The Norbreck Castle Hotel

Where the band plays Set back from the water on Queen's Promenade to the north of Blackpool's centre, the Norbreck Castle's turreted, castellated exterior is the first thing every guest photographs on the way in. Inside, the function suites used for weddings are spacious and light, generally set up for parties of up to around eighty guests, which makes this a venue built for a proper sit-down celebration rather than a sprawling one - if your guest list is in that range, the room will feel full without feeling crowded. The hotel's wedding team runs a toastmaster service as standard, which is a useful thing to know as a band: there's someone already coordinating the run of the day, so slotting your first dance and set times into the schedule tends to be straightforward. As with most hotel function suites, load-in is via a service entrance rather than through the guest areas - confirm timing with the wedding coordinator so equipment arrives while the room is still being set rather than mid-meal. How the day flows Guests arrive to a red carpet welcome and Irish Sea views from much of the building, a proper sense of arrival before anyone's even through the door. The wedding package here is built around a classic hotel wedding structure - arrival and toast drinks, a three-course wedding breakfast, and an evening buffet - so the day has a clear, unhurried rhythm to it. Because the suites here are sized for a more contained guest list, the room tends to stay lively and full through the evening rather than thinning out, which makes for a strong night on the dance floor once your band takes the room over. Guests travelling from further afield can take advantage of the hotel's own overnight rates, so a Norbreck wedding often turns into more of a weekend than a single evening.