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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: January 2025

Situated atop the cliffs of Dorset, Highcliffe Caste is a Grade 1 listed building surrounded by a charming nature reserve and breathtaking because. The Castle sits in a beautifully manicured garden boasting magnificent sea views.

Once a lavish home, the Castle is now an award-winning wedding venue. Whether you are looking for a grand celebration with your loved ones or an intimate gathering with those closest, Highcliffe Castle’s blend of history and romance is the perfect backdrop for your celebration. The Castle offers bespoke packages for ceremonies, receptions and intimate weddings.

Our Venue Features:

The splendid Wintergarden, bathed in natural light through its glass façade, can accommodate up to 110 of your nearest and dearest, making it an ideal ceremony space throughout the seasons.

Following the ceremony, you and your guests can revel in celebratory drinks on the meticulously landscaped lawns. As your guests enjoy themselves, you can slip away to the surrounding grounds or down the beach and take your photographs.

For couples looking at an intimate celebration, your wedding breakfast will be held in the State Dining Room and couples planning their reception may choose between the State Dining Room or The Great Hall. The State Dining Room, with its exposed brickwork and captivating views, provides an intimate setting for up to 80 guests. Meanwhile, the Great Hall’s, vaulted ceiling and exquisite stained-glass window, sets the stage for grand celebrations with a capacity of 110. As the sun sets, your reception guests will be invited the Drawing Room where your chosen DJ or band can keep the festivities alive, and those who prefer not dance can socialise at their tables or explore the Castle grounds.

What to Anticipate:

  • Exclusive use of the Wintergarden for your ceremony and State Rooms for the reception.
  • Selection of four exceptional caterers, carefully chosen for their expertise.
  • Your choice of wedding suppliers to help transform the Castle.
  • A dedicated wedding and bar team at your service throughout the day.
  • Chivari chairs and tables provided for both the ceremony room and wedding breakfast space.
  • 30 parking permits for your guests.
  • Assistance from an experienced wedding team throughout your planning process, including a rehearsal appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Coastal weddings
Unusual weddings
Castle
Historic
Landmark

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Pet-friendly
illustration notebook

Do you have any questions?

Reviews for Highcliffe Castle

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to make your big decisions easier.
4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9 out of 5 rating
110 reviews
99% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
Nadine
Nadine Sent on 18/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The Most Magical Wedding Venue Ever

We held our wedding at Highcliffe Castle on 13.7.24 and it was, quite literally, the day of our dreams. There’s so much that went into making it the perfect day, and that, of course, does include a lot of suppliers who worked incredibly hard to bring our dream to life. A supplier that did SO much of the heavy lifting was our venue and the absolutely incredible team that work there.

I was shown around by Gracie when we first visited the venue. I looked at it and fell in love pretty much instantly. My husband and I are both Harry Potter obsessed and I’m a keen Disney girl; this venue encompassed all the magic you’d find in Disney World in Florida with the stunning British charm that made it the perfect venue for our Potter-themed wedding.

I told the team that I wanted our wedding to feel like us - traditional but with all the tiny details that made it undeniably ours. Let me tell you: they worked their absolute socks off from the moment we booked to the big day itself to do that for us.

The Wintergarden is absolutely stunning and a truly magical place to hold your ceremony. Even without any decor, it’s just beautiful. Add in decoration, lots of smiling/crying (with happy tears) guests and an owl flying the rings down the aisle and you’ve got the perfect ceremony.

The Great Hall is where we chose to hold our wedding breakfast because it literally looks like you’ve walked into Hogwarts. We also chose to make use of the castle’s candelabra package, which transformed the room and gave it such a romantic feel.

The entire team - especially Gracie - went above and beyond. We felt like they truly cared about our big day. We weren’t just another client. On the day itself, Gracie kept me calm, helped me get around in a (very) large dress, and seemed so happy for us even though she’s seen so many people get married.

Organisation was great from day one and I cannot fault them in any way at all.

Highcliffe Castle, our wedding was everything we could ever have dreamed of, and a lot of that is down to the stunning venue itself but also all of the incredible people who worked so hard to bring fantasy into reality. We genuinely cannot thank you all enough.

If you’re looking for a venue that exudes magic, has a team that will make all of your vision come true from the tiniest of details, and somewhere that has SO many photo opportunities (from all of the rooms to the grounds to the entrance to the forest-y bit to the beach) please take a look at Highcliffe Castle. I guarantee you’ll fall in love as soon as you see it.
Leona
Leona Sent on 24/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful venue

Cannot recommend this venue enough!! It was such a dream come true to get married at Highcliffe Castle. The staff were amazing through from booking the venue, rehearsal, to making sure everything ran smoothly on our wedding day.
E
Emma-Jane Sent on 05/11/2024
4.6 out of 5 rating

The most magical venue

We had the most incredible wedding at Highcliffe Castle in September.
From day one, all of the staff were extremely helpful and professional; ensuring that our day would run as smoothly as possible.
The venue is absolutely stunning and even though it rained Gracie had coordinated everything so that I would not get wet when arriving, our drinks would be held inside and everything was organised. We were actually pleased it had rained because we have the most stunning pictures inside the Winter Garden and managed to get beautiful pictures on the beach after our wedding breakfast.
All of our guests commented on how amazing the staff were as they were available at any time to help, whilst seamlessly blending in so that they weren’t imposing on the day.
We highly recommend Highcliffe as a venue.

M
Megan Sent on 13/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Highcliffe gave us the best day of our lives

Highcliffe castle stood out to us immediately when we visited. The most gorgeous location by the beach, meticulously looked after grounds and a stunning venue that wowed our guests.
We couldn’t have asked for a better venue! Gracie and her team were so professional looked after us throughout the whole wedding planning, helping with all questions and giving us advice.
The day was perfect! The team were so polite and kind to our guests. Nothing was too much! We felt at ease the whole day and able to relax and enjoy it knowing that the time at Highcliffe had everything under control.
If we could do this day a hundred times over, we would choose Highcliffe castle every time,
J
Jade Sent on 20/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A castle on the beach-the dream wedding venue

I can’t fault a single aspect of Highcliffe Castle, from the enquiry and booking process to the day itself they really are experts in what they do but with a down to earth, relaxed atmosphere.
The venue is one I’ve always had my eye on but seeing it in person is just breath-taking, every room in the castle itself is unique and beautiful so it feels like a much larger venue and means you don’t have to travel to multiple venues to get everything you need. For us, having the beach on the doorstep was incredible too for those dusk beach pictures!
The team at the castle are truly 5*, Gracie was on hand ahead of the day for any questions and the rehearsal the night before was incredibly helpful. They ensure everything on the day runs smoothly and organise all suppliers so you feel like a guest at your own wedding.
It rained on our wedding day which in the lead up was something I was so anxious about but the castle is so beautiful and atmospheric in the rain and with the multiple rooms you really didn’t feel like anything was missing due to the weather. The highcliffe castle team sheltered me with umbrellas getting out of the car so I arrived dry at the ceremony and they were so attentive all day. Everything ran on time and the guests all commented on the incredible venue and staff.
A truly special venue that we will visit time and time again as it was the most magical wedding venue for us!
Jemma
Jemma Sent on 12/09/2024
4.6 out of 5 rating

Stunning Location, Fantastic Staff

Gracie and the team made our day a breeze. She was happy to help us from the moment we expressed interest in the venue and made booking our wedding day from overseas easy. she was always just an email away. On the wedding day, Gracie was there ready for us as we arrived and helped get folks settled. The day ran without a hitch, and was everything we could dream of. We are so happy that we chose Highcliffe for our ceremony.
(Photos by Simon Hunt Photography)
Joe
Alice Sent on 07/09/2024
4.4 out of 5 rating

Ceremony only

We had our ceremony at Highcliffe castle and we absolutely loved the venue. The rehearsal the day before was very helpful and informative. The staff are very experienced and keep everything running smoothly, they provided nothing but reassurance and a smile. I would highly recommend having your wedding here, the fact that the cafe and shop are accessible to the public did not phase me in the slightest. There was a small crowd eager to see me in my dress but they kept a very respectful distance.
E
Emily Sent on 28/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful venue, incredibly helpful staff and team

We had an absolutely wonderful wedding at Highcliffe!
The venue itself is beautiful, with such a lovely view of the sea and easy access to the beach. The flow of the wedding rooms works well, with the ceremony in the winter garden, drinks outside, and then the three evening rooms providing a lovely transition for our guests between the dance floor, the bar and where we ate being transformed into a quieter area for our older guests near the evening food.
All of the staff were so helpful from the initial visit to the day itself. Unlike some other venues, we did not feel pressured or upsold during the initial visit, and everything was presented to us in a straightforward and simple manner. Throughout the planning process, we had helpful and timely communication with Gracie and the rest of the team, who were still answering queries on the morning of the wedding itself! Both Gracie and Alex made sure our day ran absolutely smoothly, and we and our guests had a fabulous time.
G
Gabriella Sent on 25/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The most beautiful venue!

We got married here in August 2024 and it was absolutely perfect. We looked at a lot of venues but when we visited this one we easily knew it was the one. It’s a castle on the beach… you can’t really ask for much more than that! Everyone was complimenting it and saying how beautiful and picturesque it was. We had our reception in the Great Hall which was amazing with the giant stained glass window. The day ran really smoothly and Alex was so kind and calming, it really helped to do a wedding rehearsal a few days before as we then all felt very confident on the day - most venues don’t offer that service. One of the things we liked most about the venue (apart from the obvious beauty of it) was that it was one of the only venues we looked at that didn’t up the prices for the booking/the food because it was the summer and because it was a Saturday, I think Highcliffe is much fairer and much better value for money than the vast majority of wedding venues. We also loved that there were separate rooms for the ceremony, the dance floor and the reception so you feel like you’re getting your moneys worth rather than spending a fortune to be in one tiny room all day, but at the same time the venue isn’t too big that you feel like your guests are dispersing all over the place and you’re not together anymore. Having pictures on the beach in the evening just the two of us was really special as well. Overall it was just the best day ever!
Katie
Katie Sent on 22/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect setting!

Our wedding ceremony in the castle was an absolute dream come true. The venue was nothing short of magical, with its stunning architecture and breathtaking views and grounds, the perfect romantic setting. Walking down the aisle in such a historic and beautiful place felt like living in a fairytale. The entire day was filled with love, joy, and unforgettable moments. We couldn't have imagined a more perfect place to begin our happily ever after.
Ellen
Ellen Sent on 06/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Thank you so much!

Gracie and the team were utterly fantastic from day 1 of us visiting, all the way through to our wedding day. We felt really taken care of and they made the Castle look so beautiful for our special day. We were able to totally enjoy ourselves on the day as they had everything in hand. I would recommend them 100%
Fran
Fran Sent on 30/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Married 15.06.24 💍👰🤵🏻

Myself and my husband couldn’t have asked for a better venue.
Highcliffe castle was just breath taking the views and the most wonderful rooms all with its unique quirky features.
The planning process was smooth and seamless making sure not a single detail was forgotten.
Honestly I couldn’t recommend the castle more the team were impeccable.
Grace made me feel so comfortable and made sure the day ran perfectly.
One of my guests commented “they couldn’t have been greeted any better” by having her card collected straight away, not having to worry about it during the day this demonstrated from the get go the organisation was key from the very start.
The day was magical and we couldn’t have asked for more of a perfect fairytale wedding.
We are looking forward to returning on our first year anniversary to walk the grounds and the beach.
We couldn’t thank you all enough!🏰🥂🍾
Lauren
Lauren Sent on 12/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The greatest day

We were lucky enough to get married at Highcliffe Castle last month. On the day itself and in the run up Gracie and the team made sure everything ran flawlessly and we really appreciated their flexibility with us, especially as we don’t live locally. I could not recommend the venue and the team more.
It is such a beautiful place to get married, from the winter garden ceremony room to the stunning castle grounds for drinks reception and we loved being able to go down to the beach for sunset photos! We would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a venue that has it all!
Thank you for everything
C
Chloe Sent on 24/06/2024
4.4 out of 5 rating

Magical Setting for our wedding

Our wedding was held in Early June 2024 and we lucked out with the weather, which showed off this wondering venue in all its glory. The staff have been very professional throughout and our guests enjoyed the day thoroughly. We opted for the corkage option which allowed us to serve our own alcoholic drinks until the end of the wedding breakfast (we chose Pimms, Prosecco, Red wine, White Wine & Beers), which worked well. I would recommend anyone to get married here, you won't regret it.
T And
T And Sent on 22/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fabulous venue with professional, welcoming team

My mum had always wanted me to get married at beautiful Highcliffe Castle, and we did. Fabulous venue, really efficient team who put us at ease and were available to answer any question, even when i dropped in unannounced. Our day went really smoothly, even with all the more unconventional elements of our ceremony. Would recommend. Thanks Highcliffe Castle team! - Talita
illustration stars

Did the reviews win you over?

Badges

Highcliffe Castle Real Weddings

Emma & JJ
8 photos · 07/09/2024
Alice & Joe
7 photos · 23/08/2024
Chloe & Tom
16 photos · 01/06/2024
Sian & Dan
10 photos · 09/09/2023
Izzy & Jake
24 photos · 06/08/2022
Beth & Sam
153 photos · 16/07/2022

Deals

Events

01 Mar
Open Door

Whether you are just starting to plan your wedding and are looking for a venue, or you are putting the finishing touches on your big day. This is the fair for you.

Highcliffe Castle opens its doors to local wedding suppliers showcasing their expertise in an exquisite environment. Each stateroom will be taken over by handpicked florists, decorators, musicians, photographers, entertainers, caterers and many more.

Join us on Saturday 1 March, 11 am - 3 pm.

Book your free ticket via our eventrbite page!

Date: From 01/03/2025 to 01/03/2025 Schedule 11:00 - 15:00
Place: Highclifffe Castle, Rothesay Drive, Christchurch, Dorset

Map

Highclifffe Castle, Rothesay Drive BH23 4LE Christchurch (Dorset)
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