Haylee + Tristan | A Disney Fairytale Wedding at Thornwood Castle

A dream is a wish your heart makes – Cinderella

Some wedding venues feel like they were plucked straight from a fairytale, and Thornwood Castle is undoubtedly one of them. Nestled in the heart of Lakewood, this breathtaking, historic castle is a hidden gem — one that feels like stepping straight into a storybook. The drive up feels just like you’re approaching the castle of the Beast, and the interior reflects beautiful aspects from all the classic Disney castles.

It goes without saying, every Thornwood Castle Wedding is something truly magical. Each couple puts their own special spin on the day, while still keeping the castles magic entwined throughout their wedding.

A Challenging Timeline

While the castle is full of magic, weddings hosted here offer their own challenges. One of which is the standard package includes a very limited number of hours for the day. Haylee and Tristan ran into this challenge when they booked the standard package of 6 hours from setup to teardown. This meant Haylee and her crew of gals needed to get ready offsite prior to having access to the venue.

Since this challenged us to start at what would normally be the midway point of the wedding, we chose to begin with portraits at Wright Park near where the bride tribe was getting ready. Haylee and her seven bridesmaids (yes, seven though none were carrying pickaxes.) arrived a few minutes after we did, all gussied up and ready to go. The moment she stepped out of the car, I gasped, “Oh my gosh, Elsa is here!” and I wasn’t exaggerating. With her elegant updo, sparkling gown, and graceful demeanor, Haylee appeared as a real-life Disney princess. Even my kids, when they saw her photos later, mistook her for the Queen of Arendelle herself!

However, that wasn’t where the magic stopped. We were completely unaware that we were about to walk into a Disney dream wedding later that day.

As we drove up to Thornwood Castle, the hustle and bustle of Haylee’s vendors, family and friends reminded me of the dinner scene from Beauty and the Beast. The only thing missing was a dancing, singing candlestick. Stepping out of the car, we were immediately transported into the kind of romance you’d expect in an animated love story. The reception hall was a Disney lover’s dream. Each table featured a carefully curated centerpiece featuring nods to classic films like Peter Pan and The Lion King. Every Disney princess had a place at the table, and of course, no magical celebration would be complete without the Mouse himself — Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy all made an appearance in the charming centerpieces. And the cake? A three-tiered masterpiece topped with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, glowing with enchantment (and making me crave another trip to my happy place — Disneyland!).

Thornwood Castle Wedding

And the pinch me moments didn’t stop there. I had to take a second look when I met Tristan. He could have walked right out of Beauty and the Beast himself. He beamed as he looked at Haylee, and I swear, I had to pinch myself — had I just stepped into an actual Disney movie? This man radiated the kind of princely charm usually reserved for animated films, and the way he looked at his bride. Absolute perfection. The entire day was a seamless, magical celebration, made even more incredible by the coordination efforts of Magical Moments by Maxwell. Every detail was flawlessly executed, making their Thornwood Castle wedding feel like a dream come true.

To say we were honored to capture this love story is an understatement. This wasn’t just a wedding—it was a real-life fairytale, and I’d photograph it again in a heartbeat. If you’ve ever dreamed of your own Thornwood Castle wedding, let’s chat—I’d love to help bring your magical day to life!