When it comes to weddings, we’ve seen our fair share in the past. We’re are always on the look out for chic and interesting venues to have your day in. And when we discovered Edinburgh Zoo, we were pretty much blown away! The venue has the perfect combination of fun and traditional chic. Fully convinced this blogger will now be having her future wedding at the zoo, we caught up with Selina McCready and Aileen Conway to get all the details.
Working at Edinburgh Zoo has to an interesting job… Especially for a Wedding Coordinator! What is your favourite part of working there?
Not only getting to walk past a selection of exotic animals on the way to the office each morning, the Mansion House is a stunning traditional Scottish Venue with a host of distinguishable classic features. Stained glass windows, original cornicing and tartan carpets make the House an enchanting and warm atmosphere to work in. And getting to work with great chefs is always a bonus when they are trying out new menus!
You must get a big mix of people interested in marrying at Edinburgh Zoo. Can you have a ceremony and reception there too?
Getting married at the Zoo is not just for animal lovers, anyone looking to give their guests a day to remember at a unique venue should come along and see what we have on offer. We offer both full day and evening reception packages, with our ceremony and reception rooms boasting gorgeous views over the Pentland Hills.
You are working with brides and grooms every day. What are your favourite wedding trends of the year so far?
2013 has been a year full of cupcakes, lace dresses and BBQs. Our favourite trend has been Brides ditching the heels for converse trainers and getting up close and personal with the animals! Some of our couples have chosen to swap the formalities of a post ceremony drinks reception for a trip to the penguin enclosure – some of our brides have been lucky enough to lead the parade!
We have also enjoyed the comeback of macaroons, YUM!
What do couples love most about the zoo? What makes them go “Wow”?
What couples love most about getting married at the Zoo is having exclusive use of the house to design each room to the needs and requirements for their day. Flexibility in our packages means that couples can design their day to suit them.
Wow your guests and family members by taking photos with the Rhinos. We can also host private panda viewings.
Our most frequent feedback from our couples is how much they appreciate the staff and the extra mile they are willing to go to make their day special and unique. Couples have complete flexibility in terms of menus, set up or décor/timings.
Which do you prefer… Summer weddings or winter weddings?
The Mansion house and gardens look stunning throughout the whole year as the gardens change beautifully with each season so any time is a great time to hold your wedding here. Our chef is more than happy to change menus to compliment the season, so all aspect of the day reflect the time of year.
The day of a wedding must be busy and exciting in Edinburgh Zoo after months of planning with couples?
Yes there is always a real buzz around the venue on the day of a wedding, with suppliers coming and going, the bride getting her hair and makeup done in her dedicated dressing room and the groom having a wee dram to settle the nerves in the gorgeous Library.
What do you do when you’re not planning weddings?
We do a whole host of different events here, from corporate away days to intimate family dinners, graduation balls and children’s birthday parties to name but a few, so we are always kept busy! We do on occasion get to visit our friends Tian Tian and Yuang Guang the Giant Pandas.
Mansion House at Edinburgh Zoo are currently offering a special all inclusive package for their remainingSaturday summer wedding dates in 2014.
Special all inclusive price for 50 guests of £2500 to include:
- Exclusive hire of the Mansion House and use of the Mansion House Gardens for your Wedding party
- Glass of Prosecco or bottle of selected beer after the ceremony
- Delicious three course menu with tea and coffee
- Entry to the zoo for all of your guests
- White chair covers for the ceremony
- Red carpet arrival
- Cake table & knife
- White linen & crockery
- Dedicated wedding co-ordinator from booking to the big day
