Unique Weddings & Receptions at Bolton Castle, North Yorkshire

Set amidst the breath-taking beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, Bolton Castle is a magnificent symbol of longevity which has withstood the test of time. Built on strong foundations, it has survived in a challenging and ever changing world. Whether you are looking for a small ceremony, a full wedding or a marquee, we, at this award winning venue, are committed to ensuring everything is perfect for your special day. Imagine arriving through the impressive archway under the portcullis into the stunning cobbled courtyard of the Castle. You will be following in the footsteps of Royalty and you will be the King and Queen of Bolton Castle for the day. Imagine marrying in a beautiful candle lit room in the Castle with a Barn Owl quietly flying down the aisle to deliver your wedding rings. Your guests can be entertained by our falconry or archery display as you have your photographs taken in the beautiful backdrop of the castle and its grounds. Release two or ten Doves to symbolise your everlasting love for each other before you and your guests proceed with the day of celebrations in the magnificent
Great Chamber.

Independent on Sunday

Bolton Castle recently came 17th in a feature run by the Independent on Sunday on ‘The 50 best wedding venues.’

The article featured a wide variety of venues from ‘romantic woodland retreats to chic city hotels, and described Bolton Castle as ‘One of the most majestic buildings in the Yorkshire Dales, this historic venue (famous as the holding ground of Mary Queen of Scots on her way from Scotland to Tutbury) has long been a popular choice for wedding receptions and, more recently, for civil ceremonies.

Those looking for something a little different on their special day are in luck.

A new diversification scheme has seen the castle’s heir, Tom Orde-Powlett, training owls to fly wedding rings down the aisle to waiting brides and grooms.’

Whether you want a simple wedding reception or a full wedding service, we are committed to ensuring everything is perfect for your special day.

We are licensed to hold civil ceremonies and partnerships on site and can cater for up to 120 guests for the ceremony and reception and up to an additional 120 guests for the evening. We also have space in our beautiful grounds for a marquee to seat up to 250 guests. For your catering needs we have a list of companies who we can recommend. You can also source and use your own suppliers if you prefer to do so.

See our list of additional extras to enable you to create your perfect wedding day. We will help you every step of the way to ensure you achieve your perfect day.

We will provide, if required:

• Registrars table

• White linen (tablecloths & napkins)

• Lime washed chiavari chairs

• A choice of round (seat 8-10 people) or rectangular (seats 6 people) banqueting tables

• Cake table

• A roaring log fire

• Braziers, if requested

Interested? Click here to make a Wedding Booking Enquiry.

Our charges include exclusive hire of the venue, tables and chairs, VAT, logs for the fires and staff support.

Click here for more on Hiring Bolton Castle as a wedding venue.

We can also recommend excellent florists, bands, Medieval Musicians and entertainers, DJs, Horse and Carriages, Bagpipers, photographers and virtually anything else you are looking for and will do our best to help you plan a day that is unique and perfect for you.

We hope that you find this information useful, however please do not hesitate to call, email or write, if you have any questions or would like to look round and discuss your personal requirements. In fact, I would strongly recommend this as I am not sure the website does the Castle justice as a wedding location.

Interested? Click here to make a Wedding Booking Enquiry.

Rob and Alice Married in October 2020

2021 it is then!!!

Unfortunately we had our wedding cancelled due to Covid. The castle could not have been any nicer and understanding about the situation. Very accommodating about the new date and tried their best to do what they could do. Could not imagine getting married anywhere else. Didn’t lose any money and was stress free.

Paul Hide Married in August 2016

Great value for money

What a wonderful wedding we had at Bolton Castle! A number of guests said (not just to us) that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Many thanks to Elizabeth who judged things perfectly and to Carol, also. Lyndsey’s display amongst our guests was excellent and we ended up cutting the cake with an engraved longsword. Guy did a superb job with the food.Thanks to his staff, including Paul and Lorna. After choral music, instead of a fanfare I think we had a more suitable wonderfully subtle piece of music as the processional, with the bride entering the Solar as the drum started. Altogether it was a perfect setting for our perfect day and incredible value for money. Thank you so much

John and Vic Married in March 2015

The Castle will always be in our hearts with the fondest of memories.

Your flexibility and help to make the day what it was will never be forgotten and your general hospitality was warming. The Castle will always be in our hearts with the fondest of memories.

Susan and David Married in March 2015

Such a beautiful Day

Thank you so much for all your efforts leading up to and on our wedding day! We had such a beautiful day, and were so pleased we decided to get married at Bolton Castle.

Maxaime Married in May 2014

The splendid castle was perfect, as was the organisation

Our daughter and her Canadian fiancé recently held their wedding here and although the weather was very mixed, it didn't spoil the day in any way. The splendid castle was perfect, as was the organisation. Katie, the General Manager, who coordinated all the arrangements, Guy Fairhurst and his team of caterers, headed by Lorna, made sure that everything ran smoothly. All our guests had a wonderful day and were impressed with the castle and enjoyed exploring the castle and gardens. We cannot recommend it enough for a visit or a wedding.

John Bradley Married in June 2011

The staff were great and the panoramic views are breath-taking.

My daughter got married there recently, the staff were great and the panoramic views are breath-taking. Doesn't cost the earth and you can have total flexibility regards food and drink provision. Bolton Castle will be the in place to visit as the owner and staff further develop the attraction.

My daughter and her now husband had their wedding here on 29th February 2020. It was everything they had hoped for including snow, though they might have preferred not to have the raging storm. There was nothing the staff could have done about the wind though they tried to keep us warm with an enormous fire in the great hall that blazed all the time we were there. The food was glorious and hot! We danced and chatted till midnight and everyone agreed with was one of the best weddings that they had ever attended (we even had an owl bring the rings). Thank you to everyone at the castle and a particular thank you to Elizabeth who was fantastic on the day.

Kate and Tom

Now that we've had some time to relax and reflect on the last few days, I just wanted to take the time to thank you and your team for everything you did for us on Saturday. The day was amazing and so many of our guests commented on how fantastic the venue was. We're so grateful for all your help with organising it and helping the day run so smoothly. It really was beautiful and your team are fantastic!

Best wishes

Nina & Cameron (Dr. and Dr. Lauvitel)

Cameron and I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the whole team at Bolton Castle for hosting a wedding that surpassed all of our dreams! The history, character and charm of the castle enthralled our guests and ourselves, and the professionalism, flexibility, and responsiveness of the team and yourself made our wedding and planning experience a joyful one. Everything went so smoothly, and multiple people came to us to say that it was the best wedding they'd ever been to - we agree, but we may be biased! 🙂

Laura KItchen Married in February 2017

THANK YOU TEAM BOLTON CASTLE!!!

We got married at Bolton Castle and it was the absolute best day of our lives. Stunningly beautiful scenery, decorations, fairy lights and candle light made the Castle magical, perfect. Tom, Guy, Lorna and all the staff were outstandingly brilliant, the food was 5 star, all came out hot, at the same time. We went the following day to clear up and everything had been packed away for us!! They went above and beyond and we can't thank them enough. THANK YOU TEAM BOLTON CASTLE!!! Tom and Laura

Gabrielle Married in November 2018

A stunning and magical place for a spectacular day

Our wedding was absolutely spectacular- we could not have asked for anything more, it was truly perfect! The castle, and the surrounding area, is absolutely stunning. It is an idyllic place, straight out of a fairytale. My husband and I love history and had been there before and really enjoyed it, so we were thrilled to see that they are also a wedding venue. Tom let us decorate exactly as we wished, including all the lovely nooks and crannies in the castle that lend themselves so beautifully for decorating. The castle has an alluring, untouched feel about the place, transporting you straight back in time. We had Charlie the owl fly our rings up aisle, and had a ceilidh after our buffet, and it perfectly fit the atmosphere of the castle. We felt like we were partaking in the merrymaking along with the previous generations who had partied there. Like the previous reviewer, so many of our guests have said (and not just to us) that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. We wanted to express our heartfelt thanks to Tom and the whole team for helping us with our many questions along the way and for being there on the day, thank you so much. You were so kind and accommodating, always making us feel welcome. It was so helpful for us to be able to set up our decorations the day before, too. Also thank you to Guy and his team for the scrumptious food! Thank you also to the falconer and for Charlie for bringing our rings, you were amazing! I genuinely feel that what I have written does not do justice to how we feel, the day was simply magical.

Tom & Laura Married in February 2019

'it was the absolute best day of our lives.'

We got married at Bolton Castle and it was the absolute best day of our lives. Stunningly beautiful scenery, decorations, fairy lights and candle light made the Castle magical, perfect. Tom, Guy, Lorna and all the staff were outstandingly brilliant, the food was 5 star, all came out hot, at the same time. We went the following day to clear up and everything had been packed away for us!! They went above and beyond and we can't thank them enough. THANK YOU TEAM BOLTON CASTLE!!!

Murray Married in July 2020

The best support!

From the minute we arrived at Bolton Castle, we were blown away! The castle and the grounds are unreal! And the castle really is unique and does sell itself. We knew instantly that we wanted to get married there and our decision was finalised the minute we met Jacqui. Jacqui, the general manager, will go above and beyond for you. Jacqui genuinely wants the best for you and your special day. No request is too big or small. There are many amazing wedding venues, but it is hard to find an amazing venue and an amazing team!

Thank you ! Wedding: February 2020

Best weddings that they had ever attended

My daughter and her now husband had their wedding here on 29th February 2020. It was everything they had hoped for including snow, though they might have preferred not to have the raging storm. There was nothing the staff could have done about the wind though they tried to keep us warm with an enormous fire in the great hall that blazed all the time we were there. The food was glorious and hot! We danced and chatted till midnight and everyone agreed with was one of the best weddings that they had ever attended (we even had an owl bring the rings). Thank you to everyone at the castle and a particular thank you to Elizabeth who was fantastic on the day.

Sarah & Paul Married in January 2020

Amazing Wedding Day

We had a amazing wedding day here and it was a magical venue with fantastic food provided by Guy and his team

Paul Married in August 2019

Great value for money

What a wonderful wedding we had at Bolton Castle! A number of guests said (not just to us) that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Many thanks to Elizabeth who judged things perfectly and to Carol, also. Lyndsey’s display amongst our guests was excellent and we ended up cutting the cake with an engraved longsword. Guy did a superb job with the food.Thanks to his staff, including Paul and Lorna. After choral music, instead of a fanfare I think we had a more suitable wonderfully subtle piece of music as the processional, with the bride entering the Solar as the drum started. Altogether it was a perfect setting for our perfect day and incredible value for money. Thank you so much.

Jonathon & Anne Married in July 2019

The Perfect Venue

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for everything you and the team did for our wedding. Anne and I had the best day ever and it was great to enjoy it in the castle. As you said the castle is made for a party. It looks so different all set up for a wedding and our parents later admitted they were a little concerned seeing it bare but it looked fantastic when it has chairs, tables and decorated. Its such a great space to put your own touches to, making every wedding unique. Thanks ever so much helping laying everything out and the castle looked fantastic. We thought it would be the perfect venue with so many children attending and it was lovely to see them all enjoying the maze and grounds. All the guests said they had a special day and loved the venue and we haven't stopped talking about it. Please feel free to pass on our email details if you need to for couples thinking about using the castle. Thanks ever so much Tom and your team. Thanks also for being there for the day, there is so much to worry about, and knowing you would be there on the day helped lessen the worries no end.

Louise Bradshaw Married June 2019

Visited the Castle and it is a fabulous venue. Cannot wait to get married there in 2020.

Bex Havaday

Beautiful, stunning day at this imposing Castle. Totally over and above our expectations - true one of a kind. Food was amazing and staff so helpful in every way.

Sarah Married in March 2019

Fairytale wedding

Our fairytale wedding came true in this magical venue. Thank you all xx

Jake and Morgan

Jake and I are back in Colorado after our wedding and honeymoon. I just wanted to reach out and say thank you so much for all of your help to create our perfect wedding day. Everything was absolutely beautiful, and went so smoothly. We are so grateful to have had your help with planning, you made the process so much easier. We were initially intimidated to plan a wedding in England from Colorado, but working with you was a breeze and we are so thankful for all of your help.