Create Your Special Day

The setting
The glorious Haldon Belvedere (Lawrence Castle) is an approved premise for civil weddings and partnership ceremonies and is one of the most popular venues in Devon. This unique historic building has been featured on TV, and in national wedding magazines, having hosted ceremonies for the popular programmes 'Four Weddings' and 'Don't Tell The Bride'. Its timeless elegance makes the Haldon Belvedere the number one choice for the small, more intimate ceremony and the location gives you an exclusivity that few venues are able to match. We can also host renewal of vows ceremonies too.

Your day
Arrive in style by vintage car, limousine, or horse and carriage. For an unforgettable experience treat your guests to a vintage bus ride to transport them to and from the ceremony. Take to the air and arrive or depart by helicopter.

The ground floor, the Lawrence Room with Major-General Stringer Lawrence's statue, has period doors, gothic style openings and a flagstone floor and is used by guests to congregate prior to climbing the cantilevered stone spiral staircase to the Ball Room for the ceremony. The Lawrence Room is where your champagne/drinks reception will be held after the ceremony. There is direct access out onto the level lawns to the rear of the castle and this has disabled access from the drive. The Lawrence Room is also licensed for ceremonies and is used where the spiral staircase is too problematical.

The Ball Room where the ceremony takes place is bright and airy with a high ceiling and large gothic style windows, and has Baroque plasterwork. The beautiful original Indian mahogany floor is a fine example of the precision workmanship of classical 18th century carpentry. The breathtaking views make it a particularly unique setting. The room comfortably seats up to 50 guests. Should this number be a problem we are able to accommodate a further 5 people in the Lawrence Room where a video link between the two rooms allows these guests to watch the proceedings as they happen. Disabled or elderly guests who have a problem with the spiral staircase may wish to take advantage of a safe chair lift facility provided by local medical facilitators.

The proportions of the Ball Room create the ideal acoustic for such instruments as the harp or a string quartet and vocalists excel here.

After the ceremony,  champagne and canapés can be served in the Lawrence Room while your photographer takes full advantage of the many opportunities offered by the building and its surroundings to create those special memories. Guests are welcome to wander the grounds and enjoy the manicured lawns adjacent to the Belvedere with its unrivalled 360° views towards Exeter, Dartmoor and the south coast. The best views are from the roof terrace which is available for your use.

The Belvedere is unlicensed but you may bring your own drinks for service by our staff - this drinks service is available at a cost of £125 to cover the 3 hour period to include the service of your provided drinks,  the hire of glasses, tables and linen. No corkage is charged. Our team will serve any drinks supplied by yourselves and return any unused bottles.

We offer a range of canapé and finger buffets specifically designed to complement your drinks. Only food supplied by our caterers can be consumed both inside and outside the Belvedere. and we recommend that provisional catering is booked well in advance. For a smaller wedding (30 people or less) we can arrange a superb boutique reception. For larger weddings we are unable to host a conventional reception at the Haldon Belvedere but there are excellent venues within the locality – see Suppliers. 

Please Note: As an environmentally aware charity we cannot allow small bottles of water to be served to guests.