Want to get married by an Irish Castle, but in Texas? Would it temp you further to know there are 6 friendly llamas that can be part of your special day? Then Castle Waterford Weddings & Events is the place for you! This unique hidden gem has been offering Texans and travelers llama experiences for years, but starting in Fall 2021, you can have your wedding or special event on the property!
While the main castle is a private family home, they have built a medieval themed venue right next door to host events of up to 125 guests. The bonus is, you can choose to add in llamas to your wedding day, right on the property! Who wouldn’t love to have llamas as part of their portraits? As Castle Waterford Weddings preferred photographer, I can’t wait to capture magical weddings on this stand out venue. Scroll down to hear about the venue and see the images from Parker and Lexi’s proposal.
About Castle Waterford from Mama Llama herself, Sharon.
- What makes Castle Waterford unique/special?
- Everyone wants a beautiful wedding venue inside and out. But it’s also important to choose a venue that faces something beautiful. Not a government building, a restaurant, or an apartment complex. Through 10 picture windows, Castle Waterford faces a second castle, which is a replica of the Waterford Castle in Ireland. This unusual setting was recently named among the top five U.S. destinations that capture the feel of Ireland. Without the cost of a destination wedding, couples can get married in a beautiful castle in Texas and enjoy the view of a replica, medieval castle. A. It’s also worth noting that Castle Waterford Wedding & Event Venue is unusually green for a wedding venue. Not just because it is surrounded by beautiful, mature trees. Eighty-percent of the estate is powered by solar energy, and all water comes from a rainwater collection system that triple-filters and purifies the water. The entire 10-acre estate–including the 5,600-square-foot replica castle, the 3,600-square foot wedding venue, the six-car garage and 1,400-square-foot castle barn–has a carbon footprint of a two-bedroom apartment. Additionally, the rose gardens and trees are only fed organic fertilizer produced by the pampered, pedigreed llamas that live at the castle. This fertilizer is odorless! Even though Castle Waterford is quite private, its location is just four miles from I-30, and only 40 minutes east of Dallas.
- What is your favorite part about the venue?
- As a family, we worked together to ensure that Castle Waterford incorporates all the key elements of a castle: turrets, portcullis, knights in shining armor, shields, brick and stone, flickering candelabras, throne chairs, fancy tableware, touches of gold, plus a little castle whimsy. Outside, there’s a life-size Cinderella carriage and a Loch Ness Monster statue for memorable photos. When you arrive at Castle Waterford, you’re immediately transported to a fantasy world, which is ideal for a themed wedding or a romantic wedding.
- How does the booking process work for the venue?
- To book, couples meet with Castle Waterford’s owners to tour the venue and the grounds while discussing the couple’s wedding day dreams. Then we review the straightforward contract and request a 25-percent deposit to hold the requested date. The balance is due in three equal installments, with the final payment due 30 days prior to the wedding. Castle Waterford’s rental pricing is considered moderate at $3,000 to $5,000 off-peak, and $4,000 to $6,000 during the height of the wedding season. Click here to get your private tour scheduled today!
- What advice would you give to couples planning their day?
- Because the cocktail hour only allows the couple 60 minutes to capture forever photos, it’s important that wedding guests have something engaging to do during that time. Otherwise, the wedding party will feel rushed through their photos, keenly aware that the reception won’t begin until they return. Rather than providing guests with appetizers, cocktails and music during the cocktail hour, Castle Waterford offers a memorable alternative. A visit with the pedigreed llamas that live on the grounds near the venue. Through a meet & greet photo session or a head-to-toe lesson about llamas, wedding guests will have something memorable to do.
- Is there anything else you would like to share?
- It’s important to us that couples have the essential wedding elements included in their rental price. Otherwise, it can be quite time-consuming and expensive to rent the many items needed for a wedding ceremony and reception. Castle Waterford provides 24 of these essential items, included in every wedding package. These items include a modular dance floor, a wedding arch, gold crown centerpieces, an aisle runner, a riser for the wedding/reception, a portrait easel, a bar for alcohol, a full catering kitchen, a professional audio system, couples’ liability insurance, plus more.
Romantic Llama Farm Proposal
When Parker reached out about planning a proposal for Lexi, his girlfriend of 3.5 years, I was excited to help make it perfect. He told Lexi they were going for a picnic and a day at the lake, and then diverted to Castle Waterford, home of Shangri Llama. Here you can participate in llama lessons in the summer, and llama walks in the summer. Parker had purchased tickets for himself Lexi, and secretly, me. I hid in plain sight during the llama lesson, pretending to be a perfect stranger. I snapped photos of the llamas as well as a few of a clueless Lexi.
After the llama experience was over, Mama Llama offered to take Parker, Lexi, and myself for a mini tour of the grounds. I asked them to take a few photos of me in front of the castle and then offered to snap a few photos for them as well. Parker did amazing job placing Lexi in a great spot for photos before popping the question. She was so surprised and kept repeating how perfect it was after she said yes. This cute couple made my day and I feel so honored to be part of this special moment.
Big congrats again to Parker + Lexi! A perfect proposal for a fabulous couple.
Interested in Castle Waterford Wedding & Event venue for your next celebration? Click here to check out all the details.
Want to check out some amazing DFW engagement photo locations? Check out the blog post below!
Best Spots for Dallas Engagement Photos
Haley Katherine Photography is a Dallas Wedding Photographer specializing in weddings, elopements, destination weddings, and engagement sessions for couples seeking authentic, timeless, and cheerful imagery. If you would like to see more of my work, please visit my portfolio.
