does fly by in the blink of an eye. Having those first two days together meant there was far less pressure to catch up with everyone in a single afternoon, allowing them to be much more present and enjoy the occasion.
Scottish Wedding Styling: Old-World Romance & Thoughtful Details
For the styling, Jenna drew inspiration from her love of historic interiors, art and the romance of Scotland’s castles and stately homes. She describes it as ‘old-world Scottish romance with a slightly quirky twist.’ Alongside this inspiration, rich textures, thoughtful details and individual touches brought the whole look together. Ultimately, every element reflected Jenna and Colin’s personalities and their love of old-world elegance.
Portraits of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots provided much of the inspiration, from their elaborate gowns and ornate jewellery to their dramatic pleated ruffs. The muted richness of antique paintings and tapestries informed a palette of deep crimson, burgundy, forest green and antique gold, with velvet lending a sense of depth and opulence.
At the tables, moss, nests, pears, pomegranates and foraged foliage were layered across long velvet tablecloths, while Natasha’s sculptural florals evoked the richness of a Dutch Master still life. The five-tier wedding cake offered another striking expression of the theme. Inspired by a crimson Wedgwood Jasperware vase, it featured delicate white detailing and was displayed against red velvet, surrounded by pears, pomegranates and hydrangeas.
The couple’s creative vision extended to the photography. Working with Charlotte Kinsella, they favoured an irreverent, editorial approach inspired by the early-2000s fashion photography of Juergen Teller, capturing the weekend through candid moments and atmospheric vignettes rather than traditional posed portraits.
Among the more personal details, Jenna’s dressmaker, Kavelle, discreetly stitched Finn’s name in blue into the hem of her wedding dress. Colin provided his own memorable flourish that evening, arriving in a kilt – a moment Jenna describes as her favourite of the wedding night.
The Winton Team
Bringing together such an individual celebration required a venue and team willing to embrace the couple’s ideas. One of the things Jenna and Colin appreciated most was the opportunity to make use of the different spaces throughout Winton Castle and the wider estate, from its historic interiors to the walled gardens and outdoor areas.
Jenna was particularly keen to recognise Rae, who supported them throughout the year of planning.
“Rae was an incredible support from the very beginning. She was organised, responsive and knowledgeable, and quickly became a trusted sounding board throughout the year of planning.”
From researching requests and helping with decisions to coordinating timelines and countless details behind the scenes, Rae’s calm, can-do approach gave the couple confidence that everything was in hand. The wider team’s warmth left an equally lasting impression. As they were leaving, Sir Francis Ogilvy even helped the couple load their extra cases of wine into the car and invited them back to the castle whenever they liked – a small but wonderfully generous gesture that perfectly captured the hospitality they experienced throughout their stay.
Three Days, A Lifetime of Memories
Looking back, Jenna and Colin are certain that choosing a full wedding weekend was one of the best decisions they made.
Having everyone together across the castle and estate meant they could share the Scotland they had fallen in love with, introduce their favourite people to one another and enjoy the moments that might otherwise have been lost in the excitement of a single wedding day.
When asked for their advice to couples considering a similar celebration, their response was wholehearted. In particular, they would encourage incorporating the Highland Games, describing them as a huge hit with guests and a brilliant way to bring everyone together.
Above all, the real magic for Jenna and Colin was having the time to savour it all. From the eccentricity of the Mad Hatter’s Soirée to the warmth of the fire-table dinner, the beauty of the gardens and their outdoor wedding ceremony, every part of the weekend reflected the life they had begun building in Scotland.
As a result, Winton Castle became more than the setting for their marriage. It was the place where they could bring together the people they love, share a country that had become so important to them and create memories that would last long beyond the celebrations.
Finally, Jenna and Colin’s Scottish wedding at Winton Castle brought together three unforgettable days of Scottish charm, wonderful company and a celebration entirely their own. Above all, it was a chance to share everything they love about Scotland and create memories with family and friends that will last a lifetime.
Weddings at Winton Castle
If you’re dreaming of a Scottish castle destination wedding, Winton Castle offers historic interiors, walled gardens, and the ability to host a full weekend of celebrations. Planning a destination wedding at Winton Castle lets you and your guests fully immerse yourselves in the experience. Whether you envision an intimate gathering or a larger celebration, the castle provides a private, historic, and effortlessly romantic setting. Visit our wedding page to learn more and make an enquiry today!
