Bill Miller’s Castle Wedding

Some weddings are elegant. Some are wild barn parties. And then there are the ones where you walk through the door and genuinely feel like you’ve stepped into another world entirely. Cass and Brian’s celebration at Bill Miller’s Castle in Connecticut was one of those nights. And I am still thinking about it.

A little backstory: Cass and Brian had actually eloped six months earlier in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, just the two of them, surrounded by trees and mountains and each other. Beautiful in its own quiet way. But this night was for their people. An invitation to step inside a castle, dress in jewel tones, and fully commit to the magic they were creating. And oh my goooood, did everyone show up for it.

Jewel Tones, Crowns, and Drinking Horns

Walking into that reception felt like opening night of the most spectacular Renaissance festival you’ve ever dreamed of. Guests arrived in crimson and emerald and deep royal purple. Velvet capes. Dramatic sleeves. Everyone hyping each other up over their outfits before they even made it through the door.

Brian wore a kilt with medieval bracers and carried a drinking horn like it was the most natural thing in the world. His tie pin was a Lórien leaf. I noticed immediately as a Lord of the Rings girly myself. And Cass was a queen. Crown and all. Puffy sheer sleeves, a corset-inspired bodice, and an energy that said she absolutely ruled this castle. Because ya know what? She did. I swear they looked like they lived there full time.

Why Bill Miller’s Castle Just Works for a Night Like This

I’ve photographed at Bill Miller’s Castle before, and what I love about it is that it’s grand without being stuffy. The chandeliers, the soaring windows, the dramatic lines of the architecture all demand that you lean in. But it’s also warm and easy to move through. Guests flowed from dinner to the dance floor to the patio for cigars without ever feeling disconnected from each other. It breathed like one big, living room that just happened to be inside a castle.

If you’re a bold, creative couple who wants to build your own little world for a night, this venue hands you the most incredible backdrop and basically says, GO FOR IT. Cass and Brian absolutely did.

Candlelight, a Live Band, and Full-On Concert Energy

Instead of a DJ, they brought in a live band, Maximum Overdrive, because music is genuinely central to who they are. Brian has always played in bands and they go to metal shows for fun. So when the band started playing while the candlelight flickered against the castle stone, it felt like two timelines colliding in the most joyful way.

It was cozy and loud. Intimate and electric. There was a strolling cannoli vendor from Petonitos Bakery weaving through the crowd (I love this so much). There was a coffee bar, Green Kettle Coffee, to wash down the chocolate chips as well. There was a cigar and joint bar outside. Inside, drinking horns raised, and friends and family reuniting, Brian’s dad hugging his brothers after years apart. Everyone had something to connect on with one another. That feeling is so rare and so special, and when it happens, I just want to photograph every inch of the room.

That Quiet Moment Before the Night Exploded

Right after sunset, the three of us slipped outside for just a little while. November air, cold and crisp. The sky fading fast. Cass and Brian wanted a few hidden minutes before re-entering and making their grand appearance, so we tucked onto the deck with the castle behind them, warm light spilling from the windows, and the hum of laughter and music building just inside.

It felt exactly like the moment before the lights go down at a concert. Still. Anticipatory. Two people completely at ease with each other and so ready for the night ahead.

Then we walked back in, and the whole thing just took off.

The Kind of Couple Who Gives Everyone Permission

Cass and Brian are total icons. They hike and travel and have a list of castles around the world they want to visit, and each reception table was centered around one of their favorites. They are sarcastic and adventurous and so completely safe with each other. And what struck me most about this night is what they gave their guests: permission.

Permission to dress up. To be dramatic. To play pretend in a grown-up, wholehearted way. And when couples do that, when they lead with that kind of joy and openness, everyone relaxes into it. The whole night felt intimate and playful. High energy but never overwhelming. Every single person there felt like they belonged.

This One’s for the Bold, Nontraditional Couples

If you’re dreaming of a wedding at Bill Miller’s Castle and you want it to feel like you built an entire world and invited everyone inside it, you can do that. Cass and Brian are proof. They didn’t wait for someone to tell them it was okay. They just made it theirs, completely and joyfully.

And when the last song ended, the celebration rolled right into an afterparty at Country Tavern Cafe, because when you build that kind of momentum, you don’t just go home. You keep the story going.

If this wedding is your kinda vibe, it’s mine too! Let’s connect!