Your North East Wedding - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 36)

HISTORICAL VENUES 25 NEWCASTLE CASTLE Newcastle Castle is one of the UK’s finest surviving examples of a Norman stone keep. Built in 1178 the sandstone building, which has been altered several times, sits on a steep-sided promontory overlooking the River Tyne. The building is by nature rustic, rugged and imposing. Crenulations and turrets, Victorian additions, provide romanticised evidence of the building’s original use. The Castle Keep at Newcastle Castle is a medieval Royal fortress. Imagine walking through the ceremonial doors into the atmospheric Great Hall with its 43ft-high arched ceiling, rustic sandstone walls and centrepiece fireplace. The Castle’s licensed rooms, The Harbottle Suite, and the Castle Garth Story museum, are located in The Black Gate, but couples can also have a mock ceremony in the Great Hall. Receptions mainly take place in the Great Hall and the surrounding rooms, including the Gaol, The Lower Hall and The Chapel, while many couples make use of the roof due to its fabulous views over the River Tyne. Ceremony licence? Yes newcastlecastle.co.uk | 0191 230 6300 THE VERMONT HOTEL Built at the same time as New York City’s Rockefeller Centre and Chrysler Building, Newcastle’s The Vermont is upholding to this era of style and glamour. An incredible sight over the Tyne Bridge, the venue stands tall and proud with the backing of the Castle Keep and steeple of the Cathedral just behind. Inside is just as impressive, with the floor-to-ceiling mirrored pillars and beaming crystal chandeliers the essence of what The Vermont is all about. Elegance runs through the 1920’s Art Deco venue, with each suite luxuriously refurbished to the highest standard, all the while holding on to the original and historic features within the building. Get married in the Sky Lounge, a beautiful intimate space full of light and romance, or choose the Gold Room, with its luxurious drapes, mirrored pillars and a true resemblance of the Twenties lavish party scene. The Ballroom is also available, with high ceilings, oak-panelled feature pillars and chandelier cascading down in the centre of the room. For added flash and awe, why not take advantage of the hotel’s chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce Phantom? This stunning vehicle has been commissioned exclusively for The Vermont Hotel and is the definitive wedding car, mirroring opulence and oozing class. Ceremony licence? Yes vermont-hotel.com | 0191 233 1010 photographynorth.co.uk photographynorth.co.uk jprshah-photography.co.uk jprshah-photography.co.uk