The Best Wedding Venues in the UK

The Wedding Location
 

Choosing the right wedding venue is key to your wedding day. where should your big day take place? an urban location or a rustic romantic rural wedding venue ? A stately home or something a little more Do it yourself? Recent wedding surveys found that 29% of brides are hoping to marry in a stylish hotel, while 24% prefer a country house and 22% a shabby chic barn venue. Other popular choices included marrying in a restaurant, on a beach or at a golf course. Whatever you want for your wedding celebration, there are a few things to consider before making a final decision.
 

The Wedding Budget
 

Your wedding venue is likely to be your biggest expense, so work out how much you have to spend and stick to it. There are gorgeous wedding venues available for budgets big and small. Just remember you can make great savings in some areas so compromising is key, think about the number of guests you actually need, reducing numbers can help you afford the venue of your dreams.
 

Wedding Guests
 

If you have family and friends across the country or even across the world, choosing the right wedding venue location will be key to making sure everyone can attend. Always think about elderly relatives first who may not be able to travel far. Also, check there are good local transport connections if you have a lot of guests travelling a long way. Accommodation at the venue can also be important especially for large amounts of guests especially if they have travelled a large distance to share your wedding day.
 

Who Makes The Wedding List?
 

You’ll need to have a rough idea of the number of people on your guest list before you start venue hunting. There’s no point looking at intimate venues for 50 when you plan to invite 200! 

Start with family and friends who you absolutely must have at your wedding day and make sure any venue you like can accommodate them. Then consider who you actually see on a regular basis in your circle of friends and family, if you haven't seen someone for a few years then consider should they get an invite? Sometime friends and family can move a large distance away so this may explain why you do not see them regularly, in this case you may want to invite them. Remember by limiting the numbers you will reduce the cost to your budget and have more in the pot to spend on room decor, wedding cars and not forgetting your wedding photographer / wedding videographer.
 

See Your Wedding Venues
 

Go and see your top venue choices two or three times, ideally at different times of the day, before you make a decision. You want to make sure they look as fabulous in the daytime as they do lit up at night. Getting a feel for your wedding venue and the team that will help host your wedding day is key! Also, there’s no rush to sign on the dotted line. This decision will affect almost everything else on your big day, so make sure it’s right.
 

Recommendations & Reviews
 

Read reviews and recommendations of your favourite venue before you book. On the day you’ll want everything to run smoothly, so make sure the service on offer is second to none.You can also look at the venues at the top of this page to help you make your final decision. 
 

What Style Are You Looking For?
 

The type of venue you prefer will come down to your own personal style and the kind of atmosphere you’d like to create. If you’re looking for classic and formal then a traditional hotel might be the one. If you want a relaxed, laid back big day, think about an informal barn venue. Alternatively, modern, fashion-loving brides might prefer an urban styled hotel. Remember get a feel for the place, most couples say that they knew the venue was for them the instant they walked inside. Also a venue is more than the bricks and mortar, its about your hosts and the team behind them.
 

Hotel Wedding Venues
 

Hotels make fantastic wedding venues. They range from traditional and grand to relaxed and intimate, so you’re guaranteed to find one to suit your style. They’re also great if you and your guests want to stay onsite once the party’s over. Many hotels have a number of different ceremony and reception spaces to choose from or even the option to the book the whole hotel for exclusive use. Hotels generally have great transport links or are situated near to the main road networks making them easy to reach. 

 

Barns Wedding Venues
 

Beautiful barn venues come in all shapes and sizes and are perfect for couples who want a slightly more relaxed feel to their day. Full of rustic charm, and often quirky cool, they can be styled in a number of different ways. Many also offer a completely blank canvas, which can be great value for money if you’re happy to do a little more yourselves. Do it yourself weddings are more and more popular as they allow you to shape your wedding day your way. Bespoke weddings really do offer you the chance to showcase your personal style and personalities. 

 

Manor House Wedding Venues
 

There are plenty of characterful manor houses and stately homes available for your big day and they usually come with plenty of indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception options. If you’re planning a big wedding you may also be able to have a marquee in the grounds or book the venue exclusively.

 

Urban Wedding Venues
 

City centre venues come in all shapes and sizes, and include everything from traditional and contemporary hotels to art galleries, restaurants, museums and town halls. They normally have great transport links and plenty of local accommodation to suit all budgets.We would recommend that you look at reviews for the dining experience as this is always a key element to your wedding day.

 

Do it Yourself Wedding Venues
 

Couples who want to express their creativity might enjoy a blank canvas venue, such as a modern loft space or an unfurnished barn. A blank canvas wedding venue can be great value and generally offers a relatively empty room that you can decorate to your heart’s content. From lighting to flowers and more, you can dress these modern spaces up or down, as well as bringing in your own suppliers. Often this style of venue will have props available to hire too, if you wish. You can literally save thousands of pounds with a DIY wedding, just remember to do your research, get ideas from Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to help you discover your own style based on what you like.

Marques and Tipi's

Marquees and Tipi's are another great option for couples who want a blank canvas. You can choose from a traditional, open-sided, clear-sided or even a tipi style marquee, and then fill it with lanterns, bunting, chic lighting and more to create your dream space. Or maybe a Tipi to add that rustic, countryside feel to your day, the options are truly endless.

 

Unusual Wedding Venues
 

Think outside the box when you’re searching for your wedding venue. Stately homes and barns are far from the only options. There are also striking windmills, Cornish mines, caves, lighthouses and even beautiful boathouses, all available for a truly memorable wedding. So, if you want your wedding to stand out from the crowd, why not consider something  a little different?