Once Upon A
Time
It’s the end of the fairytale you loved as a kid: the couple are madly in love, saying ‘I do’ surrounded by magical woodland creatures and regal loved ones to pomp and splendour. We all grew up, but that doesn’t mean the fantasy of marrying your soulmate under a grand ceiling in the heart of a romantic castle can’t be a reality. Here, Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Lucy Wadelton speaks with Emma Stott, general manager of Overnewton Castle, to explore just how to make that fairytale wedding come to life, and exactly what a castle wedding offers its distinguished guests.
Image courtesy of Overnewton Castle
In Australia, it can be rare to find historic estates that can host your wedding. In Easy Weddings’ list of top ten historic wedding venues, there are only three in Victoria alone. Some beauties come to mind – the gorgeous Rippon Lea Estate and elegant Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne – yet Overnewton Castle is the only original Scottish Baronial Castle available for weddings in the whole of Australia.
Princess For A Day
A historic venue stands out amongst other wedding locations for its unique and undeniable splendour. While a traditional banquet hall space or basic outdoor venue certainly have their own merits, you likely won’t be privy to the luxury and storybook charm on offer at historic estates such as mansions or castle. Emma Stott of Overnewton Castle summarises it aptly when she says: “A castle wedding not only satisfies a childhood dream of being a princess for a day, but it offers the most unique and magical backdrops, both inside and out, to frame your perfect day.”
Beyond being utterly special and beautiful to look at, a historic venue comes with many benefits. These charm-ridden venues offer a choice of multiple function rooms – as well as flexibility for a fanciful garden ceremony, or deep within the hallowed halls of the manor itself. Furthermore, in such an atmospheric estate, your wedding can take place day or night – transforming from sun filled whimsy to romantic mood lighting with the gardens lit by fairy lights. With on-site accommodation, bridal parties can indulge in the modern lux that is the cottages. “Seldom do you find a wedding venue that caters to every conceivable aspect of such a very special event,” Stott affirms.
When getting married at a historic site, you don’t need to fret about travelling before or after your ceremony to capture your wedding portraits – everything you need is at your fingertips. Photography opportunities are vast at Overnewton Castle, from its picturesque building to its four acres of English gardens.
Stott recommends your photographer visit the property in advance to get familiar with the site and make note of areas that really speak to the couple getting married. At Overnewton Castle specifically, that may mean exploring the beautiful grounds – the stables, cottages, bluestone butcher or dairy outbuildings. Or venturing inside the castle, where photographs of the couple soaking up their newly married bliss can be captured in the grand hallway, the stunning spiral staircase or even the living quarters. And as historical venues have endured throughout the decades, you’re guaranteed a timeless look, that also gives a nod to elegance of the past. When you’re reminiscing your wedding years in the future, there won’t be anything dated about your special day.
Bygone Beauty
When you choose an historic venue, you’re choosing its history too. That can be a truly wonderful bonus for a couple searching for that magical venue replete with character. A modern venue has plenty of merits of its own, but when it comes to a regal estate or castle, you can choose to add your names to the rich list of people that have walked its hallowed halls for generations. Overnewton Castle has a vibrant history spanning more than 170 years and counting. Built in 1849 by Scotsman William Taylor, this Victorian Tudor style estate was inspired by 16th century English and Scottish architecture.
Today, Overnewton Castle stands as a prominent heritage building that is completely authentic to its history; its architecture has been restored to its original glory. Among its standout features are the elegant chandelier and bay windows in the grand dining room and the exquisite hand painted details and glass ceiling within the chapel. Among its thirty-six rooms it boasts elaborate sitting rooms, stunning architecture, plenty of natural light and graceful interiors. On the grounds you are spoilt for choice with a private English garden, lush and green, “full of colourful flower beds, scattered with roses and other unique flowers to complement your special moment”. Filled with ample charm, take a gander at the bluestone wishing well or original 1882 wrought iron gazebo.
If you choose to host your wedding in such a venue as this, you’re doing your part to preserve its history. Stott agrees of the significance of hosting weddings at Overnewton Castle, with each wedding helping to “maintain the ongoing preservation of its heritage, through celebrating and conserving its indigenous, natural, and cultural heritage for present and future generations”. Contributing to protecting a stunning historical venue can be a wonderful bonus to your dream wedding.
Happily Ever After
Overnewton Castle is known for providing fairytale moments. There are many stunning existing elements that will make your wedding day truly shine, however you have got the option to customise to your heart’s content. “Whether you choose a large banquet style reception in the ballroom or an intimate cocktail event, the format is completely up to you,” Stott explains. On offer are horse drawn carts and castle turrets, while couples have the option to “adorn the bridal table with chandeliers or cascading floral arrangements over the dance floor”. When asked, one of the most opulent fairytale wedding’s Overnewton Castle hosted that comes to mind was styled by Teddy Manuel. Stott details that Manuel constructed ceiling installations adorned with floral arrangements that fell to the dance floor. Dubbed the “ultimate fairy-tale wedding” by Stott, it featured chandeliers, abundant blooms and candles.
Although Overnewton Castle is historic – its values certainly aren’t. Welcoming to all couples, and open to unique ideas, Overnewton Castle strives to make itself the perfect backdrop for your big day. And even though the castle will of course lend itself well to fairy-tale romantic, you can still bring in modern elements to freshen it up and make it your own, the property can accommodate “everything from royal, contemporary to boho style”. If you’re hoping to recapture some childhood whimsy, consider having a stunning historic wedding venue weave together your unique love story. It’ll be an occasion like no other.