Weddings at Picton Castlewedding but think some advice on do’s and don’ts would be handy before you get started. Once again, Rosita can provide helpful hints and tips. If you think

Weddings at Picton Castle

Picton Castle offers a beautifully romantic location for a wedding

celebration. The 13th Century castle and Georgian wing are located in the

heart of scenic Pembrokeshire, in 40 acres of beautiful woodland and

walled garden. The castle interior was remodelled in 1750 to create elegant

Georgian reception rooms, furnished with many fine antiques and paintings.

Most civil wedding ceremonies take place in the Great Hall, the principal

living room with a splendid fireplace and gallery staircase, which

accommodates around 120 people. For more intimate occasions, the bijou

circular library can host ceremonies for up to 20 guests.

For wedding receptions, we hire out the old tennis lawn, where you can set

up a marquee. It is a superb location, sheltered between courtyard and

castle and opening onto the gardens, creating an enchanting atmosphere

for your special day and a lovely backdrop for wedding photographs.

You could also hold a Champagne reception after the ceremony in the

walled garden, in the Great Hall, on the castle forecourt or in other areas of

the garden, such as by the jungle garden. We provide a stylish service area

of draped table and parasol, two members of staff and glasses. You provide

the champagne. It’s a civilised way of entertaining your guests for up to two

hours while your photographer gets the perfect pictures.


Wedding Options

Civil Ceremony

For a civil ceremony, you have exclusive use of the Great Hall for up to 120

people for two hours. (Before you book, please check with local registrar for

available dates; contact details provided on information sheet attached).

Great Hall hire cost £700 + vat

Marquee Reception

The tennis lawn is a large and flexible space which has accommodated

marquees for weddings ranging from 90 to 360 guests. You can choose the

marquee company that bests suits your requirements and budget. Contact

details of a local company are included in the information sheet at the

back. You will have exclusive use of the marquee site for the day. Your

guests are free to relax and enjoy the grounds and gardens. We are

licensed until 2.00am.

Site for marquee in the garden without a wedding ceremony £1,500 + vat

Wedding ceremony and site for a marquee £2,000 + vat

(saving of £200.00)

Walled Garden Champagne Reception £370 + vat

Great Hall Champagne Reception £450 + vat


A Wedding Day at Picton Castle

Wedding days are special at Picton Castle because we go out of our way to

make them so.

On the Big Day, the grand wrought iron gates between the lodges are opened

so guests and wedding party can drive down the lush front drive straight onto

the Castle forecourt. It’s a stylish start to a special occasion.

Bridal couples have shown lots of imagination in booking their wedding

transport. We have seen everything - a host of different horse-drawn vehicles,

fabulous vintage cars and modern limos, even helicopters on the south lawn!

A dedicated guide puts out the bans an hour before the ceremony and is on

hand to greet early guests, giving them the choice of gathering in the Great

Hall, enjoying the gardens or perhaps popping into our Restaurant for tea.

The Registrar usually arrives about 20 minutes before the ceremony to check

the Great Hall to ensure all is in order, then await the Groom and Bride.

The Registrar is required to have private, individual conversations with the bridal

couple to remind them that the commitment they are about to make is legally

binding and to ensure that they are entering into marriage willingly and of their

own free will.

The interviews over, the Registrar enters the Great Hall, signalling the start of the

Bride’s musical introduction. We have seen a great many variations on a

musical theme, ranging from iPods plugged into speakers to the full Whitland

male voice choir! Our wedding couples have hired harpists, solo singers,

guitarists and pianists. You are welcome to use our beautiful Steinway grand

piano. The acoustics in the Great Hall are perfect so, whatever your choice of

music, it will sound glorious.

After the ceremony, some use the remaining time in the Great Hall as a photo

session, others have a musical recital. It’s YOUR day. Enjoy it as you

will.


Memorable weddings don’t just happen… they’re planned

Organising a wedding is a huge project, which some people thoroughly

enjoy and others would prefer to delegate. Whichever kind of person you

are, you will find exactly what you are looking for at Picton Castle.

If you’re looking forward to creating your own dream day, at Picton Castle

you have the freedom to choose all your own suppliers, themes and

individual finishing touches. It is your day to do as you wish.

If you would rather avoid the pressure of doing it all yourself, our wedding

planner Rosita Roles provides three levels of service for you to choose from:

• Complete Wedding Planning Service, from appointing reliable

photographers, caterers, entertainers, florists, even dressmakers, to

advising you on etiquette – who traditionally sits next to whom on the top

table; what is the usual order of speeches and toasts … few people

follow the traditions slavishly nowadays but it’s good to have them as a

basis for your own plans.

• Wedding Day Co-Ordination – you could do the planning and organising

up to the Big Day yourself, then leave it to Rosita to make sure everything

happens as you want it to, while you relax and enjoy yourself.

• Wedding Consultation – maybe you like the idea of organising your own

wedding but think some advice on do’s and don’ts would be handy

before you get started. Once again, Rosita can provide helpful hints

and tips.

If you think you would like Rosita to help you with your wedding plans, please

let us know and we will make an appointment for you to meet her.


Catering

Picton Castle Restaurant is run by Maria Grimwood, one of Pembrokeshire’s

favourite caterers, with an excellent reputation. She is the popular choice

for most of our wedding parties but you can engage your own caterer if

you prefer.

Maria has provided a couple of sample menus below to give you some

ideas but she can also design menus to suit your personal taste and budget.

She also has an excellent selection of wines and is licensed to run a pay bar

if required.

Sample Menus

Maria’s passion for food starts with selecting the best quality ingredients, skil-

fully blending the best of Pembrokeshire Produce with the finest of Spanish

and Mediterranean specialities. The following menus have been prepared

by Maria as examples of what is available within different price ranges. The

prices include hire of crockery and staff.



P ICTON CASTLE RESTAURANT

P ICTON CASTLE ESTATE

RHOS , HAVERFORDWEST , SA62 4AS

0 1 4 3 7 7 5 1 3 4 6

Menu Suggestion 1Menu Suggestion 1Menu Suggestion 1Menu Suggestion 1

£22 per head£22 per head£22 per head£22 per head

StarterStarterStarterStarter

Avacado and Prawn Cocktail - with a twist

Or

Mixed Wild Mushroom & Garlic Bruchetta

MainMainMainMain

Chicken Veronique chicken breast cooked with Chablis and grape sauce

Or

Oven Poached Salmon fillet served with a creamy Chardonnay sauce

Served with Served with Served with Served with

Mashed root vegetables, Green Beans and Roast PotatoesMashed root vegetables, Green Beans and Roast PotatoesMashed root vegetables, Green Beans and Roast PotatoesMashed root vegetables, Green Beans and Roast Potatoes

Dessert Dessert Dessert Dessert

Red Cherry Meringue Roulade or

Chocolate Log or

Fresh Fruit Salad




0 1 4 3 7 7 5 1 3 4 6

Menu Suggestion 2Menu Suggestion 2Menu Suggestion 2Menu Suggestion 2 £22 per head


Salad of Pear with Walnuts and Roquefort Dressing

Or

Smoked Salmon with Dill and Mustard Sauce

MainMainMainMain

Sirloin of Beef with shallot and Madeira Sauce

Or

Creamy Fish Pie

Or

Spinach and Feta Cheese en Croûte V




Winter Berry Cheescake or

Pears in Red Wine

or

Apple, Apricot and Almond Crumble






0 1 4 3 7 7 5 1 3 4 6

Menu Suggestion 3 Menu Suggestion 3 Menu Suggestion 3 Menu Suggestion 3 £35 per head


Tomato and Mozzarella with a Basil and Olive dressing

Or

Gambas Pil Pil Prawns in sizzling garlic and chilli oil

MainMainMainMain

Welsh Fillet of Lamb á la Pointevine with brandy and garlic

Or

Poached Salmon and Scallops with an Orange and Saffron Sauce




A Selection of Desserts such as Profiteroles, Roulade etc

Coffee





0 1 4 3 7 7 5 1 3 4 6

Menu Suggestion 4 Menu Suggestion 4 Menu Suggestion 4 Menu Suggestion 4 £29 per head


Soup of the Season

Or

Homemade Terrine with mixed salad leaves & Red Onion Chutney

Or

Melon with Rasberry Coulis

MainMainMainMain

Roast Beef with Onion Gravy and Yorkshire Pudding

Or

Pembrokeshire Roast Turkey With all the trimmings

and

Vegetarian Option (to be discussed)




A Choice of Desserts such as Crumble, Apple Tart, Roulade etc

Coffee

Useful contacts for your wedding

The following local contacts may useful in planning your celebration

Local registrar

The Registry office, Tower Hill, Haverfordwest SA61 1SS 01437 775176

Accommodation

Haverfordwest Tourist Information Centre 01437 763110

Bluestone Holiday Village 01834 862400

Wedding Planner / Co-Ordinator

Rosita Roles, Picton Castle Trust 01437 751326

Picton Castle Caterers

Maria Grimwood Restaurant 01437 751346

Home 01437 751344

Marquee Hire

Dingles Marquee Hire, Narberth 01834 860482

George Evans, Blue Sky Marquees 07968 962448

Florists

Elsa Sharp 0779 2971207

Spirals 01437 762794

Amarylis (contemporary flowers) 01348 874749

Photographers

Ross Grieve Wedding Photography 01646 651750

Mark Richards 01646 697645

Fireworks*

West Coast Fireworks 01834 861619

(Please note that West Coast Fireworks are the only firework company

authorised to work at Picton Castle,.)


Practical Considerations

During your wedding ceremony and reception at Picton Castle, we would like

you to feel that the venue is exclusively yours. We will do all we can to ensure

your special day runs smoothly. However, because of the unique nature of

the venue, we ask you to be aware of the following practical considerations:

• From April to September, Picton Castle is open for castle tours six

days a week. The tours are suspended during wedding ceremonies.

•

• From March to October, the gardens are open to visitors, closing at

5.00pm. The site for the marquee is in a private area of the gardens.

•

• If you have a wedding ceremony in the Great Hall or Library, you

have exclusive use of the room for up to two hours, starting one hour

before the time of the ceremony.

•

• Fireworks are only permitted if they are booked with West Coast

Fireworks of Narberth as this company is aware of the special

requirements of the Castle Trust and our farming neighbours, and has

been approved by our insurers.

•

• To ensure your day is as exclusive as possible, we only book one

wedding ceremony and one marquee reception a day.

•

• Regrettably we cannot allow confetti, rose petals, rice or similar

showers. Apart from being difficult to tidy up, they can form slippery

surfaces for visitors with impaired mobility. Some bridal parties blow

soapy bubbles but it is worth noting that these can damage

delicate silk fabrics.


Weddings at Picton Castlewedding but think some advice on do’s and don’ts would be handy before you get started. Once again, Rosita can provide helpful hints and tips. If you think

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