Planning a Dream Castle Wedding In the UK
If you are planning to get married in the United Kingdom, it is hard for your mind not to immediately imagine a castle wedding venue.
The regality of the old, sturdy walls, the sheer beauty of the grounds, and the fairytale-like atmosphere all scream dream wedding. Those feelings are no doubt enhanced by the media buzz surrounding the royal family anytime a member has a wedding.
While it is not likely that your wedding will match that of the budgetless weddings planned in the salons of Buckingham Palace, there are plenty of other options for those couples who just have to have a castle venue for their English wedding.
Before reading up on some of the best castles across the UK available for events, it is important to consider the reality of the pandemic.
If you are planning on a destination wedding with many people traveling from outside of the United Kingdom, it is necessary to consider the UK’s latest regulations and requirements for entry.
Before the pandemic, travellers only needed to concern themselves with visas and visa waivers. Due to the ongoing nature of the virus, that is no longer the case. All passengers entering the UK must fill out a Public Passenger Locator Form.
Once that is approved, they can focus on whether or not they require a visa.
For now, travellers from countries like the United States are exempt from obtaining any type of permission to enter the UK. However, if you are planning a wedding down the line, it is worth reading up on the ETA UK, or the electronic travel authorisation form for the UK, which will be launched in 2025.
Read on to find out more about the perfect wedding venues that England and Britain have to offer.
Exploring England’s Perfect Castle Wedding Venues
Finding the right venue for your needs is crucial when planning a wedding. Whether you are inviting fifty people or five hundred, you need to make sure that the space has all the amenities that will help to ensure that your special day remains special.
With that in mind, the perfect venue for you may be different than the perfect castle for someone else. While the idea of a castle wedding sounds like it can only be glitzy and glamorous, several options throughout the United Kingdom tend to appear more quaint and storybookish instead of simply being all about elegance.
Fortunately, no matter where on that scale you wish to find your dream location, there are multiple options for you.
One of the first steps you can take is trying to figure out geographically if you have any preferences.
A Dreamy English Castle Wedding
Certain regions inside of the UK just scream charming. The pastoral, wide-open fields, the crystal clear lakes, and the brooding nearby forests all lend themselves well to our collective sense of what a fairytale looks and feels like.
If that is the type of wedding venue you are looking for, then central and southern England is the place for you to search for the perfect castle.
For example, Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire is almost too picturesque. It doesn’t quite seem real. From the magnificent grounds sat on the lake to the gilded touches in the building’s many stately rooms, there is no shortage of the spectacular at this 200-year-old castle.
A Scottish Castle Wedding to Remember
Scotland is about as charming and magical a place as there is. While there is no shortage of options in England, it is worth checking out their neighbours to the north.
The sprawling highlands and historical regions hold numerous castles that are tucked away in the perfect setting and offer up their guests an idyllic wedding experience. There is just something special about the idea of getting married near the mythical Loch Ness or just down the road from where some of the most famous and sought-after elixirs in the world are distilled.
Plus, for the truly adventurous and daring soon-to-be newlyweds, Scotland offers far more opportunities for a so-called “white wedding” as it receives much more snow than its southern friends.
If Edinburgh isn’t already charming enough, then you can take a short drive away to nearby Dundas Castle. The spacious grounds offer room for plenty of guests and while it is outside of the city, it is more accessible than other options, making it convenient for guests.
Most importantly though, it is as beautiful as any other castle in the country and the perfect spot to say, “I do.”
There are hundreds of castle wedding venues spread throughout England, Scotland, and the rest of the UK. With a good bit of planning and, of course, the right partner, you’ll be sure to find your dream spot.
