Viking-loving Couple Stage Dream Wedding Day at Langley Castle

Langley Castle, the iconic hotel and wedding venue located close to Hexham in Northumberland, has continued to demonstrate its multi-faceted appeal for brides and grooms wanting a wholly unique and spine-tingling venue as a backdrop to a themed wedding.

Only six weeks after staging a glorious two-day Indian-themed wedding, it was privileged to host the Viking-themed wedding of Benjamin and Annmarie Coomber.

The Viking-loving couple, who come from Gateshead, chose Langley Castle because it could create the perfect ambience for the wedding of their dreams, drawing upon Viking culture and traditions and giving it a historic cradle that adds sense of place and meaning.

Although the castle is medieval, dating from 1350, its structure and amazing spaces make it an adaptable backdrop for all manner of wedding styles.  In this case, it was set to bring to life the happy couple’s love of Vikings, their culture and their history.

The castle’s woodland wedding area was the perfect spot for the wedding ceremony, providing the natural greenery and simple mindfulness that could transport bride, groom and their guests, to any place in the Viking empire, centuries ago.

Here, Benjamin and Annmarie chose to stage an absorbing handfasting ceremony, creating a symbolic demonstration of their future unity, through a compelling ritual.  Standing face to face, they had their hands tied together, giving literal meaning to the phrase, typing the knot.  As their hands were bound, they spoke well-chosen words to express their love to each other and their total commitment to their wedding pledges.

All of this took place as the music of the John Lunn composition, My England, was playing.

Thirty-one guests joined the couple on the day, but the entourage also included lively Viking re-enactors who breathed spirit into the proceedings, and an all-important weaver making bespoke friendship bracelets for guests.  

Norse music, from the band Bisarr, was played in the Langley Castle tipi, bringing the sounds of Scandinavia to the serene setting in Langley-on-Tyne.  Beside the tipi, guests were also able to engage in typical Viking activities, such as axe throwing and the skilful throwing game of Kubb.  Fire pits were set up in the grounds, so modern-day Vikings could hold meaningful conversations around the fire, just as their Norse ancestors may one day have done.

Guests were also treated to a mini castle tour, heading up to the battlements, to gaze out across lands that Viking warriors may once have trodden.

The serving of mead as the guests tipple and accompaniment to the cake, added even more flavour to the Viking proceedings and friends and family tucked into bacon and sausage sandwiches, rather than canapés, for a little added earthiness.  By evening, a finger buffet evoked Viking dining styles, as the guests took to the castle’s Stuart Suite, amidst shields and axes used as visual props.  

Langley Castle’s deputy manager, Bob Rutherford, who oversaw the wedding arrangements on the day, said: “We have long recognised the attractiveness of Langley Castle for those who want a Viking or warrior wedding and so to stage this sort of themed wedding day is a true pleasure.  It gives the castle a completely different identity and demonstrates just how perfect it is for woodland, nature-based and historically or TV drama-inspired wedding occasions.  

“Benjamin and Annmarie’s wedding day was just perfect and we hope it provided the goose bumps for both themselves, as the couple at the centre of it, and their guests.”

For more information on the very many types of wedding that can be staged at Langley Castle, formal or informal, marquee-sized or simply elopement weddings for two, fairytale or themed, and exclusive-use or just staged over a few hours, please call 01434 688888.

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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.