How to find a fabulous wedding venue

Your big day deserves a great setting, so follow our guide to the best wedding venues in the UK.

Organising your wedding is just like buying a house, because location is everything.

Before you can choose the dress, theme, decoration, flowers, food, drink, guest list, even go shopping for invitations to your celebrations, you need to choose your wedding and reception venue. Whether you hold both in the same place or two different locations, it will have a huge impact on the organization for the rest of your day.

At worst, you could end up trying to decorate a mediaeval castle with football colours for a sport-themed day… or trying to hold a huge, knees-up reception in a restaurant no bigger than your lounge!

So how to choose?

Start by talking about and deciding on what style and theme you ideally want for your wedding with your husband or wife-to-be. Then you can decide what style of building or venue would make a suitable backdrop.

For example, a castle makes a great setting for a full-on, fairytale wedding day with hundreds of guests, whereas a boutique hotel or chic restaurant makes a more sensible choice for a low key wedding and reception for just a handful of guests.

Bear in mind what kind of photos you are hoping to get to remember the day too… if you want them outside in a pretty place, you might need access to a garden or patio area.

Now… armed with your decision on what type of building or venue you want, you can start to search!

Take a look at our handy guide to some of the very best wedding and reception venues in the UK (below) to give you inspiration.

Select a venue type: Art centres Asian Weddings By the sea Barns Castles Country/ manor houses Exclusive private members clubs Gardens and parks Historic buildings Hotels Houses and schools Museums Places by the water Restaurants Spas Sporting places Town hall Unusual Venues with churches Winter weddings Overseas Venues Other

If you decide an ART CENTRE would be great…

RSA House, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ

For a typical ASIAN WEDDING try…

Newbury Racecourse, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ

For a BARN WEDDING try…

Cooling Castle Barn Rochester, ME3 8DT
Dove Barn, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 5ET
Tudor Barn, Burnham , Buckinghamshire , SL1 8DF

If you'd love to celebrate BY THE SEA try…

George in Rye, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7JT
Lake Vyrnwy Hotel Llanwddyn, Powys, SY10 0LY

For a dramatic CASTLE wedding take a look at…

Augill Castle, Kirkby, Stephen, CA17 4DE
Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire
Chiddingstone Castle, Hill Hoath Road, Chiddingstone, TN8 7AD
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 0EA
Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street, Durham, DH3 4NX
Peckforton Castle, Stone House Lane, Peckforton, Taporley, Chester, CW6 9TN
Rowton Castle Hotel, Halfway House, Shrewsbury, SY5 9EP

For a sedate COUNTRY MANOR HOUSE try…

Barceló Billesley Manor Hotel, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, B49 6NF
Barceló Shrigley Hall Hotel, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 5SB
Barceló Walton Hall Hotel and Spa, Walton, Warwickshire, CV35 9HU
Burnham Beeches Hotel, Grove Road, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, SL1 8DP
Burrows Lea Country House
Bijou Wedding Venue - Cain Manor Churt Road, Headley, Nr Churt / Grayshott, Surrey / Hampshire Border, GU35 8SR
Bijou Wedding Venue - Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8TN
Bijou Wedding Venue - Silchester House, Holly Lane, Silchester, Between Reading and Basingstoke, Berkshire / Hampshire Border, RG7 2NA
Charlton House
Clandon Park, The Street, West Clandon, Guildford GU1 3TX
Combe Grove Manor, Bath, Somerset, BA2 7HS
Cressbrook Hall, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8SY
Davenport Green Hall, Shay Lane, Hale Barns, WA15 8UD
Down Hall Country House Hotel, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM22 7AS
Dumbleton Hall Hotel, Nr Broadway, Dumbleton, Worcestershire, WR11 7TS
Friars Carse Country House Hotel, Auldgirth, Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway, DG2 0SA
Haigh Hall, Wigan, Greater Manchester, WN2 1PE
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Holdsworth House Hotel
Hooke Court 
Gatton Manor, Standon Lane, Ockley , Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5PQ
Langshott Manor
Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 2BG
Newick Park, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 4SB
Newland Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 4LH
Parklands, Quendon, Essex, CB11 3XN
Pinewood Studios, Iver, Buckinghamshire, SL0 0NH
Stoke Place, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, SL2 4HT
Taplow House Hotel, Maidenhead, Buckinghamshire, SL6 0DA
The Conservatory at Chelsea
The Conservatory at Painshill Park
The Elvetham, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 8AR
The Fennes, Braintree, Essex, CM7 5PL
The Orchardleigh Estate, Frome, Somerset, BA11 2PH
The Palace Pavillion at Kew Gardens
Ravenswood, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4HY
Wakehurst Place
Weston Manor Hotel, Weston-on-the-green, Oxford, OX25 3QL
Wroxall Abbey Estate, Wroxall, Warwickshire, CV35 7NB

For a stylish and exclusive PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB investigate…

Carlton Club, 69 St. James's Street, London, SW1A 1PJ
The Commonwealth Club, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5AP
The Lansdowne Club, 9 Fitzmaurice Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 5JD

If you want an outdoor setting try these GARDENS and PARKS

The Best Western Russell Hotel
Bijou Wedding Venue - Cain Manor Churt Road, Headley, Nr Churt / Grayshott, Surrey / Hampshire Border, GU35 8SR
Bijou Wedding Venue - Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8TN
Bijou Wedding Venue - Silchester House, Holly Lane, Silchester, Between Reading and Basingstoke, Berkshire / Hampshire Border, RG7 2NA
Clandon Park, The Street, West Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7RQ
Holiday Inn Bristol-Filton
Honourable Society of Grays Inn, 8 South Square, London, WC1R 5ET
Hotel du Vin - One Devonshire Gardens,Glasgow, G12 0UX
Kew Gardens, 37 Kew Green Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB
London Zoo, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY
Museum of Garden History, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB
Newbury Racecourse, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ
Newick Park, Newick, Nr Lewes, BN8 4SB
Orchardleigh Estate, Orchardleigh House Frome Somerset BA11 2PH
Parklands, Quendon Hall, Parklands, Quendon, CB11 3XN
Rowton Castle, Halfway House, Shrewsbury, SY5 9EP
The Elvetham, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, RG27 8AR
Whipsnade Zoo, Whipsnade Nr Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 2LF

Add atmosphere to a themed wedding in a HISTORIC BUILDING

Barceló Old Ship Hotel, East Sussex, Brighton , East Sussex , BN1 1NR
BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP
Burgh House, New End Square, London, NW3 1LT
Bijou Wedding Venue - Cain Manor Churt Road, Headley, Nr Churt / Grayshott, Surrey / Hampshire Border, GU35 8SR
Bijou Wedding Venue - Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8TN
Bijou Wedding Venue - Silchester House, Holly Lane, Silchester, Between Reading and Basingstoke, Berkshire / Hampshire Border, RG7 2NA
Carlton Club, St James Street , London , SW1A 1PG
Chandos House at The Royal Society of Medicine, Oxford Circus , London , W1G 9LQ
Clandon Park, Guildford , Surrey , GU4 7RQ
Coltsford Mill, Oxted , Surrey
Coombe Abbey Hotel, Coventry , West Midlands , CV3 2AB
Eynsham Hall, North Leigh, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6PN
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Honourable Society of Grays Inn, South Square , London , WC1R 5ET
Hotel du Vin - One Devonshire Gardens,Glasgow, G12 0UX
Jurys Great Russell Street Hotel, Great Russell Street , London , WC1B 3NN
House of St Barnabas, No 1 Greek Street, Soho, London, W1D 4NQ
Kew Gardens, Richmond , Surrey , TW9 3AB
Le Gothique, Wandsworth , London , SW18 3SX
Level 31, Centrepoint, New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1DD
Merchant Taylors' Hall, Threadneedle Street , London , EC2R 8JB
No.4 Hamilton Place
Oaks Farm, Shirley , Surrey
One Great George Street, Westminster , London , SW1P 3AA
Pinewood Studios, Iver, Buckinghamshire, SL0 0NH
Plaisterers' Hall
Priston Mill, Priston, Bath, Somerset, BA2 9EQ
Roof Gardens, Kensington , London , W8 5SA
Royal Society of Arts, John Adam Street , London , WC2N 6EZ
Salomons, Tunbridge Wells , Kent , TN3 0TG
Spains Hall, The Stables, Finchingfield, Essex, CM7 4NJ
Sundridge Park Manor, Plaistow Lane, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3TP.
The Brownsover Hall Hotel, Brownsover Lane, Old Brownsover, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 1HU
The Commonwealth Club, Northumberland Avenue , London , WC2N 5AP
The Crown Hotel, Amersham , Buckinghamshire , HP7 0DH
George in Rye, Rye , East Sussex , TN31 7JT
The Guildhall Salisbury, Salisbury , Wiltshire , SP1 1JH
The HAC, City Road , London , EC1Y 2BQ
The Liongate, East Moseley , London , KT8 9DD
Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, Wotton-Under-Edge , South Gloucestershire , GL12 8HH
University of Glasgow, Glasgow , Scotland , G12 8QQ
Vinopolis
Winchester House, Putney , London , SW15 1JN
Woburn Enterprises Ltd, Woburn , Bedfordshire , MK17 9PQ
Ye Olde Plough House, Bulphan , Essex , RM14 3SR

Celebrate in style at a HOTEL near you…

Alexander House Hotel
Antoinette Hotel, Kingston upon Thames , Surrey , KT1 2TQ
Barceló Angel Hotel, Cardiff , Wales , CF10 1SZ
Barceló Edinburgh Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh , Scotland , EH1 1SD
Barceló Harrogate Majestic Hotel
Barceló Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, Blackpool , Lancashire , FY1 2HB
Barceló Imperial Hotel, Torquay, Torquay , Devon , TQ1 2DG
Barceló Majestic Hotel, Harrogate , North Yorkshire , HG1 2HU
Barceló Marine Hotel, Troon , Scotland , KA10 6HE
Barceló Oxford Hotel, Oxford , Oxfordshire , OX2 8AL
Barceló Palace Hotel, Buxton , Derbyshire , SK17 6AG
Barceló Redworth Hall Hotel, Redworth , County Durham , DL5 6NL
Barceló Stirling Highland Hotel, Stirling , Scotland , FK8 1DU
Barceló The Lygon Arms, Broadway , Worcestershire , WR12 7DU
Bijou Wedding Venue - Cain Manor Churt Road, Headley, Nr Churt / Grayshott, Surrey / Hampshire Border, GU35 8SR
Bijou Wedding Venue - Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8TN
Bijou Wedding Venue - Silchester House, Holly Lane, Silchester, Between Reading and Basingstoke, Berkshire / Hampshire Border, RG7 2NA
Carlton Mitre Hotel, Hampton Court , Surrey , KT8 9BN
Copthorne Tara Hotel, Scarsdale Place, Kensington, London, W8 5SR
Corus Hotel Solihull, Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands, B90 4EB
Crowne Plaza London The City
De Vere Dunston Hall Hotel
Dormy House Hotel, Broadway , Worcestershire , WR12 7LF
Dukes Hotel, St James Place , London , SW1A 1NY
Four Seasons Canary Wharf, Westferry Circus , London , E14 8RS
Grovefield House Hotel, Taplow Common Road, Burnham, Near Slough, SL1 8LP
Holdsworth House Hotel, Halifax , West Yorkshire , HX2 9TG
Holiday Inn Bristol Filton, Filton Road, Hambrook, BS16 1QX
Holiday Inn Kensington Forum
Holiday Inn - London Regent's Park, Carburton Street , London , W1W 5EE
Hotel Russell, Russell Square , London , SW17 7PR
Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Powys , Wales , SY10 0LY
Little Silver Country Hotel, Tenterden , Kent , TN30 6SP
Macdonald Berystede Hotel & Spa, Sunninghill , Berkshire , SL5 9JH
Macdonald Botley Park Golf & Country Club,Winchester Road, Boorley Green, Southampton, SO32 2UA
Mercure Albrighton Hall Hotel and Spa, Ellesmere Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3AG
Mercure Ardoe House Hotel & Spa, South Deeside Road, Blairs, Aberdeen, AB12 5YP
Mercure Brandon Hall Hotel and Spa, Main Street, Brandon, Warwickshire, CV8 3FW
Mercure Burford Bridge Hotel, At The Foot of Box Hill, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6BX
Mercure Bush Hotel, The Borough, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7NN
Mercure Castle Hotel, 18 High Street, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1LJ
Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa, Blackburn Road, Clayton-Le-Moors, Nr Blackburn, Lancashire, BB5 5JP
Mercure Holland House Hotel & Spa Bristol, Redcliffe Hill, Bristol, Avon, BS1 6SQ
Mercure Holland House Hotel & Spa Cardiff, 24-26 Newport Road, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 0DD
Mercure Hythe Imperial Hotel and Spa, Prince’s Parade, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6AE
Mercure Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa, Hospital Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancashire, BL7
Millennium Gloucester Hotel and Conference Centre
One Aldwych, London, WC2B 4RH
Paragon Hotel Birmingham
Sir Christopher Wren's House Hotel & Spa, Windsor , Berkshire , SL4 1PX
Sundridge Park Manor, Plaistow Lane, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3TP.
Taplow House
The Abbey Hotel
The Barceló Basingstoke Country Hotel, Hook , Hampshire , RG27 9JS
The Bay Tree Hotel, Burford , Oxfordshire , OX18 4LW
The Bentley Kempinksi Hotel, 27-33 Harrington Gardens, London, SW7 4JX
The Best Western Russell Hotel
The Fellbridge Hotel & Spa, London Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 2BH
The Melia White House
The Montague on the Gardens, 15 Montague Street Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 5BJ
The Paragon, Birmingham , West Midlands , B12 0PJ
The Parc Hotel, Cardiff
The Petersham, Richmond , Surrey , TW10 6UZ
The Red Lion Hotel, The Riverside, Hart Street, Henley-On-Thames, RG9 2AR
The Ritz London, Piccadilly, London , W1J 9BR
Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa
Westmorland Hotel, Penrith , Cumbria , CA10 3SB
Witney Four Pillars Hotel, Witney , Oxfordshire , OX28 4TJ
Wyboston Lakes Ltd
Ye Olde Bell Hotel, Hurley , Berkshire , SL6 5LX

Take over a HOUSE or SCHOOL for your big day…

Charlton House, Charlton Road, London, SE7 8RE
The Fennes, Fennes Road, Bocking, Braintree, CM7 5PL
Winchester House, 10 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, London, SW15 1JN

Add interest to the day in a MUSEUM

Museum of Garden History, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB
The Natural History Museum

Guaratee great photos in a setting BY THE WATER

Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire
Four Seasons Canary Wharf, 46 Westferry Circus, London, E14 8RS
Glaziers Hall, 9 Montague Close, London Bridge, London, SE1 9DD
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Holiday Inn Bristol-Filton
Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Llanwddyn, Powys, SY10 0LY
London Wetland Centre
The Dairy at Waddesdon Manor
The London Eye, Riverside Buildings, County Hall, London SE7 7PB
Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa
Wentworth Club

Hold an intimate celebration in a RESTAURANT

Chutney Mary
George in Rye
Hotel du Vin - One Devonshire Gardens,Glasgow, G12 0UX
Thai on the River Battersea
The Atrium, 4 Millbank, Westminster, SW1P 3JA

Choose a SPA setting

Barcélo Cheltenham Park Hotel
Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia Spa
Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa
Wyboston Lakes Ltd

Let your day reflect your sporting passion in a SPORT THEMED location

Camberley Heath Golf Club
Lord's Cricket Ground
Newbury Racecourse, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ
The Dairy at Waddesdon Manor
The Pavilion at Branston, Branston Golf & Country Club, Burton Road, Branston Burton on Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3DP
Wentworth Club
Westerham Golf Club, Valence Park, Brasted Road, Westerham, Kent TN16 1LJ

TOWN HALL

Arundel Town Hall, West Sussex

Be quirky! Choose an UNUSUAL setting

Cooling Castle Barn, Rochester ME3 8DT
Clandon Park, The Street, West Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7RQ
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
London Wetland Centre
London Zoo, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY
The London Eye, Riverside Buildings, County Hall, London SE7 7PB
Honourable Society of Grays Inn, 8 South Square, London, WC1R 5ET
Museum of Garden History, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB
Newbury Racecourse, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ
Roof Gardens, Kensington, London, W8 5SA
The VIP Lounge
Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa
Whipsnade Zoo, Whipsnade Nr Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 2LF

Pick a VENUE WITH A CHURCH

Barceló Walton Hall Hotel and Spa, Walton, Warwickshire
Caverswall Castle, Staffordshire

WINTER WEDDINGS

Bijou Wedding Venue - Cain Manor Churt Road, Headley, Nr Churt / Grayshott, Surrey / Hampshire Border, GU35 8SR
Clandon Park, The Street, West Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7RQ
Bijou Wedding Venue - Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8TN
Bijou Wedding Venue - Silchester House, Holly Lane, Silchester, Between Reading and Basingstoke, Berkshire / Hampshire Border, RG7 2NA
Hedingham Castle, Nr. Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DJ
Hotel du Vin - One Devonshire Gardens,Glasgow, G12 0UX
The Lansdowne Club, 9 Fitzmaurice Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 5JD
Newbury Racecourse, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ

OVERSEAS VENUES

Aphrodite Hills Resort 3, Aphrodite Avenue, Kouklia, Paphos, Cyprus, 8509
Vasilias Weddings, Nikoklia, Paphos, Cyprus, 8505

OTHER

Century Club, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 6LQ
Drayton Manor Theme Park, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3TW
Denbies Wine Estate, London Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6AA
Shoreditch House, Ebor Street, London, E1 6AW
, 21 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5JJ

If you need more help, you can also search our site for a location that has late availability, that can specifically hold the number of guests you have in mind, or even narrow down your search by county… whatever makes it easiest for you!