Wedding Venues in the UK
A barn with the fairy lights and a field to marry in, a country house with rooms for the family, a hotel that does the whole day, a castle for the drama, a pub for forty friends, a licensed room for a small wedding, or a blank space with your own caterer: find the wedding venues near you and what each one costs.
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Finding a good wedding venue in the UK
The wedding venue is the first booking and the biggest decision: it sets the date, the numbers, the style and most of the budget. The choice runs from converted barns and country houses to hotels, castles, stately homes, pubs and restaurants, town halls and registry offices, golf clubs and sports grounds, tipis and marquees on a farm, and the industrial and warehouse spaces in cities; and from the full package, where the venue does the catering, the bar, the coordination and the rooms, to dry hire, where you bring everything in. Most venues are licensed for civil ceremonies indoors and, since 2022, outdoors in their grounds.
Comparing venues means comparing what the price includes: venue hire alone or with catering, the price per head for the meal and the evening food, the drinks package, the ceremony room, the coordinator, tables, chairs and linen, the bridal suite and how many bedrooms, and the corkage if you bring your own wine. Exclusivity, capacity for the day and the evening, the wet-weather plan for an outdoor ceremony, noise restrictions and the finish time, accessibility, and the dates the venue has left decide the rest. Saturdays in summer book 12 to 18 months ahead; Fridays, Sundays and winter cost less.
The listings here show each venue's kind and capacity, licences and grounds, packages and prices, accommodation and contact details, so you can see what is nearby, who does barns or small weddings or exclusive hire, and where couples from your town have married.
Kinds of wedding venue
Barns and rustic venues: converted barns, farms, tipis and marquees with grounds for outdoor ceremonies, often dry hire or with approved caterers.
Country houses, castles and stately homes: exclusive-use houses with bedrooms, formal rooms and gardens, priced for the setting.
Hotels and inns: full packages with the ceremony, meal, evening and rooms under one roof, and a coordinator throughout.
Pubs, restaurants and small venues: private rooms and whole venues for intimate weddings of 20 to 80, with the food they are known for.
Town halls, registry offices and unusual spaces: council venues, museums, galleries, boats, zoos, theatres and warehouses licensed for ceremonies.
Before you book a wedding venue
- Fix the guest numbers and the budget first; the venue's capacity and package price decide the rest.
- Ask exactly what the hire fee includes and get the per-head prices for the meal, evening food and drinks in writing.
- Check the ceremony licence for indoors and the grounds, and the wet-weather plan for outdoors.
- Ask about exclusivity, the finish time and noise limits, and whether the bar is theirs or yours.
- Count the bedrooms and ask about rates for guests and the bridal suite.
- Visit twice, once on a day like yours, and speak to a couple who married there.
What wedding venues cost in the UK
As a rough guide, venue hire runs £2,000 to £6,000 for a barn or a small country house and £6,000 to £15,000 for exclusive use of a large house or castle, with catering at £60 to £120 a head for the wedding breakfast, £15 to £30 for evening food and £25 to £50 for a drinks package; hotel packages with the ceremony, meal, evening and a room run £80 to £150 a head all-in; pub and restaurant weddings £50 to £90 a head with a small room hire; registry office ceremonies £200 to £600 for the room and the registrar; marquees and tipis £3,000 to £8,000 to hire and dress plus the field. Fridays, Sundays and October to April are 20 to 40 per cent less than summer Saturdays.
The average UK wedding spends a third to a half of its budget on the venue and catering; a Friday in March at the same venue buys the same day for a third less.
How do I find a wedding venue near me?+
Look at the wedding venues listed for your town, which show the kind of venue, capacity, licences, packages and prices, accommodation and reviews. Shortlist by numbers, style and budget, visit two or three, and ask for the full price with catering and drinks in writing before you fall for the fairy lights.
How much does a wedding venue cost?+
Typically £2,000 to £6,000 to hire a barn or small country house and £6,000 to £15,000 for exclusive use of a large house or castle, plus catering at £60 to £120 a head and drinks; hotel packages run £80 to £150 a head all-in and pub weddings £50 to £90 a head. Off-peak days are 20 to 40 per cent less.
Can I get married outdoors in the UK?+
Yes: since 2022 in England and Wales, licensed venues can hold civil ceremonies anywhere in their grounds, so gardens, lawns, woods and terraces are used all summer, with a licensed room as the wet-weather plan; Scotland has allowed outdoor ceremonies anywhere for years. Ask the venue which outdoor spots are covered and what happens if it rains.
What is dry hire?+
Hiring the venue empty and bringing in your own caterer, bar, furniture and coordination, common at barns, halls and unusual spaces; it can be cheaper and gives you control, but the caterer, the bar licence, the loos, the power and the clearing up become your problem or your planner's. Many dry-hire venues have a list of approved suppliers.
How far ahead should I book a wedding venue?+
Twelve to eighteen months for a summer Saturday at a popular venue, six to twelve for other dates, and a few months for a small or midweek wedding; the registrar must be booked separately for civil ceremonies, up to a year ahead and at least a month before. Late availability and cancellations are worth asking about.
What should a wedding venue package include?+
Read the list: hire of the ceremony and reception rooms, the wedding breakfast and evening food per head, a drinks package or corkage, tables, chairs, linen and tableware, a coordinator on the day, the bridal suite and any bedrooms, and the finish time. Cake stands, easels, fairy lights and a late licence are the extras that add up; ask what is charged separately.
How do I get my business listed?+
It is free. Add your business in about two minutes to appear on this page and your local town directory. Upgrade to Featured for £2.49 a month to sit above the free listings.