A Castlecore Romantasy Elopement at Bolton Castle
This romantasy elopement turns Bolton Castle into a world built for the fantasy lovers, book nerds and gentle geeks who rarely see themselves in wedding inspiration. Led by queer celebrant Lottie Moon Celebrant and captured by Moor and Moon, the shoot imagines two brides slipping away on a castle quest, drawing from beloved sapphic and fantasy novels while keeping every detail intentionally accessible. With real couple Suzy (she/her) and Carina (she/her) stepping into the story with their Dungeons and Dragons energy and shared silliness, the result is castlecore with heart, representation and a little bit of magic woven through every scene.
What inspired this styled shoot?
Lottie Moon: I created this shoot because I wanted something for the fantasy lovers, geeks and nerds who rarely see themselves represented in wedding spaces. As a queer celebrant, I’ve always been drawn to magic, myth and sapphic romantasy, so the idea of building a story inside an ancient castle felt right. I pulled inspiration from the books I adore, including The Priory of the Orange Tree, Legends and Lattes, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love, Spear and Of Fire and Stars.
When I reached out to Moor and Moon, I knew they were the perfect fit. We’d worked together before, and they share my love of whimsy and worldbuilding. Together, we imagined a couple slipping away on a castle quest and sealing their commitment with a handfasting ceremony.
From Moor and Moon’s perspective, the draw was the same. We are all introverted fantasy nerds who wanted more representation for our niche and more space for LGBTQ+ love in fantasy-inspired weddings. Castlecore felt like the natural direction, especially with booktok bringing it into the spotlight. We mixed pieces of the fiction we love, from The Tomes and Tea series to ACOTAR and Labyrinth, to craft a dark, romantic atmosphere that still feels deeply queer and happy.
How did you bring the styling and worldbuilding to life?
We wanted to show that a castlecore elopement could feel magical without being unattainable, so we built a team of LGBTQ+ suppliers and inclusive allies to create a safe, creative space. Bolton Castle gave us the ideal setting with its medieval halls, stone passages and gardens, and the staff went above and beyond. Their Head Falconer even brought out Victor the raven to join in, which felt perfectly on theme.
Carina and Suzy were the dream models for this romantasy world. J Gahan Makeup used warm burgundy and gold tones, Spellbound Strands created a romantic up-do and soft curls, and The Lucky Sixpence crowned them both. Maidens & Ravens dressed them in contrasting dark and light gowns, with a sword from Moor and Moon and my chainmail adding the final touches.
Lottie Roberts Flowers created the florals, including the archway, bouquet and sword decoration, with candles tucked into the stonework. After their first look and handfasting ceremony, the couple shared a small feast by Oh My Graze Yorkshire, sweet favours by Seven Crows, and a two-tiered cake by Valkyrie Cakes shaped with medieval walls, chainmail, black roses and a sword topper. Everything came together in the Great Chamber, styled with tapestries, candelabras and stationery by Birdhouse197 quoting The Priory of the Orange Tree.
To the lovers: why were you chosen, and what can you share about your story?
Suzy & Carina: We like to say this shoot was meant to be. We first met in a tea shop at the top of Affleck’s Palace in Manchester, which felt pretty perfect considering one of the shoot’s inspirations was You Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea. Neither of us had ever modelled before, but with our shared love of Dungeons and Dragons, fan fiction and a frankly ridiculous amount of affection for each other, stepping into a romantasy world felt easy.
Our relationship has always been a mix of silliness and big, heartfelt gestures. Four months into our semi long distance routine, Suzy learned a song from Helluva Boss on the ukulele to say “I love you”. Months later, she wrapped up a house key on Carina’s birthday and asked her to move in. From there, life became full of D&D campaigns, painted walls and any excuse for couple’s cosplay, something neither of us had experienced with a partner before.
This shoot even played a secret role in our engagement. Suzy used it to casually figure out Carina’s ring size. A few months later in Spain, she proposed. Carina immediately yelled “WAIT THERE”, pulled out her own ring and revealed she had planned the same thing. We had ordered them within a week of each other. As we always say, we are two halves of a whole idiot, soon to be one whole married one.
Photography by Moor and Moon
Caterer Oh My Graze Yorkshire
Cake Valkyrie Cakes
Celebrant Lottie Moon Celebrant
Ceremony Venue Bolton Castle
Dress Boutique Maidens & Ravens
Florist Lottie Roberts Flowers
Hair Spellbound Strands
Makeup J Gahan Makeup
Signage & Stationery Birdhouse197
Chocolates Seven Crows
Accessories The Lucky Sixpence
