Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

We can't wait to celebrate our marriage with you! Mon 20th - Tue 21st April 2026Rose Castle, Carlisle CA5 7BY, UKArrive from 11am, Ceremony at 12.30pm RSVP: <a href="https://forms.gle/KaVKrGk9d9BetPQ29" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forms.gle/KaVKrGk9d9BetPQ29</a>

OTHER INFO

OPEN MIC - PLEASE SIGN UP!Instead of traditional speeches, we will have open mic space for anyone who wants to share a song, skit, musical performance, poem, blessing, a 2min-toast... whether serious or comical, as an individual or as a group. To help with organisation, we ask that you <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM97WMt1r4NdvdFtiIv8qBHt9CFVVHMTEaROuGUvY4tfM_6Q/viewform?usp=dialog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sign up here</a> by 27th March. Lakshmi’s sisters will manage sign-ups so everything stays a surprise. Please don't be shy! Everyone has gifts to offer, and we strongly encourage you to share some of yours, however large or small. The more contributions, the better and more memorable this special day will be! WEDDING GIFTSIf you feel financially able, we would really appreciate donations in advance of our wedding to help our family from the US make it. You can donate now <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-our-family-make-it-to-our-wedding-e4pec" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. DRESS CODECasual side of smart/business casual. No need for suits, ties, or formal shoes (unless you really want to). Sneakers/trainers and cosy layers are encouraged — there will be time in the gardens and April in Cumbria can be cool and wet. We hope this wedding website will be useful to you as you plan your journey to join us. If you have any questions, please do reach out (in whatever way you are used to reaching us 😊)!

Our Wedding

Our Story

Click photos for full-size gallery view

Photos

Monday 20th April11.00 Arrivals &amp; light lunch.12.30 Ceremony16.15 Group Photo, Chill, and English Tea &amp; Scones17.15 Ceilidh18.00 Dinner19.30 Open Mic21.00 Taizé Service21.45 Fireside Chill/Party Time Tuesday 21st April - Bonus day!8.00-10.00 Breakfast9.00-9.30 Morning Prayer(10.00 Check Out for those staying at Rose Castle)10.15 Board Coach to Buttermere12.00 Buy/have lunch in Buttermere13.00 Explore Buttermere village/walk around Buttermere Lake (Mostly flat, 6.7km/4.2 miles = 1.5-2.5hrs walking)16.00 Re-Gather @ St James' Church, Buttermere for closing blessing16.45 Board Coach18.00 Drop-offs (Carlisle Train Station followed by Rose Castle)We will do our best to get back around 6pm, but if travelling by train that evening, aim for trains from 7pm onwards in case of delays.

Schedule

It's a bit ridiculous, but we're getting married in a castle!!! Rose Castle, Dalston, Carlisle CA5 7BY, United Kingdom

Rose Castle

Rose Castle is intimately connected with our past, present and future, and we're so looking forward to sharing it with y'all. Rose Castle Foundation (RCF) is where Lakshmi used to work as part of a close-knit team delivering reconciliation programming. We met during one of RCF's programmes at the castle and continue to be involved in RCF's work through the Rose Community and ongoing peace-building efforts. Our future also feels intertwined with this place in ways we can't yet fully know...

Far more than a venue...

For 800 years Rose Castle has stood on the contested borderlands. It has been English and Scottish, Roman Catholic and Protestant, but always a house of prayer with a chapel at its heart. Rose Castle has been the home of 63 successive Bishops, having first been given to the bishops of Carlisle in 1230 by King Henry III, and subsequently sold by the Church commissioners in 2016. When going up for sale, the bishop of Carlisle at the time asked Sarah Snyder - the same week she moved to the Lake District - "What should we do with Rose Castle?" She responded “Well, given that the castle was built to withstand the enemy, and given that it's been a house of prayer for 800 years, why don't we reopen its doors as a prayerful place that seeks to unite enemies instead of repel them?" The wise bishop said, "That's a great idea. Can you make it happen?".[1] To cut a long story short, Rose Castle was purchased and renovated with the intention of providing a venue for Rose Castle Foundation's (RCF) reconciliation work. Between RCF programmes, Rose Castle is used as a sight of hospitality, welcoming weddings, corporate events and local gatherings. Fun Fact: Rose Castle welcomed King Edward I in September 1300 and the poet William Wordsworth in 1803! More on the history of Rose Castle: https://www.rosecastle.com/history More on the Rose Castle Foundation: [1] https://www.rosecastlefoundation.org/story Click photos below for full definition gallery view.

History

Photos courtesy of the Rose Castle Foundation and Make Beautiful professional photography.

The Venue

Getting to Rose Castle

📌Full Address:Rose Castle, Dalston, Carlisle ,CA5 7BY Rose Castle is quite the rural location so here are some travel instructions to help you get there :). 1. ✈️Plane (for US folk) MAKE SURE YOUR PASSPORT WILL BE IN DATE [at least 6 months until expiry]. YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO <a href="https://www.gov.uk/eta" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">APPLY FOR A UK ETA</a>. (<a href="https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sherpa</a> is a helpful tool to check which documents you need for travel.)Also remember to inform your credit card provided that you will be travelling to the UK, to prevent it from being blocked. The easiest airport to fly into is Manchester Airport, as there is a direct ~2h30 train from Manchester Airport to Carlisle (nearest city to Rose Castle). The cheapest flights from the USA to UK usually fly into London, however accommodation in London and train travel in and out of London are often significantly more expensive.From London Heathrow, trains/the tube need to be taken into central London.There are direct trains from London Euston to Carlisle which are best bought in advance to avoid high prices. This is a 3h20-4h50 train journey (Warning: the train can often be rather packed and prone to delays). The nearest airport is Newcastle. There is a 25min metro from Newcastle airport to Newcastle, and then a 1h30 train from Newcastle to Carlisle (total around $25-30). (Though there are no direct flights from the US to Newcastle). Other airport options include Glasgow and Edinburgh.From Edinburgh and Glasgow you can get an airport shuttle to the central train stations. From there you can get direct trains to Carlisle for under $20 (if bought in advance). For Indiana folk:- Aer Lingus has a new direct Indianapolis-Dublin flight. From Dublin you can fly to Manchester then train to Carlisle.- There's also a direct American Airlines/British Airways Cincinnati-Heathrow flight. From London you can train to Carlisle or fly to Manchester (then train to Carlisle) For Atlanta folk:- There are direct flights from Atlanta to Edinburgh, London and Manchester. Which one you want to fly into really depends on your preferences and travel plans around the wedding. Flight and train ticket prices differ greatly depending on which airport you're flying out of and into, so it’s worth investigating different options (on both the US and UK side).It is also often cheaper to fly in and out of the same airport. 2. 🚆TrainThe best train station to arrive at is Carlisle. (Dalston[Cumbria] is technically closer but it's very rural and taxis cost the same as from Carlisle.) We recommend using the <a href="https://www.thetrainline.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trainline</a> website and app to purchase train tickets and navigate the UK rail system. Longer rail journeys (e.g. between Carlisle and London) increase in price closer to the travel date and can get quite expensive. Buying tickets 1-3months in advance is therefore recommended. Note: Some tickets are for specific trains only, whereas others are flexible. 3. 🚖TaxiFrom Carlisle train station, cross the main road and veer left and slightly downhill to reach the taxi rank. Though there aren't always taxis waiting, there is a steady flow of taxis. Paul, a local taxi driver known to us, is also happy to be contacted and booked via +44 7979 922819. (He works weekdays ~ 6am-7pm). Taxis from Carlisle to Rose Castle cost ~£20-25. Due to lack of signal at Rose Castle itself, the taxi card readers often don't work so BRING CASH. Most taxi drivers know where Rose Castle is. But if they ask, it's past Dalston and near Lime House School. NOTE: Carlisle is sufficiently rural that you can't reliably get Ubers (and Lyft doesn't exist in the UK). Taxis are the way! 🚗 Arriving By CarFollow your GPS/Google to Rose Castle, CA5 7BY and then follow the (stunning!) tree-lined drive all the way down. Instead of going through the castle gate, follow the U-bend around and you’ll see parking to your left.

🌈Cumbria can be a little cold and rainy so please bring appropriate clothing to stay comfortable and dry.👟If you are planning to join us for the walk on Tuesday 21st, trainers/sneakers should be fine if you don't want to pack/own hiking boots. They might just get a little muddy depending on what the weather has been like.💵Most places take card but Cumbria is rural and cash is helpful to have on hand. (See note under "Taxi").🔌US-travellers, remember to bring a travel adapter! You may also want to check whether your phone plan works in the UK.

What to bring

Travel

Where to Stay

🏰Rooms are available within Rose Castle itself:- £272 for a twin/double room. Includes breakfast the following day (Tue 21st April).- If you'd like to split the cost and share a room, let us know and we can facilitate pairings.- See here for <a href="https://www.rosecastle.com/bedrooms-gallery-archive?hsCtaTracking=44aaa02a-120e-44d0-b1d4-9ca0dce38245%7C2fad5d00-fa16-4f91-a9fb-a3a182440cf4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">photos</a>. 🚗If you are coming by car, there are various airbnb, camping, and holiday cottage opportunities in the surrounding area. 🔎 Search around Rose Castle, Dalston.🔗 <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Rose-Castle--Dalston--Carlisle/homes?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Fhomes&amp;adults=2&amp;flexible_trip_lengths%5B%5D=one_week&amp;monthly_start_date=2025-06-01&amp;monthly_length=3&amp;monthly_end_date=2025-09-01&amp;price_filter_input_type=2&amp;channel=EXPLORE&amp;zoom_level=10.620520685383816&amp;search_type=user_map_move&amp;price_filter_num_nights=3&amp;acp_id=t-g-ChIJ2S_dieQefUgRlnzcMMRKkDM&amp;date_picker_type=calendar&amp;source=structured_search_input_header&amp;place_id=ChIJ2S_dieQefUgRlnzcMMRKkDM&amp;query=Rose%20Castle%2C%20Dalston%2C%20Carlisle&amp;search_mode=regular_search&amp;flexible_trip_dates%5B%5D=april&amp;checkin=2026-04-19&amp;checkout=2026-04-22&amp;ne_lat=54.93483623293775&amp;ne_lng=-2.867539528532376&amp;sw_lat=54.71287825283093&amp;sw_lng=-3.1961860268375517&amp;zoom=10.620520685383816&amp;search_by_map=true" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link to Airbnb Search</a>

🚆If you won't have access to a car and don't want to stay in the castle, or plan to stay in the area before or after the night of the 20th April, we recommend staying in Carlisle. Everywhere around is super rural (!) with very limited access to food and public transport.🔎By searching for directions from Carlisle train station to Rose Castle, Dalston on google maps, and then clicking "Hotels" on the left menu panel, you can conveniently search for hotels in the Carlisle area. Booking.com and similar sites are also helpful search and booking tools.🔗 <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/Hotels/@54.8914929,-2.9351243,13.92z/data=!4m25!1m16!4m15!1m6!1m2!1s0x487d1b005f7ce35d:0x13c3f28b4413dc41!2sCarlisle+Train+Station,+Court+Square,+Carlisle!2m2!1d-2.933195!2d54.890656!1m6!1m2!1s0x487d1ee489dd2fd9:0x33904ac430dc7c96!2sRose+Castle,+Dalston,+Carlisle!2m2!1d-2.9801434!2d54.8064964!3e0!2m7!3m6!1sHotels!2sRose+Castle!3s0x487d1ee489dd2fd9:0x33904ac430dc7c96!4m2!1d-2.9801552!2d54.8067674?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link to hotels via Google Maps</a>.🔗 <a href="https://www.booking.com/city/gb/carlisle.html?aid=1610684;label=carlisle-Xc5GI398dcN5hqT573GinAS379698510377:pl:ta:p1:p2:ac:ap:neg:fi:tikwd-384213641887:lp1006688:li:dec:dm:ppccp=UmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YfqnDqqG8nt10AsofPfvtt0;ws=&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=1573321897&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD_Ls1L3hNi1gVq_MwkpSClj6mji4&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw0LDBBhCnARIsAMpYlAqfLC8Wnq96eEZiqde91wl5nVEdz48uuKmZzYNNwFBWaTqiKS2vZ8UaApc5EALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link to hotels via Booking.com</a>.🚕 The taxi rank is just outside Carlisle train station and all taxis are charged from Carlisle. It's therefore most convenient and economical to stay close to the centre of Carlisle (rather than to try and stay closer to Rose Castle).

⛰️Please do reach out if you need any help finding options which align with your travel plans and budget. You'll be asked to express your accommodation preference as part of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_-JX0_ngH7_5GleWxacqOeo0TE02EKWyA6ojKBAxjrSJ6QA/viewform?usp=dialog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RSVP form</a> so we can coordinate castle rooms/help you out.

Accomodation

Registry

For many of our loved ones coming from the US, making it to our wedding is a very significant expense. If you feel able, what we'd love most by way of a wedding gift is a financial contribution to help our American family make it to our wedding. Thank you!

You can donate <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-our-family-make-it-to-our-wedding-e4pec" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-our-family-make-it-to-our-wedding-e4pec)

Gifts

Q + A

Suggestions of where you might want to go while in the UK :)

The Great Outdoors

The North West of England is a great launchpad from which to explore a number of national parks of outstanding natural beauty: South - the Lake DistrictNorth East - Northumberland National ParkSouth East - North Pennines and the Yorkshire DalesNorth/North North - Scotland and the Highlands These are easiest to access with a car, but the UK is also very well connected via public transport. With a little effort and planning, you can also reach these areas via trains and buses. (We recommend a combination of Google Maps and <a href="https://www.thetrainline.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Trainline</a> to plan your journey).

Historic Towns

The historic towns of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Durham are an affordable 1-2hr train journey away from Carlisle. (Durham has the best cathedral 😉).

London

If you're after iconic London, from Carlisle you can get a direct ~4hr train to London (London Euston). These train tickets are a little more expensive and worth booking in advance to avoid the highest prices.

Lakshmi & Demarius

Lakshmi & Demarius

Schedule