Castle Hails 2022 As Its Year of the Elopement-Moon

A Northumbrian hotel is experiencing a boom in ‘elopement-moons’ – an elopement wedding and honeymoon rolled into one.

Langley Castle, in Langley-on-Tyne near Hexham, has seen a boom in direct enquiries for its exquisite ‘weddings for two’ – a speciality at the fairy-tale, medieval castle - since creating its ‘How to Enjoy the Perfect UK Elopement’ guide. Couples are marrying at the castle and then staying on for their honeymoon, having no guests to escape from.

Saving huge sums on the average wedding cost of £32,000 is one reason for the boom. Avoiding family rows another. But it’s also very on-trend to elope – with even Emmerdale soap stars doing so recently. An elopement wedding is focused entirely on the couple and their love. It’s full of mindfulness and also avoids contemplating who is missing within the guest entourage, when so many family members have been lost during the pandemic.

Langley Castle is the perfect place for an elopement-moon and its staff are well-versed in the art of being the perfect witnesses, having shed many a tear at elopement weddings. 

The 14th century fairy-tale castle has many romantic nooks and crannies, including gorgeous raised window seats in its drawing room and castle bedrooms, perfect for cuddles and we-time. Four-poster beds make things truly romantic, whilst the lovely 2AA Josephine’s dining room has tables nestled in alcoves, where couples can gaze into each other’s eyes over a candlelit dinner.

Many eloping couples love to explore the 10-acre grounds, with both woodland and lawned areas and even a woodland weddings area which they could use, which can be lit with fairylights and decorated with floral bouquets. 

Langley Castle’s free-to-download elopement guide also highlights other romantic things to do in the wider county of Northumberland, during an elopement-moon. Whether it is a romantic hand-in-hand stroll along Bamburgh Beach, nestling in the Janus Chairs in Kielder Forest, or sitting in Langley’s grounds and contemplating the beauty of twinkling stars in this Dark Sky area, there is every reason to make the castle the number 1 elopement-moon choice.

Langley Castle’s executive general manager, Margaret Livingstone-Evans, says: “We know how to make an elopement-moon super-special, whether that is offering the possibility of extraordinary photography on our magnificent battlements, or encouraging couples to snuggle up in blankets in our summerhouse, on cooler days, and watch our resident peacocks strut past. We are sure the Emmerdale soap storyline will have planted a seed in many couples’ minds, when it comes to having a wedding for two, and are anticipating welcoming many more elopement-moon guests this year.”

A wedding for two and a two-night stay at Langley Castle is the core elopement-moon experience and costs £1520, a price including the ceremony, witnesses, champagne and canapés, a fairy-tale room inside the castle, huge Northumbrian breakfast each day and candlelit dinner each evening. Of course, the elopement-moon can be extended for additional days and this costs £375 per castle room, per night, dinner, bed and breakfast.

Langley Castle offers a range of accommodation, should the couple wish to return to celebrate an anniversary, with lower-room-rate options in Castle View accommodation in the grounds. 

To find out more, head to www.langleycastle.co.uk or download the elopement guide here https://bit.ly/3Ctxejl to decide if an elopement is right for you.                                  

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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.