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Fairytale castle weddings aren’t just for royalty. In fact, you don’t even need to journey across an ocean to make that dream come true. As all eyes are on Prince Harry and bride-to-be Meghan Markle in the run up to their royal wedding, here are some of the most epic castle venues accessible to the rest of us, right here in the USA.

RELATED: How to plan the perfect destination wedding

Photo courtesy of STPhotography

Versailles, KY: The Kentucky Castle

Surrounded by horse farms and bourbon distilleries is a castle hotel straight out of a fairytale book. The Kentucky Castle, also known as Castle Post, has been named by Architectural Digest as “The Most Beautiful Hotel in Kentucky.” This castle hotel has a way of wowing wedding parties beyond its gorgeous setting: It can arrange horse and carriage rides, hot air balloon lifts and even work with a Bourbon Steward to customize bourbon in micro barrels for your big day. Cheers to that.

Photo courtesy of Mission Inn Hotel and Spa

Riverside, CA: Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

Two onsite chapels at this legendary hotel—including one that’s wooed Hollywood and political royalty with its grand archways, flying buttresses, soaring domes and towers—make Mission Inn Hotel & Spa an ideal wedding venue for aspiring kings and queens. The St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, which features 22-foot mahogany doors mimicking Westminster Abbey (where Prince William and Kate Middleton wed) includes an 18-karat gold altarpiece and Tiffany stained glass. The St. Cecilia Chapel features a carved gilt marriage altar dating back to 1740. Newlyweds can even recreate the famous balcony kiss, a time-honored royal tradition, from their honeymoon suite balcony, which resides high above the hotel’s lavish Spanish patio. Go ahead, impress your guests with a kiss from above—just keep it clean, please.

Photo courtesy of the Biltmore and J Pfister Photography

 

Asheville, NC: The Biltmore

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 250-room French Renaissance chateau evokes European splendor and privilege. Built in the late 19th century by George W. Vanderbilt, who hails from a family considered American royalty, the castle rises above 8,000 lush acres that feel not unlike the rolling countryside of France or Germany. In other words: wow. Choose from 10 different wedding venues across the expansive property, such as the gardens surrounding the Biltmore House, and enjoy complimentary access to estate grounds for photography if you’re hosting your wedding at the estate. There are two hotels on the expansive grounds, including The Inn at Biltmore Estate.

Photo courtesy of Boldt Castle / Steve G

Thousand Islands, NY: Boldt Castle

Boldt Castle is grounded in a love story: The original owner built it in 1900 for his wife. More than 100 years later, this castle perched on a remote island overlooking the St. Lawrence River continues to foster romance. It hosts about 60 wedding ceremonies annually. Ceremonies are typically located at the Dove-Cote, which allows brides to make a grand entrance out of Boldt Castle itself. While you cannot host the wedding reception nor spend the night at the castle (wedding parties typically stay in Alexandria Bay), you can feel good about the nominal bill of $200, plus costs of guest admission: All of it goes directly into the restoration and maintenance of the castle, preserving it for generations of love stories to come.

Photo courtesy of Landoll’s Mohican Castle / Columbus, Ohio Wedding Photographers

Loudonvile, OH: Landoll’s Mohican Castle

This castle hotel is something out of Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest—but it’s in Ohio. Located between Cleveland and Columbus, Landoll’s Mohican Castle was originally constructed from wood and other materials found onsite, spearheaded by a retired Army vet who vowed to erect a castle in America if he ever made enough money. That dream came true, and now the property makes dreams come true for couples hoping for a fairytale wedding on its one-of-a-kind, 30-acre grounds.

ALSO: Get treated like royalty with Orbitz Rewards Platinum status–it takes just 12 room nights to get there!

Photo courtesy of Castle Hotel and Spa

Tarrytown, NY: Castle Hotel & Spa

Just 30 miles north of bustling Manhattan, this castle hotel was built in the style of Norman fortifications you’ll find across Wales and Scotland. With 31 rooms—including two suites in the main tower with views of the Hudson River—the venue will only host one wedding at a time. This offers your wedding party special exclusivity and intimacy with the castle grounds: You’ll feel as though you own the place. Intricate stained-glass windows and handcrafted woodwork by German artisans add to the cozy, old-world feel of Castle Hotel & Spa. Want a grand entrance fit for a king or a queen? The hotel will arrange trumpeters to welcome you, as newly-minted couple, into the ballroom to take a seat on your throne chairs.

Photo courtesy of Samantha James with Wedding Day

Kalamazoo, MI: Henderson Castle

This Queen Anne-style mansion dating back to 1895 boasts crystal chandeliers, heated marble floors, stained-glass windows and a rooftop hot tub. (We bet ancient castles of yore were missing that little feature.) Owned by a Master Chef, Henderson Castle operates as a bed-and-breakfast with a restaurant, organic garden, vineyard and day spa—all available to buy out for your big day so that you can truly “own the place.” Arrive to your wedding cocktail hour by horse-and-carriage before heading up to the roof for sunset photos, flanked by the castle’s dramatic towers and spires.

 

Photo courtesy of Castle Hill Resort and Spa

Killington, VT: Castle Hill Resort & Spa

English Cotswold-style architecture meets classic New England countryside, manifesting into the type of setting you could see British royals enjoying on weekends. The grounds of Castle Hill Resort & Spa, in southern Vermont, are hugged by beautiful gardens, pine forests and the Green Mountains. Consider this “castle” yours for your wedding. Each wedding performed here is exclusive and private, guaranteeing that you will not be sharing the grounds or castle with anyone but your family and friends.

Photo courtesy of Oheka Castle Hotel and Estate

Long Island, NY: Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate

Holy Great Gatsby. If you ever wanted a royal wedding straight out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, this place is it. The palatial property, built in 1919, has hosted its fair share of decadent parties. With architecture that includes spires, a grand staircase, sculptures and an immaculately manicured formal garden and great lawn, you’ll be hard-pressed to not feel like royalty while waltzing (or Charleston-ing) around the grounds of Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate.

Photo courtesy of Chanler at Cliff Walk

Newport, RI: The Chanler at Cliff Walk

Originally a summertime retreat for Margaret Astor Ward, the great granddaughter or famed businessman John Jacob Astor, The Chanler at Cliff Walk is the only hotel located directly on Newport’s famed Cliff Walk. This Gilded Age mansion overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, creating an elegant setting for ceremonies and celebration on the open-air terrace and expansive lawns. You can buy out the entire property and its 20 guest rooms for an intimate ceremony.

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Tagged: California, Michigan, Midwest, New England, New York, North Carolina, Top 10 Lists, Vermont

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Erica Bray

Erica Bray

Erica is a practical free spirit who loves travel, yoga and ice cream. A Northwestern University-trained journalist with more than 15 years of experience straddling digital and broadcast media, Erica can be found doing handstands everywhere she travels -- even risking arrest in some cases. Learn about her at www.erica.media.

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