Weddings are the most magical day for most couples, but a charity raffle organised by a prestigious north Yorkshire venue is offering the ultimate prize for any engaged couple – a £25,000 wedding package including reception in an enchanted barn, and a replica of Hagrid’s cottage as the bridal suite! North Shire is an events venue near Saltburn-on-Sea, just up the coast from Whitby in north Yorkshire, and is hosting the raffle – which ends on 28th August – to raise up to £25,000 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, to bring clean water to remote villages in Nepal.
"Organising a wedding can be an expensive business, particularly if you want something a little out of the ordinary – but that's what we do for every wedding we host at North Shire, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime offer to win the wedding of your dreams for just £2 per ticket – assuming that your dreams involve magic!" explains Carol Cavendish, the Sorceress Supreme of North Shire. "We can't quite promise a phoenix rising from the flames as you say your vows, but our peacock Fawkes is very fond of posing in wedding photos!"
If the winner is more keen on Middle Earth than Hogwarts, that still isn't a problem – the Hobbit House has seen many brides carried across the threshold, and is also a great place to prepare for their ceremony, and unwind after the happiest day!
Carol isn't limiting the competition to engaged couples – if the winner isn't planning their nuptials, they can swap the package for a £25,000 party package instead. "To be honest, if people would rather just have a great weekend away with their friends and extended family, we're just as happy to host that – we won't be forcing the winner down the aisle if they would rather just enjoy the reception as a party!" adds Carol.
All of the proceeds go to one of Carol's favourite charities, the Gurkha Welfare Trust, whose work she has observed first-hand on a recent trip to Nepal. Funds raised will be put towards bringing clean, safe water to the communities in remote mountain villages, installing individual tap stands and toilets for all households. By ensuring a safe water source and providing education on hygiene and sanitation, GWT sees sharp drops in water-borne diseases. Having a water source close by also reduces the burden on women and children, who traditionally spend hours collecting water each day.
"This is a fantastic cause to support, with the chance of winning one of the most unusual prizes we've ever seen offered – the winner and their guests can spend the weekend living in the Hobbit-style Shire House, a Ground Keeper's Cottage and Dorm Room that wouldn't be out of place at Hogwarts, or indeed, Le Petit Chateau – a remarkable cottage which includes bedrooms found behind secret doors and luxury four poster accommodation," explains Carol. "We're throwing in a barbecue on the Friday evening and catered party on the Saturday in our new Enchanted Barn, so whatever they want to celebrate, this is a remarkable prize."
The venue itself has a fantastic pedigree, having been included in The Times 50 best cottages in Britain. Indeed, whilst many accommodation providers mothballed their sites during lockdown periods over the last couple of years, Carol and partner Karl took the opportunity to redevelop some of the facilities at the site, located in a secluded site on the moors with views over the coast near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, converting a barn into a stunning reception hall for up to 450 people, complete with bar, sofas, dancefloor and even a grand piano that plays itself. A new Orangery has been built to provide all-weather cover for wedding services, which can take place at the venue.
Tickets for the competition are just £2, with no limit on how many can be purchased. For more details or to enter, please visit https://www.northshire.co.uk
Marriage law reform: what the Government’s proposals could mean for couples
Planning a wedding is fun, stressful, time consuming. Couples want a ceremony that reflects their taste, is reflective of their love for each other and feels unique. The current restrictions in place can sometimes fetter that. Long-awaited plans to modernise weddings law in England and Wales could give couples far greater freedom over where and how they marry. It is hoped that they may be part of a much wider transformation of family law which is going through the biggest shakeup in decades.
READ ARTICLE
Entering your marriage era? Forget wedding favours; McDonald’s launches Limited Edition ‘Wedding Flavours’
The nation's brides and grooms can live happily ever after, as prayers are answered with personalised McDonald's sauces for their Big Day. With some of the biggest celebrities making their way down the aisle this summer, it's safe to say 2026 has been the year of saying "I do" – and now McDonald's is bringing the flavour to the wedding season. How many epic weddings end with guests making a grand finale pit stop at a Maccies en route home? Well now you won't have to detour, McDonald's is going to literally bring the ceremonial rite of passage to the actual wedding party.
READ ARTICLE
Bye Bye Sweet Caroline: The Classic Anthems BANNED From UK Weddings
The era of the predictable wedding singalong is officially dead, according to new data from entertainment agency Jonny Ross Music. New figures have revealed that Britain's couples are ruthlessly blacklisting the nation's favourite party anthems from their big days. A shocking analysis of playlist requests shows that legendary floor-fillers are being banished to the 'Do Not Play' list. Modern couples are ordering DJs to completely snub overplayed staples like 'Uptown Funk' and 'Mr Brightside'. But Brits are not turning their backs on the dancefloor. Instead of relying on default reception cheese, millennial newlyweds are demanding authentic club vibes that replicate a proper night out.
READ ARTICLE
Yorkshire Wedding Ideas: How to Bring Yorkshire into Your Wedding Day
When it comes to planning a Yorkshire wedding, it is often the personal touches that make the biggest impression. From favourite family traditions to meaningful locations, weaving elements of your story into your celebration creates a wedding day that feels personal, memorable and completely unique to you as a couple. And with Yorkshire Day taking place on 1st August, there is no better time to celebrate everything that makes this wonderful part of the world so special, by adding Yorkshire wedding ideas to your big day. Whether one or both of you grew up in Yorkshire, you met here, or you have simply fallen in love with Yorkshire's beauty and heritage, there are lots of ways to nod to the region on your wedding day.
