Langley Castle in Northumberland has stood the test of time for hundreds of years, adapting to various uses.
And the 14th century landmark, now a hotel and wedding venue, has responded to the coronavirus crisis by coming up with another new idea which it believes to be a UK first.
The castle, near Hexham in Northumberland, has already notched up firsts, becoming, it says, the first wedding venue in the county to offer civil marriages 25 years ago and also the first in the UK to offer Game of Thrones-style weddings.
Now it is inviting bookings for 'Bubble Weddings' as it creates an exclusive 'castle-to-yourself' experience.
It is focusing on offering tailored and intimate weddings for couples and their very closest friends and family, which adhere to social distancing.
And the idea strips back the concept of a flamboyant wedding to a more simple and 'pure' day which it thinks will appeal to people in such times.
Sticking to Government guidelines, it has come up with two "in-the-moment" wedding packages: a Bubble with Bubbles day for 10 people which will include marriage at the castle, canapes, drinks, buffets and use of all nine bedrooms, costing £4,500; and Key to the Castle which costs £6,500 for 18 people who can lock-down for the run of the medieval castle.
In-between options, including weddings for just two, are also available, as are show-arounds of the castle for two people at a time. Alternately, images and video-links can be sent out to show what's on offer.
Margaret Livingstone-Evans, Langley Castle’s executive general manager, said: "We have evolved our wedding product to cater for couples wishing to take their vows and believe many will appreciate that mindfulness and simplicity in a wedding give it a truly special dynamic.
"We believe bubble weddings will become the new norm but for now they are a trend-setting option.”
The Bubble Wedding offers are available until March 31 next year. More information is available by emailing manager@langleycastle.co.uk or calling 01434 688 888.
