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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: March 2024

Highcliffe Castle, situated atop the cliffs of Dorset, is a Grade 1 listed building surrounded by a breathtaking nature reserve and charming beaches. Seamlessly merging romance with history, the Castle stands as a magnificent wedding venue.

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 your wedding breakfast, choose between the Great Hall or the State Dining Room. 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. Later, in The Drawing Room, your chosen DJ or band can keep the festivities alive, and those who prefer not to 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.
  • 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
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:

Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Pet-friendly
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Do you have any questions?

Request pricing
5.0 out of 5 rating
93 reviews
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 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
100% Recommended by couples
R
Rose K. Sent on 31/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The Perfect Day

I truly don't know where to begin when writing this review for Highcliffe. From day one, the staff were so caring and attentive, on hand to offer brilliant, creative ideas to add extra sparkle to our day.
The venue absolutely speaks for itself, from the breathtaking garden room to the beautiful dining rooms and bar - not to mention the view!
On the day, every detail was absolutely flawless and the staff went above and beyond to ensure that everything ran so smoothly. I didn't have to ask them to do anything - it was all taken care of and all perfect! It makes me emotional thinking back to it now..
James and I went down to the beach with our photographer at sunset whilst our guests celebrated in the castle and it was perfect! We had our first dance under the stars and the lights of the castle which was so magical - the venue gives so much variety and it felt like I was living in a fairy tale all day!
After such a difficult couple of years during lockdown, finally being able to celebrate with all of our closest family and friends at this incredible venue was something that I will never forget. Highcliffe will forever hold a special place in my heart and I will always be so grateful to the staff that made my wedding dreams come true.
Lydia
Lydia Sent on 01/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Our ceremony

Lewis & I just wanted to send a quick message with a massive thank you.

Alex put my mind at ease with alternatives if the weather wasn’t on our side, although we were blessed with beautiful sun!

You can tell you & your team work so closely together and made our morning with you so relaxed and very much about Lewis and I.

So glad we had our ceremony with you at Highcliffe Castle.
Thank you again.
Katherine
Katherine W. Sent on 08/11/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

Perfect Day

Our wedding day was everything we dreamed of and more. Despite the weather everything went so well and the coordination before and on the day from Aaliyah was amazing. Everything ran like clockwork and all the team were extremely helpful. The castle itself looked stunning with all the decoration and we have many happy memories to cherish forever. Thank you!
Abigail
Abigail Y. Sent on 11/06/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding ceremony

The best beautiful birthday and wedding day
Amazing and stunning venue
Staff and grounds were perfect
Made the best day
Z
Zoe C. Sent on 02/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

A truly magical day!

We got married at Highcliffe Castle in September 2023 and our experience was excellent from the beginning.

We chose Highcliffe because of the unique combination of stately home with manicured lawns, woodland scenery and of course the beach and sea views, in addition to the rustic feel indoors of the exposed brickwork.

Throughout the 15 months of consulting with the Castle team we liaised with different team members who were all very organised and professional. It was very helpful to have all of the information and guides they provided, as well as the recommended suppliers list - we felt that alleviated a majority of the stress of picking vendors as we knew Highcliffe were happy with their previous service and quality and all their insurance etc was fine.

We particularly found it helpful that the team allowed us to come in and visit the venue on a morning the Castle was hosting a wedding later in the day. This really helped us visualise the space better and tweak things with our florists and caterers.

Despite us still being very chaotic still putting table boxes together in the corridor ahead of the rehearsal, the Castle team was very patient with us and happy to accommodate.

The rehearsal itself was really helpful but I would advise couples to be prepared to go through all the details and not assume the team are already fully briefed from prior meetings - they will want to hear all the instructions again from you so everyone is 100% clear.
On the day this absolutely paid off as it went so smoothly and it’s very clear how experienced the team are.

The bar staff were great and very attentive, making sure to check in on the bridal party regularly. We were asked in advance if we wanted them to stock the bar with anything in particular and that was a really nice touch to ensure we had our favourite drinks.

Having the “library” area as an extended cloakroom and area to get away from everything was also highly appreciated!

Thank you to the Highcliffe team, we would highly recommend and would definitely do it all over again!
F
Fleur H. Sent on 27/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

A dream come true

Where to start - from the moment we first looked round Highcliffe Castle the staff were to friendly, welcoming and wanted to support with ideas and dreams for our wedding day. We fell in love with the venue from the first time we went there and we knew it was the one to celebrate our special day. We got married at Highcliffe Castle in July 2023 and we had the most perfect day celebrating with all our loved ones. Aaliyah was so supportive and reassuring that no matter the weather the team at the venue had a plan to ensure the day ran smoothly. The staff could not have been anymore accommodating, they went above and beyond to ensure the day went perfectly. We got our fairytale wedding at this stunning venue. It was magical. Thank you so much to all of the team and suppliers who made our wedding perfect, it is a day we will fondly remember forever.
J
James M. Sent on 02/01/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue + Great Team = Fantastic Wedding Day

We can’t thank the team at Highcliffe Castle enough from our wedding in April. The venue is amazing. The Wintergarden is truly a beautiful room for the ceremony and the gardens make a fantastic setting for the photos with many different areas and backdrops to choose from. Throughout the whole process from booking and arranging, to the running of the big day, the staff were great. They listened to us and what we wanted, coordinated with our suppliers for the day, and even helped the best man and maid of honour with a couple of surprises that we didn’t even know about. On the day itself, everything was super organised and felt like a slick operation, and all the staff and volunteers were extremely helpful and friendly. All of our guests and us felt incredibly well looked after throughout the day, and many people said how great the team were and how great the venue was.
T
The Sent on 18/04/2018
5 out of 5 rating

The Most Perfect Day

“There are simply no words to describe how grateful we are to you and all the staff involved in our daughters wedding on Saturday …. the most perfect day imaginable”
T
Tim Sent on 16/10/2013
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning venue and a perfect day!

Where to start! As soon as we visited Highcliffe and saw the stunning ceremony room with its grand piano (which one of our good friends played our music on), we knew this was the place for our wedding and reception. The wedding ran so smoothly thanks to the great staff surrounding us on the day! They were extremely helpful leading up to and on the day. They answered all our questions with swift answers. They even helped with ideas for where to place items in the eve and were always up for trying our ideas out. Every single guest told us that it was such a great venue for a wedding because of the stunning ceremony room and the layout of rooms in the eve reception was perfect for what we had planned. We had the Great Hall for our meal with its stunning stained glass window. It was worth every penny we spent! Also, we selected Merlin’s for our meal and everyone raved about the food. Thanks to everyone at Highcliffe for our perfect day! Tim and Kate Archer
K
Kerry Sent on 19/05/2013
5 out of 5 rating

Just Perfect.

Although we're from the Midlands, there was nowhere else we would have considered for our wedding. It is an absolutely beautiful venue. You all made our day perfect. We will be sure to visit again for our second anniversary in August. Thank you to you all. Love Lee and Kerry. x
L
Leanne Sent on 26/02/2013
5 out of 5 rating

Magical December Wedding

To all the team at Highcliffe Castle.
Thank you for all your support and help making our wedding day so magical and unbelievable. The venue is simply beautiful and the setting is just mesmerizing! We will cherish our pictures and memories of our Highcliffe Castle wedding forever.
Love Leanne and Matt x
J
Joe Sent on 08/12/2012
5 out of 5 rating

Thank you

To Donna

Thank you so much for all your help in the build up to our wedding and on the day itself. You were a real calming influence and you ensured the day ran exceptionally smoothly.
We honestly had the best day of our lives and we are incredibly grateful to you and your team. I cannot imagine a more perfect and more beautiful venue on earth for a wedding than Highcliffe Castle!
Lots of Love

Joe & Bethan
J
Joan Sent on 08/12/2012
5 out of 5 rating

Joan & Peter

To Donna & your team,

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas,
and thanking you once again for helping to give us a fantastic day on 8 September this year!
From Joan & Peter
T
Tatiana Sent on 13/11/2012
5 out of 5 rating

What a Day!!

Dear Hayley and Donna and all the team at Highcliffe, What a day!
Thank you to you all for the fantastic service you provided for our wedding day. We have memories to cherish forever! It was so well coordinated and ran so smoothly. Thanks again
A
Ann Sent on 29/08/2012
5 out of 5 rating

A huge success!

Thank you for making Kate and Chris's wedding such a huge success on Friday. I think you are the best and most professional event organiser I have met! You stayed so calm, organised and non-intrusive and you made the whole thing look very easy. I know how much work goes into making it appear that way - you made it seem effortless, so thank you.

Again - many thanks

Kind regards

Ann (Kates mum)
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Badges

Highcliffe Castle Real Weddings

Izzy & Jake
24 photos · 06/08/2022
Beth & Sam
153 photos · 16/07/2022
Jess & Tom
35 photos · 10/06/2022
Linda & John
12 photos · 18/04/2022
Joanna & Simon
74 photos · 11/09/2021
Anna & Ian
65 photos · 11/06/2021

Map

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