There are some incredible castles still standing in the British Isles, many of which are available to hire for wedding ceremonies and receptions

Some of our favourite wedding venues are castles, there are options out there for most budgets whether you want something beautiful and picturesque in as a backdrop or if you want to go the whole hog and hire a castle as your day and night venue.

Castle such as Rowton castle and Ludlow castle offer all in packages and will provide you with a liaison to help with the organisation and general running of the day.

If you are looking for an idyllic location for your wedding, one shrouded in history and featuring some stunning architecture then perhaps you should consider a picturesque castle wedding for your special day.

There are many castles to be found right across the British Isles, some in ruins which offer a beautiful backdrop and some still near to their original condition which can be rented out for the full day or as luxurious evening venues.

Most of the castles in Great Britain started out as Bronze age or Iron age forts which were built for defence against invaders. They were not only built for defence but also as a show of strength and wealth both to enemies and serfs or peasants.

They were usually constructed on a hill or high ground sometimes with the aid of natural obstructions such as cliffs or rivers which made the fort harder to assault, this made the structure both visible and easier to defend. These forts were used right up to the Anglo-Saxon period in UK history.

When the Normans invaded Britain in 1066 they began new period of castle construction, building new castles in both areas of large population density and later on the site of the previous Bronze and Iron Age forts due to their tactical positions.

The Normans were largely responsible for the introduction of the motte and bailey style of castle which consists of a keep surrounded by a courtyard known as the bailey which is enclose a wall and a ditch to deter and delay attackers. Many of these type of castle still stand in the UK and are available to hire out as wedding venues. Though many of these castle lie in ruins some still stand in all their former glory having been well kept or fully restored.

In the 13th century more castles were built in stone, with many built by Edward 1 along the border between England such as the imposing and Wales including Ludlow Castle and Rowton Castle which now both serve as spectacular wedding venues.

Scotland has its share of beautiful castles which have been repurposed as a wedding venues, even famous castles such as Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle can be hired out for your wedding day. Although there were few castles built before the 13th century they made up for it in the 14th and later.

King Henry VIII had a number of castles built along the south coast of England in the Tudor period when there was an ever present threat of invasion from Europe which stretched all the way from Kent to Cornwall, there are some beautiful wedding venues available for hire in these areas.

As cannon were introduced into warfare, castle walls became less effective and their use began to die out for fortification purposes and their use as residences increased.