Medieval Castle Weddings

Arranged marriages amongst the noble class would be decided when the future bride and groom were only 10 or 11 years old. Many would not meet until their wedding day 5 to 6 years later. Marriage meant sharing a lord's property or a noble name. Love wasn't often an issue, but it did occur. But usually the most important goal of marriage between nobles was continued success and the acquisition of wealth.

The feudal system of the time meant that wedding celebrations in a castle were not uncommon. In the early Middle Ages, the Catholic Church allowed ceremonies to take place outside the church, so long as the couple later had the union blessed by a priest later. Ceremonies may have taken place in the castle's Grand Hall, or perhaps in one of the courtyards.

The marriage day would include an incredible celebration with minstrels, jugglers and other entertainers. Inhabitants of the manor would attend as would other nobles and distant relatives. The lord of the castle might free prisoners to mark the occasion and beggars would gather at the gates to feast on leftover food.