£800 - £5,600 for Venue Hire
Up to 60
1 Bedrooms
Exclusive Use
Wedding Licence
If you are wishing to exchange vows in an atmospheric historic setting in Edinburgh, Riddle’s Court’s captivating painted ceilings, grand rooms, and romantic courtyards offer a truly unique venue.
Riddle's Court Pricing & Costs
Venue Hire Only
Prices Start At
£800
Maximum Price
£5,600
From intimate ceremonies to full day weddings, Riddle’s Court offers a variety of options to fit your needs- request our brochure to find out more information.
Prices are valid until July 2024 and are subject to VAT. Your hire will include the use of our ornate chivari wedding chairs with a choice of ivory or blue seat pads and any onsite decoration you may wish to use.
What is included in this pricing:
Choice of preferred caterers
Wedding coordinator available on the day
Private room(s) included (non-exclusive use)
Exclusive use
Day before set up available
Couple accommodation included
External caterers not permitted
Furniture included
Riddle's Court Features & Capacity
Overview
Venue Type
City Hotel
Venue
Dining Capacity
60
Reception Capacity
80
Usual Access Time
12:00PM
Usual Finish Time
12:00AM
Ceremony & Reception
Church Within Walking Distance
Confetti Permitted
Sound System Available
Wedding Licence
Venue
Disabled Access
Grade I/II Listed Building
Bridal Changing Facilities
Exclusive Use
City View
In-House Wedding Coordinator
Food and Drink
Alcohol Licence
Corkage Charge for Own Alcohol
Kosher Catering
Halal Catering
Asian Catering
External Catering Permitted
Riddle's Court Full Description
Late availability - weekdays and weekends in 2023 still available!
Riddle’s Court offers an intimate and romantic setting for your wedding ceremony or special occasion. It is just a short walk from both the Royal Mile Registry Office and St Giles Cathedral in the centre of the picturesque Old Town of Edinburgh.
Riddle’s Court is full of stunning details that help your day feel like a part of Edinburgh’s history – from elaborate ceilings, chandeliers and the charming courtyards to the stunning onsite accommodation where King James VI once held a royal banquet, there’s a host of opportunities to capture your special day.
Prices start from £900+VAT depending on what your celebration looks like, and we have limited late availability in 2023. We also have package options which include exclusive use of the entire building and our honeymoon suite.
Restored by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust in 2015-2017, Riddle's Court is a historic jewel in Edinburgh's Old Town. Hidden until recently, it is a historic and atmospheric building. A unique venue for exceptional events and spectacular entertaining, with modern amenities and full lift access.
Personal Message from the Manager
Name of Wedding Contact: Erin Dalton
Firstly, a huge congratulations on your engagement! You must be so excited to start planning your special day! Finding the perfect venue is where the fun really starts, and we are thrilled that you have considered Riddle’s Court, (Edinburgh's Top Rated Venue 2022) in your search. We've seen plenty of different weddings over the years, from traditional banquets to arcade machines, Israeli drummers and livestreamed ceremonies. Here we're dedicated to making your wedding personal and unforgettable!
Experience
Year Business Was Established
1985
No. of Weddings Hosted
More than 50
Public Liability Insurance
Yes
No. of People In Team
4
Reviews
(11)
(11)
Emma and Andy
Happy couple married in June
July 2023
Happy couple married in June
We recently had our wedding at Riddle’s Court, and can wholeheartedly recommend this incredible, city centre, architectural gem of a venue. The historic spaces are so flexible, interesting and well designed.
The staff were all really helpful, very knowledgeable about the way the building works, what we might want or need, and kindly helped us prepare and add our own touches.
Andrew & Vincenzo
Happy couple married in November
January 2022
Riddle's Court is an absolutely stunning venue, bursting with charm and character
Riddle's Court is an absolutely stunning venue, bursting with charm and character, and it is perfectly located in the centre of Edinburgh. We were so happy to find it, and it lived up to our every expectation. Gail and Roseanne were enormously helpful and kind throughout the whole process, with a brilliant eye for detail and a genuine passion for their work. We planned (and postponed) our wedding during the pandemic, but with each twist and turn in the tale they were patient, pragmatic and supportive.
Shona & Johnny
Happy couple married in October
January 2022
Not only is Riddle's Court beautiful and interesting, but it's also fantastically located in the Old Town in the middle of Edinburgh
From our first viewing to our wedding day, the staff at Riddle's Court were nothing but helpful and friendly. To name a few, Roseanne, Gail, Teague and Fiona, were all great at answering our (many!) questions. Nothing was too much trouble. The venue itself was perfect for our small wedding. We had 46 guests during the day and 60 by the evening. Not only is Riddle's Court beautiful and interesting, but it's also fantastically located in the Old Town in the middle of Edinburgh, making it really handy for guests to travel to. It is also an ideal location for having photographs taken without having to go too far.
We also really appreciated how much Riddle's Court had plenty of decorations that we could use. We liked the idea of minimising single-use decorations. This also saved us some money and hassle!
The King's Chamber is gorgeous and well-equipped, and it was great to be able to stay at the venue the night before the wedding as well as on the wedding night itself. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Riddle's Court!
Anna & David
Happy couple married in April
January 2022
The Team were helpful, understanding and made our micro-wedding feel full of happiness.
Where do we being? We cannot rate Riddle's Court enough. Gail and Roseanne were wonderful. They were helpful, understanding and made our micro-wedding feel full of happiness. We appreciate how much Riddle's had to adapt due to restrictions, but it felt no less a wedding.
The Geddes Room was divine! The original features and historic beauty made it a very special place for us. We loved the ceilings especially! They are truly amazing. Being able to stay over in the King's Chamber was great for getting ready in the morning, less rushing and sleeping under the ancient beams was sublime.
Thank you once again for making our wedding day so memorable and sharing it with us.
Anna and David
Kendall & Caleb
Happy couple married in December
January 2022
After looking around at many locations in Edinburgh, we settled on Riddle's Court after falling in love with the aesthetic and architecture
A fantastic, intimate venue perfect for our small wedding. After looking around at many locations in Edinburgh, we settled on Riddle's Court after falling in love with the aesthetic and architecture of the place. We are a Canadian couple and weren't able to see the venue in-person until the day before the wedding. So Riddle's was perfect because it was already so beautiful, it didn't need a lot of décor to make it shine and we wanted to keep it simple coming from overseas. Our contact, Louise, was extremely helpful in getting us the information we needed to make decisions from afar. As the bride, I chose to stay overnight in the King's Chamber, and it was such a good idea to be that close! Everything ran so smoothly day-of, Our wedding party of 16 people couldn't stop talking about the amazing location we chose!
Alison & James
Happy couple married in December
January 2022
We visited and fell in love with the history, architecture and the overall feel of Riddles Court.
We are so happy that we chose Riddles Court for our wedding in October 2019. We knew that we wanted to get married in Edinburgh City Centre, however we were struggling to find a venue that wasn't too small or too big, then we stumbled across Riddles Court by chance and our numbers fit in perfectly. We visited and fell in love with the history, architecture and the overall feel of Riddles Court.
From our first meeting, through to planning, the actual day itself and even afterwards, the events coordinators were a pleasure to work with. Always very communicative and happy to help. We were offered a lot of flexibility so that the day could be exactly how we imagined!
The day itself was so relaxed and everything seemed to flow seamlessly! All our guests remarked on what a beautiful and unique venue it was.
All in all, we would highly recommend Riddles Court to anyone looking for a truly special venue in the heart of Edinburgh!
Riddle's Court Location & Contact Details
Address
322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, EH1 2PG, Scotland
Travel Notes
Perfect for public transport or taxi drop-off, Riddle's Court is situated on the Lawnmarket, the top part of the Royal Mile in central Edinburgh. The nearest car park is about 5 minutes' walk away, but most guests opt to be dropped off just outside.
Nearest Town
Edinburgh
Nearest Motorway & Junction
M8, Junction 1
Nearest Train Station
Edinburgh Waverley Station
Nearest Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Riddle's Court Press & Awards
(10)
Press & Awards (1)
Industry Awards (9)
WeddingDates Top Rated City/Urban Wedding Venue 2020
Hitched Wedding Award 2023 Most Recommended and Best Valued Vendor
WeddingDates Top Rated Edinburgh Wedding Venue 2020
WeddingDates Top Rated Exclusive Use Wedding Venue 2020
WeddingDates Top Rated City/Urban Wedding Venue 2022
WeddingDates Top Rated Edinburgh Wedding Venue 2021
Global Wedding Awards Best Wedding Venue 2021 - Edinburgh
WeddingDates Top Rated Edinburgh Wedding Venue 2019
WeddingDates Top Rated City/Urban Wedding Venue 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
(10)
Describe the best wedding that happened at Riddle's Court?
It’s so hard to choose, but one in particular that stands out was in July when we hosted our biggest group of guests to date. We had been working with the couple for nearly three years, and after so many postponements, to see everyone finally gathered was extremely heart-warming. From the couple and guests to the suppliers and staff members at Riddle’s Court, everyone was overjoyed to celebrate.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Make the planning process fun, prioritise what you want to do and don't get bogged down by tradition! Don't book yourself in to create 70 DIY favours and invitations if you hate crafting, and don't stress about a first dance or cake cutting if it's not for you. Try to keep optimistic and plan for things that will make you happy. Once you realise that there's no 'one way' to have a wedding, it makes everything so much easier!
What’s your favourite personal touch you’ve seen at a wedding?
A recent couple decided to decorate the venue with their two favourite things: Lego and quirky patterned shoes! What made it even more personal was that each Lego model had a unique story relating to the couple’s relationship for all the guests to discover.
Describe Riddle's Court in 5 adjectives
Unique, romantic, historic, intimate, unforgettable!
Where’s the best photo spot at Riddle's Court?
Definitely our picturesque external staircase - it's the showstopper as you come off the Royal Mile!
Have you had any celebrity guest or wedding at Riddle's Court?
Not at one of our weddings, but Riddle's Court has seen its share of famous faces over the years - from King James IV and the Duchess of Buccleuch to Maggie Smith, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.
What’s your favourite canapé?
The mini potato scones with chive cream cheese and sun-dried tomato from our onsite caterers is a winner - though we've seen so many delicious canapes over the years, it's impossible to choose.
What’s your favourite midnight treat?
Any kind of ice-cream - but impartial to mint choc-chip!
What is Riddle's Court most unique feature?
This is a difficult question as there are so many unique features from throughout history at Riddle's Court. There is a spectacular painted ceiling that was commissioned in the 1890s that ties together the history of the building, the city, and the University of Edinburgh. In our onsite apartment, there are painted beams from a royal banquet held there in the 16th century - and not to mention our destination loo and great glass lift that you can only truly appreciate in-person!
What part of your business are you most proud of?
Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is the charity who restored and who manages Riddle's Court - their mission is to restore at-risk buildings throughout Scotland for the benefit of the community and so they're sustainable and suitable for contemporary use. This means that all the profits from our weddings and venue hire go back into the charity - so a wedding with us is an investment into Scottish heritage. It doesn't get much better than that!
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