Towers, mazes and grand ballrooms – these Yorkshire castles make the perfect wedding venues.
Everyone wants their wedding day to be magical and memorable, and what better way to make sure it’s remembered forever than with a castle wedding? From Whitby to Harrogate, you’ll be properly spoiled for choice in Yorkshire, with a whole array of incredible castles just waiting to host your special day. Whether you’re looking for a gothic masterpiece or a medieval fairytale, there’s something in God’s Own County for every couple and every budget.
Ripley Castle
Credit: Victoria Baker
Veiled with climbing vines of ivy, Ripley Castle is a charming 700-year-old Yorkshire castle and soon-to-be wedding venue of your fairytale matrimony dreams. The epitome of romance, Ripley lies three miles north of Harrogate, boasting breathtaking views over the lake and lush gardens, perfect for outdoor celebrations which they cater for.
They offer an extensive range of tailored packages to help you plan your special day. Whether you’re wanting an intimate affair for 50 or an elaborate celebration with 120, this venue can do it all with its three packages, including a three-course wedding breakfast. Want to push the boat out? You can add a sweetie cart or even fireworks if you wish. The lavish interior adds a touch of regal flair, with a winding staircase, stained-glass windows and gold finishings – just imagine the photos! It’s also the perfect venue for after a church wedding as the All Saints’ Church is right across the road.
Ripley Castle, Ripley, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 3AY. Wedding packages start from £10,500.
Bolton Castle
Nestled in the rolling Yorkshire Dales, the Grade-I listed Bolton Castle dates all the way back to the 14th century. It’s one of The Independent’s Top 20 Best Wedding Venues in the UK and somewhere you can become royals for the day – but not in Mary, Queen of Scots-style. She was held prisoner here for six months in 1568!
Just imagine stepping through the archway into the enchanting cobbled courtyard, before making your way into a candlelit room filled with up to 120 of your friends and family. Here, you can even have a barn owl fly your rings down the aisle Aurora-style. Want a church wedding? St Oswald’s is just next door. After your ceremony, a falconry spectacle or dove release will keep your guests entertained while you’re off posing in the picturesque maze and gardens. Come evening, the castle can fit an extra 120 guests for the evening bash, while outdoor celebrations host 250.
Bolton Castle, North Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4ET. Prices start from £1,500 for venue hire only.
Skipton Castle
Built in 1090, the Grade-I listed Skipton Castle has stood tall overlooking the Yorkshire market town for almost an entire century. This quirky venue is particularly ideal for an intimate wedding ceremony in an iconic piece of local history, before celebrating your big day at your reception venue of choice.
You can choose from the ancient Chapel, Banqueting Hall or the Granary, all of which can fit up to 80 guests. These beautifully minimalist spaces can be reimagined to fulfil all of your wedding wishes with the help of their dedicated team, complete with that all-important fairytale vibe. You can share your vows with all your loved ones, then treat your guests to champagne and canapés on the scenic front lawn in between photographs, before heading off to your next destination to continue the party into the night.
Skipton Castle, The Bailey, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1AW. Prices start at £1,100 for venue hire only.
Hazlewood Castle
Hazlewood Castle has been a family home for some 900 years, but it can be home to you and your loved ones for your special day. This breathtaking Yorkshire wedding venue sits in the outskirts of Tadcaster, surrounded by acres upon acres of gorgeous woodland. You can reserve the whole venue for your celebration and feel like real kings and/or queens of the castle for the day.
They have plenty of options so you can make it truly your own with the help of a dedicated wedding planner. For the classic wedding, there’s an array of unique reception suites to choose from, including the Victoria Room, the Old Dining Room and the Great Hall. For those seeking an outdoor ceremony, why not book the woodland pagoda where you can live out all your rustic wedding fantasies for up to 100 guests complete with tipis and a tree bar? You can create your dream wedding breakfast before spending the evening dancing the night away in the ever-so-elegant Great Hall to finish a truly memorable day.
Hazlewood Castle, Paradise Lane, Leeds, Tadcaster, West Yorkshire, LS24 9NJ. Wedding packages start from £120 per person.
Danby Castle
Among the heather-strewn North York Moors stands the ruins of Danby Castle. Built in the 14th century, it was once home to Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII. Today, one tower remains and a farmhouse has been added, creating one of the quirkiest wedding venues in Yorkshire, surrounded by stunning moorland views.
Every wedding here is totally exclusive, so you can have it exactly how you want it, complete with access to their Getting Ready room before the ceremony. You can tie the knot in the Court Room, with exposed brick and luxurious chandeliers, the room seats 90 guests, or in the wooden-beamed Barn with space for 110 guests – come the evening, you can add an extra 50 revellers for the party, which takes place in the bar and dancefloor space next to the Barn. The wedding meets the great outdoors at this unique venue with views across the Esk Valley, while the old castle ruins make for the perfect spot for photographs.
Danby Castle, Castle Lane, Whitby, East Yorkshire, YO21 2NP. Wedding packages start from £4,450.
Allerton Castle
Credit: Cris Matthews
Allerton Castle is a show-stopping Yorkshire wedding venue in the Harrogate countryside, brimming with history and character, the perfect backdrop for your festivities. On the big day, its beautiful gardens and grand rooms will be exclusive to you, for a truly memorable occasion – at no extra cost. And it really doesn’t get much more majestic than this Grade-I 19th-century gothic beauty surrounded by 200 acres of greenery.
Get ready for your Cinderella moment, because the aisle leads down the elaborate staircase and straight into the awe-inspiring Great Hall. Once you’re officially a married couple, it’s out to the garden for drinks and canapés with a hint of confetti (biodegradable, of course), as well as photographs with an amazing backdrop. You can have your wedding breakfast from Bradshaws of York in the striking blue and white ballroom with up to 120 guests, while the 70-foot-high Great Hall will be transformed in preparation for the evening-do. Want to have an intimate celebration? Their wedding experts can make your dreams come true.
Allerton Castle, Allerton Lane, Allerton Mauleverer, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 0SE. Wedding packages start from £150 per person.
Sneaton Castle
Whitby is a charming seaside town full of coastal beauty, so after Sneaton Castle opened for weddings in 2020 after a huge re-vamp, it has become one of the most popular castle wedding venues in Yorkshire. Intimate and cosy with neutral decor that you can put your touch on, it’s the perfect canvas to make your day just how you always imagined it.
The Norman-style chapel can seat 200 guests and has a unique Renaissance-inspired dome ceiling. Add floral arrangements, blossom archways and plenty of tulle, and you’ve got yourself a truly magical, fairytale wedding. From the chapel, your guests will make their way to the renovated barn, complete with original oak beams and ambient lighting, for a stylish reception with ample space for seating up to 300 and of course, dancing. Their wedding team have an extensive list of suppliers you can hire for the day to make organising a doddle so you can focus on the romance.
Sneaton Castle, Whitby, East Yorkshire, YO21 3QN. Wedding packages start from £6,390.
The Swinton Estate
Credit: Kirsty Mattson
Occupying 200 acres of beautiful countryside on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, The Swinton Estate is a thing of beauty. It’s the ancestral seat of the Earl of Swinton, having been owned by the Cunliffe-Lister family since the 1880s. Now a hotel, this former castle offers a number of beautiful packages and intimate spaces, all of which can be tailored to make your day one you’ll never forget.
Keeping it small? Their ‘Just the Two of Us’ package includes an intimate wedding ceremony, with two witnesses to confirm your marriage. Going all out? Up to 50 guests can help you celebrate with their exclusive-use weddings that gives you sole access to the hotel and celebrations in the elegant Panelled Room, Library or stunning Samuel’s restaurant. You can even add a helicopter landing to your day if you weren’t feeling special enough! But that’s not all – they also offer more relaxed, boho, big sky weddings in the Bivouac or Deer House, while their three-day packages combine two ceremonies with feasting, wellness and activities.
The Swinton Estate, Swinton Park Hotel, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 4JH. Wedding packages start from £10,300.
Sheriff Hutton Castle
The 14th-century, Grade II-listed Sheriff Hutton Castle was once one of Northern England’s most impressive castles. This breathtaking relic was even a favourite residence of Richard III and Henry VIII and is steeped in over 600 years of royal history. If you’re looking to hold your castle wedding at one of the most impressive in Yorkshire, this is the venue for you.
Available between April and October, their Sounding Hall is licensed for 56 guests, but they can accommodate 120 for outdoor weddings, with accommodation available on-site. On the day you’ll have full access to the beautiful ancient castle grounds, surrounded by scenic Yorkshire countryside vistas. Your ceremony will be beautifully lighted, to get that atmospheric and romantic setting just right. Once you’ve said your ‘I dos’, head outside to the courtyard for a glass of fizz, canapés and photos to remember your special day, before you head into the marquee for your breakfast and party. Their wedding team can help find you local suppliers to bring your day together.
Sheriff Hutton Castle, York, North Yorkshire, YO60 6ST. Ceremonies only start from £1,350.
Cover image credit: Roxxie Blackham, Bee Wilde Studio
