The most lavish wedding venues in the UK
With its dramatic gothic architecture and sweeping Capability Brown gardens, Belvoir Castle is the place for a statement wedding. Robert de Todeni, William the Conqueror’s standard bearer, built the first castle at Belvoir immediately after the Norman Conquest in 1067. During its long and colourful history it was briefly owned by royalty in the 12th century after being seized by Henry II during the rebellion of Robert de Ros; attacked during the Wars of the Roses in 1461; and destroyed by Parliamentarians during the Civil War in 1649. The castle’s gothic-revival style we see today is down to the 5th Duke of Rutland, who commissioned the architect James Wyatt to rebuild it in the fashionable style in 1801, and it remains the ancestral home of the dukes of Rutland.
The Rutland Family Chapel, with its gothic-revival influences and monuments dating back to the 1400s, is an atmospheric spot to say your vows, while the Guard Room can hold up to 100 guests and is another popular choice for ceremonies, with its ancient stone walls and characterful touches such as the impressive cantilevered staircase — a unique spot for that all-important dress reveal. Some couples even choose to mark the beginning of their marriage here with the echo of cannon fire. New for 2026, couples can now also get married in the Belvoir Vineyard, saying “I do” amid rows of vines. The castle has 14 richly decorated bedrooms for guests, each with its own distinctive character.