COUNTRY HOUSES & CASTLES ELEGANT SPACES THAT ARE MADE FOR ROMANCE – AND PARTYING!
f privacy is your priority, most country houses and Icastles operate on an exclusive-use basis. Indeed, many will allow you to hire the whole space for two nights, so you can host everything from a welcome dinner to a farewell brunch – what could be better than celebrating together with a whole weekend of festivities? Both types of venue tend to come with beautiful grounds, so think about how you could use these. Champagne on the ST GILES HOUSE lawn, and croquet, perhaps, if Dorset your w-day is in the warmer months? Fireworks and hot If you’re having an intimate chocolate in winter, venue ceremony, the 18th-century allowing? Just make sure grotto here is a very special there’s a wet-weather option. spot. For larger guest lists, Many country houses and there are five different castles have some on-site licensed rooms, and then you accommodation – check how can celebrate your newlywed status with drinks in the lovely much is available, and whether sunken garden, then party there are overnight options the night away in the nearby. In some historic spaces, on-site nightclub. certain décor items, such as hitched.co.uk confetti and candles, may be restricted – but who cares, when you’re getting married somewhere so heavenly?
youandyourwedding.co.uk 35 COUNTRY HOUSES & CASTLES HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS Kent ISCOYD PARK Shropshire FLOORS CASTLE The only difficulty with this 700-year-old & GARDENS castle will be choosing where to wed. In If you want a wedding that’s perfectly the lakeside Italian Garden, which has personalised to you, check out this Lothian & Borders a Trevi-inspired fountain? In the grand wonderful Georgian manor. Each surroundings of the castle itself, childhood celebration is bespoke – there are no This venue has the grandeur you’d home of Anne Boleyn? Or in the Tudor- packages. Instead, you decide how expect from an historic castle, but is style Astor Wing? It’s up to you… best to use the delightful spaces inside also warm and inviting. You can take hitched.co.uk and out, whether it’s a one-night party over the castle and grounds on an or three days of festivities. exclusive-use basis, or the bewitching hitched.co.uk Millennium Garden and summer house. hitched.co.uk
GRITTLETON COLSHAW HALL HOUSE Cheshire Wiltshire
There are some beguiling celebration At the end of a handsome, spaces at this private estate – and private tree-lined drive, you’ll
none more so than the Peel Suite, (GRITTLETON PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN ALYSSA BY PHOTOGRAPHS HANNAH DAVIES. BY WORDS & GARDENS HEVER CASTLE CASTLE), (ALLERTON HOUSE), CHRIS CHAMBERS PHOTOGRAPHY HALL), LEAH (COLSHAW & GARDENS), JONNY DRAPER PHOTOGRAPHY (HEVER CASTLE PARK) (ISCOYD PHOTOGRAPHY LOMBARDI find this marvellous country ALLERTON CASTLE with views across the gorgeous house. There’s beauty North Yorkshire gardens. There’s accommodation everywhere you look, from for up to 36, and the following day, the light-filled Orangery to This Gothic-revival stately home each overnight guest can enjoy the sunken Italian gardens. has a breathtaking ballroom with breakfast in the Orangery. And gin-lovers, rejoice – the vaulted ceiling and chandeliers, for DUNVEGAN CASTLE hitched.co.uk bar has a Gin Hub, with 32 a reception to remember. But if your & GARDENS different artisan tipples. w-day dreams are more about the Isle of Skye hitched.co.uk outdoors, never fear – there’s the perfect spot for a marquee in the The lochside setting is so magnificent that beautiful grounds. you wouldn’t think any venue could live up hitched.co.uk to it. Dunvegan Castle does so, however, with its stirringly beautiful architecture. This is ideal for an intimate celebration – the castle hosts up to 65 guests. dunvegancastle.com ELTHAM PALACE London
Who says you can’t have a country house wedding in the city? Located in south-east London, Eltham Palace is a venue like no other – a medieval palace converted to an Art Deco mansion. The glass- domed entrance hall, leading to the idyllic terrace, is particularly impressive. hitched.co.uk
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HUNTSHAM FARLEIGH WALLOP DORFOLD COURT Hampshire HALL Devon This luxurious, exclusive-use retreat Cheshire has it all. A boating lake, orchard, Put simply, this is a wonderful heated outdoor pool, tennis court, It’s romance all the way venue. Not only is Huntsham croquet lawn and cricket pitch – in the grounds here, with Court utterly magical to look this is country living at its best. hidden dells, rose arches at, but there’s no corkage, and Inside, there are stunning reception and a picturesque lake. The you’re free to bring in your own rooms and beautifully appointed Grade I-listed Jacobean suppliers or use the team’s bedrooms, as well as cinema and stately home itself is truly recommendations, and arrange billiard rooms. exquisite. You must check the house and furniture as you oetkercollection.com/estates-villas/ out the King James Bridal wish – such flexibility is a thing masterpiece-estates Suite – quite the most to be cherished. stunning we have seen. hitched.co.uk hitched.co.uk
BLENHEIM PALACE Oxfordshire ST AUDRIES PARK This fabled venue has a rich history, Somerset built in the 18th century and the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Expect From the 10-acre deer park to the magnificent interiors, glorious parkland light-filled orangery and wood- and impeccable service. If your guest list panelled Great Hall, this Georgian is on the larger side, you can have a manor is full of charm outside marquee in the grounds. and in. And as the venue can hitched.co.uk accommodate up to 100 guests overnight, you and your loved ones can really make a weekend of it. hitched.co.uk ADLINGTON HALL SHOTTLE HALL Cheshire Derbyshire All the celebration spaces at this country Part of the iconic Chatsworth Estate, this house have much to recommend them, family-run Victorian country house has an from the enchanting Rose Garden to abundance of charm. As if the handsome the Georgian Hunting Lodge. But if it’s house and glorious Peak District views undeniable wow factor you want, the weren’t enough, there’s a luxurious spectacular Great Hall is a must-see, with permanent marquee with underfloor grand paintings, medieval flooring and heating, chandeliers and starlit ceiling. mullioned windows. hitched.co.uk adlingtonhall.com PHOTOGRAPHS BY JADE OSBORNE PHOTOGRAPHY (DORFOLD (DORFOLD PHOTOGRAPHY OSBORNE JADE BY PHOTOGRAPHS AT (THE ORANGERY BEADNELL PHOTOGRAPHY HALL), JANE WALLOP), MARIANNE MAJERUS (FARLEIGH SETTRINGTON), CASTLE), (BELVOIR PHOTOGRAPHY CONNERTON RACHAEL HALL) (ADLINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY HANNAH WEBSTER YOU’LL ALSO LOVE…
ALNWICK CASTLE PENTNEY ABBEY CROSSBASKET CASTLE EASTNOR CASTLE BIRTSMORTON COURT, THE ORANGERY AT BELVOIR CASTLE LANGLEY CASTLE Northumberland Norfolk Glasgow Herefordshire Worcestershire SETTRINGTON Yorkshire Leicestershire Northumberland
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WOODHALL MANOR Suffolk
This delightful Elizabethan manor accommodates guest lists great and small – and everything in between. Whether you decide to keep it to your nearest and dearest or invite everyone you know, Woodhall Manor will be yours on an exclusive-use basis. hitched.co.uk
LUDLOW CASTLE Shropshire CHARITY It’s hard to imagine a more Herefordshire romantic ceremony setting than this medieval castle’s The setting could hardly be more ruined chapel, entered by picturesque: the magnificence of the crossing a bridge over the Brecon Beacons, with the Black Mountains moat. And that’s just the in view. The house itself is a luxurious beginning of the loveliness yet laid-back venue, with immaculate here, with its rich history and accommodation, a contemporary-cool- enchanting country setting. meets-rustic style and an idyllic courtyard, hitched.co.uk plus a fire pit and hot tub. uniquehomestays.com/weddings
NOTLEY ABBEY ORCHARDLEIGH Buckinghamshire ESTATE Somerset This magical exclusive-use, medieval house was once the Plan to party until dawn? Divine home of Laurence Olivier and Orchardleigh House is a private Vivien Leigh, adding a sprinkling home, which means you can do of Old Hollywood glamour to an exactly that! But before dancing, already-impressive space. you can have a ceremony in Every last element is calibrated an on-site church (including a for romance, from the magical island church), in the entertaining spaces to the Great Hall or outdoors. luxurious bridal suite. hitched.co.uk hitched.co.uk PHOTOGRAPH BY UNIQUE HOME BY PHOTOGRAPH (CHARITY) AND MARK WATTS STAYS
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VOEWOOD Norfolk
This venue adds a cool, contemporary twist to the traditional country wedding. Yes, the building may be Arts & Crafts, but the interior styling is gloriously eclectic. What’s more, there’s not a package in sight – it’s all about creating your very own personalised celebration. hitched.co.uk
LEEZ PRIORY Essex
Surrounded by 40 acres of parkland, Tudor manor Leez Priory manages the trick of being both practical and pretty. The practical? Seven licensed ceremony spaces, an in-house planner, delightful accommodation and exclusive use. The pretty? Just look at the picture. hitched.co.uk
BOTLEYS MANSION Surrey
The celebration spaces at this grand Palladian manor are ideal for large-scale partying – the glass-roofed Atrium has a capacity of 250 for the wedding breakfast and 500 for evening guests. Or if you’re after something more intimate, choose the wonderfully elegant Green Room. hitched.co.uk
BATTEL HALL AT LEEDS CASTLE Kent
Leeds Castle itself is an impressive venue. But we’re also impressed with newcomer to the wedding scene Battel Hall, a medieval manor house in the estate’s grounds. Covered in 100-year-old wisteria, this combines the best of contemporary comforts with real historic charm. hitched.co.uk