The Long Gallery in the castle or the Belvedere in the castle grounds is all yours for the most memorable of ceremonies. The castle’s fountain courtyard is the perfect place for drinks after the ceremony and for your reception, wedding breakfast, dinner and dance you will have the Pavilion comprising the Amber Room and the Great Hall with stunning views of the castle and the river Tay.

Fingask is not a hotel, you would have exclusive use of these facilities.

Please enquire about booking the cottages and remember book soon because our cottages are some of the most popular in the country. (No VAT on cottage hire)

Click here for the Bridal Suite
Click here for more wedding pictures

Below is an article from the Scottish Wedding Directory

World class wedding

Many Scottish couples, fearful of the dreaded nasty weather that can strike here even at the height of summer, or who simply have a penchant for a slightly more tropical feel, opt to have their wedding day abroad in hotter and sunnier climes. But who says you can’t recreate that exotic atmosphere right here in Scotland? Joanna’s father is Ghanaian, while husband Donato’s family roots lie in Italy, so both were keen to incorporate that rich heritage into the more typically Scottish elements of their wedding and, as the photographs show, the result was spectacular. As Perth-born Joanna says, “There were so many nationalities at the wedding, I think we counted eight! My Mum and Dad have Indian friends, and they were wearing the most wonderful, vibrant saris, while my Dad and members of his family were in traditional Ghanaian outfits. Our photographer, Trevor, actually commented on how unusual it was to see so many different colours, and I think it was a real boost for him as he had a great time capturing it all on camera.”

At Joanna’s Dad’s suggestion, the Ghanaians wore traditional African Kinte cloth, a heavy, handwoven material native to Ghana that was developed there in the 12th century. There are several different types of pattern, each symbolising ideals such as creativity and knowledge, and it comes in beautiful bright colours. “I’ve been to Ghana twice before,” says Joanna, “and it’s a strong part of my culture. If my Dad had turned up to the wedding in a suit, I just don’t think it would have felt right at all. The Kinte cloth was absolutely beautiful, and added a real dash of colour. Plus, we all had a bit of a laugh with Dad over how worried he was about his outfit – it’s basically a big sheet or material wrapped round in a very specific way, and he was nervous that it might fall down, but fortunately everything stayed in the right place!”

In contrast to the vibrant colours on show, Donato and his groomsmen went for the dark and handsome look in an all-black ensemble of kilt, shirt and military-style jacket, while Joanna matched his chic with a fitted ivory Pronovias dress. “I would have loved to go for the meringue look with loads of big layers,” says Joanna, “but I’m only 5’2” and it’s hard to carry that off when you’re short. Instead, the dress was very fitted, and I wore a Victorian-style handmade corset that was beautiful and gave me a really nice shape – in fact I might be needing it soon as a few pounds have crept on since then!”

Playing host to the 140-strong wedding party was the beautiful Fingask Castle in Rait, Perthshire. Dating back to the 16th century, the castle has been owned by the same family – the Threiplands – for more than 400 years, and the grounds are a work of art. Pristine, immaculately maintained lawns are populated by some amazing works of topiary, while another talking point is the cluster of Victorian statues – depicting Robert Burns characters and famous historical figures – dotted around the grounds. “We heard about Fingask from a friend of my parents’,” says Joanna, “and it really is a lovely, magical little place. The family still live there, and they don’t do an awful lot of weddings, so it has a very quirky, remote feel to it.” The idyllic castle, unlike many others, doesn’t double up as a hotel, so the wedding party had the luxury of having the place all to themselves. “We had exclusive use of the castle,” Joanna says, “and I think the fact that it was so secluded and enclosed was the big draw for us. It’s not that I would have minded people having a look, but we really wanted somewhere private so we could really relax and could all let our hair down.”

Joanna had quite an exact idea of how she wanted things, and so the ceremony, which took place in the castle itself, had the formal feel that she was looking for. “Fingask is perfect in that the pavilion is quite modern and was perfect for creating a laidback atmosphere for the reception, while the castle is a really old building and so lent quite a bit of gravitas to the ceremony.” Joanna’s close friend Helen, an accomplished cellist who lives in London, played a selection of Bach tunes for the guests, and Helen’s Dad, concert pianist Martin Neilson, played some wonderful piano music as the guests were arriving. After the ceremony the Perth-based Fair City Singers Choir sang beautiful renditions of Highland Cathedral and a specially arranged version of Lou Reed’s Perfect Day. “I used to be a member of the Fair City Choir when I was a teenager,” says Joanna, “and I know Marion, the leader of the choir, and her husband Martin, the accompanist, well. They very kindly agreed to come along and perform for the wedding, and I have to say they were absolutely fantastic.”

After the intense emotion of the ceremony, it was time for the carnival atmosphere to kick in, and the evening celebrations were marked by laughter and hilarity at every turn. “My Uncle Eddie plays in the Black Star steel band,” says Joanna, “and as a wedding present to us both they performed at the champagne reception. The music really gave things a tropical feel, and the band – consisting of five drummers and a saxophonist – played everything from the BBC cricket theme tune to When a Man Loves a Woman. It was great to see everyone up dancing with a glass of Champagne in their hand. The weather had been truly awful in the week leading up to the wedding, and we were convinced we would need a canopy for the band, but on the day itself it just got brighter and brighter, and I don’t think anyone could believe how lovely it turned out. It was a great bit of luck, and the sunshine really enhanced the carnival atmosphere. The canopy turned out to be very useful as a sun-screen!”

With another nod to the bride’s Ghanaian roots, Joanna’s Dad provided traditional homemade Ghanaian toffee, while Donato’s Italian relatives put a distinctly Mediterranean stamp on proceedings when they introduced an Italian custom at the meal. Joanna explains: “Donato’s family hail from Cassino in southern Italy, and it is traditional there to shout ‘baci!’ – kiss – at the newlyweds. Everyone was laughing and shouting this at us, and banging their cutlery on the table, until Donato and I got so fed up we started pointing at other couples and instructing them to do the same! It was very funny, and my little two-year-old nephew had a great old time banging away with his knife and fork!”

Things literally ended with a bang as the night was drawn to a close by a stunning fireworks display, and the couple, along with the two sets of parents, retired to the three magnificent bedrooms provided for them at Fingask, while the rest of the wedding party, stayed in cottages on the Fingask Estate, or were bussed to hotels in nearby. “I don’t think the day could have gone any better,” Joanna says. “We had three flags flying outside the pavilion – Scotland, Ghana and Italy – to mark the merging of three countries. All the different cultures gave the wedding an extra-colourful dimension, and it turned out to be the brilliant party we’d always dreamed of.”

Copyright Scottish Wedding Directory - January 2006