Whether you’ve been affected by current coronavirus restrictions, or you’d simply prefer a more discreet wedding with close friends and family, Loch Melfort Hotel is one of the most beautiful wedding venues in the West of Scotland.
Our coastal Highland grounds and priceless island views provide a magical background for your private celebrations. Our experienced team can help refine all your special details, from dining and decorations to photography and much more. With new guidelines allowing up 100 people at wedding ceremonies in level 1 areas, here’s some of the reasons to enjoy your big day at Loch Melfort Hotel …
The benefits of a small intimate wedding in Scotland
At a time where safety is key, a small Scottish wedding comes with many advantages. With a reduced guest list, comes the likelihood of inviting only those who have had ongoing contact with one another – reducing the risk of Covid-19.
From a wider point of view, an intimate gathering significantly reduces the costs and decisions to be made, allowing the happy couple to focus on the day’s activities, rather than the details. This smaller assembly of witnesses also allows you to spend more time with each person, making for a more relaxed atmosphere.
An outdoor wedding in Scotland
New laws have required some couples to wear masks during fittings and wedding planning, so an outdoor wedding can bring welcome relief from face coverings. At Loch Melfort Hotel, we can now offer ceremonies and drinks outside or in the lounge. Guest will also have private use of our Shuna Room from 5.30pm, including private bar service and access to the deck, beach, play park and hotel gardens.
Scotland’s weather can be a tad unpredictable, so the private Shuna Room (with tables for up to 18 in the evening) is the perfect back-up for unexpected drizzles.
A dog friendly wedding venue in Scotland
Want your pet to be part of your big day? Loch Melfort isn’t just a dog-friendly hotel, we’re also a dog-friendly wedding venue! Whether you’re hoping for a waggy-tailed escort down the aisle, or simply just a few photos with your furry family member, our team can arrange to have your canine companion be part of your happy day.
Six of our ground floor Sea View Bedrooms are built with dog owners in mind. Pretty decks open directly onto the grounds, meaning it couldn’t be easier to makes sure your pup is part of the celebrations.
A wedding venue near Oban
Only a 30-minute drive South of Oban, our hotels grounds are situated on the same estate as the Arduaine Gardens, one-hundred-year-old coastal gardens offering visitors cliff-top views over the Isle of Jura. With a wide range of annual plants and evergreens, there is always something new to see, and the foliage in the area provides beautiful wedding backdrops all year round.
Our helpful team can help with car and coach service recommendations, or you can find some of our favourite providers on our Location page.
Unusual wedding venues in Scotland
If you’re looking to add a quirky twist to your wedding, Loch Melfort Hotel has a number of ways to help you stand out from the usual wedding crowd. For a truly authentic Scottish experience, why not incorporate our handsome Highland cows into your photography?
Or, for an outdoor location with a twist, you can choose from a number of outside locations to have the ceremony itself: the bottom of the steps leading down to the lawns, the boat house located right at the water’s edge, or looking out across the pier. Capture your special day among the plant paradise of neighbouring NTS Arduaine Garden. The NTS fee for photographs in Arduaine Garden’s is now £100. For ceremony hosting prices and availability, please contact the NTS team.
Looking for a creative way to head to the aisle in style? Previous hotel guests have arrived by helicopter, boat, horse and even a digger!
In addition, we can arrange a firework display and/or bonfire on the lawns outside the hotel.
A humanist wedding in Scotland
A humanist wedding ceremony is a non-religious service that allows couples to create an individual day built around their personal beliefs and values. At present, they are not legally recognised in England or Wales and, as a result, Scotland has become an attractive destination for humanist couples to elope.
At Loch Melfort Hotel, we happily cater for civil weddings and legal humanist marriages, both indoors and outdoors. We can even recommend an Oban-based Registered Celebrant with the Humanist Society Scotland.
Celebrate your Same-sex wedding with us
Same-sex marriage in Scotland has been legal since 2014. Loch Melfort Hotel always has (and always will be) a safe and welcoming backdrop for gay weddings in Scotland. Our team believe that your celebration is about your union as a couple, and we strive to ensure partners feel supported and understood as we help you make arrangements for your big day.
Following a rigorous property inspection and review of our COVID-19 risk assessments, Loch Melfort Hotel have been awarded Quality in Tourism’s Safe, Clean & Legal Accreditation. Our team were also awarded multiple wins at The 2019 Scottish Hotel Awards.
For groups over 8, we can provide free room hire in the Shuna Room.
For groups under 8, there is a small charge for private space, or they are welcome to select a table in our Restaurant. This has proved to be an exceedingly popular option during the Covid-19 period, following a peaceful bespoke ceremony in our grounds.
Find out more about our wedding services.
You can contact our friendly team to discuss your wedding requirements on 01852 200 233 or reception@lochmelfort.co.uk