Travelling 4,000 miles to get hitched at Hogwarts

Apr 15 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

HARRY Potter fans Brian Sterling and Victoria Staten are crossing the Atlantic so they can marry at the castle that became the film setting for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The couple will travel more than 4,000 miles from their home in Minneapolis, USA, so that on Sunday they can get married at Alnwick Castle, where the first two Harry Potter films were shot.

More than 80 wedding guests will join them on the trip from America to celebrate the wedding, and Brian has even invited Harry Potter author JK Rowling to attend the bash inspired by her creation.

Brian, who is originally from Manchester, said: “Victoria and I both love the pure magic of the Harry Potter series and when we visited Alnwick shortly after we met, we decided there and then that it was the perfect location for our wedding.

“We want to make it a memorable and magical occasion for everyone and a real fun day for all the children among our guests.”

Brian, a professional fundraiser, and Victoria, who runs her own business and used to be vice chairman of the fashion house Kenneth Cole, met on a short-haul flight between New York and Minneapolis while they were both on business in January of 2006.

Victoria, who is originally from the American state of Minnesota, already has two children from her previous marriage, Madison, 10, and Marina, 13, who are both pencilled in as flower girls.

Always ready to challenge the norm, the pair are planning an unusual slant on the traditional wedding.

They loathe cake, and so will instead tuck into a mound of strawberries.

Instead of Victoria walking down the aisle on the arm of her father, the pair will simultaneously saunter down either side of the fountain at the castle.

And rather than get presents from their guests, the couple have invited donations to a charity they are launching for families affected by domestic violence and war. After the nuptials, Brian and Victoria will have a honeymoon tour of Britain, including a trip to Stratford-on-Avon where Victoria’s ancestors lived in the 17th Century.

But Sunday’s marriage at Alnwick will be the highlight for Harry Potter fan Victoria.

She said: “The castle is beautiful and they were so receptive to what we wanted. We’ve got unusual taste.

“We don’t want to do it like the normal bride and groom.

“I’ve been to the castle twice. I love the combination of the green countryside and the hundreds and hundreds of years of history there.”