£805 - £4520 for Venue Hire
Up to 60
1 Bedrooms
Exclusive Use
Wedding Licence
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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.
Pricing & Costs
Venue Hire Only
Prices Start At
£805
Maximum Price
£4,520
From ceremonies and receptions to dinners and dancing, Riddle's Court is entirely flexible to meet your wedding needs. Our venue hire covers the rooms you use and the duration you use them for, meaning complete flexibility with your guest numbers. From smaller ceremonies to full weddings until midnight, we will work with you to find the most suitable option - request our brochures to find out more information.
Prices are valid until June 2023 and are subject to VAT. All venue hire prices include 60 wedding chairs and onsite furniture - other furniture can be provided at an additional cost. Our full wedding venue hire (midday to midnight, £4520) includes exclusive use of the venue and two nights' accommodation in our onsite apartment.
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
Features & Capacity
Overview
Venue Type
City Hotel
Venue
Dining Capacity
60
Reception Capacity
60
No. of Bedrooms
1
Sleeps No. of People
4
Bridal Suite
Honeymoon Suite
Usual Access Time
12:00PM
Usual Finish Time
12:00AM
Food and Drink
Alcohol Licence
Corkage Charge for Own Alcohol
Kosher Catering
Halal Catering
Asian Catering
External Catering Permitted
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
Full Description
Late availability - weekdays and weekends in 2022 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 £805+VAT depending on what your celebration looks like, and we have limited late availability in 2022. 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: Gail Raselli
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 2021) 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
(10)
(10)
A
Andrew & Vincenzo
Happy couple Married on 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.
S
Shona & Johnny
Happy couple Married on 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!
A
Anna & David
Happy couple Married on 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
K
Kendall & Caleb
Happy couple Married on 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!
A
Alison & James
Happy couple Married on 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!
C
Catherine & Neil
Happy couple Married on August
January 2022
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Riddle's Court to anyone considering having their wedding there.
My husband, Neil, and I got married in June 2019 in the beautiful Riddle's Court. We had the most wonderful day with all our friends and family, and Riddle's Court played a huge part in making it so special.
In the run up to our wedding, Gail and Louise, the events coordinators at Riddle's Court, allowed us the flexibility to plan our day as we envisioned, and were always eager to accommodate our wishes. On the day, their help and support was key in helping the day flow seamlessly (from our point of view anyway!), which meant we were able to fully enjoy the time with our friends and family.
Riddle's Court is an absolutely stunning venue (all our guests thought so too!) and we feel so lucky to have hosted our wedding in its historic rooms. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Riddle's Court to anyone considering having their wedding there.
Location & Contact Details
Address
322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, 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
Press & Awards
(7)
Industry Awards (7)
WeddingDates Top Rated City/Urban Wedding Venue 2020
WeddingDates Top Rated Edinburgh Wedding Venue 2020
WeddingDates Top Rated Exclusive Use Wedding Venue 2020
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
FAQ
(10)
Describe the best wedding that happened at your venue?
It's so hard to choose, but during COVID we had the honour of hosting a wedding for a doctor for the NHS. We had been working with the couple for well over a year, through postponements and Zoom calls on the brink of tears. Though the day arrived and they could only invite their two witnesses, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting in on the ceremony to livestream it to their guests and it was one of the most emotional weddings we've had at the building.
All of our COVID weddings were particularly special because they were so intimate, and due to livestreaming we were more involved in the ceremonies than ever before. As difficult a time as it was, they aren't weddings we'll forget easily.
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?
One of our recent brides was an illustrator, and she created a beautiful print of her and her partner with their cat against the skyline of Edinburgh - and hung it above the door to the reception!
Describe your venue in 5 adjectives.
Atmospheric, quirky, historic, intimate, unforgettable!
Where’s the best photo spot at your venue?
Definitely our romantic external staircase - it's the showstopper as you come off the Royal Mile!
Have you had any celebrity guest or wedding at your venue?
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 your venue's 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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