The other weekend we headed to
Hever Castle, Kent, for a family wedding - Olly's sister was finally getting married after a year long engagement. This was the first time I had been to Hever, which is just a ridiculously gorgeous place and is absolutely perfect for a wedding. I can see why they wanted to get married there!
History buffs might think Hever Castle sounds familiar, and it should - it was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, though the Castle dates from around 1200. (The Tudor period when Anne was around spans from 1482 to 1603.)
Anne though was originally Anne Bullen - when the family came back to England from France, Bullen became Boleyn, and that's the name we use today. She, of course, was one of Henry VIII's many wives and the reason Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, and the King did stay at Hever on occasions:
The castle itself dates from various centuries, with the newest part being The Astor Wing - this was built in 1903. This is where the bedrooms are, which is where we stayed over. Our room was one of the feature rooms, which had a gorgeous four poster bed, and each room is unique.
The ceremony took place in the Inner Hall, which was originally the kitchen in Tudor times. Look how happy and proud they look - it's a stunning venue, fit for a stunning couple. {^_^}
I got to see parts of Hever Castle which usually aren't open to the general public and, of course, parts that are. Below is the drawing room, which has a hidden drinks cabinet in the panels, and then there's the library. You might be able to make out a door at the back which leads through to a
room which has over 2,500 books in it - that's my sort of room!
After the wedding breakfast and speeches in the beautiful Tudor dining suite, we moved down to the Guthrie Pavilion. The amazing
Frank the Cat were the band that kept us all on the dance floor, fueled on by drinks, wedding cake and some yummy hotdogs! (Though I am sad that I never managed to grab a slice of cake.)
And, for a special touch, a round of fireworks to celebrate the beautiful bride and groom.
Just like it was for Cinderella, it was all over by midnight, but for some of us it was back to the Astor Wing for a private party in the Billiard Room... What happens in the Billiard Room, stays in the Billiard Room!
What a fantastic wedding, though the 10.30am check-out time was a wee bit too early for my liking. Let's all wish the happy couple health and happiness for the rest of their lives. {^_^} Now, I believe Arielle needs to plan her wedding to Piers in
Kept's sequel,
Lost... I wonder how she'd feel about a castle venue! ;) x
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