Marriage Begins in a Fairytale Castle
Modern Day Princesses Seek New Twist on Destination Weddings
The Signal - Business Section, May, 2006
For many brides to be, this is the ultimate fairytale princess happily ever after – marrying Prince Charming in a European castle with all your closest family and friends present. More than just a dream from a picture book, this new twist on the destination wedding has grown-up Cinderellas everywhere saying I do from inside a castle.
Historic old castles in Ireland and Scotland, chateaus in France and villas in Tuscany, these fabulous properties throughout Europe are what couples today are looking for in a wedding destination. Taking a royal turn from the traditional mega resort island beach destination wedding, castles are where it’s happening for the modern bride and groom.
When searching for the ideal castle, it is important to realize they come in many shapes, sizes and locations. Some castles now serve as lovely hotels, like The Ashford in Ireland. Others are still privately owned and available as luxury property rentals, such as the Tower of Perth in Scotland offered by Time & Place. Both styles have their own unique advantages for a wedding ceremony and guest accommodations.
Depending on the size of your wedding party, options may vary and it is important to work with you travel professional who can provide resources and planning assistance from flowers to appetizers to getting a marriage license. For smaller groups, the ability to coordinate an intimate ceremony and personalized celebration works well at many of the privately owned castles. These often have fewer guest rooms than a hotel but are exclusively private to your party.
The Tower of Perth in Scotland, for example, is a 14th century Tower House with Victorian additions, completely restored by the owners in 1996 to infuse many of toady’s modern conveniences with traditional old world charm. With beautiful gardens, a full-service kitchen and a complete domestic staff, including a house manager, full maid service, a chef, gardeners, a maintenance person and a local concierge, everything is covered. Located near Edinburgh and Glasgow, the property has convenient access to international airports as well. The castle sleeps 16 people.
For the bride planning a larger celebration, sprawling estates and hotel-style castles are the way to tie the knot in imperial style. Fit for a king and ready to serve the bridal queen for the day, the noble extravagance of the castle wedding is impressive.
Some plan the event around the castle itself, other couples decide on a geographic destination and then find the castle to suit their particular wedding-day needs. Since family and friends are traveling to be part of the big day, most will take the opportunity to use the trip as a vacation, arriving early or staying longer to explore the country. Often, the couple will schedule excursions in advance so the wedding party and guests have something fun to do while visiting. Activities may include sightseeing tours, shopping days or soft adventures for the active sorts. Again, rely on your travel expert for coordinating these details.
The destination wedding is like a ceremony and honeymoon rolled into one that also includes family and friends. Leaving our country to do this can present challenges, but the happily ever after part seems to prevail. Storybook princess marrying her prince in a European castle really does happen, no fairytale.
For more information
contact Nicole Stinson, Public Relations
(310) 312-3368
