Langley Castle Stages ‘Magical’ Indian Wedding

Northumberland castle hotel, Langley Castle, has staged what may be a first within its auspicious and long wedding functions history.

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the stunning castle, built in 1350, created the perfect wedding day, for a couple wishing to enjoy a traditional Indian marital event within its authentic medieval English castle setting.

The couple in question, Aashna Jain and Matthew Ronalds from Newcastle, fell in love with the fairy-tale castle the minute they saw it and believed it could become the ideal location for their marriage.  

All the realization of the dream required was a little coaching from the bride and groom to be, to convey the requirements of Indian tradition.  Then a huge amount of passion, to absorb all of the details, on the part of the wedding team and chefs at the historic castle venue, made everything a possibility.

Both factors combined, to create the perfect wedding event for NHS professionals Aashna and Matthew.  The celebrations spanned two days of exclusive use of the castle and its extensive lawned and wooded grounds, to treat guests to all elements of Indian wedding tradition.

In the late afternoon of Friday August 23, close family and friends arrived to enjoy delightful vegetarian canapés and attend a traditional Haldi ceremony.  As seen in the hugely popular Bridgerton TV programme, this is an important part of Indian wedding tradition, involving the application of yellow turmeric paste to the face, neck and arms of the bride and groom.

This hugely symbolic ceremony is one that cleanses the couple and blesses them, warding off evil spirits and offering every wish for health and happiness. This is one reason why turmeric, with its renowned healing and medical properties, plays such an important part.

This event was staged in the contemporary Langley Castle Pavilion, where special flooring was laid, to ensure all could enjoy proceedings free from worry about mess.  This began the trend to use as many of the different options available at Langley Castle, where there are a variety of locations in which to stage wedding day components.

The traditional bride’s henna party was held in the Langley Castle tipi, whilst other guests were entertained by a magician performing in the 2AA Rosette Josephine Restaurant.

That evening, a menu of Indian traditional food, comprising pav bhaji, tomato-based curry, vegetable biryani and chana masala, was served in the more formal setting of the  Stuart Suite.  This wedding location is tucked inside the castle, besides the impressive battlements, which afford stunning views all the way to Hadrian’s Wall.  Following the food, entertainment was also provided in the Stuart Suite, where the dance floor was put to excellent use.

On the wedding day itself, the castle catered for 160 guests, with over 50 staying inside the castle or castle grounds and the rest transported by shuttle bus from nearby accommodation.  

The groom’s family and groomsmen danced their way to the ceremony, held in a specially erected marquee.   There, an hour-long traditional service was conducted by one of the guests, wholly in Indian.  Following this, a half-hour civil ceremony, to legally seal the marriage under English law, was conducted by local registrars.  

Photos were then staged around the Langley Castle fountains, making use of the castle’s hugely popular ‘throne chairs’.

Wedding guests enjoyed canapés such as samosas, paneer tikka skewers and mushroom vol au vent, before sitting down to their main meal.  This was a feast of tomato soup with tadka focaccia, followed by shahi paneer curry with dal makhani and peshwari naan.  Dessert was a scrumptious rose-infused cheesecake with gulab jamun, a much cherished Indian festival dish of fried dumplings in rose and saffron syrup. 

A little nod to British tradition was incorporated into the evening’s catering, albeit with an Indian twist. Guests indulged in an ‘Indian chip butty’ – spiced, cubed potato served within a naan bread.  An ice cream van also catered for those with a sweet tooth.

The vegetarian menu was very personal to the couple and Langley Castle’s chefs, particularly Gary Robinson, worked tirelessly to get everything spot-on and truly authentic. This involved numerous meetings and taste tests with the couple, resulting in tweaks to menus, to deliver Indian culinary perfection and sourcing of speciality items, where required for true authenticity. Gary delivered much of the menu, concocting all the delicious curry dishes.

The entire two-day wedding event, which concluded with fireworks, was seamlessly delivered, bringing much joy to both the happy couple and their guests.  All was played out inside, or in front of, the traditional English medieval backdrop that the couple had set their hearts on and Langley Castle’s experienced team did not disappoint, making it all super-special.

Food and Beverage Manager, Aiden Mcguinness says, “This was a huge learning curve for the entire team but a fantastic experience for all.  There was much responsibility on myself, deputy manager, Bob Rutherford and by assistant, Anya Crowell, to ensure the couple had the Indian wedding not just of their dreams but of centuries-old Indian tradition.   We all learned many things, from how the layout, set-up and planning of an Indian wedding works, to the running of the ceremony. However, most importantly, we appreciated  just how magical the experience is and the overriding importance of maintaining tradition.”

New executive general manager, Mohamed Serag, adds, “The chefs, in particular, deserve much credit for the dedication they showed and their willingness to continually test dishes, until they were worthy of any wedding in India.  I think this conveys just how far Langley Castle’s entire team will go, to ensure couples and their guests can revel in all the little touches that make their wedding day so memorable and so personal to them and their story. I am truly proud of what the team did to make this Indian wedding such a superb event.”

Langley Castle hopes this is the first of many Indian weddings that will be staged within its magnificent medieval setting and is also looking to leverage Mohamed Serag’s expertise in the Middle Eastern wedding market. 

Wedding enquiries for any type of wedding, Indian or otherwise, can be taken on 01434 688888.  A forthcoming wedding showcase is scheduled for October 19. Visit www.langleycastle.co.uk for more details.

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.