Getting Married Inside a Cornish Castle

We all want a fabulous wedding day. By their very nature, weddings are a celebration and a chance to celebrate your partnership with the one you love in a unique setting, which you wouldn’t normally be able to enjoy. Through friends and family, you might just be able to hire your dream wedding venue and with this in mind, we thought we’d profile two amazing English Heritage castles in Cornwall, which can be all yours for an entire day.

Pendennis Castle

One of the finest fortresses built by Henry VIII, Pendennis Castle is located in Falmouth and has seen action in many conflicts throughout history. A bastion for the Royal family, it was one of the last royalist strongholds to fall during the English Civil War. Romance has featured heavily at the castle for centuries, with Territorial Army volunteers known to write letters to loved ones when holed up in Pendennis and ready for battle during World War I.

Couples can choose from an intimate ceremony in the keep or might perhaps choose to exchange vows whilst looking out at the horizon where the blues of the sky and the sea merge into one. There are also opportunities to enjoy the surroundings of the Royal Artillery Barracks or perhaps the marquee on the lawn. Whichever you choose, you’ll be able to enjoy the gorgeous views of the Cornish coast and impart your own little slice of history in the books of Pendennis Castle.

St. Mawes Castle

Another castle built by Henry VIII to stave off the prospect of a French or Spanish attack on the Falmouth coast, St. Mawes Castle is a stunning proposition for any engaged couple. The perfect setting for a coastal wedding, it features three circular ceremony and reception rooms, an outdoor terrace, tiered gardens and naturally, a stunning view of Falmouth Bay.

 A stunning clover leaf shape gives the castle a unique charm, whilst the opportunity to lead your guests over an ancient bridge is the stuff of fairytales! From here, you’ll pass through a mighty arched doorway and into your ceremony, where the curved walls of the castle will create evocative moments and memories to be cherished for years to come. With a spiral stone staircase, various window alcoves and a centuries old fireplace, there really is so much to enjoy. Packed with character but also providing a relaxed atmosphere, we can’t recommend St. Mawes Castle enough.

Entertainment in a Castle

The wonderful thing about entertainment is that it can be moulded to fit whatever you require. Castles often lend themselves to historical style entertainment including a harpist or a lute player, but even the strumming of an acoustic guitar will provide a beautiful accompaniment to your day. The laughter and sheer delight at a magician’s card tricks also provide fabulous photo opportunities, particularly when set against a summer coastal background. Moving into the evening, a live band can really help to while the night away with a unique setting for your very own concert! We also highly recommend a spectacular landscape painting of your venue as it appears on your big day; it really will be a stunning gift to treasure for years to come.