This Lulworth Castle wedding blends British heritage with Chinese traditions

Our real wedding inspiration section is packed with wedding photos and unique ideas from couples to help you plan your own special day. In this feature, we talk to Jasmine & Edward about their fusion wedding in Lulworth Castle.

In the heart of Dorset, Lulworth Castle set the scene for Jasmine and Edward’s effortlessly personal celebration - a fusion wedding that wove together British history, Chinese tradition, and the kind of thoughtful details guests never forget. Think handmade stationery and oak-inspired florals, a heartfelt Chinese tea ceremony honouring her heritage. They also planned a late-night ramen bar and casino to round off the evening perfectly.

We caught up with Jasmine and Ed to hear all about their Lulworth Castle wedding, from wedding planning and décor ideas to the wedding registry gifts that now bring their day to life at home.

When it came to the wedding planning timeline, the couple’s wedding was two years in the making. “We viewed Lulworth Castle wedding venue back in 2022, but the summer dates were already booked up,” Jasmine explained. “So our planning unfolded slowly, which actually gave me the time to really refine our vision. Our planning moved slowly, which actually helped me refine our vision. I wasn’t working in the two months before the wedding, so I had time to bring everything to life myself.”

Jasmine's wedding planning advice to other couples? “Tailor it to you. Don’t overuse Pinterest or social media to copy what other couples have done. Dig into your interests and personalities. That’s what makes your wedding truly memorable, not perfection.” This personal approach came through in every detail of their fusion wedding, from the historic setting to the natural way their personalities and cultures shaped the day.

The couple’s love of architecture and storytelling played a key role in deciding how to choose a wedding venue that felt true to them. Lulworth Castle, with its romantic ruins and timeless grandeur, offered the perfect setting. It matched their vision of a relaxed yet elegant celebration.

Jasmine explained, “We both love historical buildings and follies. For our wedding, we invited friends and family from around the world to join us at Lulworth Castle in Dorset. It is an English Heritage building that lost its entire interior in a fire almost 100 years ago, so it is full of history and is technically classed as a folly.”

“The wedding stationery was all handmade by me,” Jasmine explained. “I love old English romantic novels, so I ordered a bespoke sealing wax stamp with our initial. As for the seating chart, that was a little Cricut project for me. I wanted a cute collage of the things that matter to us. If you zoomed in, the motif includes a rock climber, geese and koalas,” she added. These reflected the couple’s shared hobbies and their nicknames for each other.

And perhaps the most creative wedding detail of many: a custom wedding newspaper. “My surprise gift to Ed was a wedding newspaper I made myself,” Jasmine said. “It even had crosswords at the back in case anyone needed an activity during the day.”

RELATED: How to choose your wedding stationery with Papier and exclusive 15% discount

Respect for the castle’s grandeur guided Jasmine’s creative vision. “I wanted to honour the surroundings of Lulworth Castle,” she said, “and I also wanted a rustic, wild, English romantic vibe. I did not want the day to feel too formal. I wanted people to relax into the atmosphere of this beautiful ruin, which is such a unique venue.”

The result was a breathtaking wedding decor that felt both timeless and personal. Beneath the castle’s soaring stone arches, hundreds of softly glowing bulbs hung from the beams. They were wrapped in greenery and suspended at different heights. The warm light filled the room with a golden glow, creating a mix of drama and intimacy that suited the setting perfectly.

Inside the reception hall, long wooden tables were dressed with burlap runners, flickering taper candles, and relaxed, garden-style arrangements in soft pinks, peaches, and greens. Each place setting was finished with linen napkins tied in pale silk ribbons and a small oak leaf tag — a subtle nod to the tree where Ed proposed. “Oak was a main theme because Ed proposed to me under an oak tree at the back of his childhood home at golden hour as we were viewing the sunset there together,” Jasmine shared.

With Jasmine in the middle of a career change into floral design, she knew exactly what she wanted. There was no need to ask ‘What flowers do you need for a wedding?’. “The flowers were designed by me, and it was the first major ‘job’ I had done as a floral designer,” Jasmine explained. “I had spent four weeks in a flower school in Mayfair the year before. I was very lucky to have support from my mum and my friend Lisa. They both helped me in the days before the wedding to collect and condition all the flowers in my London home. All 2,000 stems!”

On the day, Jasmine’s creativity turned Lulworth Castle into a romantic wild garden. Loose and organic arrangements of hydrangeas, roses and seasonal foliage lined the aisle. Their soft pinks and greens echoed the castle’s stone textures. “A dear friend and mentor, Sophie Powell, joined me on the set-up day at Lulworth to help me bring my vision to life,” she shared.

Her favourite feature was the oak-leaf arch framing the ceremony entrance. It was a personal nod to the oak tree where Ed had proposed. The arch also created a natural gateway to the ceremony and drew the eye toward the cascading chandeliers by floral designer Melissa Rose, which glowed softly against the ancient stone walls. “They truly completed the rustic, romantic atmosphere of the ruins,” Jasmine said.

And in a final act of kindness, the couple shared the flower joy beyond their wedding day. “After the wedding, we salvaged as many flowers as we could and brought them to a local nursing home. The residents and staff were so happy to receive them. They even shared a photo of us on their Facebook page. So cute!”

“We received heirlooms and presents from our families. My late uncle’s Omega pocket watch for Ed, gold and jade jewellery from my mum that’s been passed down for generations, and a pair of Hermès watches that were my parents’ own wedding gifts to themselves,” she shared.

Before the ceremony began, Ed took part in a playful Chinese tradition known as ‘Gate Crash games’. “He had to complete a few fun challenges with his groomsmen before he was allowed to collect me,” Jasmine laughed. “Watching them from the window while I got ready was such a sweet, funny memory.”

For the tea ceremony, Edward wore a traditional Chinese jacket in teal, while he opted for something more classic for the rest of the day. Ed wore a navy suit crafted by a Derbyshire tailor in his seventies. Jasmine recalled that the tailor “told us all about the interesting design features of suits he used to make in a very different era.” She added, “Ed wanted his suit to be made by an Englishman from his home county. He loves supporting local trades.”

Jasmine’s bridal style bridged her cultural roots and modern elegance. “For the tea ceremony, I wore a traditional Chinese Kua, a red silk costume embroidered with phoenixes, which symbolise femininity,” she said. “It was made in Hong Kong, and I loved the history it carried.”

For the main wedding ceremony, she chose a timeless gown and veil by Pronovias, paired with Stuart Weitzman white satin sandals. “I changed into my On trainers after the ceremony. I’m a practical girl!” she smiled. “In the evening, I then slipped into a black satin halter-neck dress from Net-a-Porter and some Roger Vivier heels.”

Each of Jasmine’s bridal accessories carried a piece of family history. “I wore a pearl necklace from Japan, gifted by my godmother; a blue Monica Vinader bracelet from Ed as my ‘something blue’; diamond earrings borrowed from my mum. I also wore an Art Deco diamond ring from my great aunt as my ‘something old’; and a jade ring from my grandmother for the tea ceremony.”

“Three of my four bridesmaids flew in from Hong Kong and the Netherlands. Their presence alone was the greatest bridesmaids' gift to bride I could have asked for,” Jasmine said. “My bridesmaids' satin dresses were from ASOS. I had looked everywhere, but those were too beautiful to resist.”

“Our wedding catering was by Dorset Fine Dining,” Jasmine said. “They were absolute saints. They handled every detail, even my ever-evolving requests for our vegan and kosher guests, with patience and care. They kept me fed and hydrated all day!"

Drinks reflected the couple’s personal tastes. “Ed sourced a keg of IPA from a local Derbyshire brewer, which we drove all the way to Dorset,” she laughed. “And for the bubbles, we served Crémant d’Alsace instead of champagne. We wanted something a little different.”

To end the night on a fun note, the couple prepared a ramen bar for their guests. “It was filled with ramens we’d collected from across Asia,” Jasmine said, “plus some Shin Ramen, because they’re too good to skip. Our guests loved it, and my cousin even copied the idea for her wedding!”

The speeches were another highlight of the day. “My father and father-in-law both spoke,” Jasmine recalled. “Ed’s dad’s speech had him and his mum in tears of laughter. It was such a beautiful, genuine moment, and our photographers, Bethany and James, captured it perfectly.”

“We always said we would not have a first dance or traditional dancing. We are both too shy for that,” Jasmine admitted when asked about their wedding entertainment. “So we surprised everyone with a casino night instead. It was a huge hit. It turns out we have some very competitive poker players among our friends.”

Music played a big part in setting the mood throughout the night. During the drinks reception, guests enjoyed live music from the string trio Stringendo, which added an elegant touch to the castle setting. Later, the band Miami Coast kept the atmosphere lively with an energetic mix of classics and modern hits.

When most guests had left and Miami Coast was still playing Mr Brightside, Jasmine and Ed shared a spontaneous moment that became one of their favourite memories. “Ed spun me around under the chandelier,” Jasmine said. “That became our unofficial first dance. It was completely unplanned but absolutely perfect.”

Their beautiful day was captured by Bethany and James, whose natural, documentary-style wedding photography perfectly complemented the castle’s grand yet intimate atmosphere. “They were incredible at capturing both the beauty of the setting and the emotions of the day,” the couple shared.

RELATED: Questions to ask your wedding photographer

Creating the wedding gift list became a sentimental process for the couple. “We wanted to choose wedding gift ideas that would remind us of the people who gave them,” Jasmine shared. “It is so lovely to look at something and say, ‘These cheese knives were a gift from our dear friend B.’ That is why we did not want cash funds.”

One of their favourite presents was a picture frame from a guest who could not attend. “It now holds our favourite photo, the two of us standing in front of the flowers, looking out of the castle,” Jasmine said. “It is such a beautiful way to remember the day.”

She laughed as she added, “While waiting for the delivery, my husband, who usually hates shopping, has been asking me every day when our presents will arrive. We were so excited to relive our wedding through all those special pieces.”

Here are some of their other best wedding gifts that remind them of their wedding day and the guests who bought them:

1. Khamila leaf iron candle holder, Nkuku
“The leaves on the Nkuku candlestick feel like a little nod to the oak and foliage that ran through our wedding décor.”

2.Easel photograph frame, The White Company
“The wedding frame is such a beautiful way to remember our special day.”

3. Set of 2 cheese knives, Nkuku
“These cheese knives from our friends are gorgeous. We always bring them out when friends and family visit for dinner."

4. Shamil & Kavi Thakrar Dishoom: From Bombay with love, Bookstore
“We’ve been cooking our way through it slowly. It’s been such a fun way to unwind together.”

With guests travelling from all over the world, practicality was one of the main reasons they needed a wedding gift list. “Friends and family were coming from across the globe and the UK. So it wasn’t practical to have gifts brought to the venue,” the couple explained. “We also wanted to avoid cash gifts, and we also loved the fact that we could remember everyone through the items in our home.”

“Our Wedding Shop experience was super awesome,” Jasmine said, adding that The Wedding Shop’s thoughtful approach and seamless process made it the perfect choice. Especially for guests who couldn’t attend but still wanted to send something meaningful. “We visited the Townhouse during their Christmas showcase and scanned so many items there before narrowing down our list at home. All our favourite brands were already on the website, so we didn’t have to worry about gifts not matching our style.”

Their wedding guests loved the wedding gift list experience, too. “Even those who aren’t super tech-savvy had no issues navigating the website,” Jasmine smiled. “They said it was such fun to shop.”

Thank you to Jasmine and Ed for sharing their wonderful wedding day with The Wedding Shop. All wedding images were provided by the couple and photographed by Bethany & James.

Would you like to join our real couples and be featured on The Wedding Shop too? Submit your wedding here.

The Wedding Shop is the UK’s most trusted wedding registry provider. We offer a personalised wedding list service free of charge. Our dedicated team will help you create your dream registry full of items that you will love and use for a lifetime. Start your list today or book a complimentary appointment online or at The Townhouse.