Valentine’s Day At The InterContinental Edinburgh The George

One of Scotland’s most romantic hotels, InterContinental Edinburgh The George, is marking Valentine’s Day by partnering with The Edinburgh Sketcher to celebrate the love couples have for the place they said: “I Do”. 

The Latent Love campaign was launched last month and invited couples who married at the hotel to share their fondest memories and pictures of their wedding day via social media. In exchange, winners would get a once-in-a-lifetime memento recreating their favourite wedding picture from the Edinburgh-based artist from their day.  

More than 70 couples submitted their best moments at The George, which has welcomed loved-up couples since 1881. Since then, the hotel has hosted over 4,000 weddings, poured over 2 million glasses of reception drinks and served approx. 600,000 meals.  

Ten winners will now receive a specially commissioned sketch from Mark Kirkham, the artist behind The Edinburgh Sketcher, to mark the most romantic day of the year. 

The winning response came from Megan Maxwell from Kirkliston, who fell in love with the breathtaking chandelier in the King’s Hall. The renowned hanging chandelier in the Kings Hall has been the centrepiece for centuries and has even been the backdrop to an owl delivering wedding rings up the aisle. Megan’s story involved her beloved Grandmother sharing her opinion on Megan’s search for the perfect venue for her big day. 

Megan Maxwell said: “We looked at many venues and I kept coming back to the Kings Hall and how beautiful the big chandelier is. All I thought of and spoke about was the chandelier. My elderly Grandma said ‘for goodness sake, you’re not marrying a chandelier’ but the truth is that choosing the right venue is a love story in itself. You need to fall in love with it, we did and we had the best day.” 

Runners up Simon and Jamie Le Grice, originally from Reading and Edinburgh also shared a fond memory. 

Simon Le Grice from London said: “The moment the first course of dinner was served, jaws dropped at the way the waiting staff circled the table before laying the plates all at once. People loved the theatre of it!” Their advice for couples embarking on marriage was to “Plan for a lifetime together, not just the wedding day (however special the day may be)!” 

InterContinental Edinburgh The George, a former collection of five, fine Georgian townhouses, is a magnificent example of local architecture dating back to the 18th century, combining luxury hotel accommodation with elegant wedding venue spaces that pull on the heartstrings.  

The hotels’ Georgian façade makes it one of the most iconic buildings in the West End. Packed with character and charm the hotel is home to two spaces: the majestic King’s Hall with space for up to 180 guests and The Forth View Suite with a capacity for 18 for those who wish for a more intimate celebration. In a celebration of love, The George has crafted the Timeless Love package for all couples in love and to welcome back couples and guests who have been married or attended a wedding at The George over the years. 

Kieran Quinn, Hotel General Manager at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said “InterContinental EdinburghThe George is beloved by many happy couples, both locally and further afield. It has been brilliant to hear the memories created with us and to celebrate their attachment with the hotel. Mark has worked with InterContinental Edinburgh The George previously, and so it was to our delight that he accepted our invitation to celebrate our latent love.” 

Mark Kirkman, The Edinburgh Sketcher commented “I loved this idea and immediately wanted to be a part of recreating these memories for the lucky happy couples. The George is a favourite of mine, and it was a delight to create artwork from past weddings, seeing how the place and fashions changed over the years.” 

For couples still looking to book a romantic getaway, The InterContinental Edinburgh The George Timeless Love package is available from £260 per room, per night and includes:  

  • One-night stay in the George Street View Suite  
  • A full Scottish breakfast 
  • Dinner in Printing Press Kitchen & Bar 
  • A bottle of Champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries on arrival 
  • Pre-dinner aperitif, French 75 cocktail, served to suite 
  • Personal service from one of our Guest Experience team throughout your stay 

For more information, please visit https://edinburgh.intercontinental.com/offers/ 

For more information about weddings at InterContinental Edinburgh The George