The UK’s most unusual wedding venues
By Will Stroude
Sifting through venue directories to find the most show-stoppingly beautiful, quirky or romantic places to get married isn’t always easy. So we asked The Gay Wedding Guide to do it for us! From theatres and art galleries to farms and lighthouses, find your perfect venue below.
IN THE GHERKIN
Tie the knot in one of London’s most unique landmarks. Affectionately known as The Gherkin, this iconic building will provide a breathtaking backdrop of the city for you and your guests. Enjoying panoramic views of London, it’s the perfect venue for city lovers.
Where: The Gherkin, London
From: £6,000+VAT for room hire; wedding packages from £99+VAT per person
searcys.co.uk
BY THE BEACH
Nestled within the Devonshire cliffs are four hand-carved tunnels dating back to the 1820s. Leading out to spectacular coastal vistas and a secluded beach, you can get married under its bespoke thatched gazebo, and then kick back to enjoy a gourmet barbecue and more. And if the sun doesn’t shine, The Tunnels also has a gorgeous function room and bar with balcony and roof terrace overlooking the garden.
Where: The Tunnels, Ilfracombe, Devon
From: £2,250-£6,500 depending on season and week day
tunnelsbeaches.co.uk
IN A CASTLE
Be Kings and marry in a centuries old castle – the grandeur and history is hard to beat, and you can style it to be as traditional or as quirky as you like. There are a number of castles across the UK that are licensed to hold weddings. We like the Elizabethan gatehouse and pretty parterre garden of Kenilworth Castle – where Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester won the heart of Queen Elizabeth, 500 years ago. There’s marquee space outside, too.
Where: Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
From: £1,250
english-heritage.org.uk
AT THE ZOO
Bring out your wild side – have your wedding at a zoo. ZSL London Zoo is set in 36 acres of zoological gardens and is licensed to hold weddings in the stunning Grade-II listed Mappin Pavilion and regal Prince Albert Suite, both with outdoor space. You can host your drinks reception in one of seven animal houses, enjoy a barbecue on Penguin Beach and even provide exclusive animal encounters for you and your guests! Grrr.
Where: ZSL London Zoo, London
From: £2,100 room hire, or wedding packages from £69pp
zsl.org or call 020 7449 6562
AT THE THEATRE
Take to the boards and add some extra drama to the day, but just don’t go breaking a leg. A number of theatres are licensed to hold wedding ceremonies, but The National is a particular favourite. Imagine getting married on its unique rooftop venue – The Deck – overlooking the South Bank. With London’s skyline and the Thames below, it provides a wonderful photographic backdrop for couples seeking a ‘city chic’ wedding venue with a difference.
Where: National Theatre, London
From: £3,500 (canape reception)
thedeck.nationaltheatre.org.uk
AT A FILM STUDIO
Go for big screen glamour at the world famous Pinewood Studios. Home to many of the James Bond films, Superman and more, Pinewood Studios sits in the historic estate of Heatherden Hall, which is licensed to hold weddings. The Hall offers a fantastically versatile space and gives you the freedom to create and personalise your day. So why not? Get married where legends were made.
Where: Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
From: £99.00 pp inc VAT (min. of 80 Guests).
couturepinewood.com
IN A LIGHTHOUSE
Say “I do” to the sound of a fog horn in the first working lighthouse in the British Isles to be licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies. Standing proud on the Heritage Coastline of the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, Nash Point Lighthouse is the only operational lighthouse in the UK and is a beautiful location for small, intimate ceremonies. Once you’re officially wed, hold your ears – Nash Point sounds its fog horn!
Where: Nash Point Lighthouse, Glamorgan, Wales
From: £900
nashpoint.co.uk
IN AN ART GALLERY
Would you like to get married in the company of some of the world’s greatest collections? Art galleries and museums can provide a spectacular backdrop for your wedding day. The magnificent Victorian architecture and contemporary glass atrium of Manchester Art Gallery make it a fabulous place to tie the knot. Hold your ceremony amongst the fine art in Gallery 10, and celebrate with drinks in the Pre-Raphaelite Galleries, followed by dinner and dancing in the atrium, restaurant or stunning entrance hall.
Where: Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester
From: £2,250 + VAT for room hire; plus around £37.50pp + VAT for a three course meal.
manchestergalleries.org
IN AN OLD MONASTERY
It may not be the Sound of Music, but it’s the next best thing. Newbattle Abbey, just outside Edinburgh, is a stunning ‘A’ listed building surrounded by 125 acres of parkland. Originally a medieval Cistercian monastery, Newbattle Abbey has a 900-year history of welcoming royalty and privileged guests. Now it’s your turn…
Where: Newbattle Abbey, Midlothian, Scotland
From: £2,400
newbattleabbey.com
ON A FARM
Bring out the bumpkin in you and head for the country for a farm wedding. It can be pretty idyllic. Skipbridge Country Weddings in York does it brilliantly. Toast champagne atop a tractor, cuddle up on the hay bales and soak up the view as you gaze out across acres of rural pasture. It can be pretty idyllic. It is also home to many weird and wonderful creatures, including donkeys, ponies, horses and goats, pigs, alpacas, rheas, and peacocks. Now there’s a photo opportunity.
Where: Skipbridge Country Weddings, York
From: £2,000
skipbridgecountryweddings.co.uk
Discount: Quote ‘Attitude’ to receive a 10% discount on booking your wedding at Skipbridge.
Discover more unusual or traditional wedding venues at thegayweddingguide.co.uk