A couple who entrusted their entire wedding to TV funny woman Miranda Hart celebrated their first hours of married life in a luxury Scottish castle.
Delighted staff and catering experts at Dundas Castle prepared a relaxing welcome for newlyweds Claire Gilchrist and Ben Springett, to help them recover from the whirlwind of their wedding day which was organised in a single day. The couple headed to the stunning venue at South Queensferry after Miranda organised every element of their big day – including cake, guests, bridesmaids, outfits and rings – in less than 24 hours.
More than £1 million was raised for charity by the televised wedding special with a host of celebs and other well-wishers helping ensure it was such a massive success, including Dundas Castle which laid on a two night stay for the newlyweds. The castle is among a number of the most exclusive venues in Scotland which partner with Prestige Scotland, a specialist arm of Sodexo Prestige and the joint team laid on a memorable visit for the couple, to round off their wedding celebrations.
As well as being put up in The Boathouse a romantic retreat sitting on the loch within the beautiful grounds, the Prestige Scotland team created a breakfast hamper, boasting the finest Scottish produce.
Lucy Scillitoe, Director at Dundas Castle, said: “We were delighted to be asked to play a part in this wedding as not only did it raise money for a great cause, it also allowed us to play a special part in the most important day of any couple’s life. We work extremely hard to give the perfect stay for all our guests. For Claire and Ben it was a pleasure to give them a day or two of luxury in The Boathouse to help them relax and recover before their honeymoon.
“We know exactly how to make newlyweds welcome, because the castle itself is one f Scotland’s most renowned wedding venues, while The Boathouse on the lake is a perfect intimate and romantic setting for a newly married couple. Claire and Ben’s wedding raised more than £1million for Red Nose Day and it is a privilege to have been a part of that.”
The wedding was part of TV star Miranda’s Mad March – and the rapidly organised marriage helped raise more than £1 million as part of the televised Comic Relief extravaganza. While the visit of the newlyweds was the highlight of Red Nose Day activity at Dundas Castle, it wasn’t the only contribution. A Red Nose day themed Great British Bake off at the venue saw staff and suppliers raise more than £300.
Thirteen participants baked cakes and Prestige Scotland provided expert baking tips from its Scottish executive chef Stephen Frost and expert pastry chef, Phil Elwis, who also helped with the judging. Prestige Scotland is the exclusive catering provider at Dundas Castle, catering for a wide range of events, including corporate meetings, international events and weddings and celebrations.
Dundas Castle is one of Scotland’s most historic castles. A five star exclusive use venue which is booked out in its entirety, it caters for a wide range of events including; conferences, business meetings, private dinner parties, weddings and receptions and much more.
More information can be found at www.dundascastle.co.uk
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
