Durham Castle Venues in County Durham

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The Details

Type of Ceremony

Civil ceremony license
Outdoor Ceremonies
Receptions Only

Venue Setting

City
Town

Venue Type

Castle
Stately home

Guest Accommodation

1 to 9 guests

Catering Options

Inhouse Caterers

Additional Facilities

Outdoor ceremonies
One wedding per day
Bridal suite
Guest rooms
Licensed bar
Live music permitted
Discos permitted
Wedding coordinator
Wedding packages
Bespoke weddings

What Our Couples Love

Friendly and experienced staff
Set in Durham's UNESCO World Heritage Site
Unique, historic and beautiful venue
Exquisite menus, prepared on site
Four poster bed for Bride & Groom
Stunning photos with the backdrop of the historical Castle

Frequently asked questions

Can we have exclusive use of the venue?

We guarantee to only take one wedding a day (but it is not exclusive use, as we may have other B&B guests staying with us – but they will not have access to the wedding ceremony or wedding breakfast rooms)

Are you licenced for civil ceremonies?

Yes

Can we have the wedding ceremony outdoors?

Yes

Can we use our own caterers?

Are fireworks allowed?

Is there a honeymoon or bridal suite?

Yes, with a four-poster bed

Is there accommodation on site?

Yes

Is there additional accommodation nearby?

Yes, nearby hotels

Special Guides for Brides offers

Durham Castle wedding deal

Wedding Package Offer 2020 - £5,695 for 60 daytime guests and 80 evening guests

Instructions

Includes Bucks Fizz on arrival, 3 course wedding breakfast with a glass of house wine, glass of sparkling wine for toasts, evening buffet, overnight accommodation for Bride & Groom, white table linen and napkins, red chair covers, candelabra, use of cake stand and knife, PA for speeches.

Terms and conditions

Available on selected dates, Monday to Thursdays only - applies to new bookings only

About Durham Castle

Durham Castle is a unique wedding reception venue in County Durham. There is no finer venue in the North East for wedding receptions than Durham Castle. This is a beautiful, historic building, and is sure to offer a unique wedding you won't forget.

Durham Castle is one of the premier venues for wedding receptions in the North East. Situated in the heart of the Durham, the Castle, along with Durham's world famous Cathedral, forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The magnificent Great Hall, which dates from 1284, can take wedding breakfasts of up to 200, with guests able to enjoy an arrival drinks reception in the Courtyard of the Castle or the Tunstal Gallery. For smaller occasions the more intimate Bishop's Dining Room can take up to 40.

The Castle is also licenced for civil ceremonies and can offer both indoor and outdoor ceremonies on site from 20 to 120 guests. Ceremonies are non-religious but legally binding, and offered to all couples.

Our staff have a wealth of experience organising the most prestigious events, ensuring that the quality of planning and service will match the unrivalled setting. Our catering team can provide a range of exceptional food, from buffets through to banquets for up to 200 people.

We can also offer a comfortable range of bed and breakfast accommodation within the Castle walls. The Castle has two Suites, the Bishop's Suite and the Chaplain's Suite, as well as another 47 en suite and 29 standard (with shared bathrooms) bedrooms which can be available for you and your guests.

Pricing info shown in the listing summary:
Based on a typical wedding reception for 80 guests, including venue hire, wedding breakfast, drinks package and evening buffet.

Customer Reviews

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

22 reviews

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1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

My partner and I are getting married at Durham castle in August this year. It has been booked for almost 2 years and the staff have been in constant contact since answering any questions we have. We have had our menu tasting which was absolutely delicious. We have been to a few open days and the gardens and castle itself are magical.
We can not wait for August to be married in such a beautiful and special place

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Hayley Speckman

06-01-2019

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1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

We were married at the castle on September 2, 2018 and our wedding was an absolute dream! ONE MILLION thank yous to the entire staff, but an extra special thank you to Jamie, Michael and Sam for helping us execute all of the personal details that we hoped for!

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Ashly Sands & Simon Miller

05-11-2018

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Ah thank you so much for your kind words Ashly and Simon. We are so pleased we could play a part in making your dreams for your wedding day come to fruition.

Durham Castle's response

15-11-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

We had our wedding reception here in July 2018 and it was the perfect venue! The beautiful setting wowed the guests, the food was amazing and the staff could not have done a better job of looking after us from start to finish! Highly recommend, it was the best day of our lives! Thanks to all the staff who made it so seamless.

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Helen and Thomas

04-11-2018

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So fantastic to hear you have great memories from your wedding day and that the staff looked after you well. Thank you.

Durham Castle's response

05-11-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

We were married here in August and as a venue Durham Castle was fantastic. Every staff member on the day and before was professional, welcoming and excellent in carrying out their duties. Any concerns were addressed and specific requests were taken for every aspect of our day. I would highly recommend Durham Castle as a venue, it was beautiful and every guest was overwhelmed with how well presented it was and the excellent food on the day.

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Sarah Lynn Nicholson-Connon

12-10-2018

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Lovely comments, thank you so much. I will ensure the team know they played a part in making your wedding day special.

Durham Castle's response

12-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

"Stunning, Beautiful, Amazing" - just some of the comments made by guests about our wedding at Durham Castle in July 2018

One said it was the best wedding he'd ever been to.
A 16 year old girl, clearly swept up by the magic of it all, told her mum she wanted to get married there.

If there is a better wedding location/venue than Durham Castle, then I've yet to see it.

From the moment we saw The Great Hall decked out for a Wedding Fayre, we knew it was pointless looking anywhere else.

It's fantastic!!

The wedding team were very professional from start to finish.

The food was excellent, and the staff on the day were superb - so friendly and helpful.

My wife and I would highly recommend Durham Castle to anyone looking for the perfect wedding venue.

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Terry Magee

11-10-2018

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Wow, a simply amazing review Terry, thank you so much.

Durham Castle's response

11-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

Durham Castle was an absolutely amazing venue for our wedding reception. The entire day went seamlessly. The food was delicious and the surroundings were beautiful. My husband and I would definitely recommend Durham Castle to anyone looking for the most magical wedding day.

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Sharon Todd

04-10-2018

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Fantastic to hear that you had a magical wedding reception with us Sharon, our very best wishes for the future.

Durham Castle's response

09-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

We got married in the castle and held our whole day and big-time reception there in July 2018. The venue was perfect and didn't need the additional decorations I had stressed over as it is so lovely as it is. The food was exquisite and the staff were outstanding from start to finish, and beyond! We would highly recommend this wedding venue, it is a very special place!

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Siobhan

02-10-2018

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Many thanks for your lovely words Siobhan. We are so pleased you enjoyed your special day and have some great memories.

Durham Castle's response

03-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

Stunning venue; we had our ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening reception at Durham Castle and it was absolutely beautiful from start to finish. We had two nights’ stay at Durham castle with breakfast served to our suite which was a lovely touch! Fantastic organisation and service by the events and catering team. We would recommend this venue highly!

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Amy Wilson

02-10-2018

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Thanks so much Amy, we will ensure the team at the Castle see your comments, as they will be delighted they played a part in the enjoyment of your wedding day.

Durham Castle's response

03-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

A perfect venue for a perfect day! We had our drinks reception in the beautiful outdoor courtyard (during which guests were able to take a tour!) The canapes and wedding breakfast were delicious and the Great Hall was ideal for both the formal meal and the ceilidh in the evening. In the run up to the wedding the team could not have been more accomodating, enthusiastic or patient. On the day everything was as we had imagined it and the team kept the reception on schedule brilliantly. Highly recommended!

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Holly Mayne

02-10-2018

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Holly, we are thrilled you enjoyed your special day, and that the team worked well with you to help bring everything together, best wishes for the future.

Durham Castle's response

03-10-2018

1 star2 star3 star4 star5 star

It's a world heritage site - what better place to have a wedding?

Not that the Castle just rely on history. The service and attention to detail was as good as the castle looks. The wedding planning team are helpful and laser focused on getting the best for you.

All in all, a brilliant venue.

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Joe Whitbourn - Awards vote

24-09-2017

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Awards & Associations

Elaine Rough

Wedding venues expert

Elaine is the Guides for Brides wedding venue expert. She's passionate about ensuring we only represent the very best venues who'll really look after you on your wedding day.

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Lillibrooke Manor

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Durham Castle Wedding Venue

One of the North East's premier wedding venues

Capacity

Price

Key Facts

Trust factor

The Details

Type of Ceremony

Venue Setting

Venue Type

Guest Accommodation

Catering Options

Additional Facilities

What Our Couples Love

Frequently asked questions

Can we have exclusive use of the venue?

Are you licenced for civil ceremonies?

Can we have the wedding ceremony outdoors?

Can we use our own caterers?

Are fireworks allowed?

Is there a honeymoon or bridal suite?

Is there accommodation on site?

Is there additional accommodation nearby?

Special Guides for Brides offers

Durham Castle wedding deal

Instructions

Terms and conditions

About Durham Castle

Customer Reviews

Awards & Associations

Request Quote / Brochure

Durham Castle

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