A Summer Wedding at Bolton Castle, Wensleydale: Flower Crowns, Rainbow Ribbons and a Dales Sunset
Just before their first dance, the sky over Wensleydale turned gold. Jo and Sam slipped out of Bolton Castle with us and walked hand in hand through the fields, Jo’s lace dress catching the last of the light. After a day of non-stop smiles, it was the perfect way to finish.
Bolton Castle: a medieval castle wedding venue in Wensleydale
Bolton Castle is in the village of Castle Bolton in Wensleydale, near Leyburn. It was built between 1378 and 1399 by Sir Richard le Scrope, Lord Chancellor to Richard II, and it’s still largely intact. Mary, Queen of Scots was held here for six months from 1568, and the castle remains in the hands of the Orde-Powlett family today.
It’s licensed for civil ceremonies in the Great Chamber or the Chapel, and couples have exclusive use of the castle and gardens. Up to 100 guests can join you for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, with up to 120 more in the evening. For photographs it’s a gift: towering stone walls, a sunlit courtyard and the whole of the dale spread out below.
Flower crowns and a castle all to themselves
Jo and Sam are the kind of couple you could walk past in the street and know instantly were in love. The morning was full of sunshine. Bridesmaids in pale blue crowded round Jo with bright bouquets, and the boys sorted out their ties on a cobbled square. Jo stepped out of a stone cottage door in long lace sleeves and a flower crown.
The castle was theirs for the day. The ceremony room had bunting and fairy lights strung under the old beams, and the chairs were tied with ribbons in every colour of the rainbow. The only time their smiles slipped was during the emotional vows, and even then only for a split second. Once the ceremony was over, Jo and Sam headed back into the ceremony room for the official blessing. It was more intimate and made for some beautiful moments.
Confetti, a joint speech and a sunset
Outside there was confetti, plenty of hugs and one guest reaching up to cup Sam’s chin in her hand. We took the two of them out onto the hillside for a few portraits, with Wensleydale stretching away for miles behind them, and Jo laughing under her flowers.
The hall where they had their meal was beautifully decorated. Jo and Sam had gone to such efforts to create a colourful day for their guests, and it showed. The speeches were a highlight: one speaker took the microphone in a very fancy hat, and Jo and Sam gave a joint speech about their first date from both of their perspectives. It was hilarious, and it was the one moment we wished we’d recorded as well as photographed.
Then came that sunset, and a first dance with a live band, Sam sweeping Jo up in a hug as the dance floor filled around them.
Why we love a wedding at Bolton Castle
If you’re thinking about Bolton Castle for your own wedding, here’s our honest take after Jo and Sam’s day:
- The castle is yours. With exclusive use of the castle and gardens, it never feels like you’re sharing your day with visitors.
- The view comes free. A few minutes’ walk takes you onto the hillside, with the dale below and, if you’re lucky, a sunset like Jo and Sam’s.
- Colour loves old stone. Ribbons, bunting and flower crowns really sing against whitewashed walls and medieval masonry.
- Book rooms nearby. There’s no accommodation at the castle, but villages such as Aysgarth, Middleham and West Witton have cottages, inns and B&Bs.
Planning your own wedding at Bolton Castle?
If you’re getting married at Bolton Castle or anywhere else in the Dales, we’d love to hear from you. See more castle wedding photography and summer weddings, browse our Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to check your date.
