An 'idyllic' fairytale castle has played host to countless celebrity weddings, with music megastar Beyonce and former tennis ace Serena Williams rumoured to have been guests.
Lovebirds are spoilt for choice when it comes to getting married in Cheshire - the county is home to a great many venues that can offer couples the perfect place to celebrate their special day.
But one that is arguably the most famous and awe-inspiring is Peckforton Castle near Tarporley. The Grade I-listed Victorian country house, built in the style of a Medieval castle between 1844-1850, is one of the most sought after wedding venues in the country.
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The website, reports Cheshire Live, states: "At Peckforton Castle, serenity and sophistication come together to create an elegant setting for your special day. Pass through the stunning gatehouse lodge and up the long sweeping drive to a place that promises a fairytale. Steeped in history and set against a backdrop of rolling Cheshire countryside, it’s an idyllic venue for your castle wedding and wedding breakfast – whether it’s an intimate family affair or an occasion more grand."
It has everything to make couple's fantasy wedding dreams a reality, with the idyllic setting boasting expansive grounds, red sandstone walls, marble floors, vaulted dining rooms and roaring open fires.
And, over the last decade or so, it has hosted many celebrity guests who have either married at the stunning location or attended as guests.
Perhaps the most talked-about and well-known was the wedding of NFL quarterback Russell Wilson and American R&B star Ciara back in July 2016. It was rumoured to have been attended by music megastar Beyonce along with her fellow former Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland and singer Jennifer Hudson.
According to comments from celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss, who organised the couple's nuptials, Peckforton was not the first choice of location for their special day.
She told The Knot at the time: “I did the whole thing — three times. They were first getting married in North Carolina, but they called it off due to the transgender bathroom laws. They were gonna go to Paris and it ended up being Fashion Week. And it was really difficult.”
They then hopped across the channel and discovered Peckforton Castle. Mindy said: "We found a castle that was an hour out of Liverpool and they had about 110 guests.” Although no pictures of the guests at the ceremony were released, Jennifer Hudson shared a snap of what she wore to the wedding on her Instagram account.
And Kelly Rowland, who was rumoured to be a bridesmaid, posted a picture of what looks like a bride's preparation room on Instagram and an 'insider' said she helped Ciara get ready for the ceremony. Other rumoured guests were tennis ace Serena Williams, TV personality Lala Anthony and members of the Kardashian family. Beyonce would have already been in the area after performing at Old Trafford Cricket Ground the night before.
Just weeks before the Russell Wilson/Ciara wedding, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy married Rebekah at the very same venue on May 25, 2016. During the day, many famous celebrities were photographed heading through the gates of the venue. These of course included his Leicester City team mates as well as One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, X Factor winner Sam Bailey and rap artist Tinchy Stryder.
Peckforton was also the location for the wedding of footballer Phil Bardsley and Real Housewives of Cheshire star Tanya on June 7, 2014. The latter share pictures of their special day on Twitter, saying that she had wed the 'love of my life'.
Tanya's former Real Housewives co-star Leanne also married Wes Brown in a civil ceremony at the venue on June 13, 2009. The couple were reported to have split early last year.
And actress Kelly-Marie Stewart, known for playing Hayley Ramsey in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, wed her partner James Lovelady on August 30, 2015.
The star was able to walk down the aisle in the castle despite having been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome 10 years before, which led to her losing the use of her legs when she was just 21. It took weeks of neurological physiotherapy for her to achieve this.
At the time, she said: “Everyone was on such a high after all the tears. We only invited close friends and family, so everyone in that room were people who had thought I’d never get out of the wheelchair, they were the people who had been on that journey with me for the last 10 years."
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