When we got engaged we knew straight away we didn’t want a traditional wedding, we wanted to keep things relaxed, intimate and stress free. We began to research places to elope and when Roulotte Retreat popped up we knew we’d found the place. The beautiful meadow and the bohemian Roulottes were our dream setting actualised. We arranged a visit where Avril showed us around the meadow and the Roulottes to help us choose where we would like to stay. She explained that we could come just the two of us if we liked, and that she and Alan would be happy to be our witnesses. We decided to stay in Gitana hidden away by the bushes and trees of the meadow, with its cosy tub at the back, it really felt it was in its own little corner of the world. After booking, Avril guided us through our planning, putting us in touch with everyone a wedding needs to involve, which made planning our wedding a breeze. Within a month everything was booked and we just had to relax and wait for the day! The wedding itself took place on the jetty at the edge of the lake with the tall rushes surrounding us and the moorhens and their chicks joining us for the ceremony. Afterwards we had the opportunity to take some incredible photos around the meadow, then it was back to Gitana to unwind after the excitement of the day. Avril was kind enough to bring us some Champagne on ice when we got back from our celebratory meal on the night. She had picked five thistles to decorate the bucket, one for every year we had been together as a couple before we got married. It’s touches like this that made our stay so special and personal. Roulotte Retreat is like nowhere we have been before. For us, it was a wonderful way to unplug and reconnect with nature and ourselves, which made for a wonderfully tranquil wedding day. We can’t wait to visit again! ‍

After 14 years together we had never quite found the right place to get married until we discovered and fell in love with Roulotte Retreat following a short break staying in Rosa Bella in 2020. The tranquillity, stunning scenery and option of an alternative to a traditional wedding was a perfect match, so we decided to finally go for it! Avril expertly guided us through the formalities and offered help and advice with everything from local suppliers to options for personalising the ceremony to make the day uniquely perfect and special. We immediately felt welcomed and relaxed when we arrived and made ourselves at home in the stunning Horseshoe Cottage, with Ruby Bowtop resplendently waiting for us in the garden. After relaxing in the eco sauna and a good night’s sleep, we started our wedding day with the most delicious, locally sourced breakfast hamper, before a relaxing stroll in the magical woodland nearby. Before we knew it, it was time to get ready, say our “I Do’s” and drink from the quaich in the beautiful garden surroundings accompanied by our dog Bo, before enjoying a gorgeously decorated ice bucket of fizz to celebrate! The entire experience was everything we could have hoped for and more – Avril and Alan went out of their way to make the entire process stress free, memorable and uniquely “us” - we can’t wait to return to celebrate our future anniversaries! Thanks so much for everything!

When planning for our wedding in USA it was really easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in prices, and who to invite, that it was seeming to overshadow the love that we wanted to celebrate. We are both introverted and wanted to exchange our vows privately where we could focus on each other, our shared love, and creating a conscious committed partnership together. That is why we chose Roulotte Retreat. Here we were surrounded by nature, eclectic and whimsical, and able to partake in a hodgepodge of traditions that were important to us. We soulfully married on the June strawberry moon near the lochan in the meadow and stayed in Gitana with carvings of strawberries, butterflies and fairies surrounding us. We loved the chickens, rooster Elvis, and Bear the dog who were also part of our Special Day. Avril and Alan made us both feel so at home and really helped to make the day simply wonderful. From fresh flowers in the broom (for 'jumping the broom' ceremony) to our champagne served “with a flourish” of fresh sprigs, and making sure we knew all the places to visit for photos, we felt truly cared for from the start. We also loved our registrar Jane, who so gracefully switched between handfasting, to the quaich ceremony with love and laughter. The day was made even more splendid with Liana as our photographer. Liana made us feel so comfortable and we had so much fun exploring Roulotte Retreat, the surrounding area, and Melrose together. We couldn’t recommend the Roulotte Retreat with Avril and Alan, Jane, and Liana more! Thank you so much for a lifetime of memories and love!

I was never the sort of girl who spent hour after hour dreaming about her fairytale wedding... had I have done it would have been the day I married my partner of 17 years at Roulotte Retreat. We wanted our wedding to be about us, to be relaxed and hassle free and that is exactly what we got! It truly was a magical day... just perfect! From waking up on the morning of our wedding day with the sun streaming in through Gitana's windows to saying our vows on the jetty overlooking the lochan, to a celebratory glass of fizz in the beautiful meadow with our very closest family and friends to sitting a round a campfire as the sun set... we could not have wished for a better day. Roulotte Retreat will always have a very special place in our hearts as will Avril and Alan who made us feel so welcome and helped create a day which we will never forget. Thank you.

We find it hard to put into words how perfect our Elopement at Roulotte Retreat was, but we'll have a go... Christian and I didn't want a conventional wedding, we wanted a wedding that reflected us. The setting at Roulotte Retreat was ideal for our midsummer elopement. We stayed in the beautiful Gitana. Her walls were carved with wild strawberries, hidden fairies, butterflies and leaping hares - just magical. We spent the morning of our wedding exploring Melrose before heading back to our Roulotte to get ourselves ready for the ceremony, making time to lie in the sunshine with a pre-wedding glass of champagne or two. Our Wedding Ceremony was held next to the lochan in the middle of the meadow, surrounded by thousands of wildflowers. We exchanged vows, held a traditional hand-fasting ceremony and then took the opportunity to capture some memories around the meadow with our photographer. Following the ceremony we headed back to Gitana where Avril had prepared the most beautiful ice bucket full of champagne, flowers and foliage, which we enjoyed with a platter of cake and cheeses. Later in the evening we enjoyed the most delicious selection of Indian food straight to our Roulotte door from Priya. Sitting outside beautiful Gitana in the late midsummer sun in the eco-hot tub, we were surrounded by nature, just the two of us - it was just perfect. Avril, Alan and Bear their dog were wonderful hosts and witnesses. We can't wait to return to Roulotte Retreat to reminisce. Thank you!