Castle Goring, Exclusive Hire

Your reply is unprofessional and filled with personal attacks instead of addressing the facts. For readers, this is more than enough to see the reality of what I experienced and that what I raised is true and thats fair Lady C, It seems there has been serious miscommunication between you and your event manager, which resulted in the ruin of our day and caused me lasting mental health issues. From your response, it also appears you were not aware that we hired the castle for a half day with early morning access. We provided the event manager with a very detailed flow of the day up until 8pm, which was agreed in writing. Even your own invoice dated 30 June 2025 clearly states: “Half Day Hire rate £1,000 + VAT.” I want to make clear that I have all the proofs — emails, invoices, and conversations. I am not posting them publicly as they are private, but I will continue to refer to them, as they repeatedly confirm what I am saying and what was agreed. This is also the only way I can defend myself against being called a liar. Your reply does not address my actual complaint, which is about your conduct: raised voices, public scolding, hovering over us, and creating a hostile atmosphere. Unless you were told that we only hired the venue for two hours, your behaviour still makes no sense. If that is what you believed, then this was a failure of communication from the manager and it was her mistake that ruined our day. Specific points remain unanswered: 1 We never agreed to put chairs/runner inside if it rained only to return them afterwards. The issue was your handling of it, not the rule itself. 2You claim the venue was left messy. I filmed the rooms before leaving and invite you to share your photos or CCTV. I will publish my video alongside. 3 At the viewing, we were told two staff would assist. On the day, we were told staff would “erode profit.” Even under “dry hire,” the way this was communicated was unacceptable. 4 Quoting an old, unrelated review I left for another supplier is irrelevant and unprofessional. It looks like an attempt to discredit me instead of addressing the facts. 5 You ignored my points about the public telling-off of my husband, the micromanaging that caused suppliers to leave early, and the forced cleaning of the 10-metre runner top and bottom for an hour which forced us to cancel our after-ceremony dinner. The emotional impact was devastating. I am now on anti-anxiety medication and on long-term sick leave with medical proof of depression and anxiety caused by this experience. I am willing to amend my review once i understand what fully happened to reflect the true event. However, I will never forgive the way my day which I spent years planning and saving for was ruined by you. Sabrina

We want to share our experience at Castle Goring to help other couples make informed choices. We held a private vows ceremony with a photoshoot at the venue. The day was meant to be intimate, meaningful, and joyful — but instead, it was marred by the behaviour of the venue’s owner, Lady C. Let us be clear: our issue was not with the contract, communication, or missing details. The core problem was Lady C’s conduct throughout the day, which was unprofessional, confrontational, and at times, deeply upsetting. We booked a half-day hire at the price Lady C herself set. There were no last-minute changes or unrealistic expectations on our side — we simply hoped for a respectful and supportive environment, and that was not what we received. On the morning of our event, we were allowed to begin decorating, but this was met with reluctance and visible dissatisfaction from Lady C. The atmosphere immediately became tense. Tension escalated further when Lady C came downstairs and instructed the bride to keep the doors shut — despite the fact that we were setting up an outdoor ceremony and naturally needed to move in and out freely. The request itself wasn’t the issue — it was the tone and manner in which it was delivered, creating unnecessary stress at a time that should have felt calm and focused. She then raised her voice at the groom for leaving the chairs and aisle runner outside during the rain — despite the fact that he had remained downstairs specifically to ensure all suppliers had arrived and were briefed about the venue. The weather was out of anyone’s control, and instead of offering assistance or even basic understanding, she blamed the groom in front of others during a highly emotional moment. We had been told there would be two staff members on-site to assist with setup. Instead, we were told on the day that there would be no help, as bringing staff would “erode any profit.” Regardless of the staffing situation, the way she addressed us and our team — often in a raised voice, in front of guests — was completely inappropriate. A few times during the day, Lady C hovered, intervened, and micromanaged details in a way that created a constant sense of pressure and discomfort. The team assisting us — who are experienced professionals — found the working conditions so difficult that they chose to leave earlier than planned. What hurt the most was what came after the ceremony. Rather than being allowed a moment to enjoy the experience or celebrate privately, we were told to clean the venue ourselves — including brushing and hoovering the aisle runner on both sides while still in our wedding attire. This took over an hour and caused us to cancel our post-ceremony dinner. Watching the groom on his knees scrubbing a carpet on his wedding day was genuinely heartbreaking. We want to stress again: this was not about unclear expectations or poor planning. We showed up prepared, respectful, and ready to make the most of our time. What we were met with was a hostile, controlling atmosphere driven entirely by Lady C’s behaviour. In our opinion, Castle Goring does not function as a professional event venue. It feels more like a private residence where the owner allows access on her terms — and those terms are not delivered with kindness, professionalism, or basic courtesy. Based on our personal experience, we cannot recommend Castle Goring as a wedding venue. We left feeling humiliated, stressed, and devastated — not because of weather, logistics, or misunderstandings, but because of how we were treated by the person meant to host us on one of the most meaningful days of our lives. The venue may look beautiful — but beauty means little when the experience is so deeply damaging.