Absolutely! We are fully licensed for ceremonies, which take place in the breathtaking Banqueting Hall in the Castle. You can then choose to hold your reception in the Castle (guest numbers and wedding date permitting) or in the Ballroom Marquee, so guests do not have to leave the estate until the partying is over at midnight.

Yes, we only ever host one wedding per day. This allows the team to give you their complete attention throughout the day.

The ceremony room hire is included in your package, but you will need to contact Essex Registration Service to book the registrar for your ceremony. This will need to be booked first before confirming your date with us.

The maximum capacity for the ceremony is 130 (100 seated with 30 standing in the Minstrels)
Maximum capacity for a Castle reception: 70
Maximum capacity for Ballroom Marquee reception: 150 plus another 50 for the evening

Of course, they are always very excited about being inside a Castle!

You can access the venue from 9.30am on the day of the wedding. If there is no wedding or event booked the day before you can set up from noon until 4pm on that day (this cannot be guaranteed until nearer the time).

Yes, we have 2 charming cottages on the estate - the Garden Cottage is included in our wedding packages for the bride and groom on the night of your wedding, and the Medieval Lodge sleeps up to 17 and can be hired for the night before and/or the night of your wedding (subject to availability).

The Royal Chamber is available to book as a honeymoon retreat for your wedding night if you would prefer to stay there instead of the Garden Cottage. Situated inside the Castle on the top floor, it is the only modern bedroom in a Norman Keep in the country! Staying here is a treasured and unique experience for those who love this history and atmosphere of the Castle.

10am

Yes - the Garden Cottage is available for you to use from 11am on the day of your wedding, and the Medieval Lodge is available from 1pm, if hiring for the night of the wedding.

Both cottages are self catering however there is a lovely café - The Moot House - just a short walk away in the village of Castle Hedingham that we highly recommend for a post-wedding breakfast/brunch. Booking is required.

We have two fantastic catering providers for you to choose from, both of which can provide extensive menus, cultural cuisine and offer tastings. They are both more than happy to be flexible to your requirements. We do not allow any external catering apart from your wedding cake.

Yes, there is plenty of free onsite parking just a 2-minute walk from the Castle. Your guests will be shown where to park on arrival.

There are stairs up to the entrance of the Castle as well as a spiral staircase to get up to the ceremony floor. Although there is no lift, there are options for disabled guests - we can provide a lifting service via an external company or you can hold your ceremony in the Tapestry Room of the Castle (depending on guest numbers) which is on the ground floor and accessible. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss this further.

Yes you can hire the venue as a blank canvas. Please get in touch for more information.

Corkage options are available and are currently as follows:
£10 per bottle of wine
£15 per bottle of Champagne/sparkling wine

Yes, we have a sustainable biomass boiler that runs on woodchips that keeps the Castle and the Mansion House lovely and toasty.

There is no air conditioning at the venue however the thickness of the Castle walls keeps it cool on hot days, and the longest side of the Ballroom Marquee can be lifted to increase airflow if needed.

No.

A full band is fine in the Ballroom Marquee, as we have a designated space. Bands are not permitted in the Castle due to space and access limitations, however a small acoustic trio or quartet would be fine.

Yes, in the Ballroom Marquee the limiter is set to 96 decibels which is always ample even for live music.

Dogs are permitted during the ceremony only by prior arrangement.

There are designated smoking areas outside the Castle and Ballroom Marquee. Please use the sand bins provided to dispose of cigarette ends safely.

Guests must leave the venue by midnight.

No but we can source these for you if needed or you are welcome to hire your own.

Yes, there is free wifi in both the Castle and Ballroom Marquee.

The nearest train station to us is Sudbury (8 miles away) or Braintree (10 miles away).