Many celebrities are choosing to say “I do” at exquisite and remote castles, a trend that has been on the increase since the turn of the century. A wedding in a castle setting is appealing in several ways: most castles are in remote, hard-to-reach locations, which makes for better privacy, and the ornate historic setting of a castle can make any bride feel like a fairy-tale princess.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes chose Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy as the site for their November 18, 2006 nuptials. Andrea Bocelli, the noted Opera star, sang at their service.
Madonna and Guy Ritchie
The Castle Skibo in Scotland was the site for Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s December 22, 2000 wedding. This 7,000-acre estate was built in the 1100s and its name means ‘fairyland,’ or ‘place of peace.’
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker were married at City Hall in Paris and had a reception a few days later at the incredible Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte in France. The evening was capped off by a magnificent display of fireworks.
Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith
Ashford Castle Hotel, located in Ireland, hosted Pierce Brosnan and Keely Shaye Smith’s nuptials in August, 2001. Ashford, a castle-turned-hotel, is nestled among hundreds of acres of beautiful green Irish hills.
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar selected magnificent Sudeley Castle in England as the location for their March 2, 2007 wedding event. Donatella Versace designed Hurley’s wedding dress and was also present at the celebration.
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
Although their ending was most definitely not from a fairy tale, the wedding of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills at the Castle Leslie in Ireland was. The 17th-century castle was the site for their nuptials in June of 2002.
Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster
The beautiful Villa Durazzo in Italy was the location for the June, 2007 wedding of Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster. The rocker’s third marriage to a bride half his age took place in the 17th century castle, which is located on a hill and overlooks the gulf of Santa Margherita.
There are a variety of resources available for the bride who wishes for a castle wedding. ‘The Castle Wedding Planner,’ by Grace Sydney and Paris Permenter, is a complete guide to selecting, budgeting for, and planning a wedding held in a castle setting.
