Couples wanting to recreate a fairy tale in their wedding albums are being invited to hold their big day at Whittington Castle.

The Shropshire Star reports that the venue, which is situated near Oswestry, has recently been licensed for civil ceremonies.

Sara Pipe and John Heap from Gobowen were the first couple to wed there, in a civil ceremony being held over the weekend.

Sue Ellis, manager of the castle, claimed the venue was the perfect setting for a wedding.

"We are putting the last-minute touches to the room, the red carpet has arrived and we have purchased material from Lindstrand Balloons in order to drape the new bridge and decorate with flowers and ivy," she said on Saturday.

According to the Independent, two-thirds of marriages are now celebrated with a civil ceremony, with religious weddings declining to 80,000 a year.